Non Breaking News: Alan Dershowitz lays out what we know...

[Procrustes Stretched]

I like Alan. Smart guy. Smarter lawyer.


Non Breaking News: Alan Dershowitz lays out what we know...
Prosecutor's quandary: Zimmerman may be indicted, then acquitted - CNN.com

So the following mixed outcome is certainly possible: The special prosecutor indicts; the judge does or doesn't grant immunity; if he doesn't, the jury acquits.

Many people would be unhappy with such a mixed outcome, but it is not the job of the law to make people happy.

 

[The Gadfly]

I like Alan. Smart guy. Smarter lawyer.


Non Breaking News: Alan Dershowitz lays out what we know...
Prosecutor's quandary: Zimmerman may be indicted, then acquitted - CNN.com

So the following mixed outcome is certainly possible: The special prosecutor indicts; the judge does or doesn't grant immunity; if he doesn't, the jury acquits.

Many people would be unhappy with such a mixed outcome, but it is not the job of the law to make people happy.

From what we know at present, that's an excellent analysis. As far as the legal outcome goes, there's the possibility that the Special Prosecutor has evidence we don't know about, which might lead to a conviction. There's the possibility that there is no such evidence, which might lead to a judge dismissing the case, or an acquittal if it goes to trial.

That's the legal side. Practically, it may not matter. It may not matter, because so much hate has been stirred up, that the only way to keep Zimmerman alive in custody, is to keep him in isolation; there are no doubt plenty of inmates in the general population waiting for their 15 minutes of fame from being the one to kill him. If this board is any indication of popular sentiment, a lot of people would applaud such an outcome. I wouldn't think his survival odds on the street are any better, in the event of an acquittal or dismissal. Unfortunately, so much hysteria has been ginned up, that if Zimmerman is alive a year from now, I will be surprised.

When I reflect on that, I hope the facts are such that he is proven guilty of a crime; that way, even if death is an entirely disproportionate punishment for the offense, there will be at least some fig leaf of justification. Otherwise, we'll have the sorry spectacle of an innocent man being killed, because of the frenzy of a howling, politically-motivated lynching and witch hunting mob. I hope that doesn't happen, but I won't be shocked if it does.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

I like Alan. Smart guy. Smarter lawyer.


Non Breaking News: Alan Dershowitz lays out what we know...
Prosecutor's quandary: Zimmerman may be indicted, then acquitted - CNN.com

So the following mixed outcome is certainly possible: The special prosecutor indicts; the judge does or doesn't grant immunity; if he doesn't, the jury acquits.

Many people would be unhappy with such a mixed outcome, but it is not the job of the law to make people happy.

From what we know at present, that's an excellent analysis. As far as the legal outcome goes, there's the possibility that the Special Prosecutor has evidence we don't know about, which might lead to a conviction. There's the possibility that there is no such evidence, which might lead to a judge dismissing the case, or an acquittal if it goes to trial.

That's the legal side. Practically, it may not matter. It may not matter, because so much hate has been stirred up, that the only way to keep Zimmerman alive in custody, is to keep him in isolation; there are no doubt plenty of inmates in the general population waiting for their 15 minutes of fame from being the one to kill him. If this board is any indication of popular sentiment, a lot of people would applaud such an outcome. I wouldn't think his survival odds on the street are any better, in the event of an acquittal or dismissal. Unfortunately, so much hysteria has been ginned up, that if Zimmerman is alive a year from now, I will be surprised.

When I reflect on that, I hope the facts are such that he is proven guilty of a crime; that way, even if death is an entirely disproportionate punishment for the offense, there will be at least some fig leaf of justification. Otherwise, we'll have the sorry spectacle of an innocent man being killed, because of the frenzy of a howling, politically-motivated lynching and witch hunting mob. I hope that doesn't happen, but I won't be shocked if it does.

If possible, I would argue for a trial by a judge when innocent, and for a trial by Jury of peers when maybe guilty.

We have a system that does not recognize innocence as a verdict - not guilty/guilty. Juries are fucked up.