First, let's kill all the lawyers....

[exedir]

We are a troublesome people, living in a troublesome society that has a troublesome view of just what and who is the point of justice, the American system of justice. And one of the troublesome part of Americans and their sense of justice is, to paraphrase another justice, Supreme Court Justice Potter Steward, " I know it when I see it".

Of course, this viewpoint has changed overtime and change more recently due to what people see and hear, see and hear on media that has brought the criminal and justice system into American homes as entertainment. And in that entertainment we have moved from those that enforce the system and operate our courts to the viewpoint of the individuals that experience the system not only as criminals but as victims, victims both of the crimes and the system of justice.

Once it was the point of justice was to carry out the enforcement, where we saw the police as the ultimate barrier against crime and criminals, from radio to television as shows such as Gang Busters and Dragnet had heroes defending us on a daily basis against criminals, both foreign and domestic. Then we saw justice from the defense bar; Perry Mason, The Defenders, Matlock and Ironside where sympathy was generated for those accused and the struggle for justice against the state. And now we have reality, or, a sense of reality with courtroom television to show us the "real" story as to how justice is done, and what the system can provide for both entertainment and education, if not drama.

We have had a range of cases brought before us, and the court of public opinion, to see, hear and to have mostly analyzed by those that are presented to have expertise and opinions, that can express what it is we are seeing and hearing, as to who is "winning" and who is "losing". Seeming we have been presented a combination of another reality TV genre, the game show, such as Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy where both skill and luck play. We are also entertained by the reality and eratz genre, court TV, where faux judges are placed in front of ginned up, scripted plaintiffs and defendants to fill syndicated afternoon airtime shared with the celebrity hosted talk shows.

And there have been the unscripted, live, as it happens, courtroom television of actual trials and courtroom proceedings that reached its peak with the O.J. Simpson murder trial and has continued with such trials as; Casey Anthony, Jodi Arias and now George Zimmerman. These widely covered actual trials have also included Michael Jackson(more than once), Lindsey Lohan and Britney Spears as what inquiring minds want to know.

Overall the question remains, has justice been done, or, is it only in the eye of the beholder.

[P.A.]

I did learn something from this whole mess. If I want to kill someone just provoke a fight and then shoot them. But do I have to be in Florida?

[exedir]

"Stand your ground" derives from the "your home is your castle" which is derived further from common law. 

Most states have some version of the concept as a plausible defense, however, only a half of the states is it a justifiable cause.  

What we had in the Zimmerman case that seems to swayed the jury was fear, fear of bodily harm what then lead to stand your ground as to the cause of the fatal shot.  

However, most of the media is not really interested in what happened as to why, and the why proposed is due to racial profiling of Martin by Zimmerman.  As to how to prove any of the circumstances of race other then the obvious one of Martin being black and Zimmerman not being not black is lacking.  And this is the hurdle of any civil rights charges to be made by DoJ, how and can a racial component be proved as to the intent of Zimmerman to deprive Martin of his civil rights.

Additionally there has been a call to a national discussion  of race, that somehow this case is the one that can lead to a serious debate of race, race relations and racism to be had.  

However, just as Newtown was to lead to a gun control debate, it is unlikely that Zimmerman will lead to a legitimate, frank and nuanced  discussion of race in part because the judgement has already rendered in the court, the media and the streets.   And the reason is because beyond being a troublesome people we are a divided people and country that find simple words offensive, much less using sentences and paragraphs, oh, well, there is always, YouTube.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

"However, most of the media is not really interested in what happened as to why, and the why proposed is due to racial profiling of Martin by Zimmerman."

How about Zimmerman's own words and his brother's own words?  The Florida court refused to hear and even blocked testimony regarding Zimmerman gunning for Martin.  The state court would allow only testimony related to their "Stand Your Ground" law.  The Feds will look into whether or not Martin's Civil Rights were violated, like so many other blacks in Southern States have been past, and present --by white power mentalities.

[Ioruach]

The murder of Martin Luther King; the acquittal of Rodney King; Now Trayvon Martin.  Why does it require events like these to produce the angst and self flagellation followed shortly by forgetfulness, until the next time?

In the words (again) of the late Rodney King, “Why can’t we all get together?” What is it that goes on in the human psyche that seems to prevent that?

"Ancient eschatological texts are actually maps of the inner territories of the psyche that seem to transcend race and culture and originate in the collective unconscious."
Stanislav Grof

[Ioruach]

Maybe, Perri, the human brain has become too complex.  Would we be better off with brains more like our friends in the animal kingdom? Well, I doubt it. I like the good things the brain has produced.  But wouldn't it be nice if we got along together as well as a white Labrador Retriever with a black Lab or a yellow Lab?

[EddieDingo]

According to Blackstone's Ratio, justice was served.

It was a tragic incident and (IMO) a disappointing outcome, but it could have been worse if the decision was made based on public opinion.

[P.A.]

Legal and Justice are not always the same.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

A member of the jury that found George Zimmerman not guilty in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin called for changes in Florida's self-defense law, which she said gave jurors no option but to acquit the defendant.

The juror's statement adds to pleas from around the country to change the Stand Your Ground laws that more than 30 states have adopted. 

[LoveLife&Laughter]

...Republicans probably think this is a good way to get rid of Democratic voters.

[exedir]

The Milwaukee white man shooting black youth verdict is in, and it is guilty.

As to how this has any link to the Zimmerman case, the facts are not the same but the result was.   And no, no chances there will be any action on the streets about this trial, and shouldn't be.  However, this was a case about fear, anger and the state of mind of the perpetrator, a 76 year old man and neighbor of the victim, accused by the perpetrator of stealing the man's weapons.

And yes, race was a factor as to cause and result of the crime.

[LoveLife&Laughter]

No link at all.

[ProblemAgain]

muddled thinking......any confrontation between a black person and a white person is a zimmerman moment?  bulls***...simplistic and racist thinking in THAT....i just heard a little bit of talk radio the other day (michael someone) who began talking about a shooting near houston during which three men were shot. the shooter was convicxted and went to prison. this michael tried to characterize it as a zimmerman moment. it wasn't. the men shot were not 'thugs' as the radio ass intoned but rather firefighters at a birthday party for the three year old daughter of one of their coworkers. the shooter was a neighborhood bully with a gun who had shot neighborhood dogs and threatened people for a long period of time. his complaint was loud music so he took his gun to his neighbor's house to be able to tell people what to do and threatened them. why take a gun? most neighbors will turn their music down if you explain it is loud and bothering you and ask them to turn it down. if you don't believe that, then you call the police to complain. you don't take a gun and go all rambo on the neighbor cause there are consequences to being STUPID.