Court of public opinion looms large in George Zimmerman murder trial

I'm not sure what is legally required in florida to prove self defense
 
Think of it this way, he has to admit to killing TM to claim self defense so now he has to prove that he was within his legal right to do so
 
It seems problematic to require people to wait for a fatal blow before defending themselves.
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I am aware of that but once he saw TM he took on his role as the neighborhood watchman. I could not believe it when Zimmerman's lawyer walked into court carry a piece of a sidewalk and saying that TM had a weapon , the sidewalk. TM did not walk around carrying a piece of sidewalk with him all the time. The sidewalk was already there , TM did not bring it with him. So if GZ was going to the store as a regular resident why was wearing his gun? I do not know of one person that wear gun to go shopping. And a regular resident would had stay in their car and waited for the cops. GZ was no longer a 'regular resident' when he started stalk TM .
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Plenty of regular citizens wear guns when they go shopping. They don't announce it.

You never know when and where you might need to defend yourself.
 
If they where struggling he may have only been bearly holding him off and been afraid he couldn't keep holding him off. One good blow onto the pavement could be deadly.
 
jonnyghost said:
Self defense is an affirmative defense meaning that the defense has the burden of proof.
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Yes, we covered this several threads back. Hence disprove. Witnesses saw TM on top. GZ has injuries that resulted, plus other facts. Once the evidence is presented the prosecution must disprove. The prosecution provided nothing to counter GZs version of events.
 
TXgolfer said:
Yes, we covered this several threads back. Hence disprove. Witnesses saw TM on top. GZ has injuries that resulted, plus other facts. Once the evidence is presented the prosecution must disprove. The prosecution provided nothing to counter GZs version of events.
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Right but you said the burden was the prosecutions. But they don't nessiceraly have to disprove anything. The burden is not theirs as you said. The burden is GZ's. If he can't prove he was within his legal rights he will loose.
 
jonnyghost said:
Can't say what he was thinking but i always have a gun on me. How am i supposed to kow when i'll need it?
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there's a difference between minding your own business and getting involved in something dangerous.
 
jonnyghost said:
Right but you said the burden was the prosecutions. But they don't nessiceraly have to disprove anything. The burden is not theirs as you said. The burden is GZ's. If he can't prove he was within his legal rights he will loose.
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No.

Jury instructions...

PLEA OF NOT GUILTY; REASONABLE DOUBT; AND BURDEN OF PROOF
George Zimmerman has entered a plea of not guilty. This means you must presume or believe George Zimmerman is innocent. The presumption stays with George Zimmerman as to each material allegation in the Information through each stage of the trial unless it has been overcome by the evidence to the exclusion of and beyond a reasonable doubt.
To overcome George Zimmerman’s presumption of innocence, the State has the burden of proving the crime with which George Zimmerman is charged was committed and George Zimmerman is the person who committed the crime.
George Zimmerman is not required to present evidence or prove anything.
Whenever the words "reasonable doubt" are used you must consider the following:
A reasonable doubt is not a mere possible doubt, a speculative, imaginary or forced doubt. Such a doubt must not influence you to return a verdict of not guilty if you have an abiding conviction of guilt. On the other hand if, after carefully considering, comparing and weighing all the evidence, there is not an abiding conviction of guilt, or, if having a conviction, it is one which is not stable but one which wavers and vacillates, then the charge is not proved beyond every reasonable doubt and you must find George Zimmerman not guilty because the doubt is reasonable.
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Document: Instructions for George Zimmerman jury | www.kfoxtv.com
 
Self Defense Jury Instructions

JUSTIFIABLE USE OF DEADLY FORCE
An issue in this case is whether George Zimmerman acted in self-defense. It is a defense to the crime of Second Degree Murder, and the lesser included offense of Manslaughter, if the death of Trayvon Martin resulted from the justifiable use of deadly force.
“Deadly force” means force likely to cause death or great bodily harm.
A person is justified in using deadly force if he reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself.
In deciding whether George Zimmerman was justified in the use of deadly force, you must judge him by the circumstances by which he was surrounded at the time the force was used. The danger facing George Zimmerman need not have been actual; however, to justify the use of deadly force, the appearance of danger must have been so real that a reasonably cautious and prudent person under the same circumstances would have believed that the danger could be avoided only through the use of that force. Based upon appearances, George Zimmerman must have actually believed that the danger was real.
If George Zimmerman was not engaged in an unlawful activity and was attacked in any place where he had a right to be, he had no duty to retreat and had the right to stand his ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he reasonably believed that it was necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.
In considering the issue of self-defense, you may take into account the relative physical abilities and capacities of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin.
If in your consideration of the issue of self-defense you have a reasonable doubt on the question of whether George Zimmerman was justified in the use of deadly force, you should find George Zimmerman not guilty.
However, if from the evidence you are convinced beyond a reasonable doubt that George Zimmerman was not justified in the use of deadly force, you should find him guilty if all the elements of the charge have been proved.
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Document: Instructions for George Zimmerman jury | www.kfoxtv.com
 
Jiro said:
there's a difference between minding your own business and getting involved in something dangerous.
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My point was that carrying a gun doesn't mean you're looking for trouble nessiceraly. Like i said i don't know what his motive was for carrying but many people carry all the time.
 
Reba said:
Plenty of regular citizens wear guns when they go shopping. They don't announce it.

You never know when and where you might need to defend yourself.
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The people I know do not go around following people especially teenagers at night carrying a gun . People call the polices where I live and let the cops deal with the situation. If a person is going to use a gun in a place there is a lot of people they better know how to aim a gun so they do not end up killing an innocent person. Zimmerman is not the best person to use as a neighborhood watchman , he out of shape and does not know how to fight to protect himself . Zimmerman's actions cause the whole situation to happen. He was pissed off that " the ****ing punks always got away!" and this is his own words that showed over and over on TV during the trial. GZ painted a target on TM the moment he saw the kid .
 
whatdidyousay! said:
The people I know do not go around following people especially teenagers at night carrying a gun . People call the polices where I live and let the cops deal with the situation. If a person is going to use a gun in a place there is a lot of people they better know how to aim a gun so they do not end up killing an innocent person. Zimmerman is not the best person to use as a neighborhood watchman , he out of shape and does not know how to fight to protect himself . Zimmerman's actions cause the whole situation to happen. He was pissed off that " the ****ing punks always got away!" and this is his own words that showed over and over on TV during the trial. GZ painted a target on TM the moment he saw the kid .
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Both the prosecution and the defense would not have you as a juror. Lucky you, huh? :lol:
 
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