Is Zimmerman guilty? Should he be convicted of something?

[Coito ergo sum]

O.k. a mod may wish to merge this with the "State v Zimmerman" thread, but I wanted to get a poll going as to what people think the evidence shows now that the trial is over.

Today the defense will do their closing argument and then the jury will be read jury instructions and they will deliberate. I suspect they will be sent to deliberate today, so they will have the weekend to mull it over. I think the defense wants to get them to the deliberation room, rather than take so long with closing statements that they cause the jury to have to come back Monday for instructions. That will piss them off, I think.

But, I think the above choices pretty much some it up.

Please explain your view here.

In my view, the evidence shows that the prosecution cast reasonable doubt on Zimmerman's story. Unfortunately for the State and fortunately for Zimmerman, the burden is the opposite and the prosecution needed to prove its story beyond a reasonable doubt. They did not do that, so he walks.

I think Zimmerman's conduct that night was weird, and not something I would do. Why was he sitting out there in that truck? I don't know. But, then again, I've never lived in a shitty neighborhood like that, and maybe the people there are sick and tired of the rampant crime. If I had to live there, I'd puke, so I guess I can't relate. But, that's all irrelevant. He was sitting in his truck -- he doesn't need a reason for that, and even if he's scoping out "punks" and "assholes" - that's not a crime. He saw Martin, he was suspicous and called 911. To me that indicates someone who is NOT out to murder someone or shoot someone. He did the right thing and called the police. He was told by the dispatcher to stand down, and he did. There was a substantial time break between Martin running off and the fight ensuing. We do not know who attacked whom first, but it is plausible that Zimmerman was attacked, and the forensic evidence supports his story. The witness testimony supports his story.

Were I on the jury, based on the evidence, I have to acquit him on all charges. Even if I don't like the guy, and he rubs me the wrong way, I would have to acquit.

[Audley Strange]

Boring the arse off of me.

[Coito ergo sum]

Mark O'Meara closing argument on now -- http://www.mediaite.com/columnists/geor ... ents-live/

[Tero]

No. The state of FL is guilty of providing gun laws that lead to endless gun related interactions like this.

The assorted laws are not even compatible with each other.

[Animavore]

Where's the "Don't know/Don't care" option?

[Coito ergo sum]

No. The state of FL is guilty of providing gun laws that lead to endless gun related interactions like this.

The assorted laws are not even compatible with each other.

LOL -- pray tell, how are the "assorted gun laws not compatible with each other?" Examples?

"Endless gun related interactions like this?" Really? Endless? This occurs all the time?

[Tero]

The law is very strict about where and how you point or show your gun. If you shoot the person, however, no questions or witnesses, they are dead. "The cell phone looked like a gun, I had to shoot."

On top of that, it is difficult to take a gun away from an unbalanced person who was previously sane enough to have all the permits, concealed etc.

I want every single gun registered, every owner licensed.

[Coito ergo sum]

Where's the "Don't know/Don't care" option?

None of the above/other.

[Coito ergo sum]

I want every single gun registered, every owner licensed.

Why? What good would that do? Would it prevent gun incidents as much as drivers licenses and auto registrations prevent car accidents?

[Tero]

Next, I'll give those with an unlicensed gun a 10 year prison sentence when arrested.

[Coito ergo sum]

Next, I'll give those with an unlicensed gun a 10 year prison sentence when arrested.

Unless you deny people licenses, what good would any of this do?

[laklak]

Next, I'll give those with an unlicensed gun a 10 year prison sentence when arrested.

Couple of questions, Tero. What purpose does licensing serve? Unless you're going to make the licensing standards much more strict than the simple background check that we already have, then I see no utility at all. What would be the criteria for obtaining a license?

We already have a 10-20-Life law in Florida. Use of a gun in the commission of a felony gets an additional 10 years on top of the felony sentence. If you fire the gun it's an additional 20, if you hit someone it's 25-life. There is no parole here. It hasn't stopped gun crime, so why do you think another law would make any difference? Under your scheme you won't find out someone has an unlicensed gun until they commit a crime, so what is the difference between what we're already doing and what you propose?

[Collector1337]

I want every single gun registered, every owner licensed.

Fuck your authoritarian garbage.

You'll have to come and fucking get me. Do you have the balls to do it yourself, or are you going to be a coward and need your jack-booted thugs to do it for you?

Good thing what you "want" doesn't mean shit. Your chances of getting that in America is less likely than winning a billion dollars in the lottery.

Thank God I get my individual freedom and I don't have to be affected by your fucking joke insecurities.


You know how atheists generally just want to be left alone and not have their lives affected by other people's religious beliefs?

I feel the same thing about your fucking bullshit authoritarianism, fear, and insecurity. That's your fucking problem. Please don't affect my life with your utter bullshit beliefs.

[Collector1337]

Zimmerman should clearly be acquitted of all charges.

As the OP as stated, the PROSECUTION has already stupidly shown plenty of reasonable doubt, just in their own case!

By watching their closing statements, they are clearly going for the emotional factor, hoping to pull on the all female jury's heart strings.

Anything other than an acquittal will be a gross miscarriage of justice.

[Jason]

Guilty - of inspiring a never ending debate.

I sentence him to no less than 10 years on 4chan