The Official Zimmerman Trial Verdict Thread

[Ernie S.]

Harder to prove you were in fear of your life from a five year old. Is that really a measure for when child abuse is self defense, fear? This whole self defense based on fear thing.. hmm. My gut says fear is the mind killer and we should not make decisions based on fear alone. But that may just be a residual ingrain from my approval of the Frank Herbert Dune books.

You are implying that when one fires a weapon at you, it is unreasonable to have a fear of death or great bodily injury. If that is how you feel, then yes, I think you need to put the Dune books down

Since your assumption of my implication is incorrect... you may be missing the subtlety of my point

More particularly my point is that we can let fear pass, and choose reason over instinctive muscle memory.

Try to remember that next time someone is smashing your head into a concrete sidewalk, OK?

776.012 Use of force in defense of person

However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if: (1) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony;

 

[wavingrl]

Hello All!

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

the beaches are nice--agreed. The hurricanes and judicial matters would be huge negatives for me.

ignore me--I am just venting. It does seem that GA's version of Stand Your Ground is at present working better than FL's--deadly force allowed in your home, etc.

my opinions aren't even worth $.02--ftr.

 

[TemplarKormac]

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.

It is my knowledge that the judge will instruct the jury to consider manslaughter as a lesser charge.

 

[wavingrl]

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

Reasonable doubt. I am convinced.

Some juror has to share some of my beliefs.

 

[wharfrat]

belief... that sounds subjective.

It is subjective, which is precisely why we are disputing it.

Why do you continue to remove the adjective "reasonable?" It is there for a reason.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Wrong, it is not adding charges.
It is offering a lesser charge which IN MOST CASES the defendant is begging for.
Self defense is Zimmerman's defense AND THE SAME defense would have been used.
That is always the argument the defense uses when they ask for lesser charges.
Manslaughter defense is same as murder or any defense in this as his defense is SELF DEFENSE.
And a good one.

Manslaughter is just as bad, if not worse, than Murder II in this Case because the victim was a Minor.

Florida has a number of Cimes that are subject to the 10-20-Life rule.

Gets complicated. But some of those 'Lesser Charges' ain't so 'less'

I agree BUT this was a manslaughter case and not a murder case to begin with.
Yes, Florida is a right wing kook state. Since there was a gun involved the Republican Legislature passed a mandatory 10 year sentence on this if he is convicted.
Just another example of the police state we live in these days. Amazing the foolish liberals here want to roast Zimmerman as most times it is the state and their vast resources prosecuting petty drug offenses and sending people with health problems to prison for mandatory 10 year drug sentences for a handful of crack cocaine.
At one time in the Federal system you would get less time if you robbed a bank and pistol whipped the teller than if you had over a certain amount of crack cocaine.
People need to wake up as we have doubled the prison population since 2005 and most of them are petty dope cases with mandatory sentences. In Georgia it is 25 years mandatory sentence if you flash your penis at a minor as that is child molestation under the law here . There have been many arrests on college campuses of students and adults tailgating before football games and guys are taking a whiz behind the bushes. "Daddy, I saw that man's penis". I know of one plea of 25 to do 2 on those cases and the others have been plea bargained down to disorderly conduct or something else but the LAW REMAINS.
Same as Florida laws. Blame the Republican Legislatures for their draconian laws.

It doesn't matter which party does what. Such political posturing may send an innocent man to jail. Here we are acting like this is a game, one party rooting for the defendant, the other the victim. Does anyone not care that there is a chance a miscarriage of justice might be perpetrated?

 

[Rat in the Hat]

I found a childhood photo of Judge Mope.

 

[asaratis]

It appears that the judge took too many bitch pills this morning.

 

[TemplarKormac]

Absolutely shaking my head....

 

[KissMy]

So would you vote guilty beyond reasonable doubt with a clear conscience if you were actually on the jury?

Sarah already posted she would vote guilty even though there is doubt A kid is dead and someone must pay

Yeah, and I can't remember who posted that when someone gets killed there should always be an arrest. Doctors kill people every day and they don't get arrested!

Thats what those dumb-ass democrats are lead to believe. Then they wonder why they live in a shitty crime ridden neighborhood. Then they want to blame everyone else & flee from the shit-hole they created. Just like Mr. Jones who's family lost everything defending him again after he defended his family, because Chicago turns all justifiable homicide into a crime.

 

[TemplarKormac]

It appears that the judge took too many bitch pills this morning.

Her behavior is entirely unbecoming...

 

[testarosa]

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...

Laughing out loud!

 

[Ernie S.]

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.

Had a friend who was hit by a car at 9. He would have been better off dying. He's 64 now and hasn't spoken, smiled, walked, laughed, cried, fed himself or used a toilet in 45 years.

 

[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 beaches are nice--agreed. The hurricanes and judicial matters would be huge negatives for me.

ignore me--I am just venting. It does seem that GA's version of Stand Your Ground is at present working better than FL's--deadly force allowed in your home, etc.

my opinions aren't even worth $.02--ftr.

I think I would miss a lot here but I could always visit. LOL

 

[testarosa]

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.

You catch on quick!

 

[rightwinger]

Manslaughter count added to Zimmerman charges

I don't think this should be allowed. If the prosecution wanted lesser charges, they should have filed them that way

You file second degree charges, the defense sets up a defense to refute second degree murder and then they lower the bar when the jury goes to deliberate

 

[Ernie S.]

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...

LINK

Tião was a well known solitary male Bottlenose Dolphin that resided in the town of São Sebastião in Brazil around 1994 and frequently allowed humans to interact with him. The dolphin became infamous for killing a swimmer and injuring many others, which later earned him the nickname killer dolphin.

 

[animallover]

the beaches are nice--agreed. The hurricanes and judicial matters would be huge negatives for me.

ignore me--I am just venting. It does seem that GA's version of Stand Your Ground is at present working better than FL's--deadly force allowed in your home, etc.

my opinions aren't even worth $.02--ftr.[/QUOTE

I think I would miss a lot here but I could always visit. LOL

I knew you were going to jump in on that Paula

I take enough vacations to Fla I may as well move there. You know that Testa! lol I love me some beach!

ok so my opinion on this crap this morning is OMG the prosecution couldn't get any lamer!

 

[Foxfyre]

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

Reasonable doubt. I am convinced.

Some juror has to share some of my beliefs.

I honestly can't imagine ANYBODY of normal intelligence who would not have reasonable doubt in this case. Not if they have watched this trial. But that's just me.

 

[testarosa]

When you're on there, check this out:
@MortimerEsq