George Zimmerman verdict: The jury speaks

The Orlando Sentinel ^ | July 20, 2017 | Hal Boedeker

[sphinx]

Oops. I meant to have said that Zimmerman may have said something to escalate the situation. Me bad. But we’ll never know if that was the case unless he changes his story. The point is — as most here will agree — that the evidence presented at trial required a finding of self-defense. All the rest is sheer speculation.

[Ray76]

The verdict didn’t “spark protests”, they were generated by racist Eric Holder at the behest of the racist squatter Obama.

[Ray76]

Hahaha! That’s funny!

[suthener]

> I do believe that Zimmerman did exacerbate the situation and a charge of manslaughter or negligent homicide could have been argued for. <

A guy I know is a lawyer. And he’s passionate about the Second Amendment. Very passionate. He’s taken on cases on behalf of the NRA.

And he agrees with you.

You can argue anything, but you can still be wrong. What convinced me was when Zimmerman physically walked the police through the entire encounter with no inconsistencies or obfuscations. Guilty people can’t do that. They simply had no case for any criminal charge.

[spacejunkie2001]

It wasn’t manslaughter so it doesn’t matter that that wasn’t an option. I paid astute attention to the details (and I live in the same town) and he was defending himself, pure and simple. Trayvon Martin was a dirty little thug that ultimately got what he asked for due to his criminal mind.

[spacejunkie2001]

That is seriously complete crap. George was walking back to his car and that loser Martin jumped out of the bushes and attacked him.

[spacejunkie2001]

You’re friend is an idiot that a) believes the media and b) did NOT watch the trial or pay attention the enormous amount of detail in and out of trial.

[spacejunkie2001]

Exactly. This guy’s “lawyer friend” is an imbecile. Makes me sick that people who frequent FR, who are allegedly in the know, could EVER believe GZ did not have the full on right to defend himself and that Martin was the perp, through and through.

[spacejunkie2001]

Your friend doesn’t know Florida law, clearly. In Florida it is up to US to decide if we feel ‘in fear for our lives’. Period. Paragraph. End of story.

Your friend is a dolt.

[faucetman]

George Zimmerman should NEVER have been charged PERIOD!!!!

This was a show trial right from the beginning.

The police, the night of the shooting made the correct determination that no crime had been committed.

Like I have said many times before, there is local TV news video from the night of the shooting and first thing in the morning of the reporter getting the story from the eye witness that Zimmerman was being attacked and defended himself.

It was all you needed to know about this case. Everything else was totally unnecessary. Solved, settled, the morning after the incident.

If Trayvon Martin were a white guy, this is right where it would have ended.

[PCPOET7]

was in car talking to police dispatch and told not to approach after calling it in. the attack took place shortly after the call.

[PCPOET7]

was in car talking to police dispatch and told not to approach after calling it in. the attack took place shortly after the call.

[IncPen]

Three jurors from the George Zimmerman trial are going on national television to defend their controversial verdict

It was only controversial to people who wanted to destroy Zimmerman...

[LukeL]

First of all I am not a liberal, I am someone who is pragmatic in my life. When one is carrying a weapon on their person they must understand that any physical encounter then enter has a much higher chance of turning deadly and one must be very careful with their actions. As I said Zimmerman was 100% correct in using deadly force, the issue I raised was purely speculative and that was should Zimmerman have approached or followed Martin in the manner that he did.

And not to beat a dead horse, but my first statement was that the DA would have had a much better chance of conviction if they went for a lesser charge, not that the it was a case of manslaughter.

[LukeL]

My issue was not the use of deadly force that Zimmerman used, it was should Zimmerman have been following him on foot in the first place. It is clear that Martin had basically a 0% chance of seeing thirty as he would have been killed by the street, in prison, or by the police sooner or later.

I also was 100% behind Zimmerman until after the trial when more and more came out about him. He seems to be a wannabe cop and a vigilante. I think we went out looking for trouble and found it.

Again he was 100% justified in what he did. The question I raised was could a DA have made a legal (but morally wrong) argument for manslaughter based on Florida law.

[MileHi]

And the lawyer said that even though Zimmerman was injured, there was no probability of death, or severe injury.

Right, because having your head bashed into a concrete curb is just a minor owie. Your buddy is full of it.

[JerseyDvl]

I think things change when your attacker tell you “ You’re going to die tonight”.
High probability of death after that.

[867V309]

The issue I stated in the beginning was that could the DA have convinced a jury that a lesser charge of manslaughter

that was never going to happen when zimmerman had every right to be doing what he was doing, and defending himself when he was attacked by a drugged-out thug. you're 100% wrong.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

What matters is that Zimmerman would probably NOT have been killed or maimed by Martin.

Never use that lawyer as he is may be book smart but street dumb.

I'll take that back, he is not even book smart.

If he was he would know that the most common murder weapon is... drum roll please... the HAND! :Cymbal crash:

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

The issue hangs on the question was Zimmerman in the right to go beyond being in the neighborhood watch by confronting a potential burglary in progress

He didn't.

He was walking away.

St. Skittles attacked him.

So apparently just being in the area is "confronting"?

How big is this area?

A mile? Two?

How far do you have to be away from a criminal before it is not your fault that he hunts you down and attacks you?