The Zimmerman Trial: A Circus of Legal Antics

By Jacob Coate on July 12, 2013

For the past week, the nation’s attention has been transfixed on the Zimmerman trial. Perhaps it’s the elegance of an oral argument or a thirst for seeing truth being uncovered first hand, but whatever the reasons, Americans are fascinated by trials. However, the Zimmerman trial has had neither of these things. The trial has been far from elegant with stumbles and blunders on both sides, and anyone looking for truth in this legal circus has been sadly disappointed.

The prosecution in particular has stumbled blindly through this case, calling witness after witness who have done everything but prove their case. In fact, I can think of few things more damaging to the prosecution’s case than the prosecution themselves. Their case would have been better off if they had rested after opening statements.  Although typical of many prosecutors, ­­­­­­­­­­­this one has vastly over-charged (a term for when a lawyer brings a charge that is somewhat of a reach, given the evidence available). Murder in the second degree requires the state to prove what they cannot–that Zimmerman acted with a “depraved mind with no regard for human life.” Should Zimmerman have followed Martin? Of course not.  But was this the result of a “depraved mind with no regard for human life?” Zimmerman’s not a sadist; he’s an overzealous watchdog. He’s the neighborhood version of “Paul Blart: Mall Cop” (that gem of an analogy is actually from my mother). Despite a strong start, the prosecution has not only failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but they’ve also failed to prove even probable guilt to a reasonable mind.

The defense, on the other hand, began the trial with a knock-knock joke. A knock-knock joke? A boy is dead, your client killed him, and you’re telling knock-knock jokes? And it wasn’t even a good one. Despite this painfully awkward moment which will forever live in trial infamy, the defense has since done an adequate job of protecting Zimmerman. They’ve called competent and believable witnesses to the stand and done an excellent job of turning the prosecution’s case (what little of it there was) in on itself. But while it might convince the jury of his innocence, the court of public opinion has already convicted Mr. Zimmerman, and it’s unlikely he’ll be any safer as a free man than he would be in prison.

Meanwhile, the judge has shown some of the worst bias and courtroom decorum ever recorded. Her rulings have been infallibly in favor of the prosecution, and the disdain in her voice when she speaks to the defense makes everyone in the room uncomfortable. Yet this all pales in comparison to Tuesday’s antics. She did all but force Zimmerman to take the stand against his will, ignoring his counsel’s objections and questioning an obviously nervous Zimmerman in an entirely inappropriate display of judicial bias. And finally, at 10pm, as an exhausted defense pleaded with her to give them more time to prepare witnesses (a reasonable request given that they’d been stuck in trial for nearly thirteen hours that day alone), she walked out. With the attorney’s still talking to her, she just walked out. A boy is dead, another man’s life hangs in the balance, and no one is closer to knowing what really happened. After the Casey Anthony trial, the American people are desperate to see a glimmering moment of judicial fairness and justice from Florida. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like they’re going to get it any time soon. 

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