It seems to me that the jury that acquitted George Zimmerman of 2nd degree murder or manslaughter, ignored an important fact, i.e. Zimmerman could not have drawn his gun until Trayvon Martin was getting off of him. The fight was over, but not for Zimmerman no matter what he said to Martin. I know from my youth that it is very dangerous to turn your back on someone whom you just beat in a fight and got to say "uncle" or something.. It was as Martin got off of him that an enraged Zimmerman undoubtedly shot Martin as the prosecution said. Actually from just listening to the 911 call, Zimmerman was enraged from the beginning and had convicted Martin of a crime. I think Zimmerman deserved 2nd degree murder but manslaughter would have been all right. Still, the jury spoke and Martin's family have properly asked for calm. I was told after I was on a jury once that you never know how a jury will give a verdict.
As for banging Zimmerman's head against the concrete, nonsense. Such a small bruise, scratches really, could easily have happened in the initial fall and then more of a touch on the sidewalk and not a bang. The same goes for the bump on the side of his head. He could have touched his head on the sidewalk a couple of times during the fight. After a hip replacement, I stepped up on a curb with my weak leg which collapsed and back I went hitting my head on the pavement. I didn't pass out but I had a bruise much, much bigger than Zimmerman's that has taken 18 months to completely heal. If Martin was hitting Zimmerman's head on the concrete, the back of his head should be a bloody mess and not the scratches observed.
If I was Zimmerman, I would think of disappearing somewhere for at least a year or two if not forever, perhaps go to Texas or somewhere and change my name, but that is his call of course. No doubt his desired police career is over. But the saddest thing about the whole affair was stated And then there’s the racial reality of the case.* "The most damning element here is not that George Zimmerman was found not guilty,” writes Jelani Cobb. “It's the bitter knowledge that Trayvon Martin was found guilty.” * **
* http://webmailb.juno.com/webmail/new/5?session_redirect=true&userinfo=8b254f2f4f26b1dc56d8fe41da329a7b&count=1373918719&cf=SP2&randid=440173106
** http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2013/07/george-zimmerman-not-guilty-blood-on-the-leaves.html?wpisrc=nl_wonk_b
Showing posts with label Trayvon Martin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trayvon Martin. Show all posts
Monday, July 15, 2013
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
GEORGE ZIMMERMAN TRIAL
What with saturation coverage on both CNN and MSNBC I have watched quite a bit of the Zimmerman trial. I am no lawyer, but it seems to me that George Zimmerman deserves at least a manslaughter verdict as the policeman Chris Serino said,* if not the 2nd degree murder that he is charged with. I don't know if the jury will have the opportunity to change the verdict to manslaughter.
Both witnesses to what was going on, if in the dark and at a distance, say that there was a physical altercation although they differ on who was on top. At least there was a fight going on. And one should remember that the "stand-your-ground" provision applies as much to Trayvon Maritn as it did to Zimmerman. In spite of Martin's comments to the contrary, the courses he took in police work showed he did know all about "stand-your-ground."
Although it hasn't been brought up, the injury to the back of Zimmerman's head could have easily happened in the fall at the beginning of the fight. Six weeks after a hip replacement, I stepped up on a curb with my weak leg. It collapsed, and down I went hitting my head on the pavement,. I suffered a much more severe injury to the back of my head than Zimmerman that is still not totally healed after 18 months. Zimmerman might even banged the side of his head in trying to defend himself. As the medical examiner said, the injuries were not life threatening. So I am not sure that Martin was banging his head against the pavement. But rightly or wrongly, Zimmerman might have thought his life was in danger which is why he shot Trayvon Martin; however I think he way overdid it and deserves some sort of conviction.
* http://abcnews.go.com/2020/george-zimmerman-recalled-trayvon-martin-gosh/story?id=19543886#.UdRF19uF9rw Note added July 5th: I has been said that the judge has the authority to let the jury come in with a lesser charge if the jury requests it and the judge may even say so in his instructions to the jury.
Both witnesses to what was going on, if in the dark and at a distance, say that there was a physical altercation although they differ on who was on top. At least there was a fight going on. And one should remember that the "stand-your-ground" provision applies as much to Trayvon Maritn as it did to Zimmerman. In spite of Martin's comments to the contrary, the courses he took in police work showed he did know all about "stand-your-ground."
Although it hasn't been brought up, the injury to the back of Zimmerman's head could have easily happened in the fall at the beginning of the fight. Six weeks after a hip replacement, I stepped up on a curb with my weak leg. It collapsed, and down I went hitting my head on the pavement,. I suffered a much more severe injury to the back of my head than Zimmerman that is still not totally healed after 18 months. Zimmerman might even banged the side of his head in trying to defend himself. As the medical examiner said, the injuries were not life threatening. So I am not sure that Martin was banging his head against the pavement. But rightly or wrongly, Zimmerman might have thought his life was in danger which is why he shot Trayvon Martin; however I think he way overdid it and deserves some sort of conviction.
* http://abcnews.go.com/2020/george-zimmerman-recalled-trayvon-martin-gosh/story?id=19543886#.UdRF19uF9rw Note added July 5th: I has been said that the judge has the authority to let the jury come in with a lesser charge if the jury requests it and the judge may even say so in his instructions to the jury.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
