Rasmussen shows that 40% of the public believe Zimmerman’s shooting Martin was self-defense, versus 24% that think it was murder (WARNING: This link will auto-play an ad, but I couldn’t find a version that did not, but I provide it for reference).
Our opponents bet a lot that this was the horse that was going to help get them back in contention. It’s looking increasingly like this has turned out to be a lame horse.
36 percent “undecided” still does not look good in terms of public opinion. It’s almost as many as people believing it was self-defense, but certainly must include a lot of people who still think the whole thing smells real bad. If there was a category, “It may not be murder, but there is something just not right” I suspect it would grab the majority. I think Zimmerman will be acquitted, but with most of the jurors holding their noses.
Basically it was two people who formed a critical mass colliding, and one of them died.
I’m actually somewhat encouraged at the number of undecideds. I put myself in that category, really, if polled. I can accept it was self-defense, and the evidence seems to point to that. But I’m willing to accept that’s not the case. There are some fishy aspects to this whole things, for sure.
With what I “know” right now of the evidence, I would be forced to acquit Zimmerman, but only on the basis of reasonable doubt — not certainty that it was self-defense. And reasonable doubt means to me, reasonable doubt of guilt, even when that is overshadowed by stronger doubt of innocence.
My concern about the 36 percent is not about the concept of “self defense,” per se, but on how the whole affair will affect our RKBA. Reasonable people will probably agree that Zimmerman deserved acquittal, if that comes to pass, but still feel queasy about (I can hear it now) that “What should have been a simple punch-out turned deadly because a gun was present.” The case could be won for Zimmerman, yet remain a net loss to our cause.
I think we are of the same mind on this.
I have to disagree on the point that anyone who accepts that Martin was on top of Zimmerman and freely punching him “MMA style”, to quote the best eyewitness, should accept that absent Zimmerman having his gun, he could well have ended up dead or brain damaged.
Now, that won’t have as much weight as it should against the endless pictures of a prepubescent “innocent” Martin the media has presented to the public, but….
And of course there will be those who argue, perhaps correctly, that if Zimmerman hadn’t been armed he wouldn’t have stepped out of his vehicle. Although that gets back to the civic duty issue, which is a bigger can of worms and one where we’ve strayed so far from our foundations that the future of civil society in much of the country is in doubt.
Qualifier because at least in Joplin, Missouri, and before the tornado a year and a day ago, it was very healthy in this respect. E.g. I doubt I’ll ever hear a good shoot described as “taking the law into your own hands”. Whereas I gather in places like Detroit it’s already Game Over.
I wouldn’t worry too much in the “Undecided” category. Although I’m technically in the “For the Acquittal” camp, properly, everyone should be in the “Undecided” camp, in the sense that “Pretty Much Only a Jury has the Right to Decide”.
It would have been nice to see a poll that broke down “Undecideds” into “Yeah, but evidence seems to indicate he should probably be acquitted” and “Yeah, but I suspect he’s going to get convicted”.
I truly believe the charges will be dropped.
If I am wrong, I feel Zimmerman will be found Not Guilty by almost any jury.
He will have to live with his decision the rest of his life, and live the rest of his life in hiding. How would any of us hold up in this case?
….and the other 36% are afraid to admit that they think it was self-defense, for fear of being labeled as racist…..
It becomes easier when you realize Zimmerman is an 1/8th black himself.
O’Mara says that only 1/2 of the facts are out there. How can anyone make a decision based on 1/2 of the facts? Zimmerman is innocent now because the law of the land is “Innocent until proven guilty” — but everyone needs to wait until all of the facts are in.
Yeah, but so many of the “facts” appear to have been invented by the Martin’s attorney or the media once the physical evidence is revealed.
Yup, the Martin Attorneys are reaching out to mention eye witnesses that all of a sudden appear 230 days after the incident. Unbelievable! But prepare for the riots, this could be worse than the Rodney King craziness. (At least I understood that one)
You can tell that the Martin side KNOWS they are losing by the fact that their fluffers in the media are looking for a new star.
Doesn’t matter. He will be convicted. He has to be to appease the violent masses ready for nationwide rioting. Like the rodney king roits only nationwide. And the media is soley responsible for what is going to happen.
To be honest I think it was self defense and I hope he gets aqquited. Because I want to see what will happens with the angry masses calling for his death.