CONCORD, N.H.—The New Hampshire Senate has voted to allow juries to decide if convicting someone would actually bring about justice, even if the letter of law is not satisfied.

The bill states the jury has the right to decide if a law should apply or not on an individual basis.

Sen. Fenton Groen, a Republican from Rochester, said the bill has centuries of common law precedent and would only allow the defense in a criminal trial to state that right to the jury.

New Hampshire judges currently tell juries they "must" acquit if the prosecution does not meet the burden of proof and that they "should" convict if it does.

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