Zimmerman Found Not Guilty!

[sylverpiano]

David,

I guess the question is at what point does self-defense get negated? If someone comes over to me and slugs me in the face and we begin to tussle and I get the upper hand, can he shoot me because I've started winning the fight and he fears for his life? I'm not sure.

I don't think it went down with that, it's just a legal question.

I think this might vary from state to state. When I got my license, it was very clearly stated that self defense is definitely negated in the circumstances you describe.

If one starts an altercation, one becomes the aggressor and is unable to legally claim self defense in mitigation of one's actions.

 

[Michie]

He lost me forever when he kept bringing up "skittles".

Come on man, is that all you can say?

I think they are overplaying the Skittles as an icon to childhood innocence or something.

 

[bhsmte]

I think this might vary from state to state. When I got my license, it was very clearly stated that self defense is definitely negated in the circumstances you describe.

If one starts an altercation, one becomes the aggressor and is unable to legally claim self defense in mitigation of one's actions.

I believe you are correct. In most states, if you start the fight (the aggressor) you can't claim self defense.

 

[Fantine]

It was interesting to learn today that Zimmerman's father was a retired judge in the area with lots of ties to the legal and criminal justice systems there.

He couldn't have prevented Zimmerman from being charged--because killing an unarmed teen who was physically smaller than him would have to be investigated.

But I'm sure his father could have worked a lot behind the scenes to make the prosecution's efforts ineffective.

 

[Michie]

It was interesting to learn today that Zimmerman's father was a retired judge in the area with lots of ties to the legal and criminal justice systems there.

He couldn't have prevented Zimmerman from being charged--because killing an unarmed teen who was physically smaller than him would have to be investigated.

But I'm sure his father could have worked a lot behind the scenes to make the prosecution's efforts ineffective.

No the media & powers that be with an agenda made the prosecution ineffective. They did not have anything.

 

[bhsmte]

It was interesting to learn today that Zimmerman's father was a retired judge in the area with lots of ties to the legal and criminal justice systems there.

He couldn't have prevented Zimmerman from being charged--because killing an unarmed teen who was physically smaller than him would have to be investigated.

But I'm sure his father could have worked a lot behind the scenes to make the prosecution's efforts ineffective.

I would do a little more digging.

Zimmerman's father is a retired magistrate from Virginia.

 

[Tigg]

If this trial has shown anything, it has shown just how stupid and idiotic some American citizens are. This whole court case should never had been in the media, and wouldn't have been, if it wasn't for some idiot in the media making it out to be something that it wasn't.

In fact I would say true justice would be to find these idiot(s) who blew this whole mess up and make them pay for all the damage caused by the various protests. Maybe then they will think twice the next time they want to try to spark a race war.

 

[Michie]

I would do a little more digging.

Zimmerman's father is a retired magistrate from Virginia.

Yeah, I thought that was common knowledge.

 

[Fantine]

I didn't follow the trial at all. I think that Florida's gun laws are unconscionable and appalling--the idea that vigilantes can shoot fleeing suspects in the back, getting away with what to citizens of any civilized state or country would call "murder," make the outcome of the trial pretty much a done deal.

When I visited my sister in Florida in what I thought was a more progressive area (i.e. near the ocean) I saw that it was almost as bad as the Bible Belt, with just as many misinformed seniors and Romney supporters.

But she does say that Governor Scott is toast, so maybe people have gotten some common sense recently.

But how can you evaluate a case when a murder victim fails to get justice because the laws are unjust and the people are uncaring?

 

[bhsmte]

I didn't follow the trial at all. I think that Florida's gun laws are unconscionable and appalling--the idea that vigilantes can shoot fleeing suspects in the back, getting away with what to citizens of any civilized state or country would call "murder," make the outcome of the trial pretty much a done deal.

When I visited my sister in Florida in what I thought was a more progressive area (i.e. near the ocean) I saw that it was almost as bad as the Bible Belt, with just as many misinformed seniors and Romney supporters.

But she does say that Governor Scott is toast, so maybe people have gotten some common sense recently.

But how can you evaluate a case when a murder victim fails to get justice because the laws are unjust and the people are uncaring?

What are you talking about?

 

[Brooklyn Knight]

What are you talking about?

It happens around here.

 

[Erose]

I didn't follow the trial at all. I think that Florida's gun laws are unconscionable and appalling--the idea that vigilantes can shoot fleeing suspects in the back, getting away with what to citizens of any civilized state or country would call "murder," make the outcome of the trial pretty much a done deal.

When I visited my sister in Florida in what I thought was a more progressive area (i.e. near the ocean) I saw that it was almost as bad as the Bible Belt, with just as many misinformed seniors and Romney supporters.

But she does say that Governor Scott is toast, so maybe people have gotten some common sense recently.

But how can you evaluate a case when a murder victim fails to get justice because the laws are unjust and the people are uncaring?

And this is the most important sentence you wrote Fantine. You didn't follow the trial, nor did you do much research on the subject before you wrote. If you did you would have learned that Trayvon was not shot in the back, but in the chest at close range that is consistent with the understanding that the shot occurred during the fighting.

 

[AMDG]

I think they are overplaying the Skittles as an icon to childhood innocence or something.

Then again, might just be counting on our ignorance in how Trayvon's drink of choice (according to an autopsy report--his liver showed indications of it) is made. The drink is called "Lean".

 

[AvilaSurfer]

It was interesting to learn today that Zimmerman's father was a retired judge in the area with lots of ties to the legal and criminal justice systems there.

He couldn't have prevented Zimmerman from being charged--because killing an unarmed teen who was physically smaller than him would have to be investigated.

But I'm sure his father could have worked a lot behind the scenes to make the prosecution's efforts ineffective.

You're sure? Wow you're good.

 

[Michie]

This summer in America has erupted in racially charged protests about the verdict on the killing of Trayvon Martin. Yesterday I posted this video of an atheist who went berserk with rage. I’ve commented earlier about the irrational rage which seems to be simmering just below the surface in our country...

What is the root of this rage?

 

[MikeK]

Then again, might just be counting on our ignorance in how Trayvon's drink of choice (according to an autopsy report--his liver showed indications of it) is made. The drink is called "Lean".

This statement tells much more about you than you are the dead child you're talking about.

 

[Michie]

Facts aren't racist, so let's talk about racism and Trayvon Martin

Unsatisfied with the jury's failure to hang George Zimmerman for defending himself against an attacking Trayvon Martin, the ...

Facts aren't racist, so let's talk about racism and Trayvon Martin - Politics & Policy - Catholic Online

 

[LeoWyatt]

To be fair, I also don't remember white people being slaves and then subject to Jim Crow laws either.

Pretty much all races were enslaved including whites.

White Slavery 101* what they never told you in History Class part I - YouTube

 

[LoAmmi]

Pretty much all races were enslaved including whites.

Are we going to try to whitewash the institutional slavery of blacks by pointing out a very small amount of other people were enslaved in the country?

 

[MikeK]

Are we going to try to whitewash the institutional slavery of blacks by pointing out a very small amount of other people were enslaved in the country?

Well, not "we". We're the good guys. Other people will try to do exactly that, yes. We need to remind them of the unquantifyable advantages we white were born with. There is no way that I would trade, in this place and time, my white skin for black, my white-sounding name for a black-sounding name, etc. Being black is still a strong disadvantage. Things are better than they were, by leaps and bounds, but in no way are they where they need to be.