Posted on 07/05/2013 8:05:46 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Prosecutors in the George Zimmerman second degree murder trial have pushed hard on two points as they seek to make their case against him: that the injuries to Zimmerman on the night Trayvon Martin died were “insignificant” and that he had studied Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law in a college class in 2010.
To win conviction on second-degree murder, the prosecution has to show that the death was caused by a criminal act “demonstrating a depraved mind without regard for human life.”
That’s why the prosecutor keeps pushing the claim that Zimmerman profiled Martin because he was black. Meanwhile, the lesser charge of manslaughter generally is a crime that's been committed in the heat of passion, where there is no premeditation. The jury would have to believe Zimmerman lost his temper in shooting Martin.
People can use force to protect themselves when they reasonably believe it is “necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to themselves.” On this score, the testimony of the Jacksonville medical examiner, Valerie Rao, that Zimmerman injuries were “insignificant” is largely irrelevant.
A broken nose, a head being slammed into cement, and punches to the face may not have left Zimmerman incapacitated. The important question is whether such an attack with a man on top of him would leave Zimmerman to “reasonably believe” that there was a threat of “imminent death or great bodily harm to himself.”
Much was also made of the class Zimmerman took class at Seminole State College taught by Professor Alexis Carter. The key supposedly was that Zimmerman really did understand Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. Prosecutor Richard Mantei told the court that Zimmerman's legal studies would help jurors understand his "state of mind" and "ambitions and frustrations" before the shooting.....
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
you nailed it ... “reversible error” ...
I am still stunned it was not disclosed, if true, that corey and rao have an intimate “relationship.”
There is no case that he committed manslaughter either. This is a clear cut case of self defense even if the defense rests Monday morning.
This is a show trial to appease the Watusi. As soon as the not guilty verdict comes down the war drums will begin beating and the riots will ensue. So if you live in a big city prepare to LAL and hunker down.
She should never have allowed a running commentary by a forensic examiner who did not even examine Zimmerman. That testimony is completely irrelevant, based on photographs is no better than hearsay, and has nothing to do with his state of mind, which is what the self-defense statute is about. “””
I was stunned b y the comments of that supposed Medical Examiner. First—don’t most Medical Examiners deal with DEAD people?
Stating that Zimmerman’s injuries were “Insignificant” was certainly NOT very professional-—when all she saw was a photo—taken when Z was already cleaned up.
I sure would not want this person diagnosing any injuries I sustained from being slammed onto the concrete sidewalk!!!!!
The behavior of the ‘10 y/o girlfriend’ sure explained why the prosecution kept her hidden for the last 7 months and not brought forward until she was in court. She is a total loser—no education—no future—not employable—a surly attitude about everything—absolutely lacking in any respect of any kind.
Nice going to all the Black Panther members of the USA society!!! You have produced a totally useless citizen who will be on the public dole for the whole of her life—along with all her babies!!!
Homer Plessy, the Louisiana man who was arrested for sitting in a "white" car, in the case known as Plessy v. Ferguson which resulted in the Supreme Court's 1896 "separate but equal" doctrine, was one-eighth black, the same as Zimmerman. Plessy claimed that he shouldn't be considered black in terms of the Louisiana segregation law.
her job is to vote for obama and democrats who give her free stuff.
If I had been Zimmerman and my chamber was loaded I would have emptied it in the thug. Martin was on dope and these thugs go crazy on dope. That the sorry ass judge would not allow the jury to know Martin was on dope and this could have contributed to his attacking Zimmerman is to me grounds to have a conviction overturned if that’s what happens. “”””
The ‘doctor’ who testified Friday contradicted his prior written testimony.
He said Friday that Trayvon could have lived as long as 10 minutes——after being shot IN THE HEART!!!!
They have shown that hoodie a number of times. There is definately blood—where he was shot in the heart-—but if he had lived 10 minutes—wouldn’t there have been ALOT more blood?
Maybe I watch too many episodes of CSI—but the amount of blood shown on that hoodies doesn’t tell me he lived any amount of time to speak of.
Shot in the heart? He was dead within seconds—not even close to 10 minutes. That gut testifying Friday loooked like he s stage/star struck with his appearance on the stand in a high attention case. He didn’t impress me at all in any positive manner. Every college class has to have the ‘last in clas’ person—maybe this guy was last in his class!!
As for being on dope-—This kid already had a life of crime well in hand. There NEVER has been ANY explanation of where he got the jewelry they found in his backpack. I would think that whoever got robbed of such items would have filed a police report & the police would have been able to match up the items.
I uspect that many items about Trayvon are going to be kept OUT of this trial-—but if the Martin’s are stupid enough to file a civil lawsuit—maybe there ill be far more information brought forward about their ‘dear darling little boy’.
I am also disgusted with all the networks shbowing pictures of Trayvon at about age 13-14. He had lost most of that innocense after those pictures were taken. They are deliberately mis-informing the public, IMO.
The prosecution is claiming that Zimmerman "profiled" Martin because he was black. Zimmerman told the dispatcher that he saw someone acting suspiciously (as if casing places for burglary) and maybe on drugs.
Zimmerman is basically on trial for being a racist and provoking the confrontation. The evidence that would show that he was in fact acting sensibly has been excluded by the judge--any evidence of Martin's past criminal behavior (being found with stolen jewelry and with a burglary device) or that he was on drugs at the time of the confrontation.
The reason for that, of course, is to increase the chances of a conviction. If both men were white, would the past criminality and current drug use be admitted into evidence?
We are sick of that too, my husband throws a hissy fit every time they do it!
10 y/o girlfriend’”””
OOOPS—19 year old
If that cutie pie Jeantel was his girlfriend he had to be high dope 24 hours a day.
“If the glove fits..you must acquit.” Oops..no glove here just a MSM with another left wing agenda item to process.
“Zimmerman told the dispatcher that he saw someone acting suspiciously (as if casing places for burglary) and maybe on drugs.”
It is provable that GZ was correct on at least one thing: TM was on drugs.
Whoops, I knew that (I’m from that era). First I started with an MLK quote and then changed my mind and did JFK but forgot to change the initials to JFK.
Here’s the original idea:
MLK: “Judge not a man by the color of his skin but by the content of his character”
Obunga: “Judge not a man by the content of his character, but by the color of his skin.”
No worries.
I agree with most that despite the prosecution claim of minimal injuries, being pinned down and attacked could create a reasonable fear, specially when he called for help for more than 30 seconds and no one came to his aide. Throw this into a whole new level of fear when you realize you have a gun and he reaches for it. that certainly supports his fear. I would also add to the defense that if I am being pounded on by guy screaming for his life that it was reasonable to believe he was crazy asailant and presented an eminent threat to my life ;)
Remember she didn’t even look at all the pictures, her printer was slow that day. Perhaps it was a Monday too, and too many bodies to look at kept her from a more throughout analysis. She must also be a genius because she proved a curved surface can intercept a plane at two points!
That’s exactly my observation, brings a third element of fear in the escalation (first punch, head ponding) and now weapon discovered by assailant and attempt to reach it.
Even, the element of the gun being there in and of itself could be presented since he could reasonably fear being knocked unconscious and then shot dead with his gun. (and of course the gun being stolen for drug money).
I think you had it about right the first time.
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