Good morning everyone!
Tess, how's the foot?
How will the State prove GZ "demonstrat(ed) a depraved mind without regard for human life"? If this is all about Zimmerman's state of mind, without regard to TM's since we'll never know, then according to this definition it will be difficult to prove M2. It will be equally difficult to prove self-defense if the jury believes TM was in fear and lashed out when GZ reached for his "phone" or whatever, as @25caliber mentioned earlier.
That depends SFW. It doesn't have to be a hate crime, or racial bias, in order for him to have ill-will or spite. In the conversation with the operator, he states that "these ******* punks always get away". So, for one, it explains why he left the vehicle when it was wholly unnecessary, even before the operator tells him, "We don't need you to do that". In other words, he was on foot in pursuit so that this f*cking punk doesn't get away. His state of mind, was not fear, it was anger. He had already determined that TM was a F*ing punk, without just cause, and was upset about that. People who are in fear, versus those who are angry, do not risk exiting the safety of their vehicle. Now I know he used the excuse that he couldn't remember a street name in his own neighborhood, which sounds incredibly far-fetched, but if I can get to that degree of suspension of disbelief, because of ADD, then I have to consider the impact of amphetamines on his state of mind as well, since supposedly he was being treated for the condition. A possible side effect of Adderall :"Additional reports have included irritability, aggression, anger"
Adderall Side Effects | Drugs.com
I suppose the defense can always put that in their back pocket as a reason for his actions as well. I guess it cuts both ways.
Anyway, he was following TM without ever informing him that he was a neighborhood watch person. If what he said is true, that TM circled his car a few times, what else would he expect to happen by exiting the car with a gun?
These are things that can go to murder 2. I'm not saying that they will, but they can.
As to who confronted whom, there are no corroborating witnesses to that. The jurors have to find Zimmerman credible in his version of events. But if he didn't want a confrontation, why didn't he explain that he was a watch person while Martin supposedly went around his car?