Thoughts On The Zimmerman Trial....

On Tuesday evening, after watching highlights of the George Zimmerman trial in Florida, I remarked to my wife, Arden, that it seemed like the prosecution wasn’t really into the case – that they were forced to prosecute and their hearts weren’t in it. 

On Wednesday, as if in answer to my expressed thought, I heard several radio and television talk show hosts saying the same thing.  It seems I’m not the only one who noticed that the prosecution isn’t doing much.  They started out strong.  In his opening statement the prosecutor said George Zimmerman “didn’t shoot Trayvon because he had to but because he wanted to.”  That’s a bold statement and it seemed they were going to prove their allegations.  But their case went downhill from there.

The prosecution hasn’t objected to various things that the defense attorneys are asking that even a layman like me knows should raise an objection.  One particular incident was so blatant (the defense attorney asked the lead detective whether or not he believed Zimmerman’s story) that the next day the judge objected for the prosecution and had the question and answer removed from the record.

The other day the prosecution played an interview of George Zimmerman by Sean Hannity for the jury.  Basically they put Zimmerman on the stand to tell his side of the story without the opportunity for cross examination.  Prosecutors and defense attorneys alike reacted to this stunt with the same basic question…  “Are you crazy?”

Whether one believes Zimmerman guilty of a crime or not, the prosecution in the case seems to be determined to lose.  I can’t help but wonder if it’s because they didn’t want to prosecute the case in the first place.  The Sanford police didn’t charge Zimmerman when the incident happened because they did believe his story – that Martin attacked him and he fired his weapon in self-defense. 

When the mainstream media and racial activists became vocal about it a special prosecutor was appointed to look into it.  It was after all the anger was stirred up and the flames of that anger being fanned daily by the mainstream media and the likes of Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson that charges were eventually filed.  Were they filed because the special prosecutor believed Zimmerman committed a crime or to appease those who were making the most noise?  We’ll never really know the answer to that question but from the performance of the prosecutors it seems they might be trying this case under duress.

Even though the parents of Trayvon Martin have stated they do not want this case to be about race, the racial aspects of it are still being manipulated.  The mainstream media is already asking the Sanford Police Chief if they’re prepared for rioting if Zimmerman is found not guilty.  The Chief said he’s prepared for “demonstrations.”

While receiving an award from BET, actor Jamie Foxx stated that if George Zimmerman is acquitted then people from every major U.S. city should “publicly display their outrage”. He went on to explain that rioting, looting, and indiscriminate violence is acceptable as long as you feel within your heart it’s for a good cause.  Really, Mr. Foxx?  So that works in reverse as well, correct?

On Friday, before the prosecution rested its case, they called Trayvon’s mother to the stand to identify the voice on the 911 tape that was calling out for help.  She identified it as the voice of her son, as did his brother.  But there’s a problem.  At the beginning of the trial George Zimmerman’s parents were banished from the courtroom because “they may be called as witnesses during the trial.”  Trayvon Martin’s parents were not banished and were allowed to sit through the trial in its entirety.  Then his mother was called as a witness.  What kind of a double standard is the judge running?  She had the witness list.  How can she banish one set of parents and allow the other to stay even though one of them will be called as a prosecution witness?  That alone should be grounds for a mistrial.  And as for her identifying the cries for help as coming from her son – how else would she answer that question?  With all due respect for her and her loss – she certainly wasn’t going to identify the voice as belonging to Zimmerman.

Also presented Friday was the theory that George Zimmerman deliberately shot Martin in the heart.  The only eye witness said Zimmerman was taking a beating from Martin, who was on top of him reigning down blows.  I’m pretty sure that even the staunchest Martin supporters don’t believe that Zimmerman aimed for Martin’s heartman aimed for Martin'.  (Well, some do, I’m sure.)  When you’re being physically beaten I’m thinking you don’t aim at the heart.  You simply shoot.  The medical examiner who actually performed the autopsy didn’t say Martin was shot at point blank range to the heart.  Another “expert” said it – but experts can be bought for either side.

This case has done exactly what the mainstream media wanted to happen.  It has divided people along racial lines.  And if Zimmerman is found not guilty that division will probably increase.  It’s sad when “news organizations” manipulate the news for the greatest reaction from the public – even when that reaction may be negative and harmful.

I’m not going to say what I feel the verdict should be.  I’m going to wait to see what happens.  But you can bet, after the Rodney King riots, that the Sanford Police Chief is fully ready for rioting (if Zimmerman is found not guilty) even if he’s not saying it out loud.  Sadly, for some people this trial isn’t about justice but about revenge.  If the jury cannot convict Zimmerman beyond reasonable doubt, as the law requires, then that should be the end of it.  But there will be some who will not accept the verdict and take out their anger in other ways.  That’s not justice.  Justice is allowing the court and the laws to work regardless of the outcome.  Rioting and violence in the wake of an unpopular verdict is simply an inability to deal rationally with reality.  And it harms everyone involved.