This report is aimed at examining the case of George Zimmerman which attracted the attention of many journalists, lawyers, and politicians. In particular, it is important to examine various aspects of this criminal investigation that eventually prompted the verdict of jurors. Much attention should be also paid to the way in which the evidence was examined. Moreover, one should focus on the arguments presented by defense attorneys and prosecutors.
These are the main questions that should be discussed. Overall, it is possible to say that this particular case illustrates the importance of forensic analysis because the absence of conclusive evidence is one of the reasons why this case continues to be debated by many people who believe that the acquittal of Zimmerman can be explained primarily by racial prejudices.
At first, one should examine the events that preceded the trial and the criminal investigation. George Zimmerman was accused of murdering an unarmed teenager Trayvon Benjamin Martin. He was charged with the second-degree murder (Wieland, 2014, p. 24). It should be noted that at the beginning, the accused person was not arrested because his behavior was classified as self-defense by police officers. He was arrested and accused of murder only after numerous protests (Brown 2013).
Moreover, one should remember about the existence of stand-your-ground laws according to which a person is not obliged to avoid a violent confrontation or retreat in any way (Fair, 2014). Moreover, it is legally permissible to use weapons if an individual has reasons to believe that his/her life is threatened. Moreover, under such circumstances, prosecutors must prove beyond doubt that the accused exceeded his/her self-defense. Thus, the results of criminal investigations were vital for jurors who needed to evaluate the defendant’s conduct.
Overall, the main goal of investigators was to determine whether George Zimmerman had a right to use firearms against Trayvon Martin. For this purpose, the investigators examined different types of evidence such as fingerprints, traces, gunshot residue, and DNA. However, these clues could not show whether the defendant had a right to use firearms. More attention was paid to audio recordings that could throw light on the conflict between Zimmerman and Martin. One should bear in mind that there were several 911 calls which were made during this confrontation because neighbors could hear loud voices.
In particular, some of the witnesses stated that they could hear cries for help (Roberts, 2012, p. 89). Both prosecutors and defense attorneys focus on the recordings of emergency calls because they could capture the voices of Zimmerman and the teenager. The main problem is that technical experts were not able to make a definitive statement about the background voices because the quality of recordings was rather poor. Additionally, the number of sounds was not sufficient for passing a judgment. This is why this evidence was not considered reliable. These are the main aspects that should be taken into account. One should keep in mind that there were no direct witnesses of this event, thus, recordings could play a critical role in the investigation (Roberts, 2012).
It should be mentioned that researchers examined other types of evidence; in particular, they focused on the injuries sustained by the defendant, and the traces of gun powder. This information was necessary because the investigators wanted to estimate the distance between Zimmerman and Martin. Moreover, there were evidence of fight between the defendant and the victim. The wounds on Zimmerman’s face were viewed as the circumstantial evidence in support of the defendant (Brown 2013). To some degree, this information could also shape the verdict of jurors.
At the end, the jury came to the conclusion that Zimmerman did not exceed his right to self-defense. Therefore, he was acquitted of charges. One should also mention that the existence of stand-your-ground laws lifts the burden of proof from the defendant. In other words, this individual does not have to show that he/she had sufficient reasons to use firearms. In this case, it is the duty of the prosecutor to demonstrate that the defendant was not justified in using weapons.
This is one of the points that the defense attorney stressed. In turn, this evidence was not provided by prosecutors who only argued that Zimmerman misjudged Martin’s behavior and emphasized the age of the victim. So, lack of direct evidence is one of the reasons for Zimmerman’s acquittal. The main problem is that this case gave rise to indignation of many people who believed that the court did not do justice to the victim. This reaction was the main consequence of the trial.
On the whole, this discussion indicates that this criminal investigation involved the study of different types of evidence. Much attention should be paid to the validity and quality of audio evidence which was presented to the court since it could provide guidance to the jurors. The main issue is that that the absence of definitive evidence gave rise to numerous debates about the decision of the court. These are main details that can be distinguished.
Reference List
Brown, O. (2013). The legal murder of trayvon martin and new york city stop-and-frisk law: America’s war against black males rages on. Western Journal of Black Studies, 37(4), 258-271.
Fair, M. (2014). Dare defend: standing for stand your ground. Law & Psychology Review, 12(20), 153-176.
Roberts, J. (2012). Deadly force and the right of self-defense: stand your ground laws. Forensic Examiner, 22(1), 89-92.
Wieland, J. (2014). A Jury of One’s Peers: What it is; How it is Changing; and Why it is Important. Advocate, 57(5), 24-29.