Sources: Zimmerman To Be Charged
Zimmerman's Former Lawyers Say Zimmerman's Not in Florida, "Much Further Away Than That"

As I thought. Corey didn't seek the Grand Jury because she wants the credit for making a political prosecution.

The decision by Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey is expected to be announced at a 6 p.m. news conference in Jacksonville, Fla.

...

The special prosecutor's ruling came one day after Zimmerman's legal team quit because they had lost contact with him, and suggested that the pressure of the case had "pushed him over the edge."

His lawyers said that Zimmerman was no longer in Florida and ABC News has learned that prosecutors do not know his exact location.

I don't know what the charge would be.

Given the record as we know it, this is a bad decision. There's certainly not nearly enough evidence -- as we know it, assuming we know the evidence (which may not be true) -- to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he didn't believe his life was in danger.

One bit of the evidence, though, gives me pause in that conclusion. While ABC was wrong that Zimmerman had "no injuries," his injuries did not appear (appear) to be all that great.

Given that the standard for the use of lethal force is a reasonable belief that death or serious bodily harm would occur, maybe one can argue that Zimmerman wasn't injured enough to fear this.

Maybe. But then, if someone's on top of you, beating you, knocking your head into the concrete, and no one is answering your cries for help, you're not willing to bet your life on the proposition that the next concrete-slam won't knock you unconscious.

One more thing:

Earlier this week, Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett said his city has become a "kindling box" due to the high emotions surrounding the case, and that he would "plan for the worst and hope for the best."

I rather think the best decisions are made in a climate in which rioting is more or less threatened. Don't you?

Seems to me, at this point, like the passions of the mob overwhelmed reason and justice -- in other words, just another day in America.

Update: Well this might have factored into the decision.

I don't know for certain, but it's typical for cops to tell someone who might be a person of interest in a case to not leave the jurisdiction.

I gotta admit: I get this from movies or TV. Maybe it's a myth.

But assuming it's not, maybe they don't like the idea he's not in Florida any longer, and are going to count that as "consciousness of guilt."

Lawyers Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig on Tuesday expressed concern about Zimmerman’s emotional and physical well-being, saying he has taken actions without consulting them. They also said they do not know where Zimmerman is.

“You can stop looking in Florida,” Uhrig told reporters. “Look much further away than that.”

Usually people don't have Hollywood directors tweeting out your address and New Black Panthers putting out wanted posters for you. To leave the jurisdiction in that situation isn't "consciousness of guilt." It's "I don't want to be murdered."

Thanks to tasker.

posted by Ace at 02:54 PM

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