Zimmerman cleared of all charges

[surly74]

I say that the news media is really good at riling people up.  

The reason people think this murder case was so much more important than the thousands of others that have occurred since, is because the media told us to think it was more important.  A hint of controversy and racial tension and it gets turned into a sensationalized national affair.

What concerns me is how the media spin affects the judicial process.  Was there ever enough real evidence to bring this to trial, or was it the political pressure caused by biased media?

There was enough evidence to bring to trial, just not enough to convict. DA's are voted in in Florida aren't they?

[Johan]

The reason people think this murder case was so much more important than the thousands of others that have occurred since, is because the media told us to think it was more important.  A hint of controversy and racial tension and it gets turned into a sensationalized national affair.

I can't and won't speak for other people but that is not at all why the case caught my attention. What irked me from the start was the fact that police showed up to find a body and a man with a gun. The man with the gun says yeah I shot him but i felt my life was in danger so its justified and after only cursory investigation the police said ok good enough for us and let him go.

Race had nothing to do with it for me. Make either person any race gender or creed you like and I still would have found it odd that someone with only minor injuries could kill another then say it was self defense because I say so and have the police accept that was good enough leave it at that.

[Jack89]

I say that the news media is really good at riling people up.  

The reason people think this murder case was so much more important than the thousands of others that have occurred since, is because the media told us to think it was more important.  A hint of controversy and racial tension and it gets turned into a sensationalized national affair.

What concerns me is how the media spin affects the judicial process.  Was there ever enough real evidence to bring this to trial, or was it the political pressure caused by biased media?

There was enough evidence to bring to trial, just not enough to convict. DA's are voted in in Florida aren't they?

I'll have to take your word for it, I don't know enough to say otherwise, and I don't know if DAs are voted in in Florida.  It was kind of a rhetorical question anyway.  

To me, this case is another example of how easy it is for the media to suck people in and manipulate them.  I live in Arizona and I saw people at work glued to the trial on TV and having heated debates about it with coworkers. Why are Arizonans so concerned with a murder that occurred in Florida and ignore the dozens that have occurred in their own home state since?  The only Arizona case that people were recently concerned with was the Jodi Arias trial because, once again, that's what was sensationalized and spoon fed to us by the media.  It's really kind of sad.

[surly74]

I'll have to take your word for it, I don't know enough to say otherwise, and I don't know if DAs are voted in in Florida.  It was kind of a rhetorical question anyway.  

To me, this case is another example of how easy it is for the media to suck people in and manipulate them.  I live in Arizona and I saw people at work glued to the trial on TV and having heated debates about it with coworkers. Why are Arizonans so concerned with a murder that occurred in Florida and ignore the dozens that have occurred in their own home state since?  The only Arizona case that people were recently concerned with was the Jodi Arias trial because, once again, that's what was sensationalized and spoon fed to us by the media.  It's really kind of sad.

don't take my word for it...there was a trial.

[stromboli]

At the beginning I thought Zimmerman's actions were racially motivated. About halfway through, I started to see that there was more going on than what the media was reporting, and there may have been circumstances that would justify Zimmerman's actions. I think on balance it was a good verdict, so shoot me.

[Hijiri Byakuren]

I didn't buy into the media sensationalism, and it looks like the jury came to the same conclusion I did. I wonder what that says about the American news media.

[Nonsensei]

I didn't buy into the media sensationalism, and it looks like the jury came to the same conclusion I did. I wonder what that says about the American news media.

No need to wonder. The only thing the media gives a shit about is ratings. They get ratings by views, and they get views by covering significant events. Thats why the current news style is so inflammatory and divisive. Its a tool to turn otherwise uninteresting events into some sort of huge deal. This is also why the coverage of the 'verdict aftermath' was so intense. They were hoping someone would start a riot or some other drama so they would have something else to report on.

The media is in the business of creating news and then reporting it in such a way that it creates more news.

[Poison Tree]

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it either. I'm not surprised by it. I find it interesting and somewhat disappointing that more attention wasn't focused on the stand your ground statute during the trial and/or deciding whether Zimmerman met the criteria adequately.

My understanding is that a person in Florida can invoke a separate stand your ground hearing, which can result in them receiving immunity from prosecution for their acts if they win, but they have to meet the burden of showing a preponderance of evidence. Zimmerman('s defense team) chose not to attempt to meet this burden, instead relying on the difficulty the prosecution has in proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

[Johan]

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it either. I'm not surprised by it. I find it interesting and somewhat disappointing that more attention wasn't focused on the stand your ground statute during the trial and/or deciding whether Zimmerman met the criteria adequately.

My understanding is that a person in Florida can invoke a separate stand your ground hearing, which can result in them receiving immunity from prosecution for their acts if they win, but they have to meet the burden of showing a preponderance of evidence. Zimmerman('s defense team) chose not to attempt to meet this burden, instead relying on the difficulty the prosecution has in proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Well that helps clear it up but I'm still fuzzy on it all. So did the stand your ground law have any bearing on this case legally speaking?

[Poison Tree]

I'm not exactly sure how I feel about it either. I'm not surprised by it. I find it interesting and somewhat disappointing that more attention wasn't focused on the stand your ground statute during the trial and/or deciding whether Zimmerman met the criteria adequately.

My understanding is that a person in Florida can invoke a separate stand your ground hearing, which can result in them receiving immunity from prosecution for their acts if they win, but they have to meet the burden of showing a preponderance of evidence. Zimmerman('s defense team) chose not to attempt to meet this burden, instead relying on the difficulty the prosecution has in proving their case beyond a reasonable doubt.

Well that helps clear it up but I'm still fuzzy on it all. So did the stand your ground law have any bearing on this case legally speaking?

That is not very clear to me. I believe that the police/DA said that they did not consider stand your ground in deciding not to initially charge Zimmerman, deciding instead that it was "normal" self-defense. However, I think it may have had an impact in the initial investigation and decision not to file charges at least in as much as the law is seen as increasing the burden of proof necessary to overcome a self-defense claim (showing the defendant passed a reasonable opportunity to retreat doesn't weaken his claim to defense) and any elected official involved (DA, sheriff, ect) may have view the law as the public showing more support for self-defense and could be unwilling to risk backlash by going against the public wishes. But that's really off into speculation

[Solitary]

I watched the trial and I don't remember stand your ground being brought up in the trial, nor the race card. It was hearsay on the prosecutions part and actual physical evidence by the defendants attorneys that persuaded the jury. And bringing up skittles as prosecution evidence was just ridiculous. The prosecutions evidence was zero to find him guilty of manslaughter much less murder. Solitary

[Satt]

If it wasn't for that pesky sixth commandment, this wouldn't have been an issue.  

[Colanth]

Tell me: What would you do if all you were doing is following someone in a high crime area at night

In uniform or off-duty?  I certainly wouldn't be stupid enough to play cop and follow someone if I weren't on the job.  It's not a civilian's responsibility to ensure that someone who hasn't done anything wrong "doesn't get away".

[Shiranu]

Tell me: What would you do if all you were doing is following someone in a high crime area at night

In uniform or off-duty?  I certainly wouldn't be stupid enough to play cop and follow someone if I weren't on the job.  It's not a civilian's responsibility to ensure that someone who hasn't done anything wrong "doesn't get away".

This.

Also, the U.S. Justice Department, FBI and Attorney's office is now going to be conducting their own investigation as well.

[Colanth]

Manslaughter carries the same weight as murder in the 2nd (30 yrs to life).  It is not in terms of punishment, anything lesser.

Second degree murder, in Florida, carries a minimum sentence of 16-3/4 years.  Second degree manslaughter (this would have been culpably negligent manslaughter, which is 2nd degree) carries a minimum sentence of 9-1/4 years.  The maximums are up to life (for murder) and up to 30 years (for manslaughter).

Florida Statute 775.087(1) for manslaughter and 10-20-Life for murder.