George Zimmerman Out on Bail, Attacked by "Twitter Lynch Mob"

I think that Zimmerman likely guilty of a violent felony--but how severe that infraction is may be a matter of opinion; or else, it remains to be seen what the evidence is, if indeed they have accurate evidence.

What I find troubling about the case is the national obsession over it--as if it's a referendum on whether America is racist or not.

I don't appreciate the photos of Zimmerman in the press, such as the most common one, above.

It makes Zimmerman out to be a thug.

On the other hand, most of the photographs of the deceased make him out to look like a cherubic angel.

Those kinds of visual images do nothing but to reenforce the stigma of outrage.

I think Zimmerman's likely (but not definitely) guilty of something serious--but we don't have to gild it with sensationalized propaganda.

The world is obsessed with it because they should be. This goes far beyond him murdering a child. The way this case has been handled, was tainted with rascism, I don't care how far you try to overlook that point. All the evidence of what happened that night are on the calls that were made to the police and the call that TRAYVON was on with his girlfriend and she stated that zimmerman was stalking him as Trayvon tried to get home from the store. A fact that everyone also keeps overlooking is that, the reason Trayvon had on a hoodie in the first place (not that he had to have one) is because it was raining. And something else you people probably didn't know or are not saying is how the sanford police dept knew where Trayvon was but for THREE DAYS, THREE DAYS Trayvon's father didn't know where he was while his son lay dead in a morgue and you people still want to act like no one should care. It could've been you or one of your children. How would you have felt to have the same system that arrests minorities everyday for petty things, let your childs murder walk. The pictures that are shown about Trayvon depict exactly what he was, an Angle. He was 3 months away from getting his aviation certificate so he could become a pilot. What I wish Is that people would stop and think for real and stop treating this as if Trayvons life means nothing. It may mean nothing to you but for those of us who loved him, his life was precious. I pray GOD soften you people hearts before a tragedy like this happens to you.

You are COMPLETELY missing the point.

But COMPLETELY!

Simply because I prefer to see the case tried in a court of law, and not within the court of public opinion, does not mean that I'm part of the problem and you are a part of the solution.

You apparently have chosen to ignore the fact that I said, above, that I think Zimmerman is likely guilty.

But apparently you are so intimately involved with the case that you've attended Discovery for the defense.

It is men and women, like you, who have contempt for the constitutional rights afforded any defendant.

You want justice before justice is served.

[What's more, I am a big Obama supporter--despite what you might think; and I also think that we are a terribly racist country.]

Why don't you form your own vigilante committe and disrupt proceedings, when the defendant goes on trial?

You're a disgrace to the point of what the Law and what Jurisprudence is all about in this country.

brett,

i stand with you 100% on this issue.

it is indeed horrific, the way so many jump to conclusions on this.

the only clear-cut case of racism i see is that acts against ziimermen SINCE the incident.

like you, i dont know.

as more and more info comes out, i lean ever-so-slightly towards him not being guilty of a crime.

i am almost at 51% to that side, vs 49% to the guilt - i was 48 to 52.

good on you sir, good on you.

Del,

Thanks for your comments--but to make my position clear:

My comments do not exonerate the defendant.

In fact, I believe he's likely guilty.

I am talking much, much more about the process of fair justice.

I am a strong Obama supporter--and I believe that racism is systemic in our country.

You missed the point and the point is...no one has the right to take the life of an innocent person or child PERIOD! The other stuff I said was in response to all the other things you said (without facts), other than you thinking he may be guilty. My point period, was that no one should murder and walk. In my neighborhood we're never afforded such a luxury. If you've killed, you go straight to jail and pray and fight to get out. You have no clue what 'People Like Me (whatever that means)' have to deal with on a day to day basis. You'd have no clue what we have to face and overcome. It sickens me that People like you say the words 'I think that zimmermans likely guilty' and then in the same breath call out wrong facts for why you think he may not be. I was taught if your confused about someone else's business (and you seem to be), than just keep quiet till you know more. That way you get to make an intelligent analysis about the situation. But that's what people like me was taught.

Brett C. Apr 23, 2012, 5:11pm EDT
Del,

Thanks for your comments--but to make my position clear:

My comments do not exonerate the defendant.

In fact, I believe he's likely guilty.

I am talking much, much more about the process of fair justice.

I am a strong Obama supporter--and I believe that racism is systemic in our country.

i agree with every single comment you made, and knew you meant that, felt that, and were defending that, when i read it.

the ONLY difference is that i am not an obama supporter, as i see a great deal of socialistic idealogy in his actions, agendas, and policies - same as i saw them in bush lite, clinton and bush sr, as well as others.

and not only will i stand beside you pon this particular issue - i wopuld stand by you in your right to your opinion of obama. even as i disagreed, with the interpretation of the underlying ideals behind those actions.

Yeah, being metaphorically lynched on the Internet really sucks. You know what sucks even more? Being a 17 year old kid killed after buying a pack of Skittles.

Does that justify the Internet lynching--before all the facts are in?

Trial by internet

The world is obsessed with it because they should be. This goes far beyond him murdering a child. The way this case has been handled, was tainted with rascism, I don't care how far you try to overlook that point. All the evidence of what happened that night are on the calls that were made to the police and the call that TRAYVON was on with his girlfriend and she stated that zimmerman was stalking him as Trayvon tried to get home from the store. A fact that everyone also keeps overlooking is that, the reason Trayvon had on a hoodie in the first place (not that he had to have one) is because it was raining. And something else you people probably didn't know or are not saying is how the sanford police dept knew where Trayvon was but for THREE DAYS, THREE DAYS Trayvon's father didn't know where he was while they had Trayvons phone with all his families numbers in it and his son lay dead in a morgue and you people still want to act like no one should care about this. It could've been you or one of your children. How would you have felt to have the same system that arrests minorities everyday for petty things, let your childs murder walk. The pictures that are shown about Trayvon depict exactly what he was, an Angle. He was 3 months away from getting his aviation certificate so he could become a pilot. What I wish Is that people would stop and think for real and stop treating this as if Trayvons life means nothing. It may mean nothing to you but for those of us who loved him, his life was precious. I pray GOD soften you people hearts before a tragedy like this happens to you. For some of us out here, it means that any fair skinned person can now say ' I was in fear of my life and stood my ground and this is why I shot this African American, they looked suspicious. And they will walk free. Frightening for minorities. Open your eyes and WAKE UP!

You are COMPLETELY missing the point.

But COMPLETELY!

Simply because I prefer to see the case tried in a court of law, and not within the court of public opinion, does not mean that I'm part of the problem and you are a part of the solution.

You apparently have chosen to ignore the fact that I said, above, that I think Zimmerman is likely guilty.

But apparently you are so intimately involved with the case that you've attended Discovery for the defense.

It is men and women, like you, who have contempt for the constitutional rights afforded any defendant.

You want justice before justice is served.

[What's more, I am a big Obama supporter--despite what you might think; and I also think that we are a terribly racist country.]

Why don't you form your own vigilante committe and disrupt proceedings, when the defendant goes on trial?

You're a disgrace to the point of what the Law and what Jurisprudence is all about in this country.

"The world is obsessed with it because they should be. This goes far beyond him murdering a child. The way this case has been handled, was tainted with racism, I don't care how far you try to overlook that point." The way the mainstream media has handled this case was "tainted with racism".

"it's quite amazing to see such a collective hatred toward one person."

And, it's not like it hasn't happened before~Anthony, OJ, Nadya (even tho'she didn't kill anybody!). Plus, it's not like he didn't bring it on himself~no sympathies here!

I also think that George Zimmerman is guilty, but that's my opinion and not a judgment in a court of law. Whether we like it or not, it is the American judicial system that will hear his case and make a determination if he is guilty or not. Calls for vigilante justice will only result in more persons running afoul of the law.

That having been said, I think George Zimmerman's life is over, regardless of the verdict that the court will give. He is sure to get hunted down if he is exonerated. If he is given prison time and later gets out, the stigma will still haunt him and he is likely to be hunted down at that time. If he is given life in prison, he will probably be killed by other inmates. If he had heeded the words of the 911 dispatcher who told him not to follow Trayvon, all this would have been avoided.

Finding an impartial jury will be extremely difficult, given the widespread publication of the story in the media and over the Internet. I can't say that I envy the jurors; it's going to be very difficult to filter out the media hype and public backlash.

Well said, Maurice.

I assume you saw my comments, above.

I can understand the strong emotion, against Zimmerman--but the bias against a defendant, before he goes through the legal process, is absolutely deplorable.

Have you noticed that the comments of injustice above have withered?--because the commenter hasn't returned; He/she can't handle the truth about his/her own misplaced and gross misjudgements.

It’s disgraceful; your country has become the laughing stock of the civilized world with what has happened.

Moreover, what Sharp and his cronies have done is a criminal act in its own right that would not have been tolerated for one second where I come from.

I feel that for some on Gather nothing short of George Zimmerman being killed will satisfy their warped desire. Is this the way to treat your fellow citizen? Even if he did commit a crime you follow it with a court case to determine guilt or not guilty not some vigilantly hang him from the nearest tree mentality.

God help George Zimmerman if he is found not guilty in a court of law because someone will hunt him down because in his or her eyes he will be guilty forever and a day. And why because he has been found guilty by a bunch of internet vigilantes without all the facts been known.

maurice,
my thoughts are so much like yours.

the mans life is over, whether it is proven he is guilty, or not.

i am slightly l;eaning (51/49) to the side that doubts his guilt - but ....... who knows.

i do want to point out one thing tho - there was never any evidence that he continued following martin, after the dispatcher said "dont need you to do that", and he responded "ok".

in fact - since he said he 'lost him', and based on the maps i have seen, he was most probably going back towards hs car.

now - that does not prove anything about what may por may have happened once they were face to face - but i abhor the comments that martin was 'chased down like a dog' was 'stalked' etc that some wackos insist on lol.

it is incredibly tragic, that they both died that night - one a young man, who never had a chance to get his life on track, and one who doesnt know he is dead yet.

Well, Graham, I knew we'd agree on some things, eh?

There are many times, when I wish we had your country's `code-of-silence' approach, with regard to media and pending court cases.....

I suspect that there will be many things that we could agree on Brett. :-)

We have a contempt of court act that once the person is arrested for a crime it automatically restricts the media on certain legal proceedings it’s called The 1981 Contempt of Court Act and it comes into force when the defendant is formally arrested by the police.

If George Zimmerman had, shot the young man in the UK there is no doubt that he would have been arrested at the scene on a number of charges. This would have meant that no newspaper, no television station, along with radio and now Twitter and Facebook would have been able to report on anything of George Zimmerman’s background other than he was arrested in connection with the shooting.

When the case was over and he was found guilty or not guilty then an only then can we report on the background and the lead up to the shooting.

Even when he was being tried in the court, certain things would be kept back from the Jury, as an example if he had a criminal record, as this might sway the jury into convicting him.

Contempt of court is quite a serious offence in the UK and the judge could if he wanted give a life sentence. In this day and age though a rather hefty fine works wonders with people who sometimes think they should influence the jury into what they think should happen.

It's an ongoing conflict between Free Speech and Justice, here in the States.

In many ways, I see your country as more civilized than our own.

And, reluctantly--though I am a serious arbiter of free speech-- the British contempt of Court Act is another way that makes you chaps more civilized.

Hail Britannia!