George Zimmerman Trial

[attaboy]

badgenome said:

haxxiy said:

The "stand your ground" laws in Florida say you can use deadly force to prevent great bodily harm. It doesn’t say you have to suffer great bodily harm or "life threatening injuries" before you shoot your attacker. On the other hand, although it can be situations where someone is forced to do so, there's no legal justification to attack someone because you think they might be following you. Any harm that is intended to be prevented from laws like the aforementioned one are still too distant to justify agressive behaviour.

As much as this has been flogged as a "stand your ground" case, it isn't one. Zimmerman's attorneys aren't using a "stand your ground" defense because it simply doesn't apply in this situation. His story is that he was pinned down, so he had no ability to retreat, let alone the responsibility to do so. It's just a simple self defense claim.

You're right, though. I can't wrap my head around the claim that Martin was somehow justified in attacking Zimmerman for simply following him (which, as far as we know, is all he did), but Zimmerman was wrong to defend himself with lethal force if he truly felt his life was in danger. Even if he overreacted, it's clearly not murder. That's where the state blew it, and I think the fallout of Zimmerman walking is going to be seriously ugly.

I don't think the fallout is going to be that bad, honestly.  At least not among people that have actually taken the time to study the case.  You'll always have those that form their opinion based on a headline and never bother to dig any deeper.  I wouldn't worry about them, though.  They'll be outraged and then move on.