The Official Zimmerman Trial Verdict Thread

[RKMBrown]

I was driving down the street going the speed limit and kid jumps out from inbetween some parked cars. I hit my brakes, but it was to late and I hit the kid, killing him. Now I'm in court today fighting for my life because I'm charged with Third Degree Murder and Child Abuse. It was an accident and I broke no laws but because I'm white and the kid is black, I'm going to prison for 25 years.

My best friend when I was five was run over and killed by a car. He ran out to get his ball.

 

[Rat in the Hat]

snarl--a 1000 more cyber slaps for her.

justice in the state of FL. I am beginning to 'hate' FL--a long list of reasons. No plans for violence--ftr. Get some of their socialites that assist the military involved--the Petraeus scandal still irritates me--for one thing.

I am blathering---at a loss for words.

Here's another reason to hate Florida. Every animal in the state is designed to kill people in some way.

Well this is true with the exception of dolphins and turtles. Scratch the turtles those snapping ones will take your foot off.

Not a user friendly outdoors for a girl who grew up barefoot in the woods.

Ummm... about those dolphins...

 

[Rozman]

Good morning all. I'm sorry, but this whole moving the goal posts thing is just mind boggling. And in my opinion sets a terrible precedent. Can't get a guy for murder? Well then let's change the rules midstream find something we CAN convict him on. When did that become a process of the legal system?

I'm wondering what's going on here?
The prosecution sees this falling apart before them
so they will throw anything at Zimmerman to get a conviction.

Maybe the prosecution is under orders to get this guy convicted of something
because they are so afraid of the blacks rioting and tearing the city apart.

 

[TemplarKormac]

3rd degree murder with underlying child abuse. Wtf. I'm still reeling on that.

 

[RKMBrown]

I doubt that I am.

It would be reasonable to have a fear of a five year old with a gun.

It would be unreasonable to have a fear of a five year old with a knife.

The standard is reasonable fear.

I added more..

More particularly, my point is that we can let fear pass, and choose reason over instinctive muscle memory. I postulate to you that fear and acting on fear is the abject opposite of reasonable action.

I actually need to correct myself...the standard isn't reasonable fear.

The standard is "a reasonable belief that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm.:

belief... that sounds subjective.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Mr. West is seeing through the judge's bullshit.

 

[TemplarKormac]

This judge is trying everything to rig this case.

 

[TemplarKormac]

This is outrageous... the judge is allowing the State to get away with bush league tactics in the courtroom. "Just when I though this case couldn't get any more bizarre" as West puts it.

What are they doing? Are they showing films of napalm drops on Vietnamese villages with burned kids and suggesting that Zimmerman could have been part of that?

They might as well have been, Rab.

 

[Rat in the Hat]

Judge Mope is going to allow the state to say following someone is illegal.


What country's law is she following? Because it sure isn't this one.

 

[Katzndogz]

Right.

I do it too. Often we forget, when we remind that he was stalking, that he was doing this with a loaded gun.

Except he wasnt stalking Trayvon. There is a reason stalking wasn't charged. There is absolutely zero evidence to support a stalking charge.

Stalking is never charged when there's someone arrested for murder. Stalking is something that would be charged by itself when there's no killing.

I'll admit that saying he was stalking is a little bit of a stretch, but since no one has come up with a better word to describe it, I use it. He was ALMOST stalking, so close to it as to be indecipherable. Well you get the idea.

To be stalking, the activity would have to be done repeatedly. That's why Zimmerman was not charged with stalking.

 

[Brain357]

I believe things until I have a reason not to believe them. If you have no forensic or eye witness evidence to counter Zimmerman's testimony, and it is not contradicted by anything else, then there is no reason not to believe it.
Unless of course you're a brain dead hack with an agenda that says we must support inner city Negroes no matter what.

Or unless your a pro gun brain dead who assumes the shooter is always right.

I've gotten no good response to why Martin ran away just to run back and attack Zimmerman. Nor why a kid with no history of violence attacked him at all. I think only the brain dead can without question pick a side in this.

Well, what does "no history of violence" mean? The pics from his phone certainly suggest violence. I dont know why Martin ran off then came back. Do you think that isn't what happened? Because every piece of circumstantial evidence says it did.

By history of violence I mean criminal history. Or even bringing in kids from school who say he beat them up. This hasnt happened to my knowledge.

Ok, what evidence says he did then? Since the shooting happened a good distance from the car it's clear Zimmerman followed Martin.

 

[Gadawg73]

Take a good look at the power and vast resources of the state sports fans.
This is the norm now all promoted under the guise of the right wing "war on crime" BS.
Take a real good look.
Republican Legislatures passed all this BULL SHIT the prosecution is getting away with in this trial.
This IS THE NORM THESE DAYS. The Judge is an elected official and panders to the prosecution to show she is tough on crime.
This is what I see everyday in my work and is why I am Libertarian.

 

[animallover]

Hello All!

I have to say I am from GA and would rather move to Fla. Have thought about it more than once.

 

[The Professor]

Judge Debra Nelson is a trial lawyer. She used to be well respected until she presided over this farce. She gleefully ignores pertinent case law, badgers the defendant, denies perfectly good evidence from admission and has been downright belligerent with Don West. For pete's sake, she must have forgotten to study the Judicial Code of Ethics of Florida...

As with any lesser charge, there needs to be proof or evidence to back that up. You need to delve into the aspect of culpable negligence to determine if you can charge Zimmerman with manslaughter. Turns out you can't. Leave the man alone, his life is already turned upside down, and people looking for blood are wanting to put him away for some scurrilous reason. For which there is no evidence to support.

YOu mean OTHER than that dead child he blew a hole into?

Fact of the matter is, juries consider "lesser but included charges" all the time.

Martin was a child ?????

Martin was a few weeks past his 17th birthday. When I was 2 days past my 17th birthday I was wearing a Marine Corps uniform. The Marines don't take children into their ranks.

Further, I would bet that if you had called Martin a child to his face, he would have decked you (or at least tried to). Personally, I think all the people who are trying to portray Martin as a helpless little kid dishonor the man. Martin was a fighter, not a weak-ass pussy, and I am certain he would be angered by those who think Zimmerman could have whipped his ass in a fist fight. You may think Martin was a child, but I bet both Zimmerman and Martin would strongly disagree.

I believe that Martin was the aggressor that night and that Zimmerman had no choice but to use deadly force to defend himself. But that does not change my belief that Martin was a physically strong and confident young man who - right or wrong - fought for what he thought was right. I would not insult him by calling him a child.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Anytime an attorney utters the words "miscarriage of justice" to the judge's face, there is something wrong with the judge.

 

[wavingrl]

Good morning all. I'm sorry, but this whole moving the goal posts thing is just mind boggling. And in my opinion sets a terrible precedent. Can't get a guy for murder? Well then let's change the rules midstream find something we CAN convict him on. When did that become a process of the legal system?

I'm wondering what's going on here?
The prosecution sees this falling apart before them
so they will throw anything at Zimmerman to get a conviction.

Maybe the prosecution is under orders to get this guy convicted of something
because they are so afraid of the blacks rioting and tearing the city apart.

it certainly seems that way.

I know that if I were a member of the jury --this would cement 'reasonable doubt'.

a bad case--very bad.

 

[CrazedScotsman]

While walking in Florida, do not walk behind another person, you can be arrested and charged with Second Degree Murder or Child Abuse

 

[TemplarKormac]

And the Judge has allowed the Manslaughter charge to given to the jury for consideration.

 

[Katzndogz]

3rd degree murder with underlying child abuse. Wtf. I'm still reeling on that.

The appeal is being drafted right now. Such an action by the judge would be certain to be overturned. There are lesser included offenses, then there are brand new offenses that does not afford the defendant an opportunity to answer.

It also presents a problem. If the jury instruction is that the jury would have to find that Zimmerman knew that Martin was under age it might be moot since there was no evidence on that issue either way.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Martin was old enough to be tried as an adult in the court of law. Child abuse my ass.