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If His Head is Bloody Charges Shouldn't Have Been Filed
If His Head Is Bloody, Charges Shouldn't Have Been Filed
By Floyd and Mary Beth Brown
The chant during the OJ trial was, "if the glove don't fit then vote to acquit." In the Trayvon Martin killing the legal system should focus on the wounds of George Zimmerman. Now that the bloody photographs of the back of George Zimmerman's head has been released, we must ask, why was he charged with second-degree murder?
These photos are clear evidence George Zimmerman was acting in self-defense, and according to Florida law, Zimmerman had a right to protect himself that tragic night.
We expect the national news media to manipulate and mislead in a case such as this, and they didn't disappoint. NBC doctored the 911 tapes. News websites photoshopped Zimmerman's pictures to make him appear more "white." Some photos even have Zimmerman's brown Hispanic eyes as being a light Aryan blue. All this news manipulation was intent on creating racial tension.
We expected a higher standard from prosecutors. It now seems clear that prosecutors are also trying to manipulate this case for exposure and career advancement. They have been as craven as the news media.
The conflicting stories from the night of the death of Trayvon Martin should have been sorted out by police working in concert with prosecutors. Instead, we have seen prosecutors intimidated by a national movement intent on using Trayvon Martin's death to create racial tension and use the tragedy to reelect Barack Obama.
This entire case has become a toxic political situation, and justice for George Zimmerman is being sacrificed on the altar of expediency and racial politics.
Florida statutes are clear. To be charged with 2nd Degree Murder under Florida law Zimmerman must possess a "depraved mind having no regard for human life." Also Zimmerman would have to demonstrate malice.
Taking a human life in Florida only becomes a criminal homicide if it is without justification. Self-defense including the use of deadly force in self-protection is explicitly recognized in Florida law.
Likely the decision made by police the night of the killing to release and not arrest Zimmerman was a good one. It is disgusting to see a pack of race hustlers leading a mob force to trial in this case by explicitly threatening riots if no criminal charges were filed.
Whenever a young person is killed, it is tragic. But the tragedy started when Trayvon Martin embraced the gang banger lifestyle. It happened when Trayvon Martin responded by decking Zimmerman to the ground. It started when Zimmerman's head was pounded against the ground. It was only finished when Zimmerman fought back.
Prosecutors when faced with the photos of Zimmerman's injuries should have resisted responding to a mob, even when it is led by a President and an Attorney General. Prosecutors should be immune from intimidation and manipulation for political big wigs.
Now if the Zimmerman case goes to trial we have to look forward to a summer of deeply divisive and prolonged legal proceedings which will only heighten racial tensions.
But these tensions will be a welcomed change of topic for Obama's administration which wants to talk about anything but their miserable stewardship of the economy.
©2012 Floyd and Mary Beth Brown. The Browns are bestselling authors and speakers.
To comment on this column, e-mail browns@caglecartoons.com. Together they write a national weekly column distributed exclusively by Cagle Cartoons newspaper syndicate. Floyd is also president of the Western Center for Journalism. For more info call Cari Dawson Bartley at 800 696 7561 or email cari@cagle.com.
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NBC Editgate
By: Eric Allie
Caglecartoons.com
April 11, 2012 | 
NBC Editgate COLOR
By: Eric Allie
Caglecartoons.com
April 11, 2012 | 
Black Panthers and Trayvon COLOR
By: Gary McCoy
Cagle Cartoons
March 28, 2012 | 
Black Panthers and Trayvon
By: Gary McCoy
Cagle Cartoons
March 28, 2012 | |
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Floyd and Mary Beth Brown, 4/20/2012 [
