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In reply to the discussion: Several George Zimmerman witnesses change their accounts [View all]Chan790
(20,176 posts)59. Actually...
this is all they need to charge second-degree manslaughter in FL:
He entered the confrontation to be a petty wanna-be cop dickhead
He was already told by the dispatcher on-recording to desist. He did it anyway with an amoral reckless indifference to consequence.
That's depraved indifference by-statute.
he did not go into it with intent to kill.
Intent is irrelevant to manslaughter charges. That's what differentiates murder from manslaughter; murder means you intended to kill, manslaughter means you willfully-acted in a manner that resulted in the death of another regardless of your intentions.
The filed-charges are statutorily correct. Whether the police and DA muddled this to the point that conviction is impossible is another question.
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No. If he decided to kill Martin, it would have been 1st degree murder.
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2012
#15
Not being able to counter a point -- a legitmate point -- and name-calling won't hold up in court
Nuclear Unicorn
May 2012
#72
In the real world, you don't get to make up your own definitions for the law.
AnotherMcIntosh
May 2012
#27
Carrying a loaded weapon into a planned illegal confrontation + death in said confrontation =
kestrel91316
May 2012
#10
He was never part of any neighborhood watch! Everyone knows that but FOX news by now. jeez. /nt
Dragonfli
May 2012
#34
My thought exactly. There's going to be an incomplete and unsatisfying justice here in the end....
marble falls
May 2012
#66
I hope the jury goes for justice and is instructed in alterante charges if 2nd ....
marble falls
May 2012
#70
There should have NEVER been a confrontation. He stalked a kid merely because of skin color.
lookingfortruth
May 2012
#12
I've seen that picture. Finally found info on when it was supposed to have been taken.
uppityperson
May 2012
#17
And the worst part about that is, we execute folks based on eye witness testimony in their convictio
lonestarnot
May 2012
#35
Some people appear to have forgotten the charge is murder, if only in the second degree.
freshwest
May 2012
#32
Many also appear to believe the FOX news fantasy that he was a member of some neighborhood watch
Dragonfli
May 2012
#36
There's a thread about him harassing his co-workers at another job. I answered to the person who I
freshwest
May 2012
#37
The Prosecutor's default/fallback conviction goal for this case is Manslaughter
solarman350
May 2012
#38
It would have to be voluntary, unless Zimmerman somehow claims his gun accidently went off.
Tommy_Carcetti
May 2012
#58