[VALIS]

This is a sad day for those of us who would like to shoot whoever we want with no consequences...

I'm gunna go out 'n buy a buncha guns before Obama and the lib'rals take 'em away from us over this! Just like he took 'em away when he was elected!

[DY_nasty]

People are outraged that he got charged? Wow.

all he did was shoot somebody

[DrForester]

Any cable news live feeds of this?

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/msnbc.com/47018080/#47018080

[Agnostic]

Zimmerman taken into custody-MSNBC

[Gordon Shumway]

Zimmermann in custody according to MSNBC.

[soundahfekz]

Uh, most people that responded to him? He's stating something that occurred, not his opinion, and then he's met with sarcastic comments. If you want to question the argument then carefully word what you write because if you don't, you're directing it at the person. That shit happens far too often and I don't think very many people realize it.

To be fair Shouta, Enron and Big baybee were both extremely active posters in the previous trayvon thread with their perspectives well known. It's highly likely that big baybee already was aware of where the drug accusations came from and was referring specifically to relevance of the allegation, hence his response after Enron answered.

[BruiserBear]

Zimmerman taken into custody-MSNBC

Didn't you hear? He fled the country.

[PhoenixPause]

AP says second-degree murder

[faceless007]

So where was he hiding?

[Agnostic]

Didn't you hear? He fled the country.

What?

[pxleyes]

The best local radio show to hear local opinions on the subject: http://ihr.fm/rbv

[DrForester]

I can't believe people thought Zimmerman was fleeing. After the microscope that police department was under, I have no doubt that they knew where he was at all times.

[jp_zer0]

Good luck Zimmerman, may you be found innocent.

[Devolution]

I can't believe people thought Zimmerman was fleeing. After the microscope that police department was under, I have no doubt that they knew where he was at all times.

Well considering his lawyers pretty much said so, yeah I wonder why.

[Ignis Fatuus]

AP says second-degree murder

Ambitious. I hope they can deliver.

[distantmantra]

AP says second-degree murder

Yeah, just heard it on NPR.

[onemic]

Didn't you hear? He fled the country.

Where did you get that?

I know what you were implying with that post

[echoshifting]

AP says second-degree murder

This is genuinely surprising.

Off to watch the news, I guess!

[ced]

Is the 6 news conference supposed to detail the new information the prosecutor mentioned?

[themadcowtipper]

I can't believe people thought Zimmerman was fleeing. After the microscope that police department was under, I have no doubt that they knew where he was at all times.

I never thought he was fleeing,just went ino hiding for his own safety. With the death threats and idiot shooting police cars.

[soundahfekz]

AP says second-degree murder

Been saying for a while that 2nd degree murder was the appropriate charge.

The 911 call with trayvon screaming solidified it.

[Ignis Fatuus]

The stream is live.

[echoshifting]

Been saying for a while that 2nd degree murder was the appropriate charge. The 911 call with trayvon screaming solidified it.

Makes me wonder if they have some way of proving that's him in court. Is that feasible? I woudn't know.

The stream is live.

Thanks! /bail

[Aylinato]

Good luck Zimmerman, may you be found innocent.

[rhfb]

What kind of sentence is he looking at for 2nd Degree if convicted?

[PhoenixPause]

He's in custody already

[Ignis Fatuus]

Makes me wonder if they have some way of proving that's him in court. Is that feasible? I woudn't know.

Forensic audio analysts said it wasn't Zimmerman. I expect they'll be called to testify. Thing is the defense can attack forensic audio as an imprecise field, so it'll be up to the jury to decide.

[J@hranimo]

It's about. fucking. time.

Justice will finally be served.

Unless some other bullcrap happens

[Xenon]

AP says second-degree murder

Woah, this could be a tactical move by the prosecutor to get George to cop to manslaughter.

[Ignis Fatuus]

Woah, this could be a tactical move by the prosecutor to get George to cop to manslaughter.

I don't think they'd bluff it, both sides know what the evidence is. The prosecutor probably thinks she can get a conviction.

[JCreasy]

AP says second-degree murder

ADDED TO OP

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories...04-11-17-36-57

[themadcowtipper]

He has a new attorney Mark O'Mara, who was on CNN stating he knows Zimmerman's location.

[MightyHealthy]

Didn't you hear? He fled the country.

You sound incredibly salty right now.

His lawyers said he left Florida, specifically adding that he wasn't trying to leave the U.S.

It wasn't a stretch to assume a flight risk, but we (the GAF hivemind) are ever so deserving of your scorn for doing so, considering we haven't left the Matrix yet.

[theviolenthero]

What kind of sentence is he looking at for 2nd Degree if convicted?

30yrs to life because he killed a minor.

[SerArthurDayne]

Manslaughter a lesser included in Florida? If so no reason not to charge him with Murder 2.

edit: Yup. So try him for Murder 2, and the Jury may choose to convict on manslaughter.

Not sure how Florida Court works, but often you can charge ONLY murder 2. The reasoning is that if a Jury sees Murder 2 and Manslaughter they will take manslaughter, while if they see just Murder 2 they will go Murder 2. Interesting to see what they do, depending on Florida law on the subject.

Of course, if they just charge Murder 2, and there is an acquittal double jeopardy and he goes free.

[FStop7]

I know right, here is the truth they dont want you to hear.

After being beaten to the ground by Towering Black Football Player Trayvon Martin, Zimmerman reluctantly pulls the trigger in self-defense. Martin falls back and lets loose a mighty African laugh. "So it begins!" he cries (translated from thug language). The transponder on his wrist contacts the White House, where Operation Caliphate sits waiting. "Your majesty," cries an aide (likely homosexual), "Agent Martin, codenamed Fire of Allah, has completed his mission!" Imam Hussein Obama clasps his hands and smirks, a "jazz cigarette" in his mouth. "And now the honkies will pay."

This is one of the most amazing things I have ever read. And I'm pretty sure it's not at all far off from what is actually going through the minds of the typical Sean Hannity / Rush Limbaugh fans.

You generally never want to testify at your own trial.

I think he doesn't have much of a choice. There are only two people who know everything that happened and one of them is dead. If he can't come up with some extremely credible testimony he's probably done, unless of course his lawyers manage to pick the most gullible jury in history.

IMO he's going to cop a deal. I think he'll be charged with 2nd degree murder and plea out to manslaughter and serve the full sentence in exchange for protection in prison and relocation/protection for himself and his family when he's out.

ColbertICalledIt.gif - Murder 2 charge it is. Now we'll see if he takes a deal for manslaughter.

[ErasureAcer]

30yrs to life because he killed a minor.

While nothing can be considered justice since Trayvon is dead. This sounds about right.

[DarkKyo]

Good luck Zimmerman, may you be found innocent.

[Xenon]

I don't think they'd bluff it, both sides know what the evidence is. The prosecutor probably thinks she can get a conviction.

True, but it would give some latitude for a plea bargain.

[Xcellere]

In custody and 2nd degree murder? Wow, finally this case gets some momentum.

[KHarvey16]

Forensic audio analysts said it wasn't Zimmerman. I expect they'll be called to testify. Thing is the defense can attack forensic audio as an imprecise field, so it'll be up to the jury to decide.

If forensic audio experts are called it's unlikely to be either of those two. Doing so would be a mistake on the part of the prosecution. I also think it's pretty unlikely such an analysis is the basis or somehow pivotal to the decision to go for murder 2.

[HeroMK]

He was hiding in Tallahassee, Florida.

[Horse Armour]

I'm not American but won't he get raped/beat up/possibly murdered if he is sent to prison? Will they send him somewhere else if he is convicted?

[Equus Bellator Apex]

AP says second-degree murder

[Gaborn]

Manslaughter a lesser included in Florida? If so no reason not to charge him with Murder 2.

That's true. I do tend to think the murder 2 charge is to make him more amenable to a deal though. I bet this never goes to trial, I suspect Florida wants to put this whole thing out of sight as fast as possible because the police look bad from the early days of not arresting him if they think they have enough evidence for murder 2.

[StopMakingSense]

I'm not American but won't he get raped/beat up/possibly murdered if he is sent to prison? Will they send him somewhere else if he is convicted?

There's usually a place a state will have that they send high profile inmates / incarcerated cops / etc to.

[Allard]

I don't think they'd bluff it, both sides know what the evidence is. The prosecutor probably thinks she can get a conviction.

If they can prove with certifiable evidence that the person yelling in the 911 call was either not Zimmerman and/or was Trayvon Martin, that is all the evidence they would likely need to convict him of second degree murder. There is also potential witness accounts we don't have yet, autopsy reports, other camera footage (Cop cars), the EMT team that supposedly was at the scene also but has not talked about the case in any capacity, there is a host of possible avenues of evidence that could lead to the charge that prosecutor could see that the public can't yet. I am very happy with the charge and hope whatever happens justice is served with a proper and all ears conviction and that nothing was left off the table.

[Devolution]

I'm not American but won't he get raped/beat up/possibly murdered if he is sent to prison? Will they send him somewhere else if he is convicted?

High profile people aren't just thrown into gen pop state prison. Especially not after what happened to Dahmer.

[ced]

He was hiding in Tallahassee, Florida.

Never saw him.

[SerArthurDayne]

That's true. I do tend to think the murder 2 charge is to make him more amenable to a deal though. I bet this never goes to trial, I suspect Florida wants to put this whole thing out of sight as fast as possible because the police look bad from the early days of not arresting him if they think they have enough evidence for murder 2.

Wouldn't be shocked. I neglected to include in my edit, but overcharging is often just done to get a plea deal.