Mr. Perry's Freedom and NIMBY's New Low

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NIMBY ‘s Injustice

The Detroit Free Press's April 2nd, 2008 headline on the ex-teacher Perry case is cause for a new level of concern over the NIMBY phenomenon.

Mr. Perry, a school teacher, is accused of sexually abusing young students. Mr. Perry was tried before and convicted. New evidence resulted in a second trial. Eleven of the jurors voted to acquit. One juror held out.
This juror held out for personal reasons.
This juror lives 200 feet from Mr. Perry’s house and walks his dog by Mr. Perry’s house. This juror did not want Mr. Perry in his back yard. To this juror NIMBY trumped an innocent man’s freedom and reputation.
Bad social policy is sometimes pursued because of NIMBY. Inefficiencies result. But it’s a different ball game when NIMBY results in sacrificing an innocent person’s lifetime freedom.
That juror violated the trust the Constitution and society put in him to evaluate the facts and make a decision. There should be a way to hold this juror accountable and to set an example.

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