I was listening to a right wing radio show the day before the verdict and the guy actually said ‘This isn’t about race because Zimmerman has several close, black friends’. What’s said, besides the cliche of it, is that I’m sure a lot of people think that as well. Personally, I do think race was involved but not to a severe degree. TM was black and that added to his suspiciousness in MZ’s mind. But you know what? Racism involved or not, MZ should not have gotten a not guilty. That he was able to stalk and harass this kid, ignore the direct orders of the 911 operator, confront a random stranger and end up killing him…and to get off of all legal charges? That’s just insane. I don’t care if TM struck out at him. MZ brought it on by his own actions. Should MZ have just laid down and taken a beating (if that’s even what happened)? No. But I don’t think in this situation that he should be able to get off scott-free from killing another person. Add on top of that the poor woman getting 20 years for NOT killing someone, makes me wonder wtf is wrong with this country.
And remember back at the beginning, when Obama said, “if I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon Martin” or something like that? And the whole right wing noise machine went apeshit, for reasons still unclear to me?
It’s poor form for the President to comment before or during a trial. Nixon got jumped for doing the same about the Manson trial, and rightfully so.
They both should have kept their traps shut.
Because the President inserting himself in the judicial process is unethical and counterproductive.
This President blabs a lot. Here’s another example:
I’m wondering how soon there will be a film ‘Not based on any persons alive or dead, or on any events past or present’.
Beginning with a sequence in which the protagonist is dressing meticulously; slapping on boots and belts; arming up with his trusty gun and holster; then looking at himself in a mirror and saying ‘I’m going hunting for …’
Of course there will be considerable differences: the protagonist will be a 6’ 6" neo-nazi white guy with a thin rat-trap mouth; the victim will be a studious scared 14 yr-old, who merely covers his terrified face ( with glasses ) with his arms as he is unprovokedly gunned down at a distance; there will be a long hunting from a distance sequence beforehand as the victim innocently eats sweets; the protagonist will then self-inflict wounds to the back of his head and carefully break his own nose; the trial will end in his convictions for 3576 years; and will end with enough prison attacks, sexual assaults, shankings and other moral lessons to ensure as many liberal multi-orgasms in cinema seats to power the internet for a day ending with his much deserved death.
Fair 'nuf, I was thinking mostly from my perspective. I don’t do concealed carry, but I do have a nice collection of firearms in my gun safe at home, with several loaded magazines ready to hand.
If Zimmerman had gotten into an altercation with Martin, then went to his truck, got his firearm, returned and fired it at Martin, and all this could proven beyond a reasonable doubt, he’d have been convicted of either aggravated assault or attempted murder.
She fired into the ceiling. For that she received 20 years. This case was prosecuted by Angela Corey, btw.
It is alleged that the bullet struck the wall first and ricocheted, ending up in the ceiling but not aimed there. Her husband stated that she fired the weapon at him.
20 years is the minimum for the crime she was convicted of.
And again, she walked past her husband, entered the garage to get her gun, and returned. That case is nothing like Zimmerman’s.
Well if 20 years is the mandatory minimum in a case where nobody was killed (no to mention where there was a history of domestic abuse), then something is very wrong.
There’s also something very wrong with this:
Breakdown of Justifiable SYG Cases by Race
from Frontline’s Is There Racial Bias in “Stand Your Ground” Laws?
Florida has very strict sentencing enhancements for crimes in which a firearm is involved. Here is an overview, the best-known part is the 10-20-Life law. That means a 10 year minimum sentence for violent felonies in which a firearm is carried, a 20 year minimum for violent felonies in which a firearm is discharged, and a 25 to life minimum sentence for violent felonies in which a person is shot.
Under this same system, Zimmerman would have faced a 20 year minimum if he’d been convicted of manslaughter, far longer than in most states.
Maybe so. But Marissa Alexander’s is not a case you probably want to rally around, her actions clearly were not undertaken out a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm.
Lest anyone think Lawrence D. Bobo isn’t, sadly, correct.
CMC fnord!
Why?
On the 911 tape, we hear Rico Gray saying, “I’m outa here,” and Marissa Alexander replying, “I’ve got something for you,” followed by a shot.
That is certainly evidence that allows the fact-finder to conclude she wasn’t under attack.
She said the shot was a warning shot, fired “Into the air.” But the bullet hole was in the wall at about the height of Gray’s head. The shell casing was on the kitchen floor and the bullet hole was in the kitchen wall while the bullet itself was lodged in the next room’s ceiling.
There’s no question that Gray was an abusive asshole who had hurt Alexander on other occasions. But the law (again, the law, that pesky irritant to having the freedom to simply decide every case based on whatever criteria strike you as useful that day) says that she must feel in IMMINENT danger of death or serious bodily injury. The 911 tape and the testimony of Gray, and both of Gray sons, directly contradicts her – all say, and the physical evidence supports, the idea that she fired at a retreating Gray.
Can you explain the evidence that causes you to see it differently?
Then where did the bullet hole in the kitchen wall come from?
Bobo is on point.
Should someone be sent to jail even if they didn’t break the law?
People tend to forget, or refuse to believe, George Zimmerman has black ancestry.
So do many “white” people. Point is, he is not informed/ defined by this trait. Here is a “black” man with a whole lot of European ancestry whose experience was informed by his African ancestry.
Oh Please. I submit that you are the racist one for thinking of race when wild animal is mentioned. Race never crossed my mind while using that analogy, it works if Trayvon would have been white, asian, hispanic, or Vulcan. I’ll change though.
George Zimmerman stepped out of his car into an aquarium with a large fish, not knowing if it was a dolphin or a shark.
I disagree. Here is a list of all the calls he made. Most of the suspicious activity calls, when race was noted, were heavily coded “black male/s”.