When "Neighborhood Watch" Gets Out of Hand

[bigrun]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

If you think, "she brought second-degree murder charges because that's what the evidence proves", then I assume you are predicting that Zimmerman will be convicted of 2nd degree murder. I predict that he will not be convicted of 2nd degree murder. We will see who is right.

Don't think she was predicting that outcome but i'm with you that he will not be convicted of 2nd degree murder....looks like 4-1 odds on our side...good bet...Is Vegas taking action on this?....

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by bigrun

Don't think she was predicting that outcome but i'm with you that he will not be convicted of 2nd degree murder....looks like 4-1 odds on our side...good bet...Is Vegas taking action on this?....

I doubt anyone is taking bets but I totally agree with you. I think most legal experts would agree that it would be a longshot for Zimmerman to be convicted of 2nd degree murder based on the evidence we have seen so far.

Here is an interesting article that talks about what to expect going forward with the case. This article touches on many different issues that some of you may be curious about including how some of Florida's laws differ from other states.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...rvers-say?lite

It will be interesting to see if Zimmerman is granted bail. For this type of case, I think the defendant normally would be granted bail. However, I wouldn't make a prediction in this case simply because there will be a huge amount of public pressure on the judge to deny bail.

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

It will be interesting to see if Zimmerman is granted bail. For this type of case, I think the defendant normally would be granted bail. However, I wouldn't make a prediction in this case simply because there will be a huge amount of public pressure on the judge to deny bail.

No, they did not ask for bail today. He's in prison now. I heard he was being kept apart from other prisoners in his own cell for protection.

There appears to be only three defenses against 2nd degree murder, and self-defense is the only one Zimmerman appears to have. And considering Zimmerman followed and stalked Trayvon while carrying a loaded gun, self-defense doesn't look good.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Riot

No, they did not ask for bail today. He's in prison now.

There appears to be only three defenses against 2nd degree murder, and self-defense is the only one Zimmerman appears to have. And considering Zimmerman followed and stalked Trayvon, self-defense doesn't look good.

I know that. But he is going to ask for bail well before his next hearing (May 29).

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

I know that. But he is going to ask for bail well before his next hearing (May 29).

Ah. Got it. I don't know how they would keep him safe. He certainly can't go out in public.

He's in for a hell of a life, no matter what happens to him.

Did you read the wording in the affidavit of murder charge? Zimmerman "profiled" Trayvon is what was said.

[Rupert Pupkin]

Originally Posted by Riot

Ah. Got it. I don't know how they would keep him safe. He certainly can't go out in public.

He's in for a hell of a life, no matter what happens to him.

Did you read the wording in the affidavit of murder charge? Zimmerman "profiled" Trayvon is what was said.

"Zimmerman "profiled" Trayvon is what was said."

They can say whatever they want. Saying it doesn't prove it. They need to prove it.

While we're on this subject, I'm going to give you a hypothetical. Let's pretend you spotted me walking in your neighborhood and you didn't recognize me. You thought my body-language looked somewhat suspicious. In addition, let's say that I was black and this made you slightly more suspicious because there had been a recent string of burglaries in your neighborhood committed by black people.

So you call the police and then you follow me. You finally confront me and grab me by the arm. I punch you in the face and knock you to the ground. Then I get on top of you and continue punching you in the face and start banging your head on the cement. Then you pull out a gun and shoot me. Even in that scenario, I don't think 2nd degree murder would be a slam dunk. Even though you followed me and grabbed me by the arm, I still don't think it would be a slam dunk because when you finally shot me it was to save yourself from death or grave bodily harm. You probably couldn't claim self-defense since you grabbed me first.

Granted you would be at fault for starting the whole altercation. But if you had no plans to harm me and only wanted to hold me until the police got there, I think 2nd degree murder would be hard to prove. I think manslaughter would be more likely.

My hypothetical is a much stronger case for the prosecutor than the Zimmerman case because in the Zimmerman case I don't think there is any evidence that Zimmerman started the physical altercation.

[bigrun]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin;852144 [b

I don't think there is any evidence that Zimmerman started the physical altercation.[/b]

None of us on-lookers know what evidence the prosecuter has...Filing for 2nd degree hints at something they have in their bag....and maybe it is a ploy to get him to plead out for a lesser charge....??

[Riot]

Originally Posted by Rupert Pupkin

"Zimmerman "profiled" Trayvon is what was said."

They can say whatever they want. Saying it doesn't prove it. They need to prove it.

Yes, exactly. We'll see what she does. She may very well drop to manslaughter. But it doesn't appear she just pulled 2nd degree manslaughter out of her azz as a charge.