After the verdict of this trial soooo many people are waffling on many forums and news sites....

Here's the bottom line, doesn't matter what I say the verdict was made by jurors selected under the rules by the court and laws
And even though any Tom, Tick and Harriet can be chosen "even idiots" that is the beauty of our system and the flaw.

As we say here in EVE working as intended.

If you read and hear enough you'll understand...

Some claiming racism.

Congressman saying the laws on stand your ground are superfluous and that without this law things would have played out differently.

Others trying to say it's about gun laws.

Many down the middle here but don't like "this" part.

Some saying everything doesn't matter cause a life was taken so he should go to jail no matter what.

In other words everyones throwing opinions out there but as the way the system works....see above.

Probably didn't help the prosecution any that the witnesses backed up the Defense's story

psh, a small detail. Not enough to keep people from making fools of themselves in the street.

I wish that's all they were doing. Last I read there have been a lot of innocent latino men beaten and robbed.

Sharpton and his belligerent Ilk are fanning the flames of their own personal race-war. Charles Manson would be proud.

Personally, I'm more concerned that the State Prosecutor withheld evidence from the defense, and then fired the IT Director (now a whistleblower) for having notified the defense. (Not that the pictures were relevant to the trial.)

Btw, why only 6 jury members? Not 12?

I really hope that Zimmerman and victims of the racial attacks done by Trayvon supporters all across USA take the news networks for the cleaner. The race hustlers of MSNBC and CNN (and others) should pay the price, preferably with their jobs and personal wealth.

See, and that's the second problem with the jury system right there... the omni-presence of the media in the western world.

Now, jury trials are not perfect, but I find many judges to have warped view of the world (I am Finn, by the way, so my view is not influenced by US cases only).

Zimmerman dodged the bullet. Had media had the influence it hoped, Zimmerman would have been found guilty. Now, jury trials are not perfect, but I find many judges to have warped view of the world (I am Finn, by the way, so my view is not influenced by US cases only).

As a lawyer (not american) my opinion the problem is the "jury system". It seems like it always been the problem. But thats your law, and it is what counts.

Btw, why only 6 jury members? Not 12?

If the judges are like that, then the people are even more :)

Btw, can this be appealed? Its funny how each state has its own rules..

Prosecution can't appeal after found not guilty? OMG, i so want it here :)
Here both sides can appeal after a verdict, no matter which one, but the judges aren't hearing evidence again. So basicly you can appeal with regarding of law/procedure matters only. Sometimes the appeal court can send the sides back to the original court for more evidence hearing.
It is more of a mechanism to review the judges decision, it is never a "new" trial. Thus double jeopardy doesn't exist, in fact it only happend 3 times in the country history :)

We have different systems, i was talking about my country :)

I know I was just providing a little bit more insite to how double jeopardy works as my presentation was very simplistic and, as we both know, law is rarely as cut and dry as how I explained double jeopardy.

As for the moral status of majority rule, it must be pointed out that it allows for A and B to band together to rip off C, C and A in turn joining to rip off B, and then B and C conspiring against A, and so on. (Democracy, the God that failed, 2001).

"Final point.... don't bring skittles to a gun fight!"

If the judges are like that, then the people are even more :)

Btw, can this be appealed? Its funny how each state has its own rules..

President Obama, making a surprise appearance on Friday in the White House briefing room to address the verdict in the Trayvon Martin killing, spoke in personal terms about the experience of being a black man in the United States, trying to put the case in the perspective of African-Americans. They were Mr. ObamaGÇÖs most extensive comments on race since 2008, and his most extensive as president.

The tinfoil is strong around here.

Look, I don't like the verdict either. As far as my opinion goes, the end result was 'guy with handgun kills teenager with bare fists and gets away with it.' That's just all this blustering is, though: an opinion. Sure I was pissed when Zimmerman's verdict was announced, and it took a couple of days to get over it, but I did.

Look, I don't like the verdict either. As far as my opinion goes, the end result was 'guy with handgun kills teenager with bare fists and gets away with it.'

Doesn't an act of racism typically require one white Caucasian and one none-white Caucasian? If a Latino shoots an African American after an altercation does it make a Raciest thud? It seems to be happening all of the time (and visa versa) in both our inner cities as well as around the world.




I feel like I am qualified to say stuff like this because I play a black man in an interweb spaceships game.

Racism sounds like it works differently on that side of the pond.

He was being sarcastic :)

You do have one group in England that attempts the same tactics, the tactics used by whiney left media and race baiting professionals of the US. Ya'll have a noisy contingent of folks from the middle east that behave in almost exactly the same way - professional victims using group identification.

Also not English

I don't get the "jury are idiots," narrative at all. They were presented with the factual evidence and two competing narratives of the events. They came to the conclusion that the evidence of Z's injuries, the lack of injuries on Martin, and the location of the fight to more closely corroborate the claim that Z was attacked and beaten before he shot Martin in self-defense. That more that eclipses the requisite "reasonable doubt."

So what on earth are you talking about OP?

Ok, your "other side of the pond" was misleading :)

Yeah I can see where some can get detracted by that line, what I am saying is that even idiots along with jurors A B & C can be selected to serve on the jury, essentially jury selection is a toss up, it can work in your favor or against you depending on the selection. (Jury Selection is like a box of chocolates you never know what you're gonna get).

Was Zimmerman guilty of the crimes he was charged with? No. Police and local prosecutors declined to prosecute because they saw the clear evidence of self-defense.

Once Trayvon attacked Zimmerman and began beating him, anything else Zimmerman may have done up to that point didn't matter. Racism had zero to do with whether or not the shooting was in self-defense, and as that was Zimmerman's defense in the trial everything rightly turned upon the evidence for or against self-defense. The verdict was correct.

Should Zimmerman have confronted Trayvon? No. If Zimmerman had not put himself in that position, he wouldn't have had to make the choice to shoot. Trayvon would still be alive. Trayvon's blood is on Zimmerman's hands, and he will have to answer for it to a higher authority. Zimmerman killed in self-defense, but he created the situation in which he would need to kill.

If anything, the laws need to be tuned to address this. Perhaps the Stand Your Ground law in Florida could be adjusted, but I doubt anyone is wise enough to adjust the law properly. Nor would it matter if it could, in this case.

dope head

This had little, and I mean little if anything at all, to do with his actions. So please take your anti 'drug' moral high ground elsewhere.

I will also take this chance to state that anyone that wants to discharge a weapon in public, in-self defense or not, better be ready to suffer the full on consequences of their actions if that bullet kills an innocent. I also want to jump ahead and say that consequences in my statement have a very broad meaning

Content of Character dude... Content of Character...

Gun Control is hitting what your aiming at, although collateral damage does occur.
Remember that in the State of Florida, anyone killed by a firearm during the commission of a felony is the ultimate responsibility of the one that is committing the crime. If I shoot someone that is committing a felony and accidentally injure or kill a bystander, then (Surprise) the guilt falls upon the perp. Ex... Liqueur store owner gets held up by a thug with a machete, Store owner pulls a handgun in defense and starts shooting, a customer catches a stray bullet... guess who catches the gun charge... right, the thug with the machete who decided to rob a liqueur store.

If you don't like Florida Laws, don't live there... you have 49 other places you can go.

Edit: "Moral High ground"? - WTF is that.... I play EvE Online, and have a toon name of Diablo Ex... Moral? Seriously?

Homicide is homicide, regardless of how many times you dress it nicely with words like "self-defense" or "justifiable".

Homicide is homicide, regardless of how many times you dress it nicely with words like "self-defense" or "justifiable".

Not all homicides are crimes though, and self-defense is not "dressing it up" at all. It is the very difference between the lawful and unlawful killing of a human being.

If anything, the laws need to be tuned to address this. Perhaps the Stand Your Ground law in Florida could be adjusted, but I doubt anyone is wise enough to adjust the law properly. Nor would it matter if it could, in this case.

In my country, the law about self-defense says that unless that unless your life is being threatened, you may only use enough violence to get you to safety or to incapacitate.

For a cop wannabe like Zimmerman, I frankly find it strange that Zimmerman was on his own and not paired up with someone else if it was for the "good of the neighborhood".

And Trayvon's actions were completely without consequences? The young dope head thug chose to double back and confront Zimmerman. Contrary to popular opinion, old Tray got what he deserved! He doubtfully would have not lived to the ripe age of 21 on the path he was walkin.... Liver damage from too much drank and lean, wannabe gangster hoodie, suspension from school for fight club, stupid punk with his ass hanging out and pants down... Sorry, but Darwin is correct.

So even by the laws of your country, Zimmerman would be considered not guilty.

After the verdict of this trial soooo many people are waffling on many forums and news sites....