re: #654 Talking Point Detective

It’s possible that he can still get nailed on a hate crime offense. It’s also possible that given the CYA needs of the supporters of this law, they’ll support eliminating it’s usage in this case because it has gotten so much publicity. Efforts are already being made to say that Zimmerman pursuing Martin eliminates the application of this law in this case - but again, from what I’ve seen that is being done for political purposes. From what I’ve seen, there isn’t anything in the law itself that means it can’t be applied in this case - despite the attempts of supporters of the law to argue otherwise.

Despite the name of that class of laws, hate is not itself a crime. It’s only an enhancer penalty/charge to an underlying crime. Zimmerman would have to be convicted of an underlying crime for a hate crime enhancer to even be considered. No lawyer here, but hate couldn’t be protected as free speech if hate were a crime.