Quirky Does Not Equal Charming

Reporters often aim at some high literary standard. Editors have made innumerable speeches about attracting readers with bright writing. In practice, the results can be weird. We have here a tedious feature about a fascinating, but unimportant crank.

Julian P. Heicklen, was a chemistry professor at Penn State, retired and is now on a crusade to allow jurors to overturn laws, and determine guilt or innocence on their whims. His earlier crusade was to legalize marijuana.

It's hard to make out the story's point of view, but Heicklen is quite clear about who he is on his own website, which he calls, "jailed activist." He goes on to explain that as a boy, he was inspired by Victor Hugo and Ayn Rand. He claims credit for winning Israel's Yom Kippur war in 1973. At 78, he complains that his children want him in a nursing home. He says he prefers jail, where he's been numerous times. And he's totally wrong about the theory of the American justice system. You wouldn't like it if he got his way: trials would be popularity contests.

You can read the story if you want a blow by blow of one of his court appearances, but it's not worth it. And you won't find what I quoted above.

Jury Nullification Advocate Is Indicted

---