The Open Thread now has implications that GZ is a racist when I believe he's far from it. Call him a murderer and I give them that opinion.

I'm taking a break. Just wanted to thank you. I'll discuss evidence all day, but I'm getting upset and think I'll read a book.

Second (sorry in advance for the long-winded question), I saw an interview with O'Mara on CNN in which he talks about De La Rionda and the state's dubious discovery and disclosure methods w/r/t the TM phone records. Assuming O'mara's allegations are true, even if GZ is acquitted and there's no appeal, might the state prosecutors face punishment for withholding this info? Finally, on that matter, does the buck stop at BDLR, or does it go all the way up to Corey?

This is very sad.  No wonder why the media is held in low regard.

Self-defense, you either believe it or not

Manslaughter is the only alternative.

I'll link it if I get it. I learned a lot about the beginning of the case.

I didn't know that not only hasn't O'Mara been paid, he's spent a lot of his own money on this case because he believes in it so strongly. He said he didn't determine that he was innocent until two weeks into his involvement (Apr 11).

I knew that GZ was raised with a couple of black children in his home, I didn't know that his tutoring of black children was still current at the time of the shooting. He went to his prom with a black girl. He said not only is GZ not a racist, he's an anti-racist and we know about the homeless person beaten up he helped. They returned all donations that had anything that could even be taken as racists.

Kathi Belich, WFTV @KBelichWFTV
We were told the alternates who've been excused can't talk until the verdict is in by court administrators. #Zimmermanon9

MANSLAUGHTER
To prove the crime of Manslaughter, the State must prove the following
two elements
beyond a reasonable doubt:
1.
Trayvon Martin
is dead.
2.
George Zimmerman
intentionally committed an act or acts that
caused the
death of
Trayvon Martin
.
George Zimmerman
cannot be guilty of manslaughter by committing a merely negligent
act or if the killing was either justifiable or excusable homicide:
Each of us has a duty to act reasonably toward others. If there is a violation of that
duty, without any conscious intention to harm, that violation is negligence.
The killing of a hu
man being is justifiable homicide and lawful if necessarily done while
resisting an attempt to murder or commit a felony upon
George Zimmerman
, or to commit a
felony in any dwelling house in which
George Zimmerman
was at the time of the killing.
The kill
ing of a human being is excusable, and therefore lawful, under any one of the
following three circumstances:
1.
When the killing is committed by accident and misfortune in doing any lawful act by
lawful means with usual ordinary caution and without any unlaw
ful intent, or
2.
When the killing occurs by accident and misfortune in the heat of passion, upon any
sudden and sufficient provocation, or
3.
When the killing is committed by accident and misfortune resulting from a sudden
combat, if a dangerous weapon is not
used and the killing is not done in a cruel or
unusual manner.
In order to convict of manslaughter by act, it is not necessary for the State to prove that
George Zimmerman
had an intent to cause death, only an intent to commit an act that was not
merely
negligent, justified, or excusable and which caused death.
If you find
George Zimmerman
committed Manslaughter, and you also find beyond a
reasonable doubt that during the commission
of the
Manslaughter,
George Zimmerman
carried
, displayed, used, threat
ened to use, or attempted to use a
firearm
,
you should check
the appropriate box on the verdict form which I will discuss with you later in these instructions.
The definition of a
A
firearm
@
has been previously provided in these instructions.

Or if the jury were to believe that Zimmerman's other option was to "stay in the car," and not even approach the area in which Martin was located, then this has unfortunate consequences for the whole idea of self-defense.  Under that theory, in effect one could be considered criminally liable for entirely legal actions that led to a situation in which the use of lethal force in self-defense was necessary.

In other words, in the context of a hypothetical manslaughter conviction, at what point can  Zimmerman become criminally culpable:

1.  getting out of the car, or
   
2.  entering the area in which Martin was located, or
   
3.  shooting Martin while being beaten by him (possibly because GZ had unreasonable fear)?