[Omah]

Originally Posted by lostalex

what do you think is wrong with the jury?

if anything it sounds like the jury is best for the prosecution, because women are less inclined to support the stand your ground law, right?

Women in general are less supportive of gun laws, so the Trayvon Martin camp should be happy about this jury.

That seems to be the American way of looking at it - finding a jury to suit the crime and the legal teams.

In the UK, single jury selection is random from several hundred random potential jurors and a jury is always 12 from a random 15, i.e. only 3 may be dismissed from each case, but are immediately available for other cases.

In rare cases, the prosecution or defence team may decide that it is appropriate for the jury to be vetted. Vetting a jury checks the suitability of the jury in comparison to the trial matter.

Vetting is only to be carried out in exceptional circumstance, in such cases that include national security issues and is only to be carried out with the permission of the Attorney General.

[BBfanUSA]

Who cares, they're going to Deadlock it anyway or he'll be declared innocent or something.

This isn't involving gun laws, If Zimmerman had a knife instead of a gun he could've still killed him.

This is just a Stand Your Ground case that been blown out of proportion because a African American was killed by a Hispanic/Latino American (when originally some media outlets were trying to pass him off as a white guy) and the media has been looking for ratings. (Here's looking at you Nancy Grace)

Also ANY evidence that has been shown to the public should be thrown out.

[lostalex]

It's stupid that people are obsessing about this one case, they should be obsessing about gun laws, not racism.

This case really has nothing to do with racism, they are just using racism to distract from the real issue, which is gun laws.

[Omah]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23034619

A Florida neighbourhood watchman shot dead an unarmed black teenager "because he wanted to", a prosecutor has said at the start of his murder trial.

George Zimmerman, 29, was a vigilante who presumed Trayvon Martin was up to no good, the jury of six women heard.

On Monday, the jury heard profanity-laced quotes from a phone call to police by Mr Zimmerman after he spotted the teenager walking in the gated community, in which the defendant tells an emergency dispatcher: "They always get away."

"George Zimmerman didn't shoot Trayvon Martin because he had to," prosecutor John Guy told the court.

"He shot him for the worst of all reasons: because he wanted to."

But a defence lawyer said Mr Zimmerman had been attacked first. "There are no monsters here," Don West told the jury.

He said that Trayvon used the street pavement like a weapon.

"Trayvon Martin armed himself with the concrete sidewalk and used it to smash George Zimmerman's head... That is a deadly weapon," Mr West said.

Trayvon's parents attended the first day of the trial but the teenager's mother, Sybrina Fulton, left the room as a recording of an emergency call moments before the fatal shot was played to the court.

The trial at a circuit court in Sanford is expected to focus on events leading up to the death.

Neither prosecutors nor defence lawyers dispute that Mr Zimmerman shot Trayvon in the chest with a 9mm handgun, nor that the teenager died at the scene.

Mr Zimmerman had been sitting in his vehicle observing the dark street when he saw Trayvon, who had his hood up while walking in the rain.

At some point the defendant, who had a permit to carry a concealed weapon, got out of his car and followed the teenager. Minutes later, the fatal confrontation ensued.

Mr Zimmerman has told police he lost sight of the teenager and was attacked as he walked back to his car.

But prosecutors say it was the defendant who started the argument.

There have been conflicting reports from witnesses about how the fight unfolded.

The trial is expected to last between two and four weeks, and the sequestered jurors will be constantly supervised by the local sheriff's office.

[Brother Leon]

Found not guilty of Murder or Manslaughter....wish I could say I am shocked, But I'm not. This is the life we live in..

[Novo]

Innocent just as i thought

[Shaun]

crazy.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Novo

Innocent just as i thought

Yes never get that close to Cop with a Gun.

[bbfan1991]

The not guilty verdict for George Zimmerman is a disgrace. My thoughts are with Trayvon Martin's family, no justice for them.

[Roy Mars III]

it is not. The prosecution did a god awful job at the trial. If they would have gone for aggressive assault or something like that it probably would have worked. No jury in their right mind is going to sentence Zimmerman for manslaughter or murder with all the holes and discrepancies in the case. The experts were saying for the past week or so that Zimmerman would get off

he deserved to be acquitted.

[GiRTh]

So many holes in t is case from both side and the media 'spinning' of certain events, I suppose this is the only logical outcome. Personally, I think Zimmerman did profile Trayvon Martin but all the people trying to get involved to further their name/cause has effected the outcome.

[Tom4784]

Only in Florida....Chasing an unarmed boy down and shooting him dead due to a snap decision based on his race? That's A-Okay in Florida!

What an embarassing turn of events for America.

[GiRTh]

Youtube video

Youtube video

[Brother Leon]

Manslaughter was the right call tbh. Well Murder was, but it was never legally going to be able to happen and the prosecution done a abit job proving it went beyond self defence. Thoughts go to the Martin family. Seeing your son's killer walk away...I mean,damn.

[Nedusa]

As I predicted NOT guilty , tbh he was never going to be found guilty by a jury beyond a reasonable of such serious crimes, there were far too many inconsistencies in the prosecutions case.

Sad case all round, young man shot dead but the right to shoot people with a firearm defended....

Tipsy turvy world we live in....!!!

[Livia]

None of us were in possession of all the fact, but hearing on a recorded telephone call the sound of a young man pleading for his life, followed by a gunshot I thought was pretty damning. As was the rest of the story that seemed littered with holes. I'm shocked at the verdict and I can understand why there has been a public outcry. Had the young man been shot by a police officer it would have been a different case (whether that's right or wrong), but the man who shot him was no more than a vigilante. It's given a precedent for vigilantes to kill. Shameful.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Livia

None of us were in possession of all the fact, but hearing on a recorded telephone call the sound of a young man pleading for his life, followed by a gunshot I thought was pretty damning. As was the rest of the story that seemed littered with holes. I'm shocked at the verdict and I can understand why there has been a public outcry. Had the young man been shot by a police officer it would have been a different case (whether that's right or wrong), but the man who shot him was no more than a vigilante. It's given a precedent for vigilantes to kill. Shameful.

Yes thats the American Way , though.

Are you saying he never went towards the Officer?

The outcry is not big
few hundreds each place.

[Z]

I've not really been following this case, but I think all these protests in America are ever so slightly helping the case against the gun laws and hopefully tackle racism too. America is just such an impossibly large and diverse country with so many issues, it's logical to have a lot of powers devolved to a state level but I think the right to bear arms is an outdated concept that was relevant when people were playing games of divide and conquer, but has no place in America today. I don't know the ins and outs of this case but from what I've read it seems like Zimmermann hunted this boy down and killed him in cold blood. The boy was recorded begging for his life, for the love of God, how can any jury find him not guilty? Use a gun to drive someone off your property, don't chase them down and murder them!

[CaudleHalbard]

Unfortunately for many in the USA, the answer to people using guns is to get an gun yourself!

The right to have a gun is in the American constitution. It's quite an unusual constitution in that respect.

[Mrluvaluva]

The estranged wife of George Zimmerman, who was acquitted in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin, has alleged that he threatened her with a gun.

Shellie Zimmerman called police to her father's Florida home and claimed her husband punched her father in the nose, smashed an iPad and threatened them both with a firearm.

Police said Mrs Zimmerman declined to press charges despite the alleged threats.

She told the 911 dispatcher Mr Zimmerman had his hand on his gun while he was in his car and that she was scared because she did not know what he was capable of doing.

Lake Mary Police Chief Steve Bracknell said Mr Zimmerman had not been arrested and officers were at the house trying to determine what happened.

Police said the estranged couple accused each other of being at fault.

Mrs Zimmerman's 911 call on Monday took place nearly a week after she filed for divorce.

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Mrluvaluva

The estranged wife of George Zimmerman, who was acquitted in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin, has alleged that he threatened her with a gun.

Shellie Zimmerman called police to her father's Florida home and claimed her husband punched her father in the nose, smashed an iPad and threatened them both with a firearm.

Police said Mrs Zimmerman declined to press charges despite the alleged threats.

She told the 911 dispatcher Mr Zimmerman had his hand on his gun while he was in his car and that she was scared because she did not know what he was capable of doing.

Lake Mary Police Chief Steve Bracknell said Mr Zimmerman had not been arrested and officers were at the house trying to determine what happened.

Police said the estranged couple accused each other of being at fault.

Mrs Zimmerman's 911 call on Monday took place nearly a week after she filed for divorce.

I still don't know how he got away with this?...