The Official Zimmerman Trial Verdict Thread

[25Caliber]

Hi...My name is George Zimmerman...Im following a suspicious character in my neighborhood in the dark and rain...I have holstered my pistol just in case there is a problem...no, Im not a cop...Im a neighborhood watch captain. What should I do?

911: Get your stupid ass back in your truck and wait for the police...right now!! Do not pass go...do not collect $200.

George Zimmerman was within his rights. If you think he was not, then post up where the law says anyone has to obey the 911 dispatcher.

Also, post up where the law says that anyone who is acting within their rights is 'responsible' for the bad outcome of acting within their rights.

Never said he wasnt within his legal rights...legal rights doesnt mean smart. He didnt tell the dispatch that he was carrying a gun...does he have to? No. But I think we can all agree what the advice would have been had he done so.

Lots of things are legal.

I look at is though it were my son or daughter laying face down in that grass that night...NO GZ was not correct or smart in everything he did that night...not even close.

Trayvon didnt do every thing right that night either.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Actually it matters as the Prosecution has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt the charge. The defense doesn't have to prove anything. And if when the Prosecution is done presenting their case it is very weak the defense can ask the judge to throw out the charge.

True...in theory. But you can "prove beyond a reasonable doubt" all you want, what really matters in the end is what the jury thinks. So it behooves the defense to try and prove their points, and to disprove the prosecution's case.

If the jury renders a verdict that clearly is not supported by evidence, then the jury becomes what is known as a 'runaway jury.' The verdict of a runaway jury can be overturned. Quickly.

True, but to be precise, a GUILTY verdict can be overturned, but not so a NOT GUILTY verdict.

And I'm not sure there's going to be a preponderance of evidence on either side of this case, so working to convince the jury will probably be critical for both the prosecution and the defense.

 

[Truthseeker420]

What dimension do you come from? She was devastating. She was overly divisive, argumentative, undecided and unwilling to be there in the first place. She admitted she signed a testimony she couldn't read and she admitted she lied to De La Raiondo in her deposition.

So how is she good for the prosecution?

The defense was only able to prove they could trick and badger a kid who was inarticulate, unsophisticated and English was he second language . But she seemed genuine and was not impeached on what happened that night.

They did no such thing. Will you call out the prosecution when they cross examine the defense witness that way?

I'm not blaming the defense, it's their job.

 

[LoneLaugher]

Neither side was completely right in what they did that night. Objectivity is slight on both sides of this issue in this forum. Thats my objective opinion.

We don't know that.

What we do know......is that the kid is dead. His encounter with Zimmerman....which was initiated by Zimmerman....led to his death.

That kid was not out looking for Zimmerman. That we know.

I am not speaking to Zimmerman's guilt of the charges filed against him. That is to be determined by the jury. But that kid's death is the result of Zimmerman's actions. This is not in dispute.

 

[Ernie S.]

I dont think his JOB was to follow and pursue suspicious charachter. I think it is his job and duty to report it. Once you start following someone in the dark packing a pistol you are asking for trouble.

Im not saying that what he did was illegal...Im saying that in the end he bears some responsibility for what happened that night.

Taking race and all of the other BS out of it...if this had been my brother, I would be pissed to put it lightly. GZ followed and got in a fist fight with a teen for crying out loud...he cant protect himself (btw dont follow if you cant) so he yanks his gun out and shoots him. I dont like it now and havnt liked it from the get go.

His JOB was to protect his neighborhood. That includes keeping his eye on suspicious characters. He perceived Martin as suspicious. The fact that he was carrying a gun was not relevant UNTIL Martin attacked him. At that point, Zimmerman used his gun in self defense. He should walk away a free man and be compensated by the State of Florida for malicious prosecution.

Why do you refuse to acknowledge a.) the mere possibility that Zimmerman's a liar, and b.) the mere possibility that Trayvon hit Zimmerman in 'Self-defense?'

We have an account from Zimmerman that is corroborated by the time line established by the dispatch call and the autopsy and medical reports.
No one, well, except for Dee Dee, has offered anything that disputed his account. Even Diamond Eugene/Rachele/Dee Dee appeared to change her opinion of who yelled for help.
So far, Dee Dee's credibility is zero, so there really is nothing in evidence to dispute Zimmerman's account.
Why do you doubt Mr. Zimmerman? Can you entertain the possibility that Trevon attacked unprovoked? Or does that simply not fit your preconceived notion?

 

[Defiant1]

Hi...My name is George Zimmerman...Im following a suspicious character in my neighborhood in the dark and rain...I have holstered my pistol just in case there is a problem...no, Im not a cop...Im a neighborhood watch captain. What should I do?

911: Get your stupid ass back in your truck and wait for the police...right now!! Do not pass go...do not collect $200.

George Zimmerman was within his rights. If you think he was not, then post up where the law says anyone has to obey the 911 dispatcher.

Also, post up where the law says that anyone who is acting within their rights is 'responsible' for the bad outcome of acting within their rights.

Disobeying police orders in this context is probably not illegal, if the dialogue even constitutes 'Disobeying.'

Neither is carrying a gun or following a suspicious person. We all know that.

But they are indicative of someone who is looking for a confrontation, and is certainly not doing the things within his power to avoid one.

So I'm armed, I observe someone whose actions tell me they may be about to commit a crime, I'm supposed to run away?

Is the same reaction required if I'm not armed?

 

[Ernie S.]

I just caught a little of it on MSNBC. Not sure if it will be on this afternoon or not, but I can't listen on my computer because I've had technical difficulties and don't have sound.

Man, I've never heard such biased commentators. And they are going on and on about how meeeeeeeeeeeen the attorney for the defense is to her. Damn. I thought he as being pretty gentle. She has clearly been coached to use the word 'sir' but not to say it with any kind of respect. The prosecution could have sewn this case up with her. All she had to do was to come in and be vulnerable. The minute he made here cry, it would be 'Katy bar the door' to the defense.

She is not credible, and she is not vulnerable. But she's a national celeb. Anyone wanna make book on how long after this trial is over before she starts to make the talk show circuit, and gets a ghost writer to write up all her lies in a book? I'd say less than a month.

Maybe she'll be able to afford a plastic-surgen to remove that thing from around her neck.

Damn......wtf causes that????

That's called "dickhead" she could have a circumcision, I suppose.

 

[A_LittleFeisty]

I can now answer that question.

I went out and ran the hose on the grass in my back yard. Then I threw my "boo toof" out onto it.



I didn't hear a darn thing.

Iz yo sure? wnnimlgnbglommmmmboodbdfmm? So I'se will ax you a'gin. Whut do wet grass soun' like? Leafs an stuff?

I took the experiment one step farther.


I soaked the grass some more, then threw my neighbor's dog on it.


I heard some yelps from the puppy that sounded like "help", but still no noises from the wet grass.

You have a problem with your experiment. There are different types of grasses so there would be a different sound depending on the type of grass. Maybe you need to plant some different types of grasses and try again then maybe you will get a wet grass sound.

 

[Missourian]

I'll be interested to see what the pundits and talking heads have to say tonight...but IMO, the prosecution is not doing well at all.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

George Zimmerman was within his rights. If you think he was not, then post up where the law says anyone has to obey the 911 dispatcher.

Also, post up where the law says that anyone who is acting within their rights is 'responsible' for the bad outcome of acting within their rights.

Disobeying police orders in this context is probably not illegal, if the dialogue even constitutes 'Disobeying.'

Neither is carrying a gun or following a suspicious person. We all know that.

But they are indicative of someone who is looking for a confrontation, and is certainly not doing the things within his power to avoid one.

So I'm armed, I observe someone whose actions tell me they may be about to commit a crime, I'm supposed to run away?

Is the same reaction required if I'm not armed?

Big difference between "thinking" someone is "about to" commit a crime, and observing someone who is actually commiting a crime. And there's also a big difference in how you can respond.

 

[Ernie S.]

Hi...My name is George Zimmerman...Im following a suspicious character in my neighborhood in the dark and rain...I have holstered my pistol just in case there is a problem...no, Im not a cop...Im a neighborhood watch captain. What should I do?

911: Get your stupid ass back in your truck and wait for the police...right now!! Do not pass go...do not collect $200.

George Zimmerman was within his rights. If you think he was not, then post up where the law says anyone has to obey the 911 dispatcher.

Also, post up where the law says that anyone who is acting within their rights is 'responsible' for the bad outcome of acting within their rights.

Disobeying police orders in this context is probably not illegal, if the dialogue even constitutes 'Disobeying.'

Neither is carrying a gun or following a suspicious person. We all know that.

But they are indicative of someone who is looking for a confrontation, and is certainly not doing the things within his power to avoid one.

No sir! It is only indicative of someone wanting to survive a confrontation. It was not his duty to avoid a confrontation. His duty was to report on suspicious characters.

 

[Missourian]

Just trying to get up to date on the testimony but Trayvon's girlfriend seemed like a good witness for the prosecution.

What dimension do you come from? She was devastating. She was overly divisive, argumentative, undecided and unwilling to be there in the first place. She admitted she signed a testimony she couldn't read and she admitted she lied to De La Raiondo in her deposition.

So how is she good for the prosecution?

The defense was only able to prove they could trick and badger a kid who was inarticulate, unsophisticated and English was her second language . But she seemed genuine and was not impeached on what happened that night.

She didn't seem genuine to me at all. Agenda driven testimony was my overall impression.

 

[Ernie S.]

Wooo! She doesn't speak English.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Prosecutor is using the the "are you aware that Zimmerman beat up his former girlfriend and she had a restraining order placed against him" line. Both he and his girlfriend filed mutual restraining orders against each other and both of them were later dismissed.

What? Judge allowed Zimmerman's domestic violence arrest into evidence? It's typical to restrain both parties from contacting each other, but that doesn't change the fact that Zimmerman beat his girlfriend.

Yes, lets stay on track, you are looking for everything you can to convict the man. His charges were dropped after he completed a Pre-Trial Diversion Program. Two other charges related to that case were also dropped. He also had charges of assaulting an officer dropped as well.

George Zimmerman arrested for assaulting officer, charges dropped - National US Headlines | Examiner.com

See, I like how you try to assess his character based on that alone.

No. Nice try, but no.

 

[Sunshine]

Hi...My name is George Zimmerman...Im following a suspicious character in my neighborhood in the dark and rain...I have holstered my pistol just in case there is a problem...no, Im not a cop...Im a neighborhood watch captain. What should I do?

911: Get your stupid ass back in your truck and wait for the police...right now!! Do not pass go...do not collect $200.

George Zimmerman was within his rights. If you think he was not, then post up where the law says anyone has to obey the 911 dispatcher.

Also, post up where the law says that anyone who is acting within their rights is 'responsible' for the bad outcome of acting within their rights.

Disobeying police orders in this context is probably not illegal, if the dialogue even constitutes 'Disobeying.'

Neither is carrying a gun or following a suspicious person. We all know that.

But they are indicative of someone who is looking for a confrontation, and is certainly not doing the things within his power to avoid one.

The 911 dispatchers in this area are not 'the police.' Most of them are paramedics.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Spanish speak witness, Mora, called to the stand.

 

[Rat in the Hat]

Wooo! She doesn't speak English.

Just like DeeDee!

 

[deltex1]

Just trying to get up to date on the testimony but Trayvon's girlfriend seemed like a good witness for the prosecution.

What dimension do you come from? She was devastating. She was overly divisive, argumentative, undecided and unwilling to be there in the first place. She admitted she signed a testimony she couldn't read and she admitted she lied to De La Raiondo in her deposition.

So how is she good for the prosecution?

The defense was only able to prove they could trick and badger a kid who was inarticulate, unsophisticated and English was her second language . But she seemed genuine and was not impeached on what happened that night.

What was her first language...Martian??

 

[Defiant1]

Disobeying police orders in this context is probably not illegal, if the dialogue even constitutes 'Disobeying.'

Neither is carrying a gun or following a suspicious person. We all know that.

But they are indicative of someone who is looking for a confrontation, and is certainly not doing the things within his power to avoid one.

So I'm armed, I observe someone whose actions tell me they may be about to commit a crime, I'm supposed to run away?

Is the same reaction required if I'm not armed?

Big difference between "thinking" someone is "about to" commit a crime, and observing someone who is actually commiting a crime. And there's also a big difference in how you can respond.

Let's not rush things here, we are talking about just the observation at this point.

I agree with what has already been posted. GZ has every right to observe and follow someone he viewed as suspicious. Whether he was armed or not, and what community club he was a member of has no relevance.

 

[Wry Catcher]

Prosecutor is using the the "are you aware that Zimmerman beat up his former girlfriend and she had a restraining order placed against him" line. Both he and his girlfriend filed mutual restraining orders against each other and both of them were later dismissed.

RO's are rarely dismissed; they sunset after a time set by the court. They can be reissued for cause.