Meanwhile in Vopland

[anthonyvop]

I feel sorry for Zimmerman now.

He is the victim of institutional, Politically correct, racism and Self-Aggrandizing Media Hogs. Hopefully some people will step up and help finance a good defense.

BTW Did anyone watch the Prosecutor's News Conference when she announced the Charges? She wouldn't shut up and pretty and all but admitted she did it for political reasons.

[Eki]

I feel sorry for Zimmerman now.

He is the victim of institutional, Politically correct, racism and Self-Aggrandizing Media Hogs. Hopefully some people will step up and help finance a good defense.

What does he need a good defense for, if he's innocent?

[ShiftingGears]

The guy followed and harrassed a teenager who he thought looked suspicious in his neighbourhood. His intimidation got a reaction from the lad (as you'd expect from most people) to which the nutter opened fire claiming self defence. Had the lad pulled a gun I could understand it but I see no excuse to kill somebody even if it turns out they turned around and swung a punch at the annoyance of being harrassed. Seeing as the teenager was unarmed and this all appears to be a gross overreaction by the gunman, I hope he goes to prison for a very long time. :thumbdown:

I daresay if someone had punched you to the ground and was smashing your head into the pavement (as in, his motive in doing so is to give you severe head injuries or kill you) despite there being screams to stop as reported, I wouldn't call it a gross overreaction to shoot in self defense. No?

[ShiftingGears]

The fact this was in a society where civilians carry guns makes I even more dangerous, and in this instance the shooter got it spectacularly and tragically wrong it seems.

Well that's why people shouldn't try their luck at initiating a physical confrontation by punching someone and then repeatedly slamming someones head into the pavement. Zimmerman was reportedly had turned around and was walking away before Martin verbally confronted him then started attacking.

I feel much more sympathy for Zimmerman, who I believe still has a bounty on his head by racial hate groups like the New Black Panther Party.

That's so bad. that's really sad.

[Dave B]

Having read the transcript from the teenagers phone call, I think if I was being followed and intimidated by a man I didn't know and genuinely thought my life was in danger, I may resort to a confrontation that may get physical. That would be a last resort and I would run away as first choice. If the shooter thought this lad was a burglar then the first thing he should have done was ring the police. I certainly wouldn't tackle a suspicious person if other options were available. The fact this was in a society where civilians carry guns makes I even more dangerous, and in this instance the shooter got it spectacularly and tragically wrong it seems.

Quite. There's a reason why we have a police force and a justice system. There's no place for vigilante action, let alone vigilantes with firearms. The law makes mistakes, certainly, but (unless one lives in a backwards region which still imposes the death penalty) mistakes can be corrected and compensated.

[Dave B]

I am very saddened to hear of the violent killings and home invasions along the Algarve. I once thought this to be one of the safest places to go. Now I will have to take this off my list. I better learn how to spell Kiwi and Perth. I am probably going the visit Prague this year and hopefully attend the Spa or Monza race.

No need to worry: apparently it's perfectly acceptable to carry an unlicenced firearm with you on your travels.

[Tazio]

One of the conditions for getting a conviction of 2nd degree murder in the great state of Florida is:
Murder with a Depraved Mind.

Murder with a Depraved Mind occurs when a person is killed by an act evincing a depraved mind showing no regard for human life.

This is not going to be an easy condition to prove. We don't know the particulars of this entire event. My gut feeling is that they will get a conviction or settle with a plea of manslaughter, with a sentence at or near the max, but this is speculation of course.

[Mark]

I think the point is here that no judgement has yet been made if the accused is guilty or not guilty. That's the purpose of the courts, to assertain the facts of the case.

There seems to be an assumption that it all needs to be neatly wrapped up before we even get to trial.

Certainly I believe the law as it stands in the UK means that any killing requires a trial. Even if it's obvious the defendent will be found not guilty.

[anthonyvop]

Quite. There's a reason why we have a police force and a justice system. There's no place for vigilante action, let alone vigilantes with firearms. The law makes mistakes, certainly, but (unless one lives in a backwards region which still imposes the death penalty) mistakes can be corrected and compensated.

We have a name for people who rely solely on the police for protection.........Victims.

How many crimes such as assault and murder are foiled by quick police action? Somebody breaks into you home or jumps you on the street with intent to cause bodily harm you can call 911 and take the beating like a European as you wait and wait for the police to arrive or be a individual and defend your rights as one see fits.