Lady Justice Gets Eye Exam

We're starting the process to seek justice for Trayvon Martin a Florida teen, gunned down by a wannabe cop, slash neighborhood watch captain. The need for a long drawn out trial, should be avoided because it's a clear cut case of racial profiling and vigilantism. The whole trial is a sham, because you can't instigate a fight then shoot and kill an unarmed person who was walking away from the potential confrontation.

The Stand Your Ground Law is an apparently well intended law, but in this case it shouldn't even be an allowable defense for the defendant. This should be an open an shut case, because the defendant was on record as being told by the 911 Operator DO NOT approach the subject (Trayvon) until an Officer arrives, to stay in your vehicle. If he hadn't been so gung ho and stayed in his vehicle he wouldn't be facing a Murder in the Second Degree charge, and Trayvon would still be alive and well. He knew that he was in possession of a loaded firearm and willfully disregarded the 911 Operator's instruction of knowingly targeting an unknown male figure with intent to shoot and possibly kill if things got out of hand.

To the best of my recollection the whole premise behind the Neighborhood Watch Program was intended for ordinary citizens to report any suspicious activities, person or persons to the proper authorities i.e. the Police or Law Enforcement Professionals. Not to engage said person or persons because of the unknown potential to jeopardise their personal safety. But because he had a loaded weapon he took the law into his own hands, and an innocent teenagers is dead.

It stands to reason that had Trayvon spotted the defendant and been the aggressor it would be a different story altogether. Young Trayvon was a young African American teen wearing a hooded sweatshirt in the rain, heading home. And to be profiled and stereotyped by an over zealous wannabe Police officer slash neighborhood watch person, he paid with his life.

Now George Zimmerman has to pay the consequences for his actions by serving the full sentence in a Florida State Correctional Facility. Under the circumstances 2nd Degree Murder is a gift horse for which he should be thankful for. Because when he stepped out of his vehicle with a loaded weapon with the intent to shoot or possibly kill someone if the need arises is causal for premeditation and hence 1st Degree Murder. He intentionally disregarded the order or advice of the 911 Operator to stay in his vehicle until a duly sworn-in Law Enforcement Officer arrived.

Clearly he was looking for a fight/confrontation with the then unknown male (Trayvon), by stating to the 911 Operator, "They always get away with stuff". I may wear contact lenses but I'm along way from blind, let's hope that lady justice doesn't fail this rudimentary eye exam so to speak.

Also, since when did the jury only require six members and four alternates as opposed to a twelve member panel and two alternates. Is that the new norm or just in Florida only. It's been customary to have a jury of twelve members for the longest time, why the sudden change is beyond me. I wonder if it's because of the extensive media coverage this case has received, it also stands to reason that only six people on the jury is an adequate number to render a fair and impartial judgement of a persons guilt or innocence especially if some of the members of the jury already have a bias or preconceived notion of guilt or innocence of the person standing trial.