walking while black - Trayvon Martin

[Jimbone]

Fair enough, but understand that he was legally able to carry the gun. Also, the law I posted earlier makes clear that even if you bring it all on yourself and are a total douche, you are legally allowed the right to self-defense if you believe you are in danger of death or imminent harm.

That will be the claim George makes as his defense. SYG probably won't even come up.

That's not an accurate statement of the law you posted or its application to this case, Jim.

The law that you posted requires:
(a)...the person reasonably believes that he or she is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that he or she has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant

If George is able to convince a jury that he was in fear of great bodily harm or death when faced with another male's fists, he still has to convince them that he exhausted every reasonable means to escape before the shooting can be considered self defense according to the law you posted.

You posted upthread that Trayvon had no injuries from George other than the bullet wound.
There is no evidence that George attempted to flee the scene, no signs of punching, no signs of kicking, no signs of biting... If your statement about Trayvon being untouched by George is true, then an argument can be made that there is no evidence that George exhausted all reasonable means to escape danger before shooting Trayvon.

For various reasons, not limited to interpretation of how the law applies to this case, there are different opinions about how things may have gone down. Good mix of views and exchanges.

You said:
...it is stunning to me how many here can see no other version of how it went down.

You and a couple of others have been as adamant in your insistence that George did nothing wrong as Adub and some others have been in expressing their strong opinions that George is a liar when it comes to the self defense claim or otherwise in the wrong. And, some of us are firm in our opinions that it's too early to make a decision. So, don't feel left out, you're just as stunning as many!!

Wrong. As I said, I really don't give a shit. I've played the other side of the argument because everyone wants to lynch the butterball. My criticism is leveled at those insistent that there is no possibility that Zimmerman is innocent. Period.

As to no injuries on Martin... IIRC Zimmerman said he was punched and knocked down, Martin jumped on top of him, started slamming his head into the ground. At some point a struggle for the gun occurred, and Zimmerman fired. I'm not sure how Zimmerman was supposed to escape or inflict injuries to Martin while being almost beaten unconscious, or while struggling to maintain control of the weapon. Maybe he had no chance to escape, so he couldn't make any attempt to? He'll have to prove it, but its plausible.

What I stated regardiing the law was accurate. Your interpretation of what I wrote is incorrect.