How long do you think Zimmys sentence will be?

[darkangel218]

I think it will be 35 to 40.

Easily.

11 votes, 1 pass | Time left: Unlimited
	30 years
	0 (0%)
	25 years
	0 (0%)
	40 years
	0 (0%)
	no sentence, he will be aquitted
	11 (100%)
	1 DU member did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Jenoch]

1. Under Florida law,

if Zimmerman is convicted, will be 25 to life.

[ChiciB1]

2. That Is What The "10-20-Life Law Says In Florida

Even if he's gets convicted of manslaughter.

Do I dare hope? I live here, hope isn't something I rely on.

[Jenoch]

3. The Florida legislature might

wish to rethink that law. Remember the woman who fired a 'warning shot' during a domestic?

[ChiciB1]

10. No, Guess I Missed It.

Sometimes my frustration gets the best of me and I have to take a break from what I call BS chaos that stresses me to the max!

[Jenoch]

11. Her name is Marissa Alexander.

She said she shot a warning shot while arguing with her husband. The problem is, she left his home to retrieve her gun from her car and returned to the argument inside his home. She had a gun and fired it, was convicted and got 20 years.

[ChiciB1]

14. You Know, While Reading The Statutes...

that seem to go on and on and on, I do recall something being said about changing it. But then there was another site that showed a graph explaining that since this law was passed that there was a significant drop in crime.

I've lived in Florida for a very long time, so given what's going on here I don't know what to believe. With GZ, seems law enforcement wants NOT this to apply, but then depending on WHO they're going after, this law makes them very happy!

I look up the case, thanks.

[Jenoch]

15. I read where a Florida legislator

is quoted as saying the law was not intended to apply to situations such as Alexander's but was meant for 'normal' gun crime such as robbing a liquor store with a gun.

[ChiciB1]

16. Probably WAS Said...

But I say, don't make a law that doesn't stipulate EXACTLY what it's supposed to mean. Especially in today's climate. I'm not sure that some legislators even thought through the SYG law, just look where we are now!!

[Jenoch]

19. When these laws are debated before they are enacted

I don't think every single scenario that might get caught up in the law can be dreamed up. I also think the application of the laws can get really complicated and a lot of misunderstandings occur.

[SummerSnow]

4. May not get 2nd degree murder ..may get manslaughter....5 years

[ChiciB1]

9. Here... Google The 10-20-Life Law And

make your own assumptions. I found this last week & so far it seems that this very well could apply. But, when you google there are statutes & their numbers, think 775.087 is one, but not sure of the number. I've looked at versions that are listed and because I'm no legal expert didn't read all of them. Got tired of reading & reading. The following is the post.

Slippery Slope's Post Here:
This post is to explain some details of Florida sentencing laws, specifically the "10-20-Life" law, and how they relate to the Zimmerman trial.

Some people have expressed surprise that this case wasn't plea bargained down to a lesser offense (such as manslaughter), and others have expressed dismay that the prosecution might not be able to convict on second degree murder charges. Understanding the sentencing laws in this case could help provide clarity on these issues.

Slightly simplified; the Florida "10-20-Life" law requires that anybody convicted of a crime that involved shooting another person is going to face a prison sentence of 25 years to life. This sentence is automatic and there is no judicial discretion.

First point: Consider what this means with regards to a plea bargain. GZ was charged with second degree murder. The penalty for this crime is 25 years to life. If GZ had accepted a plea bargain down to manslaughter, he would still be facing 25 years to life. If GZ had accepted a plea bargain down to aggravated battery, he would still be facing 25 years to life. Any "reasonable" plea that could have been offered to GZ would have effectively had the same penalty so there is little incentive in this case to offer or accept a plea.

Second point: What verdict would be a "win" for the prosecution in this case? Although GZ has been charged only with second degree murder, the jury can choose to find him innocent on that charge but guilty on a lesser charge. Under Florida law, there are four possible charges in this case that the jury could convict GZ of:

* Second degree murder
* Manslaughter
* Aggravated Battery
* Battery

Being convicted of any of the first three charges will trigger the "10-20-Life" law. Being convicted of simple battery would not, however aggravated battery under Florida law means "battery with a deadly weapon". Since GZ clearly did use a deadly weapon, it is nearly inconceivable that a jury could find him guilty of simple battery.

Since any of the first three charges trigger the "10-20-Life" law, effectively any one of them is as good as the other for the prosecution. GZ will be facing 25 years to life if convicted of any.

Basically then, there are three outcomes that are a victory for the prosecution and only one that is a victory for GZ.

[CatWoman]

5. let's not get ahead of ourselves

[kentuck]

6. 2-5 years.

Involuntary manslaughter

[Jenoch]

12. I have not read anywhere

that says that charge and sentence is part of Florida law.

[reflection]

7. I'd take that bet in a heartbeat.

Easy money. No way in hell he gets 35 to 40 years.

I'll be happy if they just get him on manslaughter, although I'd prefer the 2DM conviction. But if he walks I will feel as if justice took a day off.

[Callmecrazy]

8. I thought manslaughter was off the table?

It's Murder or freedom. The defense didn't want manslaughter, only murder. Probably because the jury might be more willing to find for the lesser charge but not 2DM.
I'm sitting here at my folks house in North Port, Fl watching the trial on HLN and the defense is driving me nuts with the idiotic questions he was asking the boys mother. What a dick.
In my opinion, if a guy starts some shit with someone who is walking down the street and gets his ass kicked, shooting the guy is not self defense, it's murder.

[dkf]

28. No...it's a lesser included.

They would still have to prove beyond a reasonable doubt it was not self defense. That's if the jury is instructed by the judge that Zimmerman has met the threshold for self defense.

[cthulu2016]

13. Absent any compelling evidence of a crime, it's looking like an acquittal

That does not mean Zimmerman is not guilty of something in the abstract. It means that there is no evidence, or if there is evidence it is not being presented to the jury.

Since I wasn't there I am stuck limiting my legal analysis to evidence presented and the system of American law. There has been no evidence sufficient for a unprejudiced jury to find guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

That is how one analyzes a trial. The evidence presented in the context of the law.

[unblock]

29. this is the key question, which seems missed in much of du discussion

many, many threads about what amounts to did violate the law or not

very, very few thread about can any such violation be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.




personally, it seems to me that the preponderance of evidence is that he is guilty; but of course that is the standard for a civil trial, and this is a criminal trial.

it also seems clear to me that zimmerman brought an unreasonable person's fear into the situation, but that doesn't prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that a reasonable person would have acted differently.

on the other hand it's hardly an open-and-shut case because there's plenty of blanks to fill in regarding exactly what transpired.

i don't envy the jury's job here. it's actually a tough call.

[Honeycombe8]

17. If I had to guess...15 yrs. Just a guess. For manslaughter. But juries can't be second guessed.nt

[rollin74]

18. zero years. I don't think he will be found guilty

[avebury]

20. If they convict on Negligent Homicide - 25 years. nt

I am not confident of the outcome because we live in such a gun culture society.

[Honeycombe8]

21. The choices are 2nd degree murder and manslaughter, I thought. ? Not negl. homicide. nt

[avebury]

23. You are correct, I got it wrong.

I would settle for manslaughter if it would give us a conviction.

[Honeycombe8]

24. I said 15 yrs, for manslaughter. I think they'll find he was criminally responsible, but "depraved

with no regard for human life" is a pretty high bar that I don't see the evidence leaning that way (that's 2nd degree murder).

But a jury can do anything. They see all the evidence and have a unique view of it, and have the benefit of discussions with the other jurors who disagree.

[1-Old-Man]

22. I'd bet one way or another you'll see him on the street 5 years from now.

[raccoon]

25. Not long enough, IMO. nt

[Brother Buzz]

26. Two words

"I'm innocent", the same two words most every prisoner says.

[DFW]

27. I give him at least a 50-50 chance of walking scot free

I'll bet the jury finds no agreement on that charge he's guilty of, and they either give up or declare a mistrial.

I'd love him to be convicted of SOME kind of mayhem, because from all reports I've read, he was an armed hothead who was out for blood sooner or later, and a menace to his community. He sure as hell turned out to be a menace to Trayvon Martin.

But I see stumbling blocks in getting a conviction of one specific offense, and his defense will be trying to exploit just that. No one doubts he shot Martin, so they have to belittle any evil intent in the deed. There sure seemed to be plenty of that, but there has to be that beyond a reasonable doubt. If that gets sown, and cannot be overcome by the prosecution, then Zimmerman walks until he shoots his next victim (or until he tries to pull his gun on the wrong person, and then himself becomes the next statistic). I'm not optimistic.

[olddots]

30. I think he'll walk

his defense team will become heroes for the anti progress turd maggots of the world and it will be a very long and hot summer .

[Bake]

31. And how many here will scream bloody murder when he is acquitted?

The jury blew it, the prosecution blew it, etc.

He's getting a fair trial. Better for 100 guilty persons to go free than for an innocent person to be convicted, or so we claim to believe.

We shall see.

Bake

[NaturalHigh]

32. You can bet there will be plenty of those.

[rollin74]

33. kick

[OmahaBlueDog]

34. This jury will hang

He may plea deal the 2nd trial.

[bike man]

35. No sentence. Acquittal. Reasonable doubt. nt

[uppityperson]

37. +1, I agree, wish for retribution.

[ripcord]

38. I think he is guilty of manslaughter

Unfortunately I don't think the prosecution will get a conviction.