If a jury of your peers acquits you of charges, should a judge still be able to sentence you to prison for those charges?
Of course not.
Sadly, this is a regular occurrence in America, through a process called acquitted conduct sentencing. This process allows judges to sentence defendants for accusations that a jury found them not guilty of, in clear violation of your Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights.
For example, a man named Erik Osby was sentenced by a judge on all seven charges brought against him, even though the jury acquitted him on five of the seven charges. This is an unacceptable practice that is not authorized by Congress or the Constitution.
Tell your lawmakers: it’s time to end acquitted conduct sentencing.