you have a point there, but a bad one
The trial is about Zimmerman, and only him. Outside factors should not decide his fate, especially not any “innocent lives that might be saved” outside the court.
Would you be willing to go to jail if you were innocent but the judge said “we are going to throw you in jail anyway or else rioters will kill innocent people”
The judge might possibly have saved this mess if she had granted it.
Even Better, the state could avoid a mess by saying “in light of the recent testimony which contradicts our original investigation the state would like to drop all charges”
That puts it back on the idiot witnesses
I’m speaking to the real world issues here. It is a travesty that the proper decision could not be reached for the proper reasons. It is patently unfair to Zimmerman.
My comment about saving innocent lives is easily elaborated upon. A sudden dismissal would have caught law enforcement and citizens alike off guard and unprepared. THAT is where innocent lives were saved. Once the jury begins deliberations law enforcement and citizens will have time to formulate plans to protect themselves and the community from the anticipated riots. Innocent lives will be lost when the riots come (and they are coming). However, I believe fewer innocent lives will be lost. Quite a few.
The entire mess is a travesty of justice, decency and common sense. BUT, since that train left the station when they indicted Zimmerman, there isn’t much we can do about that.
Reminds me of the old Westerns where the townsfolk surround the jail and insist the Sheriff turn over the prisoner so they can hang him. In the old days we used to think the Sheriff was the hero for telling the people to stuff it, justice demanded a fair trial and they'd have to kill him to get to the prisoner. This was used a lot, it was a cliche because back then Americans had a sense of fair play and justice and that image was powerful.
These days I imagine many would scoff and say that the sheriff was stupid, that the mob would probably kill innocent people and damage property in their fury and he should have turned the guy over, guilty or not.