The New York Times
Manslaughter, which under Florida law is typically added as a lesser charge if either side requests it, was a lower bar. Jurors needed to decide only that Mr. Zimmerman put himself in a situation that culminated in Mr. Martin’s death.
But because of Florida’s laws, prosecutors had to persuade jurors beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Zimmerman did not act in self-defense. A shortage of evidence in the case made that a high hurdle, legal experts said.
"Jurors needed to decide only that Mr. Zimmerman put himself in a situation that culminated in Mr. Martin’s death."
How could they possibly not have agreed that Zimmerman "put himself in a situation that culminated in Martin's death?"
To me this is proof that the verdict was the wrong one. It should have been not guilty of Murder 2 but guilty of manslaughter.
What's your opinion? Please leave a comment.
Because whatever you do to "put yourself in the situation" has itself to be wrong. Zimmerman wasn't in the wrong to walk around in his own neighborhood. Look at it this way: You tell us constantly that situation after situation isn't enough to justify acting in self-defense. What if Martin had been the one with the gun? Would you defend him if he had shot Zimmerman just for following him?
ReplyDeleteThat's a reporter's poor summary of the law. I don't know the exact wording of the Florida statute, but that wording is so broad as to be useless. If those exact words you've latched on to were the standard, anyone living in a bad neighborhood or walking through one, or walking home late at night, etc. would be guilty of manslaughter if they killed someone in self defense.
ReplyDeleteThe actual definition is going to be far more specific than those words, and apparently the jury didn't agree that GZ's actions fell within it.
I don't carry because I am looking to place myself in a bad situation. I don't go anywhere armed that I wouldn't go without my arms. I carry because I know a situation could find me while I go about my day to day business.
ReplyDeleteOut in the country I defended myself and property against four legged predators. Here in the BIG city, I am finding that there are two legged predators around me. I know this because its on the news every other night about a home owner or other successfully defending themselves against those predators with firearms (really BIG guns), and with NO CHARGES FILED against the shooter in defense of themselves.
I am talking about real predators IE cop killers, rapists, robbers and just plain thugs with nothing better to do with their criminal selves and getting their proper ends dealt to them right then and there.