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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsZimmerman Trial Judge is no-nonsense
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/04/debra-nelson-zimmerman-trayvon-martin-judge-sanford/2487621/Debra Nelson has made a name for herself in Florida as a tough-on-defendants judge. Now her legal bearing is at the heart of one of the nation's most sensitive murder trials.
SANFORD, Fla.-- When a 39-year-old woman snatched a baby from a Florida hospital in 2008, Circuit Judge Debra Nelson wasn't swayed by the fact that the child was missing for only about an hour. She sentenced the kidnapper to 30 years in prison.
Nelson is in the spotlight again as the presiding judge in one of America's most controversial murder cases: the killing of Trayvon Martin. Her reputation among some as a tough-on-defendants judge may be transformed as she balances both sides of the emotionally charged debate about why George Zimmerman fatally shot the 17-year-old.
"Lawyers appearing before her know that her reputation is to be a law-oriented, no-nonsense judge," said Daniel Gerber an Orlando defense attorney who argued a civil case before Nelson. "We know not to cross that line."
The 59-year-old judge has lived up to Gerber's view of her throughout Zimmerman's trial by fairly dishing out orders to prosecutors and defense attorneys. Nelson often asks lawyers to get to the point and stay on subject.
..more at link
Archae
(46,312 posts)I hope she can sentence Zim to 50 years to life.
premium
(3,731 posts)and right now, IMO only, things aren't looking good for the prosecution.
Voice for Peace
(13,141 posts)I just can't see much of the case being believable any
more, and I started out truly giving Z the benefit of
the doubt. I thought he was well-meaning, dumb and
overzealous, trying to do the right thing but just messed up.
He should have pled out to involuntary manslaughter,
concocted an involuntary manslaughter defense instead
of the ridiculous self defense tale. It would have been
much easier to believe.
I've gone from thinking it was involuntary manslaughter
to it being solid 2nd degree. I'm hoping for an
intelligent jury.
premium
(3,731 posts)what's your experience with criminals trials and the law?
I only ask because I'm truly curious.
Voice for Peace
(13,141 posts)I am a former criminal, descended from a long
line of creepy lawyers.
Good one, and I deserved it.
Just going by my experience, the state has failed to prove it's case beyond a reasonable doubt, they haven't proven the elements of 2nd Murder, maybe Manslaughter, but certainly not 2nd Murder.
I've dealt with many DA's, some good, some mediocre, what I've seen in that courtroom leads me to believe that the prosecutors, for whatever reason, don't seem to have their heart in it.
But, as I've stressed before, intimately, it doesn't matter what you, I, or anyone else here thinks, it's what the jury believes, if they believe the state's case, Zimmerman goes to prison, if not, Zimmerman goes home.
We'll know soon enough.