Do you think Zimmerman will be convicted of murder?

Are you really going to sit in judgement of George based upon his known history of the state letting him down?

Quote:

Joe(all he had to do was listen to the dispatcher.)Nation

We know what happened the last time Zimmerman took this "good" advice..the bad guys got away. Are you really going to sit in judgement of George based upon his known history of the state letting him down?

I dare the state to take a murder charge to trial...It will be Casey Anderson all over again...

When will George Zimmerman's trial start?
By Beth Karas
April 27, 2012

As the case against George Zimmerman progresses, a lot of In Session and HLN social media followers want to know when they will see this case play out inside the courtroom. The case is still early in the procedural process, so it is difficult to say -- a lot could happen between now and when it goes to trial. Florida law and rules of procedure give us some idea, as do previous cases, so let’s take a look.

Zimmerman has a right to a speedy trial -- within 180 days from his April 11 arrest. Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, may decide to fast-track the case for trial, which means it could happen later this year.

In Florida, however, defense attorneys routinely waive the right to a speedy trial, which pushes it past the 180-day deadline. If O’Mara does waive the right to a speedy trial, he will probably do it in the next month or two. And that means the trial would likely be next year.

Prosecutors may give O’Mara the first round of “discovery,” police reports, autopsy report, photographs, and other items assembled as part of the investigation, as soon as next week. Releasing documents between sides is an ongoing process as new information becomes available, new reports are generated and attorneys take depositions of key witnesses.

O’Mara says it will be at least a few months before he decides whether to ask for a pre-trial hearing on Zimmerman’s potential entitlement to the “Stand Your Ground” immunity because he wants to make sure he has all the facts.

Once O’Mara files the stand your ground motion, a hearing will be scheduled. At that hearing, Zimmerman’s team has the burden of proving by “a preponderance of the evidence” that his use of deadly force was justified. Preponderance of the evidence basically means it’s more likely than not that Zimmerman was justified in using deadly force. This is very different from a trial where the burden is on the prosecutors to prove each element of an alleged crime beyond a reasonable doubt.

Florida’s Stand Your Ground statute provides very specific elements that Zimmerman must prove: that he was not engaged in unlawful activity, that he was attacked in a place he had a right to be and that he reasonably believed his life and safety were in danger. He cannot, however, be justified in using deadly force if he provoked the altercation, unless he was attacked with more force than he initiated.

It’s hard to imagine how Zimmerman could meet those criteria without testifying at the hearing. So, expect to hear from him if he requests, and is granted, a Stand Your Ground hearing.

If the judge believes Zimmerman was standing his ground, the case will be dismissed and he will have immunity from further prosecution. If Zimmerman loses the Stand Your Ground hearing, the case will proceed to trial. But there’s a potential next step that could delay a trial: Either side -- the prosecution or defense -- can appeal the judge’s decision. The appeals process could take weeks or months.

So, as you can see, there are a lot of moving parts in the process that could affect the timing of the trial.
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2012/04/26/when-will-zimmerman-go-trial

Neither of us, David, nor anyone outside of this matter,
has any evidence or testimony as to who struck the first blow, who laid hands of who first, do we?

We have Mr. Zimmerman's purported statement to police.

That is enough for you.

We will see if it is enough for a jury.

Joe(it may be, it might not be)Nation

A HA what?
Your choice would not be a trial of any sort, not even an arrest.

Very much reminds me of crimes

committed in the name of the King in 14th century, or the Samurai of Japan as late as the 1860s, except those persons were proceeding, unlike Zimmerman, under authority from someone actually in authority.

~
Question: This will be fun.
Scenario:
Zimmerman gets out of his truck, spots Martin across the way, heads towards him.
Martin sees him coming and, according to witnesses, yells "What do you want with me, man?"
Zimmerman shouts back "Who are you and what are you doing here?"
Zimmerman is now only ten yards away from Martin.
Martin says "Who are you?"
Zimmerman, who does not stop coming, says "I've already called the cops."
Martin says " What for?"
Zimmerman says "Because you don't live here."
Martin says "Yes, I do, man. My father lives right over there. You want to talk to him? Come on."
He turns to start walking.
Zimmerman says "Hold it right there!" and reaches out and grabs Martin by his left shoulder.
Martin spins around and clocks Zimmerman in the nose with his right hand.
"Keep your hands off of me!" he says.
Zimmerman, with one hand on his bleeding nose, goes for his gun.
Martin seeing that, tackles Zimmerman, knocking him to the ground where he bangs his head on the edge of a sidewalk.
There is a struggle.
Twice Zimmerman has Martin in a kind of choke hold but he gets free. There are more punches thrown by both men.
For several minutes while neighbors watch both men wrestle for control of the other.
At some point, the gun is grabbed by Martin and he stands up and points it at Zimmerman who gets to his feet more slowly.
"Leave me alone." Martin shouts, "just leave me alone."
Zimmerman is furious. "Give me that gun!" he shouts, "Give me that gun or I'll... ."
He dives towards Martin.
There is a shot.
~
The bullet grazes Mr. Zimmerman's head and enters his back approximately four inches below the base of the neck
~
Question: Should Martin be arrested, David?

Joe(What say you?)Nation

The New Golden Rule according to OmSigDav:

He who ends up with the gun is the Golden Boy.

I choose to live in a country where matters of complexity are not decided by the local constable but in a Court of Law.

Isn't it funny that this Liberal has an affinity for our legal system whereas the Conservatives amongst us have completely lost faith.

It's the same reasoning that leads them to want to have terrorists tried before extra-legal commission rather than in our courts.

Who are the foreigners here?

Joe(and who really believes in the Constitution?)Nation

[W]hen all is said and done do you think Zimmerman will stand convicted of murder?

The defendants at the Guantánamo trial (9/11 families vent anger at 'jihad in courtroom', 7 May) are accused of abominable crimes, and the victims' families are understandably anguished. It should be remembered that in international law this is an illegal trial staged at an illegal venue by a lying president who has broken his promise to close the venue down.
Gerald Kaufman MP
Labour, Manchester Gorton

People who have done nothing rong(sic)
have a right to remain unmolested by police.

don't see how the prosecutor could prove malice aforethought beyond all reasonable doubt. Zimmerman overreacted, misinformed by racial prejudice, to a situation he misjudged to be a threat

Given Zimmerman's wounds cause by Trayvon I do not see how they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was not acting in legal self defense of his life.

Given Zimmerman's wounds cause by Trayvon I do not see how they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he was not acting in legal self defense of his life.

Again, I ask to defend Martin's right to be unmolested, if you can't do that, then we have nothing more to discuss.

People who have done nothing rong(sic)
have a right to remain unmolested by police.

But not, as you have said, by the Zimmermans of the world.
Martin had done nothing wrong.

He was in a place lawfully.

Yet you would allow Zimmerman to lay hands on him and arrest
him IF Zimmerman announced he was making a citizen's arrest?!?

Jeezus. You want more police power in the hands of non-police, what country is that?

It's not the United States of America, except possibly when the railroad's Hell on Wheels moved across the Great Plains
and agents of the construction company arrested, tried, imprisoned and even hanged wrongdoers.

Again, I ask to defend Martin's right to be unmolested,
if you can't do that, then we have nothing more to discuss.

Joe(not holding my breath)Nation

I had also taken note you had not post one link backing up your claims concerning Florida law an odd thing not to do unless you are claiming to be a license Florida lawyer and an expert yourself.

But his motive was to protect the neighborhood against crime.

He didn't premeditate to kill Blacks when he took the post at the
neighborhood watch. Or at the very least, there's reasonable doubt that he did.

But his motive was to protect the neighborhood against crime.

That's not unassailable fact by any means.