Expert Witness: Trayvon Martin was on top of Zimmerman when teen was shot
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Bluestar71
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Well, if they went too far "humanizing" Trayvon that would have opened the door for the defense to bring in all the evidence showing he wasn't exactly the little angel he's been portrayed as in some quarters.
Smitty
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True.
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They tried to bring up the school records and the gangsta texts but the judge did not allow them.
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Bluestar71
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That's right, but if the prosecution makes a big issue of Trayvon's character then she has to let that evidence in so the defense can challenge the facts presented by the state with their own evidence. The prosecution didn't make much of an issue of Martin's character so she could reasonably argue the prejudicial aspect of background evidence on TM outweighed any bearing it had on the facts in question. If the prosecution had chosen to make a big deal of it and if she ruled the same way against the defense that's very likely reversible error if Zimmerman is convicted.
Smitty
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Yes, but if the prosecution brought too much of his past, the defense is allowed to bring up his past too, as rebuttal. The logic is that it could be generally excluded but "if you are the one that opened the door then we let it all in."
Smitty
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Beat me to it.
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Out lawyer'd...
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Actually this is a true statement.
rcntc
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Wikipedia has a pretty good synopsis of the case in my opinion.
short version....
G.Z. claims he was armed because he was afraid of a loose Pit Bull roaming the neighborhood. (he was also NOT on duty that night). He was on his way to the grocery store when he spotted T.M. G.Z. claims he was on his way back to his truck when he was confronted by T.M. and implies that he was immediately assaulted by T.M. Thus, had to use deadly force to protect his own life.
T.M. account of the events are probably very different from G.Z, but he's dead so we don't get to hear them. We only get to piece the events together through a phone call he was on with R.J.
It boils down to who you believe.
People on T.M. side claim that G.Z. initiated contact first. Even if it was only verbal contact, it was still contact. And that escalated to the tragic events that happened that night.
On the G.Z. side, he did nothing wrong at any point and was just honoring his oath as neighborhood watch coordinator. He was assaulted by T.M. as he jumped out of the bushes and G.Z. was left with no other option than to defend himself.
Personally, I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Purely conjecture on my part, but I think G.Z. did verbally contact T.M. and there was a heated conversation. Maybe even some pushing and shoving. G.Z. left and started walking back to his truck, but T.M. was pissed and followed G.Z. The altercation got even more physical and G.Z. was getting his ass kicked. He got scared and shot the kid.
short version....
G.Z. claims he was armed because he was afraid of a loose Pit Bull roaming the neighborhood. (he was also NOT on duty that night). He was on his way to the grocery store when he spotted T.M. G.Z. claims he was on his way back to his truck when he was confronted by T.M. and implies that he was immediately assaulted by T.M. Thus, had to use deadly force to protect his own life.
T.M. account of the events are probably very different from G.Z, but he's dead so we don't get to hear them. We only get to piece the events together through a phone call he was on with R.J.
It boils down to who you believe.
People on T.M. side claim that G.Z. initiated contact first. Even if it was only verbal contact, it was still contact. And that escalated to the tragic events that happened that night.
On the G.Z. side, he did nothing wrong at any point and was just honoring his oath as neighborhood watch coordinator. He was assaulted by T.M. as he jumped out of the bushes and G.Z. was left with no other option than to defend himself.
Personally, I believe the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Purely conjecture on my part, but I think G.Z. did verbally contact T.M. and there was a heated conversation. Maybe even some pushing and shoving. G.Z. left and started walking back to his truck, but T.M. was pissed and followed G.Z. The altercation got even more physical and G.Z. was getting his ass kicked. He got scared and shot the kid.
D
Deuce
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The fact that there were pit bulls mentioned tells me he was scared for his life before Martin ever entered the situation. 
Genghis Khan
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That's actually a pretty terrible synopsis.
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You aiming for the longest thread in DCC history?The fact that there were pit bulls mentioned tells me he was scared for his life before Martin ever entered the situation.
You sonofabitch!
Jiggyfly
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WHAT THE HELL!!!!!
Carp
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Yeah...you are pretty white. I bet you have a Gin Blossoms CD.
Jiggyfly
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Was the black guy immediately arrested in the Lion case because that would be a huge difference.
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At least 1big has George Jefferson as his avatar. Hell Simp is blacker than you.
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Yeah...this case was your standard robbery case. Nothing similar.