No Justice, No Surprise

From the Grey Lady:

Typically, police testimony boosts the state’s case. Here, the chief police investigator, Chris Serino, told jurors that he believed Mr. Zimmerman, despite contradictions in his statements.

I am so ashamed of my country and its so-called “justice system” yet again.

Heartsick. Not surprised. Just heartsick.

Mr Martin’s parents weren’t in court to hear the verdict. Do we think the prosecuting attorney thought the verdict would be this?

@Benedick: He probably feared this would happen. I wish I could say I was surprised.

But if you’re black, female, have actual reason to fear for your safety, and don’t shoot the gun at anyone? 20 years.

If we are all Trayvon, then we are all fracked.

@Mistress Cynica: Well, she probably would have flung a tampon at the ex next, so therefore she must be stopped.

HT to Lux Mentis:
“Until the killing of black men, black mothers’ sons, becomes as important to the rest of the country as the killing of a white mother’s son. We who believe in freedom cannot rest until this happens.” – Ella Baker, 1964

I can’t even comment on this. Fuck Florida.

A friend was talking about an art project she wants to do in Texas: work with artists and liberal activists to get them concealed carry permits, then run a gun rental/loaner truck outside the legislature so that they can legally take in their tampons (apparently if you have a CCP and a gun, you go to the front of the line, and can carry anything you want in with you). This seems like one of those ideas that both terrifies and delights me. (The thought of handing out things that even look like guns to people who don’t know what they’re doing is terrifying. But I love the idea of using the Texas laws against the idiots.)

Okay legal eagles… Does the justice department have any recourse? What about a civil case?

Looking at that picture breaks my heart.

OJ Simpson did eventually get his. I have no doubt Zimmerman will eventually as well. “Justice” is now DIY.

Not shocked by the verdict. The only living witness was the killer. Too much stacked up against the prosecution.

George Zimmerman was quite the paranoid scared chickenshit before Trayvon. I can’t imagine it is going to get any better post trial. The idiot state of Florida might think he’s a free man, but he won’t be in his (dull) mind. That fear and paranoia is going to drive him mad even if he doesn’t realize it yet.

His defense team and his brother will probably regret their statements at the civil trial.

I just feel sick.

Honestly, this could have happened anywhere in this KKKountry, but still, FUCK FLORIDA.

Criminal defense attorney at TPM provides some context:

I got curious and read the jury instructions Friday night and, I was wrong. In Florida, if self-defense is even suggested, it’s the states obligation to prove it’s absence beyond a reasonable doubt(!). That’s crazy. But ‘not guilty’ was certainly a reasonable result in this case. As I told in friend in Tampa today though, if you’re ever in a heated argument with anyone, and you’re pretty sure there aren’t any witnesses, it’s always best to kill the other person. They can’t testify, you don’t have to testify, no one else has any idea what happened; how can the state ever prove beyond a doubt is wasn’t self-defense? Holy crap! What kind of system is that?

How does any police department in Florida recruit officers when they and their families can be murdered in “self defense” so easily?

I predict this interpretation of self defense will spread. There are too many Americans who are aching to use their guns on each other and this will provide the legal cover they need. It’s another step closer to Mad Max.

@Dave H: Oh, and Zimmerman gets his gun back.

@blogenfreude: There is some logic in having the State have the burden to prove the absence of self-defense in a state with a “stand your ground” law. Fire away, boys!

@Dodgerblue: Yes. No rebuttable presumption defense necessary (or whatever the, “Yeah I did it, but it was okay” is called. Damn brain!). I’m so sick about this.

May the legislators who wrote this law be confronted by someone standing their ground.