re: #661 BryanS

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.

My understanding is that if it could be proven that he killed Martin due to racist motivation, the Feds could prosecute even if he were to get off through application of SYG. But maybe you’re right in that there would need to be a lower-level conviction first. Maybe someone more lawyer-like can clear that up.