There may not be a civil case. If Zimmerman is acquitted because the jury rules that he acted in self-defense, there will be no civil case. Under Florida law (part of the stand-your-ground laws), a person found to be lawfully acting in self-defense is immune from civil action.
I didn't understand the opening post. The evidence tech downloaded evidence from Martin's phone and turned it over to the prosecutors. The prosecutors failed to turn it over to the defense. Yet the tech gets suspended? How does that make any sense? Was he suspended for ratting out the prosecutor? That sounds a lot like obstruction of justice by the prosecutor. If I am the judge, I would want to get to the bottom of this and I would likely be looking at sanctioning the prosecution. There is an argument over whether Martin's various postings and texts are admissible. I believe the judge ruled that the defense could not use thme in its opening statement. Probably they will be allowed in to impeach any testimony claiming that Martin was not violent or would not have attacked Zimmerman. It's an interesting law school exam type question as to whether or not prior Martin's statements can be admitted. Clearly, such statements cannot be admitted to show a defendant is a bad person, but Martin is not the defendant and his propensity for violence is very relevant. The statements are hearsay and would generally be barred for that reason, but there are numerous exceptions to that rule. Admitting criminal activity would be an obvious exception.
I'd say the prosecutor has broken rules of discovery by not turning over the exculpatory evidence to the defense. That's pretty serious. Especially in a capital case!:eek:
yeah but the racial politics demands Affirmative Action which is: whatever the media will let them get away with.
Yeah, it's really sad. And the guy's latino, yet the msm mentions that NEVER. This is pure and simple political correctness (an illness), on the part of the msm, and the prosecutor. Again, had the little thug who tried to beat zimmerman's brains out been white, there would be NOTHING going on.
I believe I the 2nd amendment. I believe you have the right to defend yourself with deadly force. I believe that if zimmerman were black the story would have never been in the news. I believe the only reason it's a case now is because originally zimmerman was reported as white and he shot a black teen for no reason.