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]]>St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist Bill McClellan recently wrote a piece about how a cross engraved on the pitcher’s mound at Busch Stadium “gave him an uneasy feeling.” He didn’t say it was wrong; it just didn’t feel right to him.
I imagine that there are a lot of people who have similar feelings about the George Zimmerman verdict. The not guilty verdict may have been legally correct, but something felt wrong about letting Zimmerman walk free (although in all likelihood he will face civil charges). Zimmerman was the instigator of the conflict by choosing to chase Trayvon Martin who was walking home from the store where he bought some Skittles and an iced tea. While it is likely that once the verbal and physical conflict began Trayvon Martin gained the upper hand, this never would have happened had Zimmerman not decided to engage Martin for reasons that are still difficult to fathom. If this had been a playground scuffle and no lethal weapon had been involved, it’s quite possible that a teacher would have sent both George and Trayvon to the principal’s office. Both parties were guilty to one extent or the other and in all likelihood both of them would have been suspended.
In the trial, where was the “suspension” or some other consequence for Zimmerman? Clearly Martin paid the ultimate price, losing his life. How could Zimmerman walk? Basically because in many ways the American judicial system does not work.
Here are three short reason why our legal system is not deserving of being held in the highest regard.
Before the Zimmerman trial began, it should have been obvious that Zimmerman was guilty of wrong-doing and Martin possibly was as well. Maybe Zimmerman did not commit pre-meditated murder, but his poor judgment had serious consequences for another member of our society. We need a system that does not simply let him walk.
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