Zimmerman Acquitted

[Daltron]

George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, igniting a national debate on racial profiling and civil rights, was found not guilty late Saturday night of second-degree murder. He was also acquitted of manslaughter, a lesser charge.

After three weeks of testimony, the six-woman jury rejected the prosecution’s contention that Mr. Zimmerman had deliberately pursued Mr. Martin because he assumed the hoodie-clad teenager was a criminal and instigated the fight that led to his death.

Mr. Zimmerman said he shot Mr. Martin on Feb. 26, 2012, in self-defense after the teenager knocked him to the ground, punched him and slammed his head repeatedly against the sidewalk. In finding him not guilty of murder or manslaughter, the jury agreed that Mr. Zimmerman could have been justified in shooting Mr. Martin because he feared great bodily harm or death.

Let us try to ignore the media and political bias for a moment which seems to be weighing in on this issue.

After reading transcripts and watching a few videos of the trial, I have to say whilst I think it's wrong that he got aquited on a moral basis, the law and process of criminal justice in the US was followed very strictly. Whilst the arguments against Zimmerman had little substance thus causing the racist card to be pulled out by mainstream media to pressure courts, I still question why he wasn't slapped with a manslaughter charge at minimum since someone is dead none the less.

What is your take on the issue? If this was a dispute between two black males or two white males do you think the public reaction fuelled by media politics would be the same?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/15/us...anted=all&_r=0

[-:Undertaker:-]

I agree with what you have written.

[FlyingJesus]

Not sure why the race card is being used all over this case when Zimmerman isn't white. The verdict is entirely right, you cannot convict someone just because it feels like the right thing to do if you can't bring up any actual evidence to prove your claims. He got off without even a manslaughter charge because his actions supposedly came under the legal limits on self defence - that part I find disputable potentially, but the not guilty murder charge is absolutely correct considering the (lack of) evidence to the contrary

[Jazz]

Its another murder, they happen everyday. But because the victim was black, its automatically a hate crime. I don't really get why everyone is jumping on the bandwagon with everything when they have no idea what they are talking about. The day of the case, everyone was keyboard bashing trying to get as many retweets or whatever as possible and making us look like a bunch of morons.

[iMattster]

I'm watching and studying Bowling for Columbine, and the media continues to put anything on the air that gets ratings. If its to do with an African American, IT WILL BE ON TV. Whether or not its a hate crime against whites or African Americans, it will be publicised and twisted anyway necessary.