Jury In Zimmerman Trial May Consider Lesser Charge

My Way ^ | July 11,2013 | Mike Schneider,Kyle Hightower

[Biggirl]

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - In an unmistakable setback for George Zimmerman, the jury at the neighborhood watch captain's second-degree murder trial was given the option Thursday of convicting him on the lesser charge of manslaughter in the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

[baddog 219]

Go ahead.... make my day.....

[baddog 219]

HOLY CRAP!

[Logical me]

I mean self-defense is the same regardless of what degree of homicide or manslaughter.

Not in liberal rats kangaroo court. White on black and white will always lose. Take a note here, who is pushing the racial card?

[DManA]

This judge has telegraphed her intention of throwing the book at him if they find him guilty of anything.

[FunkyZero]

not guilty doesn't imply it was self-defense. It simply implies that he did no commit murder in the 2nd degree which would have to be malicious and something else in the description that I can't remember. The charges are very specific, you must be guilty of the exact crime you are charged with and there must be no reasonable doubt.

For instance, if I am driving drunk and crash my car into something resulting in no damage, I could be charged with criminal damage, go to court and be found not guilty since I didn't damage anything, but I was still drunk and crashed. A not guilty decision does not mean I am innocent, it just means I didn't commit the very specific offense I was charged with. 2nd degree murder has very specific stipulations and requirements. If you do not meet all of them, you may still be guilty of murder, just not in the second degree. I'm not opining that GZ is in fact guilty of something, just saying that's how it works.

[DManA]

Not in liberal rats kangaroo court.

Bush's fault. (Jeb appointed her).

[SE Mom]

My “inner child” keeps hollering,Isn’t there a grown-p somewhere, anywhere who will stop this? Sombody DO something.

[PistolPaknMama]

She looka like a man.

[FunkyZero]

That's where you err. The prosecution is not trying to prove his actions weren't self-defense. They are trying to prove he is guilty of 2nd degree murder. In order to do that, they must rebuke the self-defense argument in the process. Failing to prove he is guilty of murder 2 does not necessarily mean what GZ did could be considered self-defense. There are other requirements for murder2 in FL. One of them being it must be done "evincing a depraved mind showing no regard for human life". So lets say GZ was NOT simply defending himself, but did this on purpose. As long as the act isn't considered being committed by "evincing a depraved mind showing no regard for human life", he would still be not guilty of murder 2.

I personally believe it WAS self-defense, I'm just explaining away this incorrect way of viewing the process, it doesn't really work that way.

** 'm using a definition I found online under Florida law, I'm not entirely sure it is accurate, but the example remains the same regardless

[Jean S]

5 articles, 687 replies

Leave the debate about moderating Free Republic to those with more miles.

[chris37]

The word is too kind.

I have a different one in mind, but I’ll keep it to myself.

Nonetheless, fantastic post, Skypilot!

[sport]

Each time I look upon a picture of it, I cannot help but come to one conclusion: That is a male masquerading as a female.

[montanajoe]

Its not unthinkable nor is it unexpected nor will it be appealed successfully. Recent Florida case law has held the refusal to give a manslaughter jury instruction as a lesser include able offense is reversible error.

Self defense is equally available for both the 2nd degree manslaughter counts but in my view Zimmerman's chances of walking are less than 1 in 3 as I have opined earlier.

[sport]

He has two chances; slim and none.

[RedMDer]

[Carbonsteel]

"The fix is in with this Stalinist showtrial."

Pretty much. This was a setup from the start and Zimmerman was going down no matter what the evidence showed.

Beyond reasonable doubt my ass. This is nothing more than affirmative justice. Too bad Zimmerman didn't have a Hispanic last name like Rodriguez or something.

I still don't know what happened that night or who first attacked who but I do know that the truth was never of much concern to anyone in this case. Hell, even the judge is blatantly and openly biased again Zimmerman and has been from the start. No way was this guy ever going to get a fair trial.

You are right, the "fix is in"!

[SE Mom]

I get that and appreciate your time in clarifying.

I’m just stuck I guess on the self-defense idea. If I say yes, I killed John Doe but he was threatening me, he hit me and I pulled out my gun and shot him. Now the state decides I murdered John Doe and throw all kinds of charges at me. Isn’t the ONLY thing the jury needs to decide is whether or not I acted in self-defense?

[Mortrey]

Wonder if the people in the peanut gallery (or just lawyers) can comment on Judge Debra and her unethical antics in this circus of a court?

http://research.lawyers.com/Peer-Review-Rated.html

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2012/8/30/zimmerman_judge_debr.html

[Georgia Girl 2]

Don’t count on it. Two of the jurors are CCW and they are not going to vote to convict on anything. IMO.

[LibLieSlayer]

He is an innocent man and if they railroad him... they usher in the beginning of the end.