Jury nullification, jury equity, or a perverse verdict refers to when members of a criminal trial's jury believe that a defendant is guilty, but choose to acquit the defendant anyway.

What is jury nullification and how does it work?

Jury nullification takes place when jurors acquit a defendant who is factually guilty because they disagree with the law as written. ... For example, all-white juries in the post-civil war South routinely convicted black defendants accused of sex crimes against white women despite minimal evidence of guilt.

What is jury nullification in simple terms?

In its strictest sense, jury nullification occurs when a jury returns a Not Guilty verdict even though jurors believe beyond reasonable doubt that the defendant has broken the law.