http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/03/09/home-intruder-calls-911-on-self_n_833370.html

Wow classic story!

Facts are still coming to light and I expect the story to change over time but from what's coming out in the news now, it sounds like Zimmerman's goose is cooked if he is deemed the aggressor and/or instigator. Just read some news clips about how Zimmerman called 911 and told to dispatcher that he was following the kid. The dispatcher asked Zimmerman to disengage but Zimmerman did not. The dead kid's friend also says the deceased called him on the phone and said he was being followed. Even if the deceased retaliated and attached Zimmerman,  if it is determined that Zimmerman was trailing the deceased, that fact will cast aspertion on his claim of self-defense. Sadly, irrespective of the outcome, the incident will also be used  (is being) used as a springboard for gun control.

Facts are still coming to light and I expect the story to change over time but from what's coming out in the news now, it sounds like Zimmerman's goose is cooked if he is deemed the aggressor and/or instigator. Just read some news clips about how Zimmerman called 911 and told to dispatcher that he was following the kid. The dispatcher asked Zimmerman to disengage but Zimmerman did not. The dead kid's friend also says the deceased called him on the phone and said he was being followed. Even if the deceased retaliated and attached Zimmerman,  if it is determined that Zimmerman was trailing the deceased, that fact will cast aspertion on his claim of self-defense. Sadly, irrespective of the outcome, the incident will also be used  (is being) used as a springboard for gun control.

I'm calling that the glove did not fit.

I am not a lawyer, but this fellow is, and he thinks this is bullshit

If it was a black guy protecting his family in his own driveway from a psycho white guy, the NRA wouldn't give a damn even if their precious castle doctrines and stand your ground laws were conveniently ignored.

http://www.salon.com/2012/04/11/when_stand_your_ground_fails/

Stand your Ground is a good law, but the way it's applied is racist. I can see there are a lot of people here who live under the shield of White Privilege and never bothered to examine it. Even in this state the question is why are there so many Hawaiians locked up when they make up such a small part of the population? Cause the master race(s) have a huge double standard and you have to be pretty ignorant not to see what's really going on.

Are you fucking serious?

I am not a lawyer, but this fellow is, and he thinks this is bullshit

DISCLAIMER: This is pure conjecture.

I'm not clear on what the difference is between murder and manslaughter, but I thought 2nd degree murder sounded like overreaching for the circumstances. I wonder if they are charging him with it, known the chances of a conviction are slim, so they can claim they tried and wash their hands of the whole thing.

Are you fucking serious?

Dont feed the trolls Coug.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manslaughter

The law generally differentiates between levels of criminal culpability based on the mens rea, or state of mind. This is particularly true within the law of homicide, where murder requires either the intent to kill – a state of mind called malice, or malice aforethought – or the knowledge that one's actions are likely to result in death; manslaughter, on the other hand, requires a lack of any prior intention to kill or create a deadly situation.
Manslaughter is usually broken down into two distinct categories: voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. In states such as Florida, manslaughter is not broken down this way. In Florida, manslaughter, defined as: The killing of a human being by the act, procurement, or culpable negligence of another, without lawful justification according to the provisions of chapter 776 and in cases in which such killing shall not be excusable homicide or murder . . . is a second degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in state prison regardless of whether the act may have been intentional or not.[2] If manslaughter is committed upon a child via culpable negligence under FL statute 827.03(3), then the crime is aggravated manslaughter of a child which is a first degree felony punishable by up to 30 years in state prison.[3] The penalty is the same if it is committed upon the elderly or disabled. Also, under the 10-20-Life system, if a firearm is used in any way then the penalty will be raised to the next degree.[4]

To me, it sounds much more likely that this is a manslaughter case, and not murder. If they charged him with manslaughter, my guess is that they have a much higher chance of reaching a conviction. Surely they must know this.

Dont feed the trolls Coug.

This entire thread is a trollfest.

"trolling" != expressions of opinions with which you disagree

Dont feed the trolls Coug.

Dangit, I did, didn't I?  It's been a long, stressful week. 

I too think that Murder 2 is a little more charge than is appropriate, if any charges are, but now that they have this poor guy in the system they can intimidate the hell out of him,
tell him how he is going to spend the rest of his life in the slam as somebody's punk or worse unless he is a good lad and cops a plea to Manslaughter.
They will tell him how bad his chances are in court and despite the fact that he may be innocent, a plea bargain is really in his best interests. If he doesn't have a really good lawyer, he is doomed. The system is way bigger than he is.
It is the way of prosecution these days. Settles a lot of cases and in this one it will take the heat off the State , producing  a conviction satisfying the barking dogs.

$$$ plays a big role in getting good legal representation, however to lay it all on "The White Man," IMHO is flawed.  The reason people are typically locked up is they did something illegal.

I agree...in a recent NRA magazine article, they wrote up a very good article on two individuals who had used their firearms to terminate a violent encounter with criminals. One was a black man, the other a woman.....I am sure that, if as you suggest, the NRA couldn't care less about the black man, they wouldn't have choosen one for one of their articles.

Facts are still coming to light and I expect the story to change over time but from what's coming out in the news now, it sounds like Zimmerman's goose is cooked if he is deemed the aggressor and/or instigator. Just read some news clips about how Zimmerman called 911 and told to dispatcher that he was following the kid. The dispatcher asked Zimmerman to disengage but Zimmerman did not. The dead kid's friend also says the deceased called him on the phone and said he was being followed. Even if the deceased retaliated and attached Zimmerman,  if it is determined that Zimmerman was trailing the deceased, that fact will cast aspertion on his claim of self-defense. Sadly, irrespective of the outcome, the incident will also be used  (is being) used as a springboard for gun control.

Listen to the tape of the 911 call....Zimmerman was following Martin and ceased when told to do so. Zimmerman remained on the phone wiht the 911 operator for nearly two minutes as he returned to his vehicle. During that time Zimmerman reported he had lost sight of Martin and tried to explain where he was in the complex so he could meet the police when he arrived. It was only after he hung up that Martin comes back into the picture and allegedly strikes Zimmerman.

Zimmerman's goose was cooked by the MSM long before any facts emerged....

I am not a lawyer, but this fellow is, and he thinks this is bullshit

Alan Dershowitz is a well respected Harvard Law professor, and very anti-gun. He is noted to have said that if you don't like the Second Amendment, then get rid of it. But, don't choose to ignore it (in the legal system) elsewise you set the stage for others to ignore other aspects of the Constitution they don't like.

When I heard they had charged Zimmerman with 2nd degree, my first thought was they had over-charged for political reasons. Apparently me and Alan are on the same page with this issue.....

Another opinion that 2nd degree murder is unwarranted

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/295984/where-s-probable-cause-john-r-lott-jr

This is how I see things play out:
1.  The media circus gets even bigger as we get to trial.
2.  The prosecution presents their evidence at trial .  The jury goes  , the judge goes   , Martins family is like  ; and Zimmerman is like 
3.  The case is a blowout for Zimmerman and he goes free
4.  Rodney King V2.0
5.  Martin's family, Obama, Holder, Black Panthers, NAACP, and all the accusers are embarrassed when they find out Treyvan (Obama's kid) was a gangsta druggie
6.  Zimmerman sues the media and his accusers for slander
7.  A vigilante tries to cap zimmerman, but he shoots in self defense
8.  Repeat again.

It's sad to see "supposed" 2nd amendment supporters instantly jump on the "poor kid with skittles" bandwagon.

With friends like this, who needs enemies.

In my opinion, if you're a gun owner and supporter of the second amendment, you'd at least have the objectivity to weigh all the EVIDENCE (which hasn't even come to light yet) before lynching Zimmerman.

The people who are so quick to hang Zimmerman without a trial are the same sheep who will be first in line to turn in their guns when big brother comes knocking.

At least the true patriots know who to go to battle with and who not to trust.

Adversity tends to bring out the true character of a man.

It's sad to see "supposed" 2nd amendment supporters instantly jump on the "poor kid with skittles" bandwagon.

With friends like this, who needs enemies.

In my opinion, if you're a gun owner and supporter of the second amendment, you'd at least have the objectivity to weigh all the EVIDENCE (which hasn't even come to light yet) before lynching Zimmerman.

The people who are so quick to hang Zimmerman without a trial are the same sheep who will be first in line to turn in their guns when big brother comes knocking.

At least the true patriots know who to go to battle with and who not to trust.

Adversity tends to bring out the true character of a man.

Here, here KK that's why I haven't said a damn thing about this tread. I want hard evidence before I start "spewing my Hitler like hate" as some bleeding heart liberals on here would say.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manslaughter

To me, it sounds much more likely that this is a manslaughter case, and not murder. If they charged him with manslaughter, my guess is that they have a much higher chance of reaching a conviction. Surely they must know this.

Florida doesn't learn... hence the Casey Anthony issue.

This is how I see things play out:

2.  The prosecution presents their evidence at trial .  The jury goes  , the judge goes   , Martins family is like  ; and Zimmerman is like 

Quoted for being best post in the thread.