Posted on 06/26/2013 5:53:14 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
If you are interested in the George Zimmerman trial, in which testimony is now under way, the place to go is Legal Insurrection, where Andrew Branca, a Massachusetts lawyer who authored The Law of Self Defense, is posting a thorough, witness-by-witness commentary on the evidence, with videos of the actual courtroom scene.
Branca thinks today’s testimony was “an utter debacle for the prosecution.” In Branca’s view, the witnesses called by the state did far more to bolster Zimmerman’s defense than to advance the prosecution. The portrait they painted of Zimmerman was positive, and in a dramatic moment that Branca describes and which you can also see on video, the one witness who purported to have any information about the actual events surrounding the shooting of Trayvon Martin–an “ear witness,” as Branca calls her–was shown to have signed a petition calling for the prosecution of Zimmerman as “the killer of our son Trayvon Martin.” Ouch!
I confess that I find much of the commentary on the Zimmerman case, and even a good bit of the evidence, mystifying. There is no question that Zimmerman shot Martin; he claims self-defense. That defense raises a straightforward question of fact. All of the nonsense about whether Zimmerman was a “wannabe cop,” and whether he “profiled” Martin, and whether he was or was not a “racist,” is utterly beside the point. If, as Zimmerman says (and I assume will testify), Martin initiated the fight, knocked Zimmerman to the ground, jumped on him, punched him repeatedly and smashed his head against the sidewalk, Zimmerman had an absolute right to defend himself. Whether his character is otherwise sterling is immaterial.
The physical facts appear consistent with Zimmerman’s story. I don’t know how he possibly could have sustained these wounds except by having his head pounded into the pavement, as he says:
And we know from the witness statements that have been made public that at least one witness told police he saw Martin sitting on top of Zimmerman and beating him, as Zimmerman shouted for help. So it would seem that Zimmerman’s defense is quite strong.
Of course, there is much evidence yet to come, and the prosecution may yet prove its case. In the meantime, to follow the proceedings, Legal Insurrection is the place to go.
PAUL ADDS: I agree with John’s overall assessment and his view that the photograph corroborates Zimmerman’s claim that Martin pounded his head against the pavement. But how will the “Free Country” label on Zimmerman’s shirt play with the jury (we know how it would play with the IRS)? I mean, is it still okay to express that thought, even if inadvertently?
The MSM coverage I'm seeing is extremely biased in favor of the prosecution. They are ensuring riots.
I would have never guessed in a million years, that the
girl in that pictures name is Rachel.
Those were my ancestors...man could I give them an earful on that now
Not watching the trial is not sticking ones head in the sand.
I don’t watch trials either but I sure keep up
It looks like she swallowed ab golf cart tire.
Down here in Orlando I’m buying it cheap and stacking it deep for just such an eventuality.
I guess his ‘girlfriend’ telling the court Saint Trayvon told her “some creepy-ass cracker” is following him is not going to help.
Who was profiling who?
And what happened to ‘Dee Dee’? - wasn’t she claiming to have been talking to him at the time too?
I think the guy in that picture used to play d-lne for the Gators.
might be time to cull the herd
Probably not enough.
unfortunately I have come to the conclusion that most of the American legal system is insane. People on juries do not use logic or even the law....they decide based on their emotions....Zimmerman may not be factually guilty but I think he is good and screwed by the press and the 6 person jury (what the hell is wrong with Florida that they think a 6 person jury is the right thing to do????)
And remember, people on jury duty are people who are too stupid to figure out how to get out of jury duty.
or have enough free time that being in the court for weeks on end doesn’t cost them a job. I have served on two juries. I would do it again because I do think it is part of my constitutional responsibility as a citizen. On;y problem is that these days no lawyer wants me on the jury
You know it just occurred to me looking at those photos: If Zimmerman had longer hair, we would have never seen the cuts on his head. Sure there probably would have been blood, some cuts shown, but it would have looked nowhere near as bad as with his shaved head. As a result, the racist fascists - including our admitted foreign born twice unconstitutionally elected communist President - would have had more gas to fan the flames, draw more blame on Zimmerman which would no doubt have been backed up 1000% by the communist propaganda machine posing as our free media.
I turned on the cable news for the first time in years today. “Jane” show on HLN. Plastic surgery nose and is a lesbian. Gawd, is there anyone on those networks who isn’t queer?
Turned off the tv quickly and watched the taped proceedings on Youtube instead.
Rachel apparently isn’t in compliance with Madame MooseChelle’s nutrition and movement guidelines....
As a defense attorney I would strongly object to all the irrelevant info in Zimmerman. If the court lets it in then he will have a good argument on appeal.
Ev-er-y thing is queer today. It’s gotten to the point now where if you say you’re straight, you’re not “with the in crowd”.. I seen shows where some jerk goes “I’m gay” and everyone claps and another guy will comes on, state he is straight (mentions a girlfriend) and nobody claps. But that’s our communist fascist media for you.
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