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I have no idea but the evidence I am now hearing on news seems quite different from what was said prior to the trial. But I leave that to jury who hears it all first hands to judge.
I am confident that a conviction will result. Not because Z is guilty, but that the outcome was determined before the show trial began.
With mounting evidence that the prosecution was politically motivated, filing bogus affidavits, and personnel shuffling at the police department - not to mention the Prez coming down on the side of the prosecution - it was obvious Mr Z was doomed. A "just us" system based on lies and subterfuge is not going to let things like facts and logic sway their appointed task of a judicial lynching.
It would be surprising if he's acquitted. And I would be happy for Mr. Z. But I am a pessimistic realist.
What really makes this painful, is that both Zimmerman and Martin had the opportunity to have prevented all of this. Both opted not to. They both made a conscious decision to escalate what should have boiled down to two people passing.. Either way it goes, a part of us all has died inside and will never recover... The Martin family is devistated, the Zimmerman family has to watch as their family member stands the possibility of going to jail, and the nation will most likely be in turmoil in any event.. More people could die as a result and it all could have been avoided....
And this is why Zimmerman was arrested. People like him are unstable and should not be roaming the neighborhood. Innocent people are liable to be killed for no reason at all.
Absolutely! Innocent young people may be killed for walking on the sidewalk in the rain.
What really makes this painful, is that both Zimmerman and Martin had the opportunity to have prevented all of this. Both opted not to. They both made a conscious decision to escalate what should have boiled down to two people passing.. Either way it goes, a part of us all has died inside and will never recover... The Martin family is devistated, the Zimmerman family has to watch as their family member stands the possibility of going to jail, and the nation will most likely be in turmoil in any event.. More people could die as a result and it all could have been avoided....
This is true. I think Zimmerman will be found not guilty not because he isn't guilty of anything but because the prosecution did a horrible job.
Yes, both at any point could have simply walked away but it was Zimmerman that instigated the actions. A person has a right to walk home without getting harassed.
Murder II? No, I do not think so. I do believe that a good prosecution could have made a valid argument for manslaughter though with the only problem there, Martin's contributing factors but even with that a good prosecution could successfully have made that argument.
It doesn't seem like this one was capable of doing that.
Unfortunatly I think they will find him guilty, although I personally think he is NOT guilty of 2nd degree murder.
Does the process allow the jury to find him guilty of a lesser crime, like manslaughter, if they think 2nd degree is too much? Or would that be double jeopardy?
If they charged him at all, it should have been manslaughter. I think they were dealing with an over jealous judge who really didn't like Z and based her charges on her dislike, without thinking about whether the charges would stick or not.
But we know, juries do strange things: OJ: Casey Anthony for starters.
The Judge did not file criminal charges against Zimmerman
Below shows how it works in Florida. The State Attorney files charges or they go to a grand jury, and an indictment is made by that grand jury.
Unfortunatly I think they will find him guilty, although I personally think he is NOT guilty of 2nd degree murder.
Does the process allow the jury to find him guilty of a lesser crime, like manslaughter, if they think 2nd degree is too much? Or would that be double jeopardy?
Yes, they can find him guilty of the lesser included offense of manslaughter. The Judge will have to include in the final Jury Instructions the law regarding manslaughter which then allows the Jury to find guilt on that offense.
"A lesser crime whose elements are encompassed by a greater crime.
A lesser included offense shares some, but not all, of the elements of a greater criminal offense. Therefore, the greater offense cannot be committed without also committing the lesser offense. For example, Manslaughter is a lesser included offense of murder, assault is a lesser included offense of rape, and unlawful entry is a lesser included offense of Burglary.
The rules of Criminal Procedure permit two or more offenses to be charged together, regardless of whether they are misdemeanors or felonies, provided that the crimes are of a similar character and based on the same act or common plan. This permits prosecutors to charge the greater offense and the lesser included offense together. Although the offenses can be charged together, the accused cannot be found guilty of both offenses because they are both parts of the same crime (the lesser offense is part of the greater offense).
When a defendant is charged with a greater offense and one or more lesser included offenses, the trial court is generally required to give the jury instructions as to each of the lesser included offenses as well as the greater offense."
Last edited by FancyFeast5000; 07-08-2013 at 06:26 AM..
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