It depends on the state. In some states, a finding of any fault on the part of the plaintiff prevents them from recovering anything. However, I think that most states follow a proportional approach; that is, your brother-in-law can recover half his claimed damages from the other party (I'm assuming equally at fault means 50-50).
Odd, reading through these last few pages, the very people who are complaining about how the "Martin supporters" are all emotional are the posters who seem most angry.
Maybe they think the entire thing reeks of hypocrisy http://news.investors.com/ibd-edito...eport-black-youths-commit-quarter-murders.htm
This is what still gets me when people say there's no reason to even think that Zimmerman was possibly profiling Martin. He never told 911 that he saw his committing a crime of any kind. He said he looked suspicious, what does that mean? And when they point out that he only mentioned Martin's race when prompted, it's not like he had to go and find out after they asked. He knew before he made the call. Anyways, if we're going to play the "he may have been looking in windows" and he may have been making 'lean' with his skittles and watermelon juice (btw, lean, aka sizurp is made with cough syrup, jolly ranchers, and sprite)" game, then I will also posit a theory. Based on the girlfriends testimony, Travyon had ran away from and hid from Zimmerman. At this point, the Zimmerman supporters say Trayvon inexplicably decides to blind side Zimmerman from behind and starts to beat him to death. This is what you guys have been saying. According to what the girlfriend heard on the phone it sounds like Trayvon was hiding when Zimmerman found him, Trayvon asks Zimmerman why he's following him, Zimmerman asks Trayvon what he's doing there. At this point a struggle occurs, Trayvon says "get off me, get off me," the phone goes dead. I think that Zimmerman tried to detain Trayvon for the police, possibly grabbing him (frustrated about how "these assholes, they always get away"). Trayvon resisted Zimmerman ("get off me, get off me), they wrestle to the ground with Zimmerman landing on his back and his head hitting the concrete (would match the bump and scrape on his head since pounding somebody's head multiple times onto concrete would do so much more damage). During the struggle, Zimmerman is still holding on to Trayvon, he tries to break away by hitting him in the face (the damage to his nose). The fact that Trayvon ran from Zimmerman confirmed his suspicions that he was a "perp" who was up to no good, and now his "perp" was about to escape. So, when Trayvon finally broke free and was trying to stand up, Zimmerman went for his gun, maybe this is when Trayvon reached for the gun, and Zimmerman shot him. I don't know what really happened, but I don't take Zimmerman for his word. His reenactment with the police video doesn't even match his 911 call. The only thing Trayvon is guilty of is having an unhealthy snack habit, not calling 911 when he thought he was being followed, and having poor taste in women.
The funny thing is how the same folks who insisted - with no proof - that Zimmerman profiled Martin have actually racially profiled Zimmerman and the jury.
Thank goodness! I have read so many irrational posts in this thread and at other sites that my sarcasm alarm is broken.
GZ's head isn't made out of titanium. Had it really been pounded as many times as GZ claims into concrete he'd have much more serious injuries than 2 tiny lacerations.
Justice for Trayvon? Trayvon chose his own form of justice that night. He chose street justice and it backfired.
Maybe Not-Even-a-Rent-a-Cop GZ should have left well enough alone, or listened to the g.d. dispatcher in the first place ("We don't need you to [follow him].") But oh no, George "Mighty Mouse" Zimmerman had to jump up with, "Here I come to save the daaaaaaaaay!" Trayvon Martin didn't need to flip the switch and jump the dude, but GZ instigated the incident when he targeted a young man for walking while black. People can trot out all the crime statistics they want. Doesn't justify treating black people ("the blacks", I think you call them?) as if they're criminals. Regrettable. He did overreact when a dip**** non-cop decided to show them blacks they can't just come walkin' into our neighborhood. Wearing that hoodie. And brandishing those Skittles. If I may quote Zimmerman, "These a**holes always get away with everything." And so did you, Zimmerman.
Not necessarily. They just found that it was not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that it was not self defense. People really need to stop reading anything more into the verdict.
trying to smear GZ as a rent-a-cop is just arguing based on emotions and the "street code". Not compelling
