[driftdiver]

Figures

[Revel]

You can’t find a more corrupt judge than this. Throw her from the bench.

[nathanbedford]

Zimmerman loses the case for libel because in cannot prove actual malice.

Zimmerman must prove actual malice because he is a public figure.

Zimmerman is a public figure because the people who libeled him made him one.

[Shelayne]

Why is Nelson the judge in this case???

[coloradan]

If cutting out the operator asking for a description of the perp, and resequencing the remaining clips such that it appeared Zimmerman just volunteered that he was black isn’t “actual malice” then I don’t know what is.

[nathanbedford]

"There exists absolutely no clear and convincing evidence that defendants knew that the information published was false at the time it was published, or recklessly disregarded the truth or falsity of those statements. …,"

They doctored their own tapes, presumably they knew that and presumably they knew that they created the very falsehood complained of.

[Fred Hayek]

Well that’s a weasel way to get out of a libel suit. Just declare the plaintiff to be a public figure. That’s the ticket!

[The Cajun]

Zimmerman needs to appeal, maybe a honest judge can be found yet.

[longtermmemmory]

IOW abuse of discretion because she was demonstrated as unworthy.

[DisorderOnBorder]

The fact that Nelson, who handled the criminal case, did not recuse herself from handling the civil case...is gross judicial misconduct

This ruling will be easily overturned on appeal...Nelson gets overturned on appeal more than I eat breakfast

I wonder why his lawyers did not take case to Federal Court...since NBC owned affiliate was involved

[Logical me]

The communists NBC has such control of the communists judges what in hell did we expect. America is currently controlled by the communists liberals and this is an example.

[bramps]

Judges decide questions of law.
Juries decide questions of fact.

Posters decide that this judge is a knucklehead.

[RIghtwardHo]

EXTREMELY difficult for a public figure (which Zimmerman had become) to win a libel/slander suit. The legal hurdle is VERY high. You must prove actual malice and a malicious statement, standing alone, is not proof of that. He would pretty much need a memo saying “let’s lie about Zimmerman so we can get him.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Common sense should see Nelson reversed on appeal. NBC altered sequence, words and context of what Zimmerman said to fit their own narrative.

[Road Warrior ‘04]

What a bunch of BS! They defamed the guy and are now getting away with it!

[enraged]

Travon was armed. He had two of them with fists at the end that he used to beat the crap out of george with

[freekitty]

Is it ethical for the same judge who presided over his trial to preside over this trial?

[Road Warrior ‘04]

"There exists absolutely no clear and convincing evidence that defendants knew that the information published was false at the time it was published, or recklessly disregarded the truth or falsity of those statements. …," she wrote.

Then, why did NBC fires it's staff members? What a bunch of hogwash!

[TexasCajun]

"There exists absolutely no clear and convincing evidence that defendants knew that the information published was false at the time it was published, or recklessly disregarded the truth or falsity of those statements. …," she wrote.

Total B.S.!!

Hope his lawyers file their appeal.

[Tallguy]

Catch-22:

Zimmerman is a public figure, Levine said, and could not prove that he was the victim of "actual malice", meaning that NBC employees either knew what they reported was false or had serious misgivings about it.

NBC (among others) made Zimmerman a public figure so that they could defame him -- and by extension all gun-owners who apparently exercise their rights under Florida's 'Stand-your-Ground' statute.