Trayvon Martin Shooting

[Nicko]

An unarmed 17 year-old boy - Trayvon Martin - was shot to death by the “captain” of a gated community’s Neighbourhood Watch - George Zimmerman - as he was returning from a local store. Martin’s parents are understandably shattered, but their grief has been compounded by the fact that Zimmerman has yet to be charged with a crime because he has claimed “self defence”.

More.

And more.

As I understand it, a plea of “self defence” is an affirmative defence. That is, a person making such a claim is confessing to what would normally be a crime, but saying that there were circumstances that justified it.

The state has no obligation to show that the homicide Zimmerman has confessed to was unjustified.

It is Zimmerman who must show that the homicide was justified.

 

[Listerine_Phone]

As I understand it, a plea of “self defence” is an affirmative defence. That is, a person making such a claim is confessing to what would normally be a crime, but saying that there were circumstances that justified it.

I have a hard time believing that a teenager who weights 100 pounds less than Zimmerman could be a threat, especially armed with a pack of skittles and a can of iced tea. I really hope that the family is able to get the 911 call record. I doubt the 911 operator told him to get out of his car and go confront an unknown person.

The prior complaints of him accosting people who live in the neighborhood shows he’s a loose cannon. Not to mention that if he’s willing to lay hands on a police officer, it’s not surprising that he would choose to try to fight a much smaller teenager.