NY has some of the most arcane laws in the US.
Mostly written by the Mafia.................
The Citizens Rule Book
The year was 1670, and the case Bushnell sat on was that of William Penn, who was on trial for
violation of a “Conventicle Act.” This was an elaborate Act which made the Church of
England the only legal church. The Act was struck down by their not guilty vote. Freedom of
Religion was established and became part of the English Bill of Rights and later it became the
First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In addition, the Right to peaceful assembly was
founded, Freedom of Speech, and also habeas corpus. The first such writ of habeas corpus ever
issued by the Court of Common Pleas was issued to free Edward Bushnell. Later this trial gave
birth to the concept of Freedom of the press.
Had Bushnell and his colleagues yielded to the guilty verdict sought by the judge and
prosecutor, William Penn most likely would have been executed as he clearly broke the law.
HE BROKE THE LAW!
There would have been no Liberty Bell, no Independence Hall, no city of Philadelphia, and no
state called Pennsylvania, for young William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, and leader of the
Quakers, was on trial for his life. His alleged crime was preaching and teaching a different
view of the Bible than that of the Church of England. This appears innocent today, but then,
one could be executed for such actions. He believed in freedom of religion, freedom of speech
and the right to peaceful assembly. He had broken to government’s law, but he had injured no
one. The four heroic JURORS knew that only when actual injury to someone’s person or
property take place is there a real crime. No law is broken when no injury can be shown. Thus
there can be no loss or termination of rights unless actual damage is proven. Many imposter
laws were repealed as a result of this.