George Zimmerman, the man who was at the centre of a raging debate on self defense laws and shooting death of a black young man, has been found not guilty by a Florida jury last night. The verdict from a jury comprising 6 women found insufficient evidence against George, a man who had in the last 6 months polarized the society along not just racial lines but also in favor of and against gun laws of the state.
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The shooting took place on February 26, 2012 when George Zimmerman shot 17 year old Trayvon Martin believing him
to be an intruder whose intentions were not clear. He told the police that he shot in self defense and was not charged with murder as Florida Stand your Ground Law says that an individual can do anything in his self defense. The fact that Martin was not armed, and the vociferous protest and support by the black and other communities in the state created pressure over the police department and the 27 year old Hispanic American was finally arrested and placed into police custody.
The fact that the case was widely reported in media led to an uproar from all sections of the society. The criticism of the Stand your Ground Law that allows an individual to take any action to defend himself from imminent danger and the racial divide (Zimmerman was Hispanic while Trayvon was black) made this case to be the most gripping in the country’s recent legal history.
The Zimmerman trial finally began on 10th June 2012 but Zimmerman was never charged with any racial act on his behalf. Prosecution merely charged him with profiling the teenager as a criminal. The trial continued for nearly five weeks and the daily reporting on TV channels made the Zimmerman trial a national event. Every single moment of the trial was televised live on TV with the people around the country waiting with baited breath for the final verdict. People saw the photos of the not just the dead body of the young black man but also the injuries on the body of Zimmerman. There were more than 50 witnesses that included forensic experts deliberating on the angle of shooting. There were conflicting statements made by other witnesses s to how the altercation between the two started and who hit who during the fight that ensued after Zimmerman made an emergency cal to the police.
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After listening to al the witnesses and deliberating on the evidence that was provided to them, the jury came to a conclusion that there was nothing to suggest that Zimmerman shot the young man after an altercation. The jury concluded that it was Zimmerman who was assaulted and punched by Martin and he had no option but to pull out his gun to shot in self defense when he was pummeled by Martin. The clinching factor for the verdict was that it was Zimmerman, and not Martin, who was injured and bleeding after the incident.
