"It looked like that position was a Ground-and-Pound type of position, but I couldn’t tell 100% that there were actually fists hitting faces. The guy in the top in the black hoodie pretty much just throwing down blows on the guy kind of MMA-style." - eyewitness
Don't worry, tkc. You're not the only one. The press coverage was and continues to be appalling.
As I have been saying all along, Zimmerman's injuries were bound to decide the case. There is no getting around them and the evidence that Martin inflicted them. The forensic evidence also made it clear he was on top. The prosecution even conceded this. This is why I have been saying there was no legal case to answer.
The prosecution made an appeal to the jury's emotions. That is unusual when the standard is that they must prove the defendant is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. It was obvious from the beginning that the evidence was not adequate to convict Zimmerman.
This doesn't mean I think Martin was an evil kid. I think he was afraid of the creepy guy following him. Reacted to it. But too much.
He was very much the victim of a circumstance created by the law. I think I have as much sympathy as the next person that he died. I am not arguing he deserved what was coming. But he pummelled Zimmerman for 30-40 seconds. And there was a guy 10-15 feet away who saw a chunk of it. He described Martin as in a "dominant position" using an MMA assault style. Zimmerman's head had a broken nose, welts and scratches.
And so Zimmerman drew his weapon.
If the law was wise, folks wouldn't conceal guns. Conceal pepper spray if you must. Legal self-defence should be non-lethal in a public space.
My conclusion. Change the law. And feel for Martin's parents. Their son wasn't able to navigate a crappy law and a very unfortunate situation. But that doesn't make Zimmerman guilty.
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