Would Zimmerman give up his right to defend his life if he threw the first punch, started losing the scuffle, and ended up in a life threatening situation with his brains being splattered on the sidewalk?
Don’t claim to be an attorney, but my reading of the law is that if the fight started as an aggravated assault (or other felony) by Zimmerman on Martin, he loses the right to claim self-defense. There are varioius categories of felonies and I have no idea how they’d play in.
There are “possibly” various exceptions to the rule above, but since the fight in question apparently lasted well under a minute, I don’t see how they could come into play.
But there’s a guy around here who will probably show up soon and show me why that’s wrong. :) I learned a lot from him yesterday.
The autopsy of Martin revealed NO injuries other than the gun shot wound!
“Would Zimmerman give up his right to defend his life if he threw the first punch, started losing the scuffle, and ended up in a life threatening situation with his brains being splattered on the sidewalk?”
He would give up his legal claim of self-defense.
That will (likely) be the prosecution’s contention; ie. that Zimmerman initiated the conflict.
Further they will contend the police dispatcher advised him to not pursue. And the prosecution will establish Captain of Neighborhood Watch carries no police power or authority.
Prediction: Jury convicts on manslaughter of some kind (if that is how it works in Florida).
But there are a lot of variables to get there, including skill of lawyers on both sides, jury selection, evidence and handling thereof, etc.
Maybe Zimmerman can get Shapiro to defend him?
Once Zimmerman left his truck to follow Martin, he became the aggressor. If he stopped Martin and said anything, he cannot reasonably claim self-defense for initiating the contact, and then begin losing the scuffle, and shooting Martin.
Was Martin in fear for his safety and decide that the best defense is a good offense and attack Zimmerman?
The prosecutor has to have something more that we haven't seen,it could be the forensics. Those are factual based, not supposition.