I haven't seen the paramedics report but on the initial police report it does state that Zimmerman was bleeding from the back of the head and from the nose so I am not surprised by the latest evidence. The big issue to me though is still the position of Zimmerman in relation to Martin's body immediately following the shooting and whether Martin's blood was on Zimmerman. I haven't seen an adequate explanation for why Zimmerman was witnessed to be standing over Martin immediately following the shooting that would agree with the idea that Zimmerman shot Martin while Martin was bashing his head in.
I just don't understand how that information hasn't been made available. It seems like it [the paramedic's report] would shed a lot of light on to what likely happened that night. As for why he was on top of Martin. Where is the forensics report? They should know exactly how he was shot, the angle, the distance, the gun used. I think there was a second shooter in the grassy knoll... But seriously, these reports seem like they would make things a lot clearer. BTW, is the family medical report admissible in court? And if he was seen on top of him, is it possible that he shot him, and then rolled over on top of him? Didn't a witness say he was seen standing over him shouting that he shot him [Martin]? Maybe he shot him, rolled over, then realized he shot him in the heart and that he wasn't armed. This case seems to ride on a few crucial pieces of evidence, the forensics and medical reports. The medical reports seem to be in favor of Zimmerman's claim that Martin fought him. I'm not sure how either side can PROVE who started the fight. When you get down to it. Who thinks they can actually CONVICT Zimmerman with Murder? With the evidence available to us now, I just can't see how.
That is possibly the information that the prosecutor looked at to determine the Murder 2 charge. not being a lawyer I don't know but my guess it would be. Even if it was introduced as evidence there would be an issue with how much it agreed with the on scene police reports. At the moment I don't think it contradicts the on scene police reports but I haven't seen this latest report in detail. That is possible but if that was the case it seems like there would be more evidence on Zimmerman, Martin's blood. While this is far from definitive the video of Zimmerman in police custody he doesn't appear to have much if any blood on his clothes. Also the police report states that Zimmerman's back is wet but not the front which would be the case if he rolled over a wounded Martin. Totally agree there are a few crucial pieces of evidence that could swing this either way that we don't know. As far as who started the fight while that is important I don't think that is crucial. Follow FL precedent from the Dooley James case the person who was shot was the person who initiated physical contact (he lunged at the person with the gun.) The person with the gun shot him and argued self-defense under Stand Your Ground, but was still convicted of manslaughter. I am also not seeing this as being murder but manslaughter still seems likely.
The lady who fired a warning shot tried to claim self defense via Stand Your Ground and got 20... First off, this is piss poor sentencing. Min. sentencing is one of the reasons our justice system is falling apart. Not to mention they are unconstitutional. We need a system tailored to the individual. Each crime is not the same, each offender is not the same. It makes no sense to WASTE money sending people to prison for 20 years for shooting their gun, just because of a stupid law. The judges have to discretion in this matter, 10-20-life, 3 strikes you're out, these have got to be repealed. The amount of people incarcerated for non violent drug offenses is appalling. We spend far too many resources "rehabilitating" those who can not be helped. While at the same time ignoring those who have the potential to be released back into society. I shouldn't get to far off topic, but I wanted to mention how effed up our judicial system has become. It costs too damn much to do things the way we are. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice's annual budget is something like $2.3 billion dollars. We spend $3.3 billion. Not to mention, this is a conservative estimate of the true costs. It doesn't include employee benefits, child protection services for families of inmates, redundant administration positions, etc. So Texas has to find an extra billion a year to fund its growing prison population, which is now nearly 150,000. Due to this, Texas has nearly doubled its probation rates from 20% to 40% the last few months. Too many people, not enough mula. Stop punishing people for taking drugs, how is alcohol legal and weed isn't??? Sorry, it just annoys the crap out of me.
This only means he lost the fight. Not that he didn't start it. If I just randomly go up to a MMA fighter and try to clock him, and then get my ass kicked, it doesn't mean he started the fight. Just meant he's much better at fighting than I am.
I would not read too much into it.... I do not think that it will be particularly helpful to either side.
You're right, and it's incredibly frustrating. It doesn't help that this girl was black, and Zimmerman isn't. It makes it seem like there is a double standard, when in fact it wasn't really up to the judge. Once it was brought to court he had no discretion in the sentencing. Once again Angela Corey's (I believe she was the prosecutor for this case as well) work is shaky, at best.
Wanna get more annoyed? Spend some time reading about private prisons and how they lobby for stiffer sentences and also how they're making billions warehousing immigrants.
Anything in particular you suggest reading? Private prisons aren't very big in the US, what countries use them? The US only houses about 99,000 inmates in private prisons. They want stiffer prison sentences probably because it's more money. Longer time means more inmates, more inmates means more facilities will need to be built, which just means more money for these private companies.
Incarceration for cash is bull****. If you're going to put a man in a cage, do it because he committed a grievous crime, not to line the pockets of some corrupt corporation. Prison Industries: "Don't Let Society Improve or We Lose Business" ALEC and Private Prison Lobbying Exposed The Influence of the Private Prison Industry in Immigration Detention Private Prisons Industry: Increasing Incarcerations, Maximizing Profits and Corrupting Our Democracy Gaming the System: How the Political Strategies of Private Prison Companies Promote Ineffective Incarceration Policies
I realize what the defense and prosecution face in this trial but it was one poster asking another poster for evidence and for somebody who wants alll the facts it does work both ways. Don't ask for evidence from somebody when you cannot supply evidence to the contrary.
Just heard on the news that the area around the fatal wound on Trayvon Martin shows evidence that he was shot at very close range.
It appears that the new evidence that's been emerging has been fairly one-sided towards Zimmerman. I'd welcome even more evidence, though, as I feel we don't yet have enough. but wow, if this trend of evidence holds, it really appears we've had a lot of unnecessary violence (blacks beating whites in the name of Trayvon), anger and hostility due largely to an irresponsible media and those who wish to fan the flames (Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, et al)
Zimmerman has a broken nose? Oh, I guess following a child for no reason and killing him is completely justifiable. Where'd I put my condescending Wonka meme.
There was no way to know Trayvon's age. He was adult-sized-- nearly the size of Brandon Jennings as I pointed out earlier... much earlier. He had a reason for following him. It has been well-documented
