Not Guilty

Common sense prevails in the jury room, but will it prevail on the mean streets of Miami?

Comments

[bgates]

only one thing can make this night better: Watching a Burn Notice Season 6 DVD

Meanwhile on AMC, the Death Wish marathon continues.

[Joan]

May God protect and bless the Zimmerman family as they go through these next weeks and months.

And, may our great nation be blessed with justice, intelligence, and principled leadership in 2014.

[narciso]

You noticed that bgates,

[Stephanie]

Shorter Jwhine Williams, "But, but, but a child is dead."

NSS, sometimes sh*t happens. Doesn't make it necessary to find boogeyman to blame it on.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Typepad loves me so much it hurts. DoT, don't go back to the last thread to see bubu's latest. Not worth it, really. I tried my response but typepad loved me out of actually posting it.

[Gus]

Stephanie, I TOO, am a Stephanie fan!!!
When I was a College athlete, my Freshman and Sophomore years, I was 5'11", and 160lbs.
I was not a BABY, nor A CHILD. I was quite able to inflict ADULT damage on anyone I chose to lash out at. Skittles Martin is the RACIAL CAUSE du Jour.

[DrJ]

You know, the old 100th seems to have vanished from popular culture. Here it is:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XoehMurqMU

I remember it from when I was a kid, when all current ethnicities and many that are not counted now were part of the gemisch.

Maybe its a midwestern thing.

[DublinDave]

O.k, let's get to work.

[daddy]

I think somewhere along the line I will have to commit, exactly to memory, the precise exact verbiage stated in the 911 conversation wherein GZ was talking with the 911 operator and the topic of not needing to follow TM came up.

It already seems that the false meme of what was actually stated will endure as long as Sarah Palin's comment that she could see Russia from her back porch.

I will need to get the 2 accents down perfect, and the instant I hear the Left saying that GZ was ordered to not get out of his car and follow Trayvon I will simply start the spiel going and not shut up until I've finished.

I can't think of any other way to shut 'em up.

[bgates]

not verifiably in the act of committing a felony

Trayvon Martin was committing a felony on George Zimmerman when Zimmerman shot him, which was verified by the victim of the felony and an independent eyewitness, corroborated by the injuries sustained by the victim, and implicitly acknowledged by the police who investigated the incident when they released the victim of Martin's assault without charging him for Martin's death.

The fact is that George Zimmerman is a mixed race resident of a mixed race community who had to endure political persecution for a year and a half after his initial exoneration by a mixed race police department for the sole reason that the Democrat party saw value in inciting race hatred for political gain.

[Gus]

Yes. The WeeWeeDouchbagDavey, shows up to "WORK". So sorry Douchebag Davey, but the work is over. You need to find another VIOLENT loser to attach you rotting carcass too.

[Jeff Dobbs]

I remember it too, DrJ -- growing up in Dallas in a mainline Protestant church. It still has a very favorable impact on me -- makes me focus and worship, as it should.

I'm very glad you brought it up.

[narciso]

Well sometimes, more rare then we would like, the memes don't prevail,

[henry]

Hey Gus, did you fry or grill all that fish?

Tomorrow the talk shows should be worth some popcorn.

[Stephanie]

Love you too, Gus!

Y'all always make my day. I read even if I don't always comment as I hate to try to comment on my iphone as I try to catch up on the threads each day between appointments.

Should be an interesting week next week with some of my clients. I wonder if the pics of Obama hanging by the door will have another added below.

[cathy_f]

Question here for you lawyers about the evidence...

Suppose that at the exact moment that Zimmerman got the gun in his hand, the police arrived and started screaming at Trayvon to freeze. BOTH men froze, then Trayvon muttered "you got me" as the cops pulled him off of Zimmerman.

Do you think that, given all of the evidence that we saw, the prosecutors could have gotten Martin convicted for aggravated assault or attempted murder, charged as an adult?

[Danube on iPad]

"when did Liam Neeson, become one of the leading American action stars"

As Yogi said when informed that the mayor of Dublin was a Jew, "only in America."

[Eric in Boise]

Thanks be to God.

[jimmyk]

Mrs K and I went out to the movies. Did I miss anything?

[Frau Sündenbock]

I dread hearing Sean Penn, Ed Asner, Sara Saranwrap and the rest of our celebrity betters
condemn the verdict.

[Gus]

Henry, So glad to see you!! I caught and cooked a lot of small mouth, and blue gills and some perch!!!! But truthfully, I would love to practice our HENRYFEST!!! Seriously, I may be in your neighborhood tomorrow!!!!
How is your HEALTH my friend???

[narciso]

What movie did you see?

[Jeff Dobbs]

jimmyk:
Did I miss anything?

You're in danger of missing the Death Wish marathon on AMC.

[Gus]

Henry, I fileted and "pan fried" all of the fish that I kept. One BIG SMALL MOUTH. 4-5LBS, a couple of nice blue gills, and a couple...SURPRISE...lake perch. I played Chef.

[Danube on iPad]

John Hinderaker:

"I tried my first jury case when I was 24 years old and have tried 100 jury cases since then. My experience has given me a great deal of faith in the common sense and good judgment of jurors. But cases like this one, conducted in the glare of publicity and with massive political pressure brought to bear, from the White House on down, are necessarily unpredictable. So let’s congratulate the six citizens of Seminole County, Florida, whose identities are still unknown, for standing up to the political gales and doing their duty: because it was always obvious that Zimmerman acted in self-defense, and never should have been charged."

[Gus]

Stephanie!! Thank you my friend. I really don't care whom I piss off, rather my self worth is calibrated by virtue of WHOM approves of me or loves me!!! Your approval is worthwhile to me. As is Henry's and a few others.

[jimmyk]

We saw an Israeli movie called "Filling the Void." Very good, though no "Sharknado."

Very proud of this jury, and O'Mara and West are real heroes.

[Threadkiller]

You missed this, JimmyK:

Ted Nugent Talks 2016: Unlike Smoke And Mirrors Scam Obama; I'd Demand Transparency

http://obamareleaseyourrecords.blogspot.com/2013/07/ted-nugent-talks-2016-unlike-smoke-and.html?m=1

[narciso]

Sharknado, was rich in shark, but deficient in tornado, till the 3rd act,

[narciso]

Ah, Alec Baldwin, do I need to go further;

[Patriot4Freedom]

George's brother just slattered CNN's "Fierce Morgan" when Morgan tried to accuse George of responsibility for Trayvon's death.

Proclaimed that Trayvon died because he was lying in wait, attacked George without warning, continued to assault him after George cried out repeatedly for help, and tried to get George's gun while threatening to kill him.

Brother succinctly summarized what led to George firing his gun. Told "Fierce" that he was not going to allow him to misrepresent what happened that night.

Way to go, bro'.

[henry]

Gus, still limping around. I'll be home.

[bgates]

Filling the Void

Continuing the trend for this year's movie titles to sound really, really dirty.

Pacific Rim, Iron Man 3, Man of Steel, A Good Day to Die Hard...

[Gus]

Henry, I think it's my duty, to come to your ESTATE, and make you WHOLE. If I can!!!

[narciso]

I've only seen Iron Man 3, and probably will see Reds 2, it's been a lousy season,

[henry]

Gus, we can attempt a jam anyway. My ankle will do whatever it chooses, although it is getting better.

[bgates]

I've only seen Iron Man 3, and probably will see Reds 2

Well you can still catch the last half hour of Death Wish V.

It's one of the V best Death Wish movies.

[jimmyk]

From seeing Geraldo on Fox and also watching CNN (yes, I know), one would think there is no one other than GZ and his family and team that is happy with this verdict. Every single person they've talked to or quoted is shocked, upset, outraged.

[Skoot]

"O.k, let's get to work."

You mean like sh*tting on a State Capital?

[Jeff Dobbs]

Have peeps here seen Pacific Rim? Bro in law is in town and wants to take hit and run jr to see it. I really, really don't do movies -- escpecially those one that make me go out in public. Yike.

I have no objection to them going.

But should I change my mind for a reason other than "it's a waste of money"?

Because I'm willing to waste the money for them to spend the time together, even if it is a waste of money.

Hearing them talk for years to come about the time they wasted money on some shlockey movie will make wasting the money worth having wasted the money.

Or maybe it's not a waste and they'll just enjoy the movie.

Sounds like less of a return on my investment if they just enjoy the movie, but sobeit.

[narciso]

Some of the Horde, at the Ewok's have seen it, and given it good reviews,

[Jeff Dobbs]

Thanks, narc.

[matt]

That's a hell of a thing to say about a fellow Latino, Victor.

I am relieved that for now at least this is over. I hope that in coming days we hear that the jury acted in full knowledge of the stakes of the case and with honorable intent.

I am post-racial. Color matters nothing to me as long as one acts honorably and without rancor. We are a nation of mutts and I am proud to be one. Here in California we have so many slice and dice combinations it is literally impossible to figure it all out.

The sooner this nation realizes that it so far ahead of the rest of the world in its acceptance of multiracialism the better off we will all be.

This is one of the primary reasons I despise our president. As the product of at least three cultures he should have led us to the path of acceptance.

God rest the soul of Trayvon Martin and grant George Zimmerman mercy for having to live with having taken another person's life until the end of his days. He will live with this forever and I for one pray for his soul.

[Barbara]

Bravo, Matt!

[Strawman Cometh]

So I awoke, after getting granddaughters 2 and 3 asleep, and find the world a better place, my faith in the judgement of my countrymen (women) somewhat - very much - restored.
I went over to the source of our troubles to bask, a little, in the schadenfreude. everyone nodding as MH Perry explains that it isn't safe anywhere for black kids to play the knock out game.
Joy Ann Reid is "flabbergasted".
The white chick explains that only Holder is standing between a fully loaded GZ and the abyss of double jeopardy.
And No Hoodies.

[mockmook]

Perhaps this is a sign that the worm is turning--even under Odumbo, the flow of history can change course.

[Gus]

Yum hot gorgeous darling.

[Sue]

Oh no, worms again!

[narciso]

I think that was a metaphor, Sue.

[Gus]

Henry, Lets!!! Call me, or e-mail-me Henry!!!!

Call me too Henry.

[Strawman Cometh]

Crump besmirches the memory of Emmit Till comparing him to Trayvon.

[Stephanie]

IIRC, under the self defense statute in FL Zimmerman can petition for immunity from civil suits. I think I heard the defense team (West??) say they would be filing for immunity. Sux to be Crump.

According to LI, MOM is the president of the Seminole County Bar Assn.

Also, according to FL law, the defense can sue the state to recover the legal fees. WTG, Corey!

[TexasIsHeaven]

Thanks be to God - the right thing has been done - the right of a man to defend himself has been upheld.

I am so sick of hearing Travon Martin being referred to as a "child".

I hope Zimmerman now goes after those idiots who doctored the tapes to make him sound like a racist. This really needs to be done.

[MoodyBlu]

Sometimes after an evening like this, you have to venture over to a rarely visited media site just to enjoy their disappointment. All I will say after my venture is,

Nancy Grace, suck it.

[Patriot4Freedom]

The insanity continues to run deep on PMS-DNC . . .

"What about Trayvon's right to 'Stand your Ground' against the armed man?"

MH Perry and Joy Ann Reid have the collective honesty and intelligence of a pair of lampposts.

[Stephanie]

The Falcons lost me tonight. Geaux Saints!

Roddy F'n White just had to go there:

Atlanta Falcons receiver Roddy White responded to George Zimmerman’s acquittal Saturday night by tweeting that all the jurors should “go home tonight and kill themselves” for allowing a “grown man get away with killing a kid."

Putz.

[CR]

Hoodie marches being organized for tomorrow afternoon.

[Strawman Cometh]

Geraldo interviewing Juan Williams, wtf.
GR: Isn't this OJ in reverse?
JW: What to do when some kills an unarmed child.

[Strawman Cometh]

Finally, Judge Jeannine bring some sanity.
Don't bring charges do appease a faction.

[Strawman Cometh]

to

[Strawman Cometh]

Geraldo does mention "If I had a son"

JW "Curious as to why no charges brought"

GR mentions withheld evidence.

[Strawman Cometh]

But GR's heart "still bleeds for the Martin family" " A wonderful family"

Objections! Facts not in evidence!

[Happy Dance]

TM did to GZ what King Obongo did to America.

[Strawman Cometh]

bgates,
The irony of "Death Wish" and the DE that is "Die Hard" just this minute occurred to me.

[Captain Sum Ting Wong]

I am new here and interested in what DublinDave/BunkerBuster have to say. I wish they would chime in.

[Strawman Cometh]

Now we're interviewing the NBP. But hey're not rioting!

[Joe Mama Strummer]

White Hispanic riot
I wanna riot
White Hispanic riot
A riot of me own

[Jeff Dobbs]

HAH! Typeapad eats the last comment of the night . . . me riffing on CH's "only one thing can make this night better".

Let's just say it's not DVDs here.

Thank you typepad, that woulda been awkward.

[Strawman Cometh]

"You're holding the skittles and ice tea"

[Giant Hand Johnson]

I was ready to snap Florida off of America.

[Chicken Rooster]

I hope Barry Soetoro can get over the loss of his son, the attempted murderer.

[jimmyk]

Unfortunately we're already seeing the mythology of Trayvon the innocent child, a martyr for civil rights, being created by the Crump/Sharpton crowd. With the help of the media, that will be the legacy of this case. Not that a punk savagely attacked a guy who was just looking out for his neighborhood, but that a child went to the store for candy and ended up dead at the hands of an overzealous gun-toting wannabee cop.

Just like the media and other elites made the Rosenbergs and Hiss and others into martyrs by creating a mythology around them, twenty years from now the popular depiction of this case will be nothing like the reality.

[How Do You Like Dem Apples]

Skittles + Watermelon Iced Tea + Cough Syrup = Dirt Nap.

[Martin Rufus King]

If I had to choose between Hussein losing the last election and a white hispanic going free for defending himself from a thug, I would choose the latter.

[Clarice]

bgates: "The fact is that George Zimmerman is a mixed race resident of a mixed race community who had to endure political persecution for a year and a half after his initial exoneration by a mixed race police department for the sole reason that the Democrat party saw value in inciting race hatred for political gain."

exactly--Holder got for his boss,exactly what Obama needed to win in 2012--something to stir his black base to show up in unprecedented numbers to lift him to victory.
Now that it's over, he'll go back to his about all thisracial polarizing tone.

[jimmyk]

No, they will continue to milk this--maybe not Obama and Holder, but the Democrat party will continue to push the mythology to stir up the black vote.

[Stephanie]

Dang Clarice. What are you doing up at this late hour?

The new smoker crapped out on me less than half way through a brisket and a pork butt today (3rd time to use it). Had to move both to the oven and the butt took 16 hours to get to pulled pork goodness. Yikes!

Nothing like bar-b-que at 2 am. The brisket is pretty yummy, too. But the smoker crapout scuttled the party we were planning. Postponed til Sunday afternoon. With rewarmed meat. :(

House smells good, though.

Speaking of rewarmed meat:

WhyTF is ESPN reading the tweets from idiot jocks about the TM/GZ case? Jock sniffers of the world unite! FTR they ignored Cruz and White's nastiness. :eyeroll:

[Clarice]

http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/07/impeach_attorney_general_holder_for_justices_sake.html

Niters.

[Strawman Cometh]

It's not insanity, it's a willful disregard of facts that don't fit and are disruptive to the narrative. Fortunately, we have the Internet. The LIV's have MSrepresentNBC and John Stewart, fortunately they won't hear from him until Monday. What will JS do?

[bunkerbuster]

DoT, I have not and will not suggest that a defendant bears any burden of proof in the formal legal sense. Of course he doesn't. But the Zimmerman's lawyers nevertheless found it necessary to bring evidence supporting their client's claim to have acted in self defense.
They did so because they knew jurors would demand such evidence. It just doesn't do to shoot someone dead with no witnesses, then claim self defense and accept zero burden of evidence.
As it happens, the paltry evidence Zimmerman's lawyers presented was enough to raise reasonable doubts about the prosecution's case.
That doesn't clear up the problem: the self-defense claim will always put some burden of evidence on the defendant who has confessed to the killing already.

[Stephanie]

The paltry evidence Zim's lawyers presented was the persecutions own witnesses for the most part once the obfuscations were nailed down. 2 no 4 blows (Bao) might have said it wasn't TM (TM's dad) etc.

If I'm not mistaken self defense is considered an 'affirmative defense.' The defendant will always be required to present a "burden of evidence" that will affirm that the defense was 'justified.'

Also works that way with 'insanity' defenses. Or do you just figure the prosecution says, "Oh he says he's insane, never mind.."

Geez. I'm not a lawyer and didn't even stay in a Holiday Inn last night and I knew that one.

[Stephanie]

Great article, Clarice!

[daddy]

Not to gross anybody out, but this according to Angela Corey, is equivalent to a 6 year old falling off a bicycle, and then Momma kissing the boo boo and putting the kid back up on the bike.

"Bang Ding Ow"

[Stephanie]

The defendant will always be required to present a "burden of evidence" that will affirm that the defense was 'justified.'

Clarification:

The defendant will always be required to present a "burden of evidence" that will affirm that an otherwise illegal act was 'justified' and that therefore no punishment should be rendered by Caesar if you will.

Hence it is a 'legal' verdict of not guilty because it was ruled 'justified' by Caesar but a 'moral' verdict yet to come that will be rendered by God acknowledging 'the taking of a life' part of the equation.

Or at least it was until progressives took God out of the equation. Can't have 'social justice' with God still in the equation as it abrogates to Caesar the legal AND the moral judgments.

And they say that conservatives are moral busybodies. :rolls eyes:

[rich@gmu]

Great column Clarice. Hope his departure comes soon. Disgraceful.

[Stephanie]

Daddy, maybe they shoulda busted Zim for walking without a helmet.

If Obama was 7 years old, he would look just like that poor child in the first picture. OH wait...

nope he'd definitely look just like that poor child, but I doubt his mommy kissed the boo-boo to make it go away.

Justice for Obama, now!

[Porchlight]

Hallelujah! The good guys win two in the same day (TX lege and GZ). Thanks be to God.

Thank you MoM, West, and the brave jury. Many second guessed and misunderestimated you on occasion, myself included. But you held fast.

God bless GZ and his family and grant them the strength and grace to rise to their feet and endure what is to come.

Thank you JOM for helping keep me sane through this and other trials, courtroom and otherwise. You are all the best.

[Porchlight]

Brava, Clarice. Great, timely piece.

[Strawman Cometh]

GZ's muted reaction result of stress or brain trauma?

[Patriot4Freedom]

Up late still, celebrating justice for George Zimmerman, his family, and by extension, all of America.

May God continue to bless and protect George and his family.
May He give them strength to endure the challenges and threats they will surely continue to face in the years to come.
May He give them peace to accept the knowledge that he had to take a life to protect his own.

Thanks to all of the JOM family for all of their contributions in these past months as we sought to understand this case.

[Sherek Jeantel]

That's real retarded, Bunky.

[daddy]

Following Pat4's lead I took the 30 minutes to watch George Zimmerman's brother tonight being interviewed by Piers Morgan.

I have no respect for Morgan and haven't for quite a while. Tonight is no exception to that rule, but I have to say that young Robert Zimmerman does an amazing job of putting Piers in his place by being so decent and honest and noble and mature and well spoken. In his own way Robert Zimmerman is as impressive in brains and character as Mark O'Meara has been, and is performing the same role as the defender of George and the Zimmerman family, ,just in a different sort of courtroom.

I am absolutely impressed with the guy, so please consider taking the time to give Robert Zimmerman a viewing, as he deserves it, and I would hate to see this performance disappear down the rabbit hole without mention. And definitely watch to the end when another CNN Host asks a question of Robert that you can tell the questioner had no idea Robert would answer so strongly, unapologetically, and thoroughly.

Here's the link: George Zimmerman's Brother Robert Just Eviscerated Piers Morgan in an Exclusive Interview

Starts picking up steam at about 7 minutes in. Thanks Pat4.

Now off to see what Clarice has given us for breakfast tomorrow!

[James D.]

Hit, I saw " Pacific Rim" last night. it's exactly what it promises: two hours of giant robots fighting giant freakish monsters that want to destroy the world.

I loved it.

[James D.]

Just saw the verdict now. Thank heaven.

I do think the jury was brave. Considering all the pressure around the case, and the threats of violence, fanned by the media and political leaders, and the likelihood (which they have to know) of their names (and addresses, and life stories, and what route their kids take to school...) leaking out, it can't have been easy to do the right thing.

[That's the Furies.]

See those faces?
==========

[It passes all vails of understanding.]

God bless those industrious, frugal and well-meaning, and not so easily deluded six peers.

H/t Maurice, P. of O.
============

[daddy]

Robert Zimmerman in my link above gave an excellent last answer detailing his Brother George's mentoring of young Black Children, especially after funding was pulled for that mentoring and it was on George's own dime. And George's wife's was of big assistance in doing that. And George's growing up in the multi-ethnic household. And I recall George calling the police on the 911 call that was not played by the Prosecution, where he was calling for cops to protect young 4 and 6 year old's playing unsupervised in a busy street.

It struck me, as Mark O'Meara said his similar comments today, that I really didn't know what George actually did to further Race relations.

That prompted the remembrance of the cop in Cambridge, the one "who acted stupidly". As I recall, he was the racial sensitivity trainer of his Police Department, and had been given awards for his work fostering racial togetherness.

So seems worth mentioning therefore, that the 2 guys who President Obama has called out for particular criticism to promote racially inflammatory incidents, once their real as opposed to their caricatured backgrounds have been legitimately explored, prove to have been these 2 guys who by real background experience have probably been more consciously devoted to pro-healing racial divisions, particularly in regard to Blacks, than anybody you could find.

Just thought that worthy of mention. G'nite.

[Jane -walk like an Egyptian]

Clarice,

Never has a Pieces had such perfect timing. It is wonderful. Sowell's remark:

"Groups that rose from poverty to prosperity seldom did so by having racial or ethnic leaders."

is something I've never thought of before.

COngratulations!

[centralcal]

I haven't read Pieces yet - just woke up and learned of the Not Guilty verdict! Hooray and thanks be to God.

I turned off the TV and walked away from the computer last night when the jury asked for clarification about manslaughter charges. Was so sick to my stomach with worry that I couldn't take it any more. So thankful for 6 jurors, this morning, who did the right thing.

[jwest]

The best thing O'Mara did during closing was state "If you think Zimmerman feared for his life at the moment he shot Martin, you need to vote not guilty."

This was the essence of what the jury had to do. Judge Nelson tried her best, in coordination with the prosecution, to issue confusing jury instructions hoping the women would just pick the middle option out of indecision.

The State is corrupt. Thankfully, there are still some citizens who are smart enought to come to a reasonable conclusion given the facts.