Symptomatic of the thinking of many people following the Martin/Zimmerman trial verdict, who were convinced Zimmerman was guilty:
This won't come as a surprise to regular readers of this blog (or wouldn't, if such people existed) but I'm mystifed how George Zimmerman is a free man today. Now understand, I don't have cable so I was spared the gavel-to-gavel coverage on CNN (by the way, I read that at one point, during the Egyptian coup CNN not only refused to cut away from the trial, but they actually had an inset box on the screen featuring some other aspect of the trial) so I can't speak to all the evidence the jury was exposed to. But check me on the narrative that I understand the defense put forward:
Zimmerman, during his neighborhood watch night shift, notices a suspicious-looking character in the streets. He reports the guy to the police, who ask him to remain where he is and not pursue. Zimmerman pursues anyway, eventually stopping the car after a block or two and confronting the boy, who assaults him and bangs his head on the sidewalk until Zimmerman is forced to shoot the kid in self-defense.
My question is, how is what Trayvon Martin did in this scenario NOT self defense? He was walking in a neighborhood he had a right to be in, and a creepy guy in a car is following him for blocks, then gets out and pulls a gun on him. What would you do? You'd try to at least knock him unconcious so you could take his gun off of him. I don't know what other choice a guy in his position was supposed to have.
Even given benefit of the doubt, Zimmerman should have been charged with manslaughter.
I'll address certain statements from the post above, which I have bolded for easy reference.
- I don't have cable - No cable is understandable, yet you do have an internet connection, and a wealth of information on this trial (including a tremendous amount of ongoing end-of-day analysis from a variety of sources). Not too difficult to get a rundown of the day's highlights, if one was truly interested in learning what happened in court. Also, was there no local coverage of the trial in California?
- I can't speak to all the evidence the jury was exposed to - Yet you still comment on things you don't know. How Obama-like of you.
- the narrative that I understand the defense put forward - Your understanding of the Defense's case is completely wrong, as outlined below.
- during his neighborhood watch night shift - Zimmerman was not working a shift that evening, he was running a personal errand, and was on his way home.
- notices a suspicious-looking character in the streets - A few things here. First, in the 13 months prior to the shooting, this community had logged over 400 calls to the police, there had been multiple burglaries in the complex, and residents had complained of an atmosphere of fear in the neighborhood. It was also raining, and Martin was looking into houses. Zimmerman's call can be heard here. Zimmerman also told police that he had first seen Martin walking behind the homes, as opposed to being on the sidewalk or walking in the street.
- the police, who ask him to remain where he is and not pursue - Not true. The police told Zimmerman that they were on the way, but never told him to stay put. They tell him that they don't need Zimmerman to follow Martin, and the cop on the other end of the line continues to speak with Zimmerman as he follows after Trayvon. Notice the cop on the line never tells/orders Zimmerman to stop doing what he is doing. Based on Zimmerman's call, it's obvious he is frustrated that these guys always get away before the cops arrive. Not surprising he would want to keep tabs on Martin until the cops arrive, if he truly was up to no good. Isn't this what you would want your neighbors to do, if there had been a number of crimes commited in your neighborhood?
- confronting the boy - Zimmerman told investigators that Martin approched him, and punched him in the head. In other words, Trayvon initiated the contact, it wasn't Zimmerman "confronting" him.
- then gets out and pulls a gun on him - Completely false. The gun wasn't "pulled out" as Zimmerman left his vehicle. The men were fighting on the ground (multiple witnesses testified Martin was on top, laying into Zimmerman), Martin saw Zimmerman's gun in the holster, both men went for it, Zimmerman got to it first.
- I don't know what other choice a guy in his position was supposed to have - Martin had several choices that night. Martin could have continued on his way home. Martin could have called police, and reported a "creepy ass cracker" following him. He could have hid in the shadows until Zimmerman went away. He could have yelled from the shadows "Stop following me, I've called the police". He could have banged on a door or two, yelling for help that he was scared. He could have told the girl he was on the phone with to call the cops for him while he hid. But he didn't. He made a choice to confront Zimmerman, a choice that ultimately cost him his life.
- Zimmerman should have been charged with manslaughter - Zimmerman was charged with manslaughter, in addition to the second-degree murder charge. The manslaughter charge was entered right at the end of the trial. He was found not guilty on all counts. Many legal scholars have been critical of the AG overcharging in this case.
Feel free to disagree with the verdict, or how the Prosecution tried the case, or how the Media played a huge role in muddying the waters prior to the trial, but please do it after you have educated yourself on the actual testimony and facts the jury heard.
Perputuating falsehoods after the truth and the verdict have come out does nothing to honor Martin's memory, and it may also contribute to any violence that may befall Zimmerman or his family by others down the road.
