George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin General Discussion Thread #8

[lauraoh]

My brother lives in the area, and did not rely on FB postings when he told me yesterday that people there are very concerned. He's also known to be able to distinguish crap from reality from time to time...

I live in Florida, but nowhere near Sanford, and it's like the entire state is holding its breath on this case.

 

[gxm]

Well I can't figure out as to what the difference is.

It has something to do with the "castle doctrine" which was (in some states, not all) extended outside the home. That's SYG. Self defense is defending your life or yourself from serious bodily harm which you can do at any time you are reasonably in fear for your life or serious injury. They are not the same thing. Sorry, IANAL, so I probably didn't do a good job of explaining that.

 

[sacrablue]

So let me get this right.
If I fear I may receive bodily harm from a person, I can pull out my 357 and blow them away IMO?

 

[Donnareit]

yes and the pro TM TV TH's were excited because TVM's fingerprints were not on the gun, completely over looking the FACT that there were NO fingerprints on the gun, so the point is actually meaningless and proves NOTHING. (imo)

and for this they let GZ's testify for him in a very compelling and forceful way.

not a good call in my opinion.

It is the strangest prosecution I've ever seen without a doubt. I keep waiting for West to pull it all together. Maybe they called all these defense witnesses before defense did for some diabolical legal stratagem previously unknown in our universe? :dunno:

 

[gxm]

Sheaffer: This witness was devastating to the state's case.

 

[Just K]

So let me get this right.
If I fear I may receive bodily harm from a person, I can pull out my 357 and blow them away IMO?

IMO, Yes, and that suggests that we should all be in fear of the guy with the better weapon.

Is it time to lock up all the paranoid schizophrenics?

 

[missmazzy]

"the lights are out. i dont know what is happening" ....right out of the GZ defense.

nice call SA. another defense witness.

You know, I'm starting to believe Crazy Mark Geregos when he said he believes the state is trying to throw this case.

 

[gxm]

So let me get this right.
If I fear I may receive bodily harm from a person, I can pull out my 357 and blow them away IMO?

I think the key word is "reasonably." JMO. OMO. MOO.

 

[costalpilot]

He went on a ride along.. He did all the right paper work..

Sounds like his does things by the book and keeps to the laws to me.. OMO

the SA is willing to overlook all the positives for GZ to get one narrow point (maybe) across to the jury.

desperation, imo.

and West is taking the opportunity to make a case for justifiable deadly force in self defense.

I'm glad the judge lets the state get what it wants.

"dont have to have injuries to have fear of great bodily harm"...i'm loving it, in the words of McDonalds.

another BACKFIRE for the SA.

 

[sacrablue]

The focus is what is going on in a person's mind. OK, so now I have to be a mind reader and be able to explore a person's brain waves before I drop them .
Sounds like I got work to do. IMO

 

[cinsbythesea]

I love how OMeara stays so calm and polite, you would think he was questioning his own witness, not the proscutions witness. The trial is moving along at a good pace.
The biggest problem that I see, IMO, is that the judge is so obviously biased, if GZ is found guilty of ANYTHING- she will throw the book at him.
I for one came into this trial thinking GZ was guilty of manslaughter, but after watching, I'm now leaning to self-defense. I do not take TM's death lightly, but things do happen, and people die, and no-one or both parties maybe equally responsible.
I don't see a good outcome here, no matter what happens. The jury has to feel a lot of pressure, the local community is probably dreading what is to come, and GZ doesn't stand a chance in life, no matter the outcome.

I could have written this post almost word for word as I feel the same way, except I came into the trial thinking it was murder not manslaughter. It's amazing how this story has been spun, once you hear the real facts of the case. I even find myself LIKING defense attorneys for what has to be the first time in my life. My world is tipped totally upside down over that one. As to your last sentence, we were talking about that last night- what will become of GZ if he isn't found guilty? It's not like he can move and blend in somewhere- everyone knows his face. Also like you- I don't see this as a win for anyone - everyone will lose in this case- no matter the outcome. If he's found not guilty then there's the ongoing threats of all hell breaking loose. If he's found guilty he goes to prison, quite possibly for the remainder of his life. And I don't even want to think about what would happen to him in prison. Ugh. I do want to say that although this judge seems a little biased, having watched the Arias trial and its constant late starts, gazillions of side bars, etc- I do admire the way this judge runs her courtroom- when she says court will start at 1:00, it starts at 1:00.

 

[Nymeria]

IMO that's very true. Dr. Dirk Greineder, Rabbi Neulander off the top of my head both sit in jail for murder.

You forgot Maricopa Countys resident genius....ringing in at a whopping 119...:facepalm:


:floorlaugh:

 

[Sweet Fox]

another state blunder. one TV TH said the witness made a better case for GZ than he possibly could have for himself, that he was an extremely appealing witness, and so on.

Ditto. He was very likable and a great witness for the Defense.

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I can not wait to see defense case.. We are not even there yet and so far this case is absolutely showing that the state does not have the proof for M2.


So far all they showed me for this testimony is that GZ may have know that there is a self defense law. He acted in that law. So so far I got, What he did was legal. He made sure not to act outside the law...

And we are at M2 with what???

OMO

 

[missmazzy]

So let me get this right.
If I fear I may receive bodily harm from a person, I can pull out my 357 and blow them away IMO?

Personally, if I were on the ground and someone was beating the snot out of me, you can bet I would shoot them. Then, if I'm arrested with the possibility of going to jail, I would then shoot myself.

 

[JudyBolton]

So the state's own witness testified that even if YOU start a confrontation and were getting beat up and fear for your life you CAN use deadly force to defend? Sounds like that was another state's witness that got turned -imo

 

[?noanswer]

Sheaffer: This witness was devastating to the state's case.

Sheaffer was also thinking the Prosecution was winning the CA case (and we know what happened there).

No matter which side the talking heads/guests opine, it is what the Jury thinks.

JMO

 

[JeannaT]

So let me get this right.
If I fear I may receive bodily harm from a person, I can pull out my 357 and blow them away IMO?

Your fear would have to pass the "reasonable" test. Would a reasonable person, in the same circumstance, feel fear that they will receive GREAT bodily harm, or be killed? Then yes.

If you are somewhere you have the right to be, and not committing a crime, and you have a reasonable fear that you are about to sustain great bodily harm or death from another person, you are lawfully allowed to defend yourself.

Obviously, a scuffle in a public place with others around, or if someone hits you and then runs, you don't have the right to shoot in broad daylight.

If you're out on one of your late night walks, and someone larger than you comes and grabs you and no one is there to help, yes, you can shoot them.

 

[costalpilot]

You know, I'm starting to believe Crazy Mark Geregos when he said he believes the state is trying to throw this case.

they ARE making a lot of BIG mistakes.

imo they are overmatched in the legal department. but as one TV TH said last night,

"if I was a defendant, I would want this SA prosecuting me." meaning the deficiencies of the SA overcome the strengths of the DA.

otoh, its a florida jury.

 

[Jane Jetson]

Let's see, the state is going to use this information to try to have the jury hate RZ and believe he is a liar because:
1. He did well in his college classes (like many of us have);
2. Because of his major course study, he is well versed in police 'jargon' (which many of us can quote because of our fondness for CSI - in all of its variations and of following trials.

Wow, any of us could just as easily be railroaded in like fashion. Here's hoping the DT can turn this sow's ear into a silk purse. All is MOO

That's what they seem to be doing, in my opinion, and with ease (again!).