The Zimmerman Verdict

This is what I posted yesterday on my Facebook Timeline --

Hey everyone out there ... calm down ... and listen to me for a moment about the Zimmerman verdict ...

1. This was a trial by a jury selected by and approved by both The State and The Defense. They took an oath to be fair, unbiased and to follow the law as given to them by The Judge.

2. The State has the burden to prove the defendant’s guilt based on admissible evidence.

3. That burden is to prove each of the elements of the charge, or the lesser charges, beyond a reasonable doubt.

4. A “reasonable doubt” is a doubt to which the jury can assign a reason.

5. If the State fails in this burden the jury MUST return a verdict of not guilty.

6. The decision must be a unanimous one.

7. The jury, not you, was in the courtroom and saw and heard the testimony of each witness.

8. It is the jury’s responsibility to determine the credibility and weight to be given to testimony and other admissible evidence.

9. The jury may not consider the fact that the defendant opted to exercise his Constitutionally protected right to remain silent.

10. The verdict was a unanimous verdict.

11. The fact that you, who were not there, disagree with the verdict does not, repeat, DOES NOT, make the verdict wrong.

Bill