Has anyone been keeping up with the Zimmerman trial?

[WV Cowboy]

I am sure they were both somewhat scared by the situation, and acted accordingly.

Say what you want about Zimmerman, .. he seems like a harmless pretender to me.

He did not break any laws, .. he shot someone that was sitting on him pounding his head on the concrete.

Unfortunate for both families.

 

[bigdnlaca]

Florida is a trip. They did let Anthony go and they might let Zimmerman go, but they sent a woman to jail for 20 years by shooting a warning shot.

I guess we will just have to wait and see.

 

[Denim Chicken]

As the burden of proof is on the prosecution; I don't believe there to be enough evidence in this case to convict him. However, during the trail the judge, in an unprecedented episode, after Zim declared he would not testify, silenced his lawyers multiple times while she herself interrogated Zim in an aggressive manner. Some has been led to speculate that she was trying to steer the verdict due to pressure from the Obama admin. Journalist Kathi Belich tweeted that she had "...never seen that is more than than 30 years of court reporting".

 

[speedkilz88]

As the burden of proof is on the prosecution; I don't believe there to be enough evidence in this case to convict him. However, during the trail the judge, in an unprecedented episode, after Zim declared he would not testify, silenced his lawyers multiple times while she herself interrogated Zim in an aggressive manner. Some has been led to speculate that she was trying to steer the verdict due to pressure from the Obama admin. Journalist Kathi Belich tweeted that she had "...never seen that is more than than 30 years of court reporting".

The jury wasn't in there at that time so it shouldn't affect the outcome. Although the judge was out of line.

 

[Doomsday101]

Been keeping up with it. Not Guilty

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

I haven't watched any of it, but since I haven't posted much lately I am just dropping in, thread bomb style.

 

[gambit187]

He was scared, he was getting his but whipped after chasing a scared to death teenager...Manslaughter

 

[gambit187]

Everyone looks at things different from their point of view.....until the incident happens directly to us and directly affects us....then for a period of time we all think the same way......

 

[Woody Runner]

He was scared, he was getting his but whipped after chasing a scared to death teenager...Manslaughter

I agree

I believe Zimmerman initiated the confrontation by following the teenager. I think the evidence showed during the trail that he never intended to go back to his car. If he had stayed with the car or not followed Martin, this tragedy doesn't happen.

Martin likely threw the first punch but I have a hard time believing his injuries were to the extent where he needed to use deadly force. He and Martin (if Martin indeed threw the first punch). The victim was a minor and the other an adult, who should have showed more restraint and acted more responsibly. I think he should have been charged with manslaughter. I never thought Murder 2 was responsible.

I don't see him being punished at all. I don't believe that is justice.

 

[EGTuna]

For me, there are too many inconsistencies in Zimmerman's story to believe his version of events.

As a guy that's seen a few fights and even been in a couple myself, I've seen people sustain far worse injuries than his... His injuries don't make sense in light of the life threatening struggle he describes. Zimmerman has no defensive wounds. How is that? Does that mean he just laid there and took it when he thought his life was endangered? That doesn't make sense.

At no point did Zimmerman identify himself or his purpose in following the guy, and claims he didn't do so because he was scared. However... shortly thereafter he's out of the car following the kid he's so scared of. Why? If he was so concerned for his safety one second, why did he feel safe the next? In one version of events Zimmerman says the kid RAN away. In another he says he SKIPPED. Even if you ignore the ridiculousness of that statement, what it means is that he doesn't consistently describe the speed at which the kid was going, which is important because if he wasn't going fast it means that they were in the same place at the same time for a minute and a half or more.

One of the witnesses described a prolonged verbal confrontation before the fight. It's almost entirely absent in zimmerman's version of events... (His version goes like- Trayvon: Do you have a ******* problem? Zimmerman: No. Trayvon: well you do now! *starts pummeling*)

Anyway, I think it likely that things didnt happen as Zimmerman described because I can't trust his story, it just doesn't make sense to me. However, based on the evidence, he'll either be found not guilty or, if he is determined to be guilty, it'll be of the lesser charge. If he is found guilty, it'll likely hinge on the fact that he followed the kid without identifying himself, and created a volatile situation either knowingly or unknowingly in the process.

This. Well said.

I don't find GZ to be remotely credible. He stalked a kid that wasn't doing anything wrong, and never identified himself or told TM he called the police. At the very least he should be found guilty of manslaughter. Unfortunately, I think he'll get acquitted of all charges.

 

[Denim Chicken]

If he is found guilty, it'll likely hinge on the fact that he followed the kid without identifying himself, and created a volatile situation either knowingly or unknowingly in the process.

Following someone and not identifying oneself it not illegal and does not legally warrant a violent response.

If I was a juror, I would need the prosecution to prove that Zim did not feel his life was in danger and there is not enough evidence to do that.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Let's just hope Zimmerman doesn't slap his attorney on the butt if he's acquitted. He might get put on death row.

 

[03EBZ06]

A teenager, who is on the way home is killed based on an individual's assumption, which didn't have to happen. All Zimmerman had to do is wait for cops to show up and let them do the job. Zimmerman initiated the unnecessary confrontation which led to Zimmerman shooting and killing of an unarmed 17 year old kid, to me, that is a manslaughter.

 

[Denim Chicken]

A teenager, who is on the way home is killed based on an individual's assumption, which didn't have to happen. All Zimmerman had to do is wait for cops to show up and let them do the job. Zimmerman initiated the unnecessary confrontation which led to Zimmerman shooting and killing of an unarmed 17 year old kid, to me, that is a manslaughter.

The 'unnecessary confrontation' was not illegal, though; the subsequent violence was. The prosecution either needs to prove the Zim struck Travon first or that he was not in fear for his life. In either case, I don't believe they have the evidence.

 

[WV Cowboy]

The 'unnecessary confrontation' was not illegal, though; the subsequent violence was. The prosecution either needs to prove the Zim struck Travon first or that he was not in fear for his life. In either case, I don't believe they have the evidence.

Do we know for sure who initiated the 'unnecessary confrontation'?
Did Zimmerman?
Could Zimmerman actually catch Martin if Martin didn't want him to?
Did Martin come back and confront Zimmerman?
What led to a physical altercation?

Without these answers, it's just speculation.

 

[03EBZ06]

The 'unnecessary confrontation' was not illegal, though; the subsequent violence was. The prosecution either needs to prove the Zim struck Travon first or that he was not in fear for his life. In either case, I don't believe they have the evidence.

I believe if Zimmerman didn't have a gun on him, he wouldn't have confronted Martin. A gun in his possession gave him courage and did more than necessary. I don't care who throw the first punch or what happened during the confrontation, because we will never know, only two people truly know what took place and one is dead. The fact is, an unarmed 17 year old kid is shot and killed all because of Zimmerman's assumptions and overzealous because he was armed.

 

[WV Cowboy]

I don't care who throw the first punch or what happened during the confrontation ...The fact is, an unarmed 17 year old kid is shot and killed all because of Zimmerman's assumptions and overzealous because he was armed.

Once again, we don't know that, those are only your assumptions.

And who threw the first punch is pretty important here. Who was the agressor?

For all we do know, Zimmerman had no intention of showing or pulling his gun, .. until he found himself having his head banged repeatedly to the concrete.

Or for all we know, maybe Zimmerman hunted him down and shot him like a dog.

Too much we don't know, we just don't have a guilty verdict beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[Nightman]

Martin was a 17 year old football player. It was dark and there were many cut throughs. If he was scared, he could have easily ran back to father's house. Zimmerman was in a truck and then on foot and was not athletic at all. Martin even told his friend he wasn't going to run. He circled back and confronted Zimmerman. Martin sucker punched him and then started pummeling him. It is sad that the kid lost his life, but Zimmerman is allowed to watch his neighborhood without getting jumped. Zimmerman should have never been charged and if he is found guilty, it would be a travesty.

 

[03EBZ06]

Once again, we don't know that, those are only your assumptions.

And who threw the first punch is pretty important here. Who was the agressor?

For all we do know, Zimmerman had no intention of showing or pulling his gun, .. until he found himself having his head banged repeatedly to the concrete.

Or for all we know, maybe Zimmerman hunted him down and shot him like a dog.

Too much we don't know, we just don't have a guilty verdict beyond a reasonable doubt.

And we'll never know who did what first because you'll only get one sided story, other person can't defend himself. The only fact is an unarmed 17 year old is shot and killed by Zimmerman.

Zimmerman could have prevented this incident by staying in his truck and wait for the cops.

 

[WV Cowboy]

Zimmerman could have prevented this incident by staying in his truck and wait for the cops.

While maybe true, not a reason to send a man to jail.

Martin could have prevented this by fleeing from the dangerous man.