re: #257 Targetpractice

The police probably are better educated about the law, namely this section that allows people to kill others in “self-defense,” even if the person they were “defending” themselves against had nothing more than a bag of Skittles. Zimmerman just points to his injuries, which could have come from Martin fighting to get free, and claims that he “reasonably believed” that Martin posed a threat to him.

Even so, the fact that Zimmerman actively pursued Martin after being told not to do so, and then got out of his car with a gun in his hand and tried to stop Martin negated the self defense exception (self defense is an exception in terms of homicide laws, as homicide is by default unlawful). While Zimmerman was in his vehicle Martin posed no threat to him. Those facts I have outlined, plus the 911 tapes, might well provide sufficient cause to conclude Zimmerman acted with malicious intent, which would make his actions murder. But at a bare minimum, Zimmerman committed manslaughter.