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Thursday, April 12, 2012

George Zimmerman Arrested, Charged

     In a way you feel like saying it's about time. As Laurence O'Donnell pointed out tonight-he has done a tremendous job on this; I can't say he "missed his calling" as he is a darn good journalist but he could have had a second calling as a prosecutor-it really hasn't been too long at all since Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey took the case three weeks ago.

    It of course has been long in the sense that Zimmerman should have been arrested the first night. But there is no question that Ms. Corey has done a very good and professional job. In any case justice has finally come for Trayvon Martin. I mean true many of us-certainly I myself-believe that Zimmerman is guilty-but all anyone has a right to ask for is a trial.

   We have that now and that's a very good thing. I do see as NY Times reporter Charles Ball on Laurence said tonight that this is kind of a proud day for our legal system, of the system working.

   To be sure this is still a tragic situation. A young man was taken from us all just starting the prime of his life. His family has been deprived of him and can never have him back. None of us will ever get to know him now. Still this is important. Certainly the family of Trayvon Martin feels a little better now.

   Evidently, Ms. Corey had a good idea she was going to prosecute last week. You have to feel good with the way she has handled the case. Asked what she and her team will do if Zimmerman's defense team tries to get the case thrown out-in Florida that opportunity exists, unfortunately-she answered simply that "we'll fight it."

   Still I do feel some pride as an American. Again there is a lot to do. As Mayor Bloomberg was saying today, Stand Your Ground is a real disaster. It's a license to vigilante justice. As the law always provides you with the right to claim self defense, it is at best legally redundant.

    But as one guest said tonight-he's been one of the major activists leading the charge for justice for Trayvon-America is not perfect but it strives for perfection. That's about as well said as I've heard it explained.

     First of all there was as Ball said-a feeling among Americans that there were "weeds in the garden." Many Americans felt this way and many showed their solidarity with Trayvon. These supporters were not just those who looked like him-not only blacks, but also whites, brown, yellows, or whatever.

    While there is some concern over a politically motivated prosecution-Corey was a little defensive about the idea that she was pushed into this by the public reaction I think this is misplaced. First of all yes she is an officer of the law and must observe the rule of law, it is a testament to our system that there is responsiveness to the people. That's as it should be. Obviously not every case across  this country county and city that is tried every day can be up for public referendum, but now and again there are cases that challenge us and can threaten our belief in the justice system. At these times it's to the credit of our system that we are a democracy and public concern is responded to.

    That doesn't mean that this case will be tried via public opinion. Yet I do think that Chris Mathews was sort of off tonight in asking whether the media can basically cool it now and allow Zimmerman to get his trial.

    Yes, Zimmerman deserves a fair trial. But this is the media. People can express opinions. There's nothing that says that nobody can have an opinion about what goes on in a high profile case. If Laurence or Ed Schultz think Zimmerman's guilty there's no problem. They are not on the jury. Mathews shouldn't make it sound like he's trying censor or prescribe what others may say or not say on their shows. People have opinions. This idea that you must have no opinion is a canard that has become kind of the defining ideology on CNN in particular. Mathews is on MSNBC so how does he not get the difference?

 

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