All a jury can do is acquit a particular person accused of breaking a law. Even in places where jury nulification was common and accepted, that was true.
One thing that has changed over time, however, is that the amount of harm an indictment can do. It used to be that an innocent person who was indicted could expect to be acquitted within a month and there'd be little point indicting people if their cases wouldn't hold up. Now, the government can seek to punish people administratively before trial, and just shrug when the people are finally acquitted.
Not true, see post #71.
One thing that has changed over time, however, is that the amount of harm an indictment can do. It used to be that an innocent person who was indicted could expect to be acquitted within a month and there'd be little point indicting people if their cases wouldn't hold up. Now, the government can seek to punish people administratively before trial, and just shrug when the people are finally acquitted.
Too true!