"Shaken Baby Syndrome" used in defense of Trayvon Martin's killer

Reuters ^ | 04/06/2012 | Reuters

[Responsibility2nd]

SANFORD, Fla., April 6 (Reuters) - "Shaken Baby Syndrome" was cited on Friday in the defense of George Zimmerman, the Sanford, Florida, man who shot and killed unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, in a case that has sparked a widespread public outcry.

Hal Uhrig, a lawyer and former Gainesville, Florida, police officer who recently joined Zimmerman's defense team, cited in a TV interview the brain damage that can seriously injure or kill an infant.

His point, which has been made before, was that Zimmerman contends he shot Martin in self defense and feared for his life after the 17-year-old attacked him and began pounding his head into the concrete pavement of a gated community on a rainy evening in Sanford on Feb. 26.

But Uhrig's choice of words, and use of a recognized sign of child abuse to defend a 28-year-old man who killed a kid, seemed likely to raise more than just a few eyebrows.

"We're familiar with the Shaken Baby Syndrome," said Uhrig on the CBS This Morning program. "You shake a baby, the brain shakes around inside the skull. You can die when someone's pounding your head into the ground."

[Responsibility2nd]

But Uhrig's choice of words, and use of a recognized sign of child abuse to defend a 28-year-old man who killed a kid, seemed likely to raise more than just a few eyebrows.

Baloney. What is raising a few eyebows with me is the barf inducing headline.

Did anyone else read this and think Zimmerman's defense team was attempting to claim George was a victim of SBS and therefore he shot martin? Or is it just me?

[chris37]

Nope. I thought that too.

Bit of a misleading title.

[the invisib1e hand]

the.media.lies.

[goseminoles]

His assertion is retarded.

[the invisib1e hand]

.lie.

[DeaconRed]

"Nope. I thought that too."

Same here.

[randog]

Yes, the article title is misleading, but the lawyer didn’t have to go there either. I think most people know the implications of having your head jackhammered into a sidewalk without having to compare it to SBS.

[Hodar]

Kind of a stupid statement by the defense. How about saying “Imagine you are pinned on the ground, having your head repeatedly beaten against the sidewalk - you have a choice, stay there and die or defend yourself. My client chose to defend himself with the only means he had available”.

[Responsibility2nd]

Yes, the article title is misleading, but the lawyer didn’t have to go there either.

 

But how do we know that someone (the media for instance) didn't bring up SBS first, and the atorney was just replying in general?

 

What with NBC editing comments to make Z look racist, I don't trust ANYTHING the media reports here.

 

They have an agenda. IF (big If) the lawyer mentioned this at all, it is clear the media will put a nasty spin on it.

[EggsAckley]

>”His assertion is retarded.”<

And so most likely will be his audieance.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Responsibility2nd.

Trayvon was responsible.

[Slings and Arrows]

Did anyone else read this and think Zimmerman's defense team was attempting to claim George was a victim of SBS and therefore he shot martin? Or is it just me?

I think that that is exactly what the headline writer wanted the reader to think.

Trust the MSM to try to trivialize having your head pounded against concrete.

[VeniVidiVici]

Reuters.

[Da Coyote]

Come on, it’s Reuters. “...seemed likely to raise a few eyebrows...”

No person with room temp IQ or above believes these slugs anymore.

[Responsibility2nd]

“Kind of a stupid statement by the defense...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

See post 9.

I would have to see a video of the CBS This Morning program and view the conversation in full context before I come down against the attorney.

Maybe he did say something stupd. But we know for sure the media will lie and manipulate (the article headline for instance) anything they can to distort the truth.

[gopcharger]

As usual the headline is misleading and the point made was completely reasonable.

He was offering an example people would understand to explain the way fatal brain injuries happen.

Anyone who thinks this should raise eyebrows is allowing himself to be led around by the nose by these media idiots.

[randog]

Good point.

[MarineDad]

If so, they’ve come up quite a bit in my estimation, VVV!

[Responsibility2nd]

I'm cubically challenged.

 

I'm guessing the video is here.

 

Zimmerman Lawyer Invokes Shaken Baby Syndrome 

 

Can someone watch and see if the attorney stepped in it? Or is the media over dramatizing things?

 

[mykroar]

I'm sure the misleading title was a complete oversight.

/sarc