Posted on 07/13/2013 3:17:06 PM PDT by Clint N. Suhks
(CNN) -- After more than 12 hours of deliberation, the six women deliberating George Zimmerman's fate asked the court Saturday evening for clarification on the instructions regarding manslaughter, the judge said.
That couldn't have even been a question a few days ago: Judge Debra Nelson ruled Thursday, over the defense's vehement objection, to include manslaughter as an option for jurors, in addition to the second-degree murder charge. Their third option would be to find Zimmerman not guilty.
The question -- which was read out in court, without the jurors present, shortly before 6 p.m. -- was the first posed by the jury since late Friday afternoon, when they requested an inventory of evidence. Afterward, lawyers from both sides approached Nelson's bench; their comments could not be heard.
How long other juries deliberated for in other high-profile cases One of 1,009 fatal shootings in Florida in 2012, Trayvon Martin's death stood out -- the various threads of the story helping to capture the public imagination.
There was, for instance, the fact that an adult had fired on an unarmed teen, soon after police told him not to follow the 17-year-old. And there was the accusation of racial profiling: that Zimmerman -- the son of a Peruvian mother and a white American father, who identifies as Hispanic -- had singled out Martin, at least in part, because the teenager was black.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
And then the asked Zimmerman, “What’s he doing now?” Basically, asking him to continue surveillance. So, here is a neighborhood watch guy being given conflicting signals and a suspicious-looking character is slinking around in his (Zimmerman’s) regularly pilfered neighborhood.
I wish O’Mara had played up the dangerous streets of America context that was clearly available to him in this case. Zimmerman, the meek, soft—let’s face it, a not very physically threatening presence, going out on evening patrols to protect his neighborhood. Guy had guts.
LOL - I don’t watch CSI but I worked for criminal defense attorneys for over 25 years. And I haven’t watched much of the trial. The fact that Trayvon was banging Zimmerman’s head against the concrete is reason enough for me to agree the shooting was justified, much less if he was going for his gun. Still, I find it curious no blood or DNA was found on Trayvon’s hands or clothing.
I think the jury will come back with manslaughter. I would like a NG but I doubt the jury is that brave.
Not life. In Florida the max for manslaughter is 30 years. Judge has discretion to set the penalty for less than 30 years.
You’re right. Between the Magna Carta, US Constitution and Bill of Rights, we sure tried. It sure got infiltrated and corrupted along the way.
“The defendant’s supporters do not realize that a complete DNA profile can be developed from the DNA contained in a single white blood cell”
Then how do you explain their inability to identify 70 percent of the DNA they did test?
The judge’s instructions to the jury:“MANSLAUGHTER To prove the crime of Manslaughter, the State must prove the following two elements beyond a reasonable doubt: 1. Trayvon Martin is dead. 2. George Zimmerman intentionally committed an act or acts that caused the death of Trayvon Martin.”
I suggest #3:
"George Zimmerman intentionally prevented his own murder by defending himself from a violent lowlife, racist, thief, druggie, and thug."
I sat on a jury for a murder trial that was something like this. The defendant claimed self defense. The local authorities didn’t have enough evidence to prosecute it, so the state stepped in. Nothing the prosecution presented gave reasonable doubt that it wasn’t self defense. At the end of the trial the prosecution brought in a lot of unsubstantiated nonsense to persuade jurors, and it worked. It was a hopelessly hung jury.
GZ claims he was on the way to the store. Grocery store IIRC.
He only got out of the truck when 911 asked (more than once) for a street address. He went looking for a street sign. Then 911 asked “are you following...” He did get conflicting commands/requests from 911.
None of which matters - TM was witnessed beating GZ. GZ has wounds, TM does not (except for the gunshot wound). Did TM inflict those wounds after being shot? GZ was assaulted and he defended himself.
I agree. Anyone sitting on my stomach, hips or waist repeatedly banging my head on the concrete after breaking my nose best hope I don’t have a weapon because I would be thinking I heard the flutter of the angels and sending him and them on their way.
That’s not the jury’s fault.
Yup. And knowing human nature, the American Founders knew it would. What hurts is...nominating then electing a Communist as President. And an arsonist, subversive governance happily willing to let the SHTF.
Is it waterproof? ;-)
Ditto what you said. Any "conviction" is political in nature and lord knows there are plenty of grounds for appeal in this case.
The judge arbitrarily modifying the charges at the last minute being the most aggregious.
Whether treyvon had his hand over Z's mouth is completely irrelevant. If you want to konw if that really happened, you can ask after the trial, because the State only used that example to try to protray him as a liar. Not having all kinds of blood on Treyvons hands doesn't mean it didn't happen or that it was not compromised from the mishandling of his hands (evidence). Do you believe his head was banged on a sidewalk? If yes, nothing else matters in this case. IMHO
Clint N. Suhks has started his own thread, does everyone have to be directed to another thread?
Shoulda moved it out of state.
As miss piggy won't tell them the included penalties until after they render a verdict.
Except when it comes to the future threats of their lives and that of their families. They might feel like george will save lives in the long run. Don't forget how protective women are of their families. Yes, it is totally a selfish thing to do....but we are in the world of me me me.......
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