Zimmerman seeks hearing to dismiss murder charges

[PoliticalTiger]

The neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing an unarmed black teen in Florida will seek a hearing to dismiss the charges against him based on the state's "stand your ground" law.

George Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said on his website that the evidence shows that Zimmerman, 28, shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense.
.....
Under the stand-your-ground law, a defendant who claims self-defense is entitled to a hearing to determine whether he was in fear for his life. If he was, the law says he had the right to use lethal force and the charges are dropped.
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Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Trayvon's family, issued a statement saying, "A grown man cannot profile and pursue an unarmed child, shoot him in the heart and then claim stand-your-ground. … There is only one version of this story that represents that Zimmerman was attacked by Trayvon Martin, and that's Zimmerman's self-serving version."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/stor...56922994/1

[suzie]

If Stand Your Ground is a nutso law, the Stand Your Ground hearing is even crazier.

Here's a link to some studies done by the Tampa Bay Times, which indicate that it should be called CRIMINALS RELIEF ACT.

http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/crim...241378.ece

[pappy]

My understanding of the "Stand Your Ground" law is that if Zimmerman succeeds in his claim he cannot even be sued for his actions.

[jaxx]

Even Jeb Bush said the SYG law didn't apply to Zimmerman. But then, I suppose the killer has a right to pursue every avenue to save his hide.
Rotten law, brought to you by the NRA and ALEC.

[suzie]

That's correct, pappy, he can't be sued.

It's a really bizarre and dangerous law.

But, it surely does make it strange that Zimmerman has so chosen to aggravate the judge and give him a reason to let this go on to a jury.

[pappy]

(08-10-2012 10:38 AM)suzie Wrote:  That's correct, pappy, he can't be sued.

It's a really bizarre and dangerous law.

But, it surely does make it strange that Zimmerman has so chosen to aggravate the judge and give him a reason to let this go on to a jury.

The judge has to be careful here. His judgement and judicial reasoning if he denies Zimmerman's SYG defense has to be rock solid and cannot contain even a hint of bias related to Zimmerman's past disrespect for the court and the judge.

If the defense attorney can show in even the smallest way that the judge let his personal bias effect his decision he has grounds for appeal.

[There Is No Spoon]

They ought to call the law the "here's how to get away with murder" law.

Since the "victim" is dead, if there are no witnesses it's your word against a dead person's. It's friggin' nuts.