George Zimmerman (killer of unarmed Florida teen Trayvon Martin) found not guilty

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that was the most ridiculous question. But she was a terrible witness. West probably roflcopter'd himself home that night.

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Seems like it
 
I was looking at this post which has the jury instruction for justifiable use of deadly force, which says: "however, to justify the use of deadly force, the appearance of danger must have been so real that a reasonably cautious and prudent person under the same circumstances would have believed that the danger could be avoided only through the use of that force." Does Zimmerman have to prove that?
The wording of the statute just makes it a bit easier for prosecution to prove that there isn't reasonable doubt of self defense being applicable. They still need evidence that contradicts the defense's claims, which is what they are trying to do by establishing that the wounds were minor. Unfortunately none of the witnesses appear to have witnessed the whole thing and the ones that saw something appear to favor the defense.
 
You don't have to 'prove' self defense anywhere. The defense doesn't have to prove anything period, all the defense needs is a reasonable doubt.

Reasonable doubt that he didn't murder him in cold blood? That just makes no sense to me. He's guilty of killing Martin, he clams it wasn't murder and that he defended himself. We need proof that he did just that, IMO.
 
Reasonable doubt that he didn't murder him in cold blood? That just makes no sense to me. He's guilty of killing Martin, he clams it wasn't murder and that he defended himself. We need proof that he did just that, IMO.

No, the legal system is set up to give the defendant the benefit of the doubt. They don't have to 'prove' anything to the same standard the prosecution does.
 
Reasonable doubt that he didn't murder him in cold blood? That just makes no sense to me. He's guilty of killing Martin, he clams it wasn't murder and that he defended himself. We need proof that he did just that, IMO.
Along with proof that Zimmerman did get fucked up to the degree that the gunshot was neccesary.
 
No, the legal system is set up to give the defendant the benefit of the doubt. They don't have to 'prove' anything to the same standard the prosecution does.

True, guess that's where "innocent until proven guilty" comes from. It's just weird to me because we know he killed Trayvon, I can't wrap my head around that...
 
No, self defense is an affirmative defense so the burden is on the defendant to prove it. It's based on evidence beyond the prosecution's case, which the defendant has conceded (that you killed someone)

edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirmative_defense

In most places, but not in Florida. States are free to assign burdens of proof on affirmative defenses however they like. Most put it on the defense (which makes sense). Florida doesn't.

Edit: Late. (I was going to make the same correction as you did, sangreal, but also note that Florida is anomalous.)
 
Reasonable doubt that he didn't murder him in cold blood? That just makes no sense to me. He's guilty of killing Martin, he clams it wasn't murder and that he defended himself. We need proof that he did just that, IMO.

Except that's not how the justice system works in this country.
He killed Trayvon Martin. Whether or not he is guilty of a crime is another thing, and the state has the burden of proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt.
 
This image makes me feel angry.

I KNOW! They could have got those for forty-nine cent eachs at McDonalds.


Seriously though, it's his job. It may seems callous but he probably deals with stuff like murder all the time. You shouldn't project the events on the people who have to deal it.
 
No, self defense is an affirmative defense so the burden is on the defendant to prove it. It's based on evidence beyond the prosecution's case, which the defendant has conceded (that you killed someone)

edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Affirmative_defense

From that wiki:

The standard of proof is typically lower than beyond a reasonable doubt. It can either be proved by clear and convincing evidence or by a preponderance of the evidence.

The defense does not have to meet the same standard of proof as the prosecution does, even in affirmative defense cases. And in Florida's case it's even a lower bar to claim self defense, as people have stated.
 
The defense is getting the PA to say that his injuries are consistent with head trauma, like a head being slammed against something.
 
In most places, but not in Florida. States are free to assign burdens of proof on affirmative defenses however they like. Most put it on the defense (which makes sense). Florida doesn't.

Edit: Late. (I was going to make the same correction as you did, sangreal, but also note that Florida is anomalous.)

My logistics is telling me that Zimmerman could have possibly been aware of this law, and used it for his benefit and his defense for a senseless act...

There is no evidence, I cannot make that claim with assurance.

But my gut is giving me an inclination...

The police have ruined this trial. The prosecution has ruined this trial. The witness' have ruined this trial... and the only ones who truly suffer if Trayvon's family. Their son slain just for walking home...

What kind of sense does this all make? It utterly confuses me to no end.

I KNOW! They could have got those for forty-nine cent eachs at McDonalds.


Seriously though, it's his job. It may seems callous but he probably deals with stuff like murder all the time. You shouldn't project the events on the people who have to deal it.

"We beat stupidity" Fuck that, we have a dead child and mourning parents. That's your tone regarding something tragic as this?

Yeah its his job alright, get those fat stacks to protect the innocent from a just act of self defense from an unarmed kid.
 
The defense is getting the PA to say that his injuries are consistent with head trauma, like a head being slammed against something.


and the defense already had her say that its a possibility that when zimmerman was on the ground blood could have gone to his throat.. they are pouncing on the prosecution lol damn
 
Not relevance. Zimmerman saying what happened is clearly relevant.
You repeated to someone else what I was trying to get at:
No, Zimmerman being a liar and contradicting himself is only relevant if Zimmerman testifies at trial.

My point is, there are two avenues they could try to get the tapes in: for impeachment, or to assert the defendant-incriminating truth of the matter. If they tried to get the tapes in for impeachment, that's irrelevant. If they tried to get the tapes in to assert the truth of the matter, not only would they not want to do that, but I don't think they could get them in because his account is not self-incriminating if true.
 
Geez, defense did their homework on the medical aspect. He knows exactly what he needs to get the witness to say. Shameful for the prosecution.

Edit: Oh, you object now, five minutes after she opened the door to speculating like that. Good going.
 
"We beat stupidity" Fuck that, we have a dead child and mourning parents. That's your tone regarding something tragic as this?

Yeah its his job alright, get those fat stacks to protect the innocent from a just act of self defense from an unarmed kid.


Well it was his dumb ass daughter who said it. I was talking about celebrating a good day. Not the stupid twitter bullshit.
 
Geez, defense did their homework on the medical aspect. He knows exactly what he needs to get the witness to say. Shameful for the prosecution.

Edit: Oh, you object now, five minutes after she opened the door to speculating like that. Good going.

Yeah...this is hard to watch.
 
This is a cross-examination though, right?

edit: beaten by vas, of course

They are mopping this trial up simply in cross-examining prosecution witnesses.
 
I'm not watching; did they lay foundation for expertise on injuries such as those?

Not specifically for determining the cause of injuries, no. They established she's a licensed physician's assistant.

They're getting around it by having her say it would be consistent with concrete. She's mostly saying "It could be, among other things." Still, you'd think she would been coached not to volunteer so much.
 
might argue that he was fully capable of defending himself without a gun

I'd hope they're smarter than that. Seems like such a weak argument, at least to someone who is educated on the subject. "Training MMA" 3 times a week isn't going to replace a gun for self defense, or even designed for self defense.

It isn't necessarily going to stop you from getting bested in a street fight either, even if you do outweigh someone by 40 lbs.
 
Speculation. It also could be from something else. There are so many other possibilities.

Then it's the prosecutions job to bring up evidence of that "something else." If it was self inflicted, or occured after the incident, or before the incident, or if it occured from TM, but not in the way the defense is pleading (say, scratching at GZ as GZ was on top, which could be proven if there is skin found underneath TM's fingernails).

Got to do something, with facts, to say "it could be/was this other thing caused the swelling/cuts, not getting your head beaten into concrete."
 
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