I suspect you are referring to jury nullification, which, contrary to proponents' beliefs, was never broadly accepted, nor designed intentionally as a feature o

I suspect you are referring to jury nullification, which, contrary to proponents' beliefs, was never broadly accepted, nor designed intentionally as a feature of juries. It has always been contentious. It was certainly not the original purpose of juries. Furthermore, juries were punished very harshly for it in the past.