I am shocked - Alan Dershowitz chimes in on the Zimmerman case

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

So you are seriously going to say that Zimmerman would have been dead if he did not kill the teenager?

I don't have to and neither does a jury. "Death or severe bodily injury" is the standard. You cannot change it to suit your beliefs, thats the law.

If I am on the jury it will take you 1 second to convince me a 6ft tall, 160 pound teenager could cause serious injury to a man. That is not even a question.

[웃 910]

I don't have to and neither does a jury. "Death or severe bodily injury" is the standard. You cannot change it to suit your beliefs, thats the law.

If I am on the jury it will take you 1 second to convince me a 6ft tall, 160 pound teenager could cause serious injury to a man. That is not even a question.

6 ft tall and 160 pounds. You say that as though that combination is intimidating, lol.

If that is his weight then the little kid was a twig.

What, besides 'his word' do you have that proves he was about to die or face severe bodily injury?

A weapon of mass candy bar? A blunt plastic 20oz object?

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

6 ft tall and 160 pounds. You say that as though that combination is intimidating, lol.

If that is his weight then the little kid was a twig.

What, besides 'his word' do you have that proves he was about to die or face severe bodily injury?

A weapon of mass candy bar? A blunt plastic 20oz object?

He doesn't have to prove he was IN fear of death or bodily injury, he only needs to make the claim. The state has to prove he was NOT. Good luck.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

6 ft tall and 160 pounds. You say that as though that combination is intimidating, lol.

If that is his weight then the little kid was a twig.

What, besides 'his word' do you have that proves he was about to die or face severe bodily injury?

A weapon of mass candy bar? A blunt plastic 20oz object?

You don't get out much do you? After reading some of your post on here I wonder if you were that "boy in the bubble".

5' 6" 144lbs

Edited April 14, 2012 by Why_Me

[웃 910]

You don't get out much do you? After reading some of your post on here I wonder if you were that "boy in the bubble".

5' 6" 144lbs

Thanks for pointing out your average every day 145 pound man.

Might as well throw in worlds best 145 pound black belt and mixed martial artist while you're at it.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Thanks for pointing out your average every day 145 pound man.

Might as well throw in worlds best 145 pound black belt and mixed martial artist while you're at it.

Again I'm thinking you live in a bubble. Some of the worst ####### whippings Iv'e gotten were by small stringy guys. I'm just over 6' 4", and up until a few (or more), years ago I was just under 190lbs. I boxed in jr and sr high school (Auburn Elks) and the worst beatings I got were from guys that moved up one or even two weight classes just to fill the bill. You really need to leave the house and see what the real world is all about.

[웃 910]

Again I'm thinking you live in a bubble. Some of the worst ####### whippings Iv'e gotten were by small stringy guys. I'm just over 6' 4", and up until a few (or more), years ago I was just under 190lbs. I boxed in jr and sr high school (Auburn Elks) and the worst beatings I got were from guys that moved up one or even two weight classes just to fill the bill. You really need to leave the house and see what the real world is all about.

That just means you were a terrible boxer. With that kind of reach to be getting beat up by someone around 5'5 would be pretty pathetic. Hopefully you didn't get hurt too badly

From my experience fighting a tall and skinny guy was hilarious. When we grappled I was shocked at how weak the guy was. You can yank them around like a rag doll.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

That just means you were a terrible boxer. With that kind of reach to be getting beat up by someone around 5'5 would be pretty pathetic. Hopefully you didn't get hurt too badly

From my experience fighting a tall and skinny guy was hilarious. When we grappled I was shocked at how weak the guy was. You can yank them around like a rag doll.

So you have never been to a party or a bar and seen a small guy kick the sh*t out of a big guy? Iv'e seen it plenty of times.

It's like this. If you physically attack someone then be prepared to face the consequences. With Traaayvon Martin it was a bullet. You play, you pay.

[Usui Takumi 1,562]

6 ft tall and 160 pounds. You say that as though that combination is intimidating, lol.

If that is his weight then the little kid was a twig.

What, besides 'his word' do you have that proves he was about to die or face severe bodily injury?

A weapon of mass candy bar? A blunt plastic 20oz object?

There are reported injuries and accounts he was on the bottom. I just finished watching the news and saw Bryan Stow....seeing him shows how easily you can be in a situation of severe bodily injury even when no firearms or knives are present.

[luckytxn 2,265]

I think when one is getting their head pounded on the cement is reason enough to defend your life.

[lostinblue 1,989]

Had a case a few years ago where two men were fighting over a girl at a party. Both were university basketball players. Guy on the bottom pulled a knife and killed man on top. The trial set him free. His lawyer talked on the local radio after the trial. The laws take on this was If you THINK your life is endanger OR you will suffer severe physical harm lethal force is justifed providing you cannot retreat.I have friend who bumped his head on a desk.He ended up with bleeding on the brain. Went through the whole Giffords deal without the trama of her wound. Cut the skull open and everything. Short term memory not so good and only 20% of people with that injury ever return to work.He takes about 5 different pills a day now. This is for the rest of his life.If just a bump on a desk can in some cases do this to you. Are you justifed in using lethal force when your head is being slammed into cement? Zimmerman walks and rightly so IF he was on the bottom and could not retreat and feared grave bodily harm. This is a political dog and pony show with Barry and Holder involved.

[웃 910]

I think when one is getting their head pounded on the cement is reason enough to defend your life.

You guys are a bunch of SISSIES!

"Every time you get into a fight you have good enough reason to shoot that person dead"

Times definitely are changing.

[mari&Ryan 93]

So you are seriously going to say that Zimmerman would have been dead if he did not kill the teenager?

It doesn't matter what we all believe regarding wether a 6'2 and 160 pounds football player 10 years younger than you , and hitting you represent a thread or not. We have different opinion and point of view about what is dangerous or not.

It's only Zimmerman because he is the defendant in this case who opinion really matters. He was the one there, if HE (not you or I) felt that he was going to die at any point of those tragic seconds so He was very well entitled to defense his life. I would do the same without a doubt.

Zimmerman is a thin and small guy and honestly you can see how he seems physically weak. After see him, I'm convinced that it could be him (GZ) crying for help that night. I hope he gets a fair trial. It's the least I would hope if he was my husband or brother.

Edited April 14, 2012 by mari&Ryan

[Leatherneck 693]

I agree. This travesty of justice is only being done to cater to outside forces. The Prosecutor after this is done will be looking at fame and fortune. We will be seeing her on major media as a law expert for the next decade at least.

Or looking to be appointed as a judge.

Edited April 14, 2012 by Leatherneck

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Zimmerman doesn't have to believe he would have been killed. He has only to convince a judge that he believed he was was in danger of great bodily harm, and he walks. If you even believe that Zimmerman chased the kid, he walks. Here is a link to a case in Florida last month where the person chases a suspected thief several blocks. When he caught him he thought he was pulling a knife so the defendant stabbed him to death; the judge threw the case out.

Where's xebec on this? We had this conversation in another thread last week. One of the criticisms of these Stand Your Ground laws is that the 'burden of proof' as you stated, is that the Defender only needs to perceive to be in grave danger, but Xebec pointed out that the laws state that one must reasonably believe they are in danger. That's when a jury's perception will weigh heavily whether Zimmerman is found guilty or not. If his lawyers can convince the jurors that Zimmerman reasonably felt his life was in danger in the moments leading up to him pulling the trigger, he'll go free. However, if the prosecution can convince the jurors that Zimmerman was a paranoid, vigilante with a hair trigger, he'll be found guilty. The two most important pieces of evidence is Zimmerman's 911 call and where Martin's body was in relation to Zimmerman's SUV. Zimmerman claims that Martin approached him while he was trying to get back into his vehicle. While it may not be illegal to follow someone, it is illegal to be in pursuit of them. The prosecution has enough ammunition to paint Zimmerman as a policeman wannabe and IMO, most jurors will not be sympathetic to that kind of behavior.