The Zimmerman Trial

[Docfeelgood]

Huh. I guess it comes down to this: George Zimmerman started something with Trayvon Martin that he couldn't finish without resorting to lethal force. The teenager is dead because of this and many other lives — for both the Zimmerman and Martin families — will forevermore be altered in negative ways.

I see you don't know or can't understand the facts so you just make sh!t up as you go along.

[Docfeelgood]

And who was correct in their prediction? Come on. Give it up.

YOU?

[DaShi]

Before you all go shooting black people, this doesn't mean that Zimmerman was innocent. It means that there wasn't enough evidence to prove that he was guilty. So your experience may vary.

[SlowwHand]

YOU?

A few times in this thread.

[Berzerker]

Before you all go shooting black people, this doesn't mean that Zimmerman was innocent. It means that there wasn't enough evidence to prove that he was guilty. So your experience may vary.

the evidence we have says he's innocent

[Docfeelgood]

The NAACP is calling on the Justice Department to file civil rights charges and is asking the public to sign a petition.
An official told CNN on Saturday night that the department "continues to evaluate the evidence generated during the federal investigation, as well as the evidence and testimony from the state trial."

I find this disturbing.

[Egbert]

I do not wish to contribute to this discussion.

[Docfeelgood]

I do not wish to contribute to this discussion.

Why?
Everyone's opinion counts.
I'd like to know yours.

[Dinner]

All this means is in Florida, and likely other states with NRA controlled state governments, you can now pick a fight with someone and execute them when ever you want. All you have to do is say you felt threatened and feared he'd get your gun (which he couldn't see and never even knew was there) and you get a free pass on your murdering ways.

[Elok]

TO BE CLEAR YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE CONSTITUTION the only real limitation on sentencing comes from the defendants' rights. there's the prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. also there is the sixth amendment trial by jury right. The Supreme Court has been very aggressive in saying that any mandatory sentence can be imposed only if the jury finds the facts necessary to support it. So Congress can say that assault committed with a deadly weapon gives you 20 years, or 30 years, or whatever. And if the jury in a special verdict finds that you did assault someone and used a deadly weapon to do it, you get the sentence Congress prescribed. please read up on the details before posting further. Thank you, I am off to grab the 9 and patrol my neighborhood.

Yeah, I know, but in the past SCOTUS has invented wacky stuff with no apparent link to the Constitution. Like that time the DP was supposed to be unconstitutional, in the seventies or thereabouts. I was mostly asking about the judges' leanings and precedent.

[onodera]

That was unexpected. Can the family of the black guy appeal to the higher level court?

[Dinner]

Nope. No double jeopardy allowed. Theoretically he could be tried for different charges related to the same offense (like civil rights violations or even sued in civil court) but those seem doubtful and the charge of murder or manslaughter are now over and can never be brought back up.

[KrazyHorse]

Before you all go shooting black people, this doesn't mean that Zimmerman was innocent. It means that there wasn't enough evidence to prove that he was guilty. So your experience may vary.

Generally self- defense is an affirmative defense, meaning that the burden of proof is usually on the defendant. Which means that this claim is untrue; the jury found that the preponderance of evidence was on the side of self-defense.

[Wezil]

I'm pleasantly surprised at the lack of violence after the verdict.

Good on you America.

[kentonio]

Now does this mean killing Negroes is legal again?

Not quite, mostly they've just set in stone that being a young black teenager who listens to rap music makes you a vicious danger to society whose life has absolutely no value in modern America.