@hawkeye10,
Quote:which was over ruled by the jury
The jury rendered no verdict regarding the fact that Zimmerman could have avoided the entire encounter.
So, in no way did the jury "over-rule" the conclusion that Trayvon Martin was the victim of a needless and avoidable homicide.
Trayvon Martin was the victim--his confrontation with Zimmerman did not occur out of the blue, or by coincidence, or because Martin initiated it, it was brought about by George Zimmerman, whose actions in following Martin brought about the encounter, and who, additionally, failed to defuse the situation
he created by failing to identify himself to Martin.
Trayvon Martin was the victim of a needless and avoidable homicide.
The jury did not find he had "attacked" George Zimmerman as opposed to defending himself--they had no clear evidence of Martin's motives, and, since Zimmerman was the defendant, and not the victim, they appropriately focused only on Zimmerman's motives, and whether he acted with malice, or in self-defense.
Zimmerman was the defendant in a criminal case. The acquittal did not magically turn him into "the victim"--the victim was still Trayvon Martin--Zimmerman just wasn't held legally punishable for that homicide.
Because he might have gotten slugged, during the encounter
he brought about, that doesn't make Zimmerman the "victim"--Trayvon Martin wasn't trying to mug him, Martin was reacting to Zimmerman's behavior, whether in self-defense or aggressively, but it was Zimmerman who brought the needless confrontation about--the entire confrontation could have been avoided--Martin's death and Zimmerman's "injuries" could have been avoided--by Zimmerman.
Trayvon Martin was the victim of a needless and avoidable homicide.
I'm not at all confused about that. Neither were the police.