George Zimmerman Found Not Guilty

[Winchester]

False.  Scum of the earth, they are.  Particularly Winchester.  

This is confirmed by my anecdotal experience.

[Anomaly]

Agreed on those points.  While I respect that the due process model of justice was used, with a jury deciding Zimmerman's legal guilt/non-guilt, I was shocked he didn't at least get manslaughter.  A seventeen year old kid died and by not paying attention to what 911 told him to do, he at least set up the situation that led to it, by getting out of the car.  Conflicting claims of having the gun pulled or not, from the moment he left the car, he set up a situation that was going to end poorly.

Local media here in Fla has covered the trail thoroughly.

George Zimmerman was in the neighborhood watch.  Trayvon Martin was visiting/staying at his Dad's' for a few days. The neighborhood had been experiencing a rash of burglaries including a shooting. 

 

GZ called nonemergency police # (not 911) and reported a person GZ did no recognize wandering around, in the rain, looking at houses.  During the call TM ran off.  GZ left the vehicle to see which direction TM ran to.  911 did not request GZ to not follow TM until GZ left the vehicle.  GZ claims he was confronted on the way back to his truck and seemed to be discussing where to meet the police on  the phone.  The Prosecution claims TM was confronted by GZ. 

 

Multiple witnenesses heard voices and then someone yelling for help 12 to 15 times, followed by a gunshot.  TM had a gunshot wound, no other bruising.  GZ had a broken nose, cuts to the back of his head.  Multiple witness said one person was on top of the other. TM was 158 lb 5'11", GZ 185/200 lb 5'7.  The 911 call started at 7:09 and ended at 7:15.

 

The jury was provided instructions to convict for Man Slaughter as well as Second Degree Murder.  The jury chose not guilty for either charge.  The jury does not designate not guilty because they are "innocent" vs  not guilty because of "lack of evidence".

 

I find it amusing how some people are stubbornly biased, willfully ignorant, naively uniformed, and unreasonable while accusing the other parties of the same.  It's entertaining as always.

[Winchester]

Do you know if the vehicles on neighborhood watch were marked as such? Our neighborhood watch people on patrol had magnetic signs for their cars. Of course, if Zimmerman hadn't been officially on watch, that wouldn't have been the case, anyway. 

[Ice_nine]

I find it amusing how some people are stubbornly biased, willfully ignorant, naively uniformed, and unreasonable while accusing the other parties of the same.  It's entertaining as always.

 

I'm glad this so tickled you.

 

Y'all are crazy if you don't think there are people in this world who want to be tough guys and who cause trouble knowing they can safely stand behind self-defense laws with impunity. This is of course a manipulation and perversion of the spirit of the law, and while I am 100% in agreement that you should have the legal right to defend your life (a Vermont native told me that if you kill someone in self-defense you will be found guilty, I don't know how true this is but it seems some states have piss poor reasoning in this area, like "castle law" and forcing you to retreat, but I digress)

 

But to carry on like there aren't thugs who know and manipulate these laws to get off on a power kick is ridiculous. Can this be proven of Zimmerman? I don't know, but it really seems that way, and just as I don't call for a public hanging of the guy does not mean I will rush to his defense. I hope he feels sorry for taking a young life and for initiating a confrontation with an unarmed kid knowing full well he had a lethal weapon.

 

Seems like everyone is lining up on their characteristic side. Maybe myself included. Fact is a young was killed. It's sad.

[Ice_nine]

and God-forbid, sorry we're getting a little too emotional. It must be nice to sit on that supreme throne of rationality uttering nothing but verifiable facts all day, unbridled by the silly trappings of human emotion. /sarcasm

 

blame it on the e-e-e-e-e-estrogen

 

I need a drink

[Guest]

George Zimmerman is a fat beach who was on a power trip with his gun. You listen to him on the 911 calls he already knows Martin is a black thug. All fatty had to do was indentify himself when he first started following him. He has a gun he has nothing to be worried about. Crack a joke from a distance. See what Martin is doing in his community. He didn't do none of that. And that's why I have no respect for him and don't think he's this big victim...I wish him and his family safety and hope nothing bad happens to him.

[Guest]

And it was 7pm....That's huge...Martin was walking back home to watch the second half of the nba all star game...

[Guest]

And I think Martins parents should be patted on the back...They have handled this really well...I don't know what is going on behind the scenes but if that was my son or brother Zimmerman would have to hide from me for the rest of my life...

Edited July 15, 2013 by Guest

[Slappo]

Honestly, anyone who watch the entire trial live or participate in gathering evidence etc doesn't have any right to an opinion on this case. Media writes what it wants to make stories. It takes sound bites of witness testimony with interesting juicy pieces to keep us interested. If you really thing fox news, msnbc, cnn, or any other media outlet, or heck even all of them combined (except for watching the entire video feed) provide you enough evidence to find Mr. Zimmerman guilty or not guilty then you are seriously mistaken.

 

Sincerely,

Someone who just deliberated as a juror on a 5 week murder/manslaughter trial (not the Zimmerman case obviously since it was an all female jury...).

[Guest]

I accept the verdict it is what it is...OJ walked and so did Casey Anothny...Still doesn't change my thoughts on fatty...

Edited July 15, 2013 by Guest

[Slappo]

Are you convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that he didn't shoot in self defense? If there is room for one iota of doubt in your mind "well it's possible he was being beat up and pulled the trigger in fear for his life, we'll never know for sure" then you have to acquit the person of murder.

 

If you can honestly say, "there's only 3 people who really know how this went down, Zimmerman, Martin and God" then you have to say not guilty.

Not true. One iota of a speculative nature because you cannot know something empirically is not considered reasonable doubt in a court of law. Empirical data is not required for a conviction. There are probably hundreds of possibilities of how something happened in several cases where a defendant is found guilty, but the alternative possibility has to be a reasonable possibility from evidence or testimony that you find credible. An expert witness that does not seem to be credible positing some crazy out there idea that would be technically possible is not necessarily reasonable doubt.

 

 

The jury didn't find Zimmerman not guilty because he was innocent, they found him not guilty because of lack of evidence. Just like in the OJ case it's very likely Zimmerman is a murderer, but that 1% of doubt allows them the be acquitted. I'm not saying this is bad just saying that  Zimmerman is far far from innocent.

 

The fact that you're already throwing out buzzwards like "open minded, p.c. liberalism" makes me think you listen to Rush a lot.

It takes more than just an ounce of doubt. Jury's look at the overall picture and take all evidence into account, not just some oddball idea of what happened that may or may not be reasonable.

 

Agreed on those points.  While I respect that the due process model of justice was used, with a jury deciding Zimmerman's legal guilt/non-guilt, I was shocked he didn't at least get manslaughter.  A seventeen year old kid died and by not paying attention to what 911 told him to do, he at least set up the situation that led to it, by getting out of the car.  Conflicting claims of having the gun pulled or not, from the moment he left the car, he set up a situation that was going to end poorly.

A jury can't convict manslaughter based on Zimmerman's decision to follow the child after being given instructions not to follow him from a dispatcher. Manslaughter is based on the conduct the defendant committed that caused injury to the victim. Stepping out of the car is not the conduct Zimmerman is on trial for, nor is imprudence for putting himself into a poor situation.

 

My understanding of what the jury has to look at is at the time of the shooting was Zimmerman acting in self defense to preserve himself from the threat of what he reasonably believed to be serious bodily harm, or did he act recklessly/extremely recklessly by choosing to draw his firearm and pull the trigger? The surrounding facts regarding his conversation with the dispatcher, his choice to leave the car, etc. can only be viewed in light of Zimmerman's mindset at the time of the conduct (I.E the jury being convinced that he was intentionally pursuing a fight).

 

 

edited to add: As for the jury's verdict I trust they acted in good faith, reasonably, considered all the evidence presented to them, and followed instructions given by the court. Is it possible they were wrong? Sure, but I'm certainly in no position to question their verdict.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Slappo

[Kateri89]

Since this whole case seems to be racially focused, it should be noted that when O.J. was acquitted the reactions of many African Americans on the news were joyful and excited.  So lets review: when a "white" man (Zimmerman) is acquitted in the murder trial of a black boy (Martin) even though people believe the evidence is overwhelming that Zimmerman was guilty of at least manslaughter, many people scream "racism".  When a black man (Simpson) is acquitted in the murder trial of a white person (Nicole Brown) even though people believe the evidence is overwhelming that Simpson was guilty, it's a wonderful day in America because the justice system didn't convict a black man.

 

All I'm saying is that racism is not solely an attribute of white people.  Whether or not Zimmerman acted because of racial profiling, he certainly isn't alone.  I neither agree nor disagree with this verdict because I don't know enough about the case.  I'm just noting the hypocrisy.

[add]

George Zimmerman is a fat beach who was on a power trip with his gun. You listen to him on the 911 calls he already knows Martin is a black thug. All fatty had to do was indentify himself when he first started following him. He has a gun he has nothing to be worried about. Crack a joke from a distance. See what Martin is doing in his community. He didn't do none of that. And that's why I have no respect for him and don't think he's this big victim...I wish him and his family safety and hope nothing bad happens to him.

By your tone, one would get the impression that you approve of mob Justice.

[EmilyAnn]

Since this whole case seems to be racially focused, it should be noted that when O.J. was acquitted the reactions of many African Americans on the news were joyful and excited.  So lets review: when a "white" man (Zimmerman) is acquitted in the murder trial of a black boy (Martin) even though people believe the evidence is overwhelming that Zimmerman was guilty of at least manslaughter, many people scream "racism".  When a black man (Simpson) is acquitted in the murder trial of a white person (Nicole Brown) even though people believe the evidence is overwhelming that Simpson was guilty, it's a wonderful day in America because the justice system didn't convict a black man.

 

All I'm saying is that racism is not solely an attribute of white people.  Whether or not Zimmerman acted because of racial profiling, he certainly isn't alone.  I neither agree nor disagree with this verdict because I don't know enough about the case.  I'm just noting the hypocrisy.

 

This. 

 

And people seem to be forgetting that Zimmerman is mixed race, white/Hispanic (and looks a lot more Hispanic than white). So using him as a "typical white guy" example is a little erroneous. 

Edited July 15, 2013 by EmilyAnn

[Guest]

I don't wish mob justice. I said in the paragraph you quoted that I hope him and his family remain safe. I don't like the guy though. I believe Martin was kicking the ish out of him and mabey he did feel he had to shoot. Although I believe he put himself in that situation by how he handled everything before he was getting his butt kicked. I don't believe for 1 second he was this innocent watchman and said nothing to provoke a fight with Martin. Like I said over and over all Zimmerman had to do was identify himself to Martin at 7 pm and see what Martin was up to. Inject some humor in the situation. He didn't do any of that. Instead he played overweight retarded batman. From his tone on the 911 calls to what he said and what ended up happening (the shooting) its pretty clear to me he approached the situation as if Martin was a black no good thug. When in all reality he was a kid coming home with a snack to watch the 2nd half of the nba all star game.

Edited July 15, 2013 by Guest