Neighbourhood Watch Kills Unarmed Black Kid

[Panacea]

Until the defense explains why Zimmerman got out of his car in the first place, they are blowing hot air.

Agreed. All this posturing by the defense is mere smoke and mirrors.

Zimmerman knew as a neighborhood watchman he was not supposed to chase after suspects or go about armed when on watch. Nothing else the defense says can get around this inconvenient truth.

And the defense knows it. That's why they're trying this case in the court of public opinion. They know the facts aren't on their side in a court of law.

[siead_lietrathua]

This is incorrect, numerous evidence photographs taken by the police are taken in greyscale, and color is later added....

see, here i thought they used greyscale pics in court to spare juries the blood. that's really cool to know

[Seifer]

Jury has reached a verdict.

[ngc_7331]

And he's found not guilty.

[mooncat]

Damn. I knew that was going to happen, yet I hoped for something else.

He did EVERYTHING wrong that day. Dumbass should not have a gun, for starters. Martin would still be alive, largely because Zimmerman wouldn't have had the nuts to approach him without that gun.

Hoping he's banned from ever participating in another neighborhood watch program, and that Martin's parents bring suit in civil court.

[Seifer]

I didn't really keep up with the case so I'm not sure what evidence was brought forth. I do know that Zimmerman will probably lose any wrongful death suit that Martin's family brings against him.

[Nekojin]

I would not want to be living in Florida right now. Thankfully, I don't.

[ngc_7331]

I do live in Florida right now. Hell, I used to live right next to where all this went down. I am very very very glad that I moved. I don't think things are gonna be pretty here for awhile.

[Sarah Valentine]

I didn't know they had a verdict until just now, this makes me want to puke. Both him and Casey Anthony got away with murder.

[Greenday]

This trial pains me. I believe he truly got away with murder, but seeing as my life revolves around forensics, I also believe the jury got it right based on what was presented. There just wasn't any proof to say Zimmerman started the fight. He wasn't doing anything illegal by following Martin. No one saw who started the fight. The only witnesses saw the end of the fight which doesn't help solve the mystery of who started the fight.

[Andara Bledin]

Florida's self defense laws are all sorts of fucked up.

If you can say "self defense" then the prosecution has to prove that it wasn't. There's no need for a murderer to actually prove their life was in danger so long as nobody is left alive to prove it wasn't.

Even if you stalk someone at night in your car an then (despite claiming being afraid of said person) follow on foot when they leave the roadside.

[draco664]

I didn't know they had a verdict until just now, this makes me want to puke. Both him and Casey Anthony got away with murder.

OJ, Casey Anthony and now this one.

It's a classic case of the prosecution bowing to public outrage and overreaching beyond what evidence they have. And because of the weakness of their case, the jury correctly found that it wasn't proven. The prosecution even tried to have the jury instructions say that they could convict of the lesser charge - the one that they didn't try to convict on. The defense quite rightly told the judge that if they wanted to try him for manslaughter, that should have been on the charge sheet.

Personally, I think that his actions directly led to the death. Murder? Not so sure - I doubt there was premeditation. Manslaughter? Probably, but had the prosecution just gone with that, there would have been outrage that he wasn't pursued for the big one.

I didn't really keep up with the case so I'm not sure what evidence was brought forth. I do know that Zimmerman will probably lose any wrongful death suit that Martin's family brings against him.

Yeah, and I think there'll be enough outrage and donations that they could pursue that, even though they've got fuck all chance of receiving even a fraction of any judgement. I think they'll be happy with a guilty verdict, even if (like OJ) it doesn't result in a jail term.

[Andara Bledin]

First, the OJ case was solid, but the prosecution totally destroyed their own credibility, tainting any useful evidence they had. Casey Anthony should never have been charged because they had nothing to go on. Zimmerman should have been (and the original investigation actually suggested so) arrested in the first place, and the trial played out how the trial had to play out based on Florida's legislation.

This has nothing to do with prosecution bowing to public outrage.

Also, Manslaughter was included in the charges, but as with the murder charge, if it can't be proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wasn't in fear for his life (and since the only real witness is the victim...) there was no way to convict.

I fully expect the Martin's family to bring up a civil action, which doesn't require that he be guilty of murder, only that they prove that it was his actions that led to Martin's death, which is not generally in dispute. I also expect them to win unless their lawyer blows it terribly.

[Rageaholic]

So you can shoot an unarmed kid for having skittles and get off scot free, but when you fire shots to fend off a domestic abuser, you get 20 years.

Florida, you are one fucked up state.

[Andara Bledin]

So you can shoot an unarmed kid for having skittles and get off scot free, but when you fire shots to fend off a domestic abuser, you get 20 years.

You just need to make sure if you're going to shoot a gun, you kill someone with it. No problem.