# In which Stoid (The Prosecutor) Cross-examines Bricker (George Zimmerman) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561 "2012-04-22T05:35:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 16
**Author:** ![SecretaryofEvil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@SecretaryofEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecretaryofEvil)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/301 "2012-05-01T17:33:12Z")
> [@Living\_Well\_Is\_Best\_Revenge](#): > > I object to this thread on grounds of douchebaggery on all fronts. Sustained ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/302 "2012-05-02T06:38:27Z")
Is the prosecution resting? ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/303 "2012-05-02T12:34:57Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! > > Oh, wait, it didn’t start yet. I’ll be back later. I had no idea Nancy Grace posted on this message board! ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/304 "2012-05-02T18:27:47Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > Is the prosecution resting? Yes, but only literally… I’ve been asleep for a couple of days. After being awake for a couple of days. Back soon with more… ---
**Author:** ![brazil84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8491ac/32.png) [@brazil84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brazil84)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/305 "2012-05-03T01:44:46Z")
I wonder if **Stoid** will eventually rest her mock-case. Or if she will just stop posting and let the thread sink into oblivion. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/306 "2012-05-03T04:32:29Z")
> [@brazil84](#): > > I wonder if **Stoid** will eventually rest her mock-case. God of course I will… I couldn’t keep asking questions until the end of time! Restart tomorrow… ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/307 "2012-05-03T13:07:26Z")
It has taken a bit of time to get through this thread but I would like to commend **Stoid** and **Bricker** on their efforts thus far. It has been a very enlightening thread. ---
**Author:** ![Bambro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@Bambro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bambro)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/308 "2012-05-03T13:58:49Z")
Really? No, really? What, in particular, have you found enlightening with regards to this thread? ---
**Author:** ![DrumBum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e79b87/32.png) [@DrumBum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrumBum)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/309 "2012-05-03T16:08:18Z")
> [@Bambro](#): > > Really? No, really? What, in particular, have you found enlightening with regards to this thread? Some of the questions posed by **Stoid** and the legal explanations by **Bricker**. Since I don’t get much of the news coverage of this over here I can’t validate either of the questions they pose but it is still entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/310 "2012-05-03T17:40:04Z")
So this is your account of what happened next, Mr. Zimmerman: > [@Bricker](#): > > He then punches me, right in the nose, and thatshoved me backwards. As I fell I sort of grabbed at his head and felt something fall away from his ear. I think I hurt his ear because he yelled “Fucker!” at me and kicked at my ribs. I tried to roll away from the kick and he followed me. On the second or third kick I caught his leg and swept him down, thinking I could get him down, and I did. I started running Why did you start running, Mr. Zimmerman? You had knocked him down, you knew the police were coming, you knew you had a gun, and you have worked as a private security guard, which suggests that you have some experience with physical altercations and some confidence in your ability to deal with them. You had the advantage, there were any number of things you could have done at that point, including the simplest of all, which would be to speak to him. You’ve made it very clear that your intention was to prevent this kid from getting away, yet we are to believe that having managed to knock him down after he has, according to you, actually assaulted you, your next idea is to run? Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/311 "2012-05-03T18:02:14Z")
nm. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/312 "2012-05-03T19:15:18Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Why did you start running, Mr. Zimmerman? You had knocked him down, you knew the police were coming, you knew you had a gun, and you have worked as a private security guard, which suggests that you have some experience with physical altercations and some confidence in your ability to deal with them. > > You had the advantage, there were any number of things you could have done at that point, including the simplest of all, which would be to speak to him. > > You’ve made it very clear that your intention was to prevent this kid from getting away, yet we are to believe that having managed to knock him down after he has, according to you, actually assaulted you, your next idea is to run? > > Please explain. I started running because I never meant to get into a fight with him. I just wanted to make sure he was there when the police got there, but not by violence. I got him down by catching his leg as he was kicking me. Those weren’t love taps; they were hard kicks and that punch was hard too. He was way taller than I am and I didn’t see anything good coming out of trying to talk to him, at least until I got out of range of his fists and feet. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/313 "2012-05-03T19:29:51Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > So this is your account of what happened next, Mr. Zimmerman: > > Why did you start running, Mr. Zimmerman? You had knocked him down, you knew the police were coming, you knew you had a gun, and you have worked as a private security guard, which suggests that you have some experience with physical altercations and some confidence in your ability to deal with them. > > You had the advantage, there were any number of things you could have done at that point, including the simplest of all, which would be to speak to him. > > You’ve made it very clear that your intention was to prevent this kid from getting away, yet we are to believe that having managed to knock him down after he has, according to you, actually assaulted you, your next idea is to run? > > Please explain. It’s been pointed out to you already, but here especially, you’re just giving Bricker/Zimmerman a chance to look more sympathetic. As a jury member, I hadn’t thought about the fact that Zimmerman claims he tried to run away, but now that you’ve brought it up, it weakens your case by demonstrating that Zimmerman _did_ try to de-escalate confrontation. The confusion over the Stand Your Ground law has made some people conflate the self-defense argument (and the fact that SYG arguably makes a suspect _immune from arrest_ if the police reasonably believe he was acting in self-defense) with the issue of duty to retreat, which SYG did away with. You’re emphasizing the fact that Bricker/Zimmerman is claiming he _did_ try to retreat when it became apparent that he was in a potentially lethal situation. That probably doesn’t matter from a purely legal standpoint (since as noted, there was no duty to retreat) but it certainly makes the defendant seem more sympathetic and morally justified. Frankly, I think Bricker went easy on you (or decided to let you dig your own hole) by not playing this up himself in response to this question. ETA: If your position is that it’s simply unbelievable that Zimmerman would try to retreat at this point–so unbelievable as to be seen as false beyond a reasonable doubt, in fact!–well, good luck with that, Counselor. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/314 "2012-05-03T20:09:22Z")
So then… > [@Bricker](#): > > I started running, I couldn’t tell exactly where, and I didn’t get very far before \*\*I got hit by a running field tackle like they teach football players how to do. I ended up on my back with Treyvon on top of me. \*\* You ended up on your back when being hit from behind by a running field tackle? And with Trayvon on top? How did you simply “end up” like that, when pretty much everyone else that gets tackled from behind while running away ends up face down? ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/315 "2012-05-03T21:09:24Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > So then… > You ended up on your back when being hit from behind by a running field tackle? And with Trayvon on top? How did you simply “end up” like that, when pretty much everyone else that gets tackled from behind while running away ends up face down? Again, as being pointed out up-thread - you’re making this too easy for Bricker. He just has to say “I heard footsteps coming up fast behind me and just as I turned towards the sound of my attacker, he hit me full-force knocking me to my back.” ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/316 "2012-05-03T22:43:47Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > How did you simply “end up” like that, when pretty much everyone else that gets tackled from behind while running away ends up face down? Have you ever been tackled? Stuff happens all the time, you twist and turn towards the blow if you hear someone coming, or your legs get twisted and that’s the way you fall. These questions are really poorly designed to make any sort of coherent point, and all you are doing is making him seem reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2012, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/317 "2012-05-03T22:45:06Z")
I heard footsteps coming up fast behind me and just as I turned towards the sound of my attacker, he hit me full-force knocking me to my back. I guess you don’t watch a lot of football, ma’am. People get tackled from behind and end up on their backs with some frequency. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/318 "2012-05-04T01:17:49Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > He was straddling me, and I was trying to shove him off, but I couldn’t. He hit my head into something really hard, How? Please describe exactly how he did that, how many hands and arms he used to do that, and where your hands and arms were at the time. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/319 "2012-05-04T01:40:16Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > How? Please describe exactly how he did that, how many hands and arms he used to do that I’m guessing it’s some number X, where 0\ **Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/320 "2012-05-04T01:43:59Z") > [@Stoid](#): > > How? Please describe exactly how he did that, how many hands and arms he used to do that, and where your hands and arms were at the time. I don’t exactly know. Everything was happening so quickly. I think he just had one hand on my forehead, with the heel of his palm shoving forward so that my head slammed back into what I think was the sidewalk. I think both my hands were in front of me trying to push him away but he had a lt more reach than I did, because he was so much taller. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561.md?page=15) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561.md?page=17)