The future George Zimmerman Acquittal Trial Megathread!

[Barrister]

I don't know. I mean just having to stand trial is a deterrent. Nobody wants to have to go through that. You don't want to disincentivize acting in self-defence when doing so would be warranted and appropriate.

If my life was in danger I'd be willing to stand trial for trying to preserve it.

The old chestnut is "better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6".

[OttoVonBismarck]

No, not quite;  in many states the use of deadly force is warranted if you are in fear of grievous harm or death and there are no other reasonable means to extricate oneself from the situation available, e.g., trapped in a room on the 2nd floor of house with nowhere else to go.

And he sure as shit wouldn't have been able to get a concealed handgun permit with his record in many states to begin with.

I doubt any State would have a problem with the idea that someone pinned to the ground, unable to stand or move away, was in a situation in which no reasonable means existed to flee.

A lot of focus was always on Zimmerman getting out of his car and snooping around, but his version of the story has always been that he never pursued Martin and that he was jumped unexpectedly. That would have actually covered his bases even in a duty to flee jurisdiction, because the claim is that he had no idea he was in danger until he was attacked from cover.

[Savonarola]

CA-CHING!

George Zimmerman juror plans to write book, agent says

Juror B37 has signed with a literary agent but there is no book deal yet.



By Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel
2:25 p.m. EDT, July 15, 2013



Just two days after George Zimmerman was found not guilty in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, a book agent today confirmed that one of the jurors who reached that verdict plans to write a book about the high-profile trial.

Literary and media manager Sharlene Martin said she has signed the juror, still publicly known only as B-37, the designation she was given during jury selection, and her husband to write a book describing her experience as a juror and explaining the controversial verdict she and the five other jurors reached.

"My hope is that people will read Juror B37's book, written with her attorney husband, and understand the commitment it takes to serve and be sequestered on a jury in a highly publicized murder trial and how important, despite one's personal viewpoints, it is to follow the letter of the law," Martin said in a statement. "It could open a whole new dialogue about laws that may need to be revised and revamped to suit a 21st century way of life.

"The reader will also learn why the jurors had no option but to find Zimmerman Not Guilty due to the manner in which he was charged and the content of the jury instructions," the statement says.

The six-member jury panel deliberated about 16 hours before returning a not-guilty verdict. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder, and jurors were also allowed to consider manslaughter.



Martin said she was contacted by B-37 on Sunday, the day after the verdict. The juror has not decided whether she will participate in interviews or reveal her identity, Martin said.

Her answers to jury selection questioning revealed some details about B-37:

Described as a white, middle-aged woman from Seminole County, she said she works for a chiropractor and has many pets, including lizards and a parrot. Her husband is an attorney. She described protests in Sanford after the shooting as "rioting."

The juror told the attorneys in the case she has two daughters, 24 and 27. She said she used to have a concealed-weapons permit, but let it lapse. Her husband still has one, she said. She expressed strong skepticism of the media, and newspapers in particular: "The newspapers are used in the parrot's cage, not even read," she said.

The juror said she watches NBC's "Today" show in the mornings, but otherwise doesn't have the time or interest to follow currently events on television or online: •"I have no time to do anything other than feed my animals and sleep."

Martin noted in her statement that she's no stranger to books on controversial subjects. The literary manager is currently representing a soon-to-be-released book on the high-profile Jodi Arias murder case, she said, and previously represented the family of alleged O.J. Simpson victim Ron Goldman.

The Goldman family was awarded the rights to Simpson's book, "If I Did It," due to an unpaid civil judgment the family won against the former football star after his acquittal in Goldman's slaying. The family published Simpson's book, calling it his confession.

Enlightened and informed.   

[Caliga]

Sounds like a racist.

[DGuller]

Sounds like a vegetable.

[CountDeMoney]

A lot of focus was always on Zimmerman getting out of his car and snooping around, but his version of the story has always been that he never pursued Martin and that he was jumped unexpectedly. That would have actually covered his bases even in a duty to flee jurisdiction, because the claim is that he had no idea he was in danger until he was attacked from cover.

His duty to flee would've been covered not only by not getting out of the car, but by the two opportunities Zimmerman had to make verbal contact with Martin and chose not to prior to the last encounter, according to his interview by Serino.

The interviewing detective didn't believe his bullshit, either.

[Eddie Teach]

Sounds like a vegetable.

99% of the news is the same crap we've heard before, there's many better ways to spend one's time.

[CountDeMoney]

Enlightened and informed.   

That's the way we like the juries of our peers.

[Kleves]

One of the anti-Zimmerman protestors on Saturday had a sign that said, "The People Find Him Guilty." I thought that was a nice touch - just in time for Bastille Day. 

[derspiess]

One of the anti-Zimmerman protestors on Saturday had a sign that said, "The People Find Him Guilty." I thought that was a nice touch - just in time for Bastille Day. 

At one Trayvon rally I saw a clip from, some lady totally lost her shit after the guy who spoke before her mentioned LGBT rights

edit: I also liked the "let's run out into traffic" protest in LA. 

[derspiess]

Piers Morgan is going to interview Rachel Jeantel this evening.  I'm sure she's getting her Piers nails done right now.

[Admiral Yi]

800,000 people have signed an online petition requesting the DOJ to charge Zimmerman with civil rights violations.

[mongers]

Oddly enough, I think statistics will demonstrate that more YBMs die north of Mason-Dixon, where the North has set the niggers free, to quote Randy Newman.

qft

the "racial" angle to this story is amazing...it is a confabulation

this case is and always has been simple

there is a narrative that has corroborrating objective evidence that reads as follows:

zimmermans neighborhood has a string of robberies

zimmerman followed martin

the police say "you dont have to do that"

he follows anyway

at some point he decides to stop and head back to his car

martin jumps zimmerman

zimmer gets scared and shoots martin while zimmerman is in fear of his life

While i recognize that there are many other narratives that also have evidentiary support, this is a criminal case and so long as there is evidentiary support for the foregoing narrative, the state cannot establish murder or its lesser included defenses beyond a reasonable doubt.

But that's just your selective version of the 'facts', some of which need to be massaged to fit the story you're telling.

Dispatcher: Are you following him?

Zimmerman: Yeah

Dispatcher: OK, we don't need you to do that

Zimmerman: OK

massage it all you want; its the same result

You're the one doing that, moulding word to fit your narrative, I just quoted the official transcript. 

So please don't give me that "I'm just an impartial lawyer" bullshit.

[Caliga]

800,000 people have signed an online petition requesting the DOJ to charge Zimmerman with civil rights violations.

Mob rule always turns out well.

[Admiral Yi]

Shyster they interviewed on CNN said there's zero chance of a hate crime conviction.  Not only do they have to prove he wanted to kill Martin because he was black, but also that Z didn't act in self defense.