# Generally accepted as true, despite proven false news. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 7, 2019, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492 "2019-12-07T00:19:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/61 "2019-12-11T12:20:43Z")
The Zimmerman case is a peculiar one, legally speaking. In a strict sense, the jury verdict was correct: The prosecution did not prove its case that Zimmerman had committed murder. What makes it weird is that the defense _did_ prove that. The framers of the laws surely did not anticipate a situation where the defense would present all of the relevant facts, but that the prosecution would choose not to act on them. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/62 "2019-12-11T13:01:49Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > I first heard the Stewart story back somewhere around 1976, so there was plenty of time for it to get to rural South Dakota. I heard it in Wisconsin about the same time. It’s the typical FoF urban legend - I can still tell you who told me, but I have no idea who told her. And so on, and so on… In those days, I believed stuff like that. Why would people lie? My logic was, it’s easily verifiable, so anyone lying would be quickly exposed. Oh, if only the world worked that way. I believed the rat in the coke can, too, and spider eggs in bubble gum, or was it Milky Way bars? I never heard the term “urban legend” for at least another decade. ---
**Author:** ![margin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/65b543/32.png) [@margin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/margin)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/63 "2019-12-11T14:27:35Z")
> [@HurricaneDitka](#): > > I should have read your poll question more closely and not the title. I voted “Both”, but actually agree with “Neither” as facts. Both Brown and Martin were criminals in the midst of committing violent assaults when they were justifiably killed. Only if you think each murderer was credible. ---
**Author:** ![RioRico](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f04885/32.png) [@RioRico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RioRico)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/64 "2019-12-11T20:30:16Z")
Smilers never lose; criers never win. Disneyland is the magic kingdom. Champagne intoxicates faster. Spanish is the loving tongue. Somebody died for my sins. White bread is high-class. Beets taste quite good. Laughter is medicine. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2019, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/65 "2019-12-11T23:08:25Z")
> [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](#): > > Shows what you know, this has happened to me three times already. You’ve got EIGHT kidneys!!! ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/66 "2019-12-12T00:43:41Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > You’ve got EIGHT kidneys!!! He’s actually Wolverine and they keep growing back. ---
**Author:** ![Tempe\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tempe_jeff/32/7328_2.png) [@Tempe\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tempe_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/67 "2019-12-12T02:34:46Z")
I find it interesting how, many still believe Trayvon was murdered. He died certainly but, homicide is often legally excusable. I.E. self-defense. Guess I should have added O.J. Simpson to the poll along with, Sarah Palin causing Gabriel Giffords shooting. Maybe next time. Thanks for the responses and, Merry Christmas ! ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/68 "2019-12-12T02:39:05Z")
> [@Tempe\_Jeff](#): > > I find it interesting how, many still believe Trayvon was murdered. He died certainly but, homicide is often legally excusable. I.E. self-defense. Guess I should have added O.J. Simpson to the poll along with, Sarah Palin causing Gabriel Giffords shooting. Maybe next time. Thanks for the responses and, Merry Christmas ! A very Merry Christmas to you as well. And thanks for the gift of laughter. Until next time! ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2019, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/69 "2019-12-12T02:51:36Z")
> [@Tempe\_Jeff](#): > > I find it interesting how, many still believe Trayvon was murdered. He died certainly but, homicide is often legally excusable. I.E. self-defense. Since I presume that you are intelligent enough to be able to entertain an idea without having to agree with it, and in the spirit of the year end holidays, I’ll offer you the counter argument, which is that a person is not entitled to claim self-defense when they are the initial aggressor. > **[Criminal Law Defenses: Self-Defense](https://legal-info.lawyers.com/criminal/criminal-law-basics/criminal-defenses-self-defense.html)** > > Self-defense can be used to justify the use of force against another when the use of such force was reasonably necessary to protect oneself. Happy Winter Solstice! ---
**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2019, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492/70 "2019-12-14T05:23:17Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > See?.. you’ve already put more thought into the OP than it deserves. Aww geez! I WISH I’d read this response much earlier. –G! And I bet YOU wish you hadn’t gotten THIS far, either! 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/generally-accepted-as-true-despite-proven-false-news/844492.md?page=3)