They both have declined to press charges against George Zimmerman. We have no victim, no crime.”

[warrior1]

http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/09/09/2592521/report-george-zimmerman-taken-custody-altercation-involving-gun/

[Pretzel_Warrior]

1. WTF? Wow. this is going to end in a hail of gunfire somewhere

[warrior1]

2. if he still has his gun

yes, someone could be killed.

[atreides1]

3. No charges!

Means no reason to take away his gun!


Unless the state of Florida charges him...but what are the chances of that happening?

[warrior1]

4. exactly

[NYC_SKP]

5. Where I live I don't think you need for the victim to press charges.

In California and most other states, there is no such thing as having a victim "press charges". The alleged "victim" has no power over the prosecution of these cases.

The prosecution of these cases is performed by the District Attorney's Office, whether or not the victim wishes the matter to be prosecuted.

In Florida, I'm not so sure.

[unblock]

6. i think it's more a matter of if the case relies on the victim's testimony

in this case it sounds like there's may be no physical evidence, only the victim's word. if the victim isn't interested in testifying, the da has no case.

if the da can make the case without the victim's testimony, then i think in most cases the victim doesn't have much say in the matter.

[NYC_SKP]

7. I think you're right. But he has a pattern so it's just a matter of time.

He will recommit and hopefully his next victim, if they live, will press charges.

[alsame]

15. Eventually he'll pull his gun on

someone who also has a gun.

[Yo_Mama]

35. Yeah, that's how it works

If all the witnesses deny a threat, then what evidence does the DA have to work with? If there were injuries to someone, or a gunshot, or a visit to a hospital, or any physical evidence, then the DA can make the case and is supposed to do so. But if they've got nothing....

[PearliePoo2]

10. I listened to the 911 tape.

The dispatcher asks if her father needs medical attention. Shellie says yes, because he was punched in the nose, she thinks his nose might be broken, his glasses are on the floor and she thinks her dad is going to have a heart attack. Dispatch says EMTs are close but can not come in until Zimmerman is secured. Shellie says he ripped the iPad from her hand and cut it with his knife and then threw it on the floor. He tells her, "come closer".
Dispatch asks if she needs med. attention for her hand. She says she doesn't think so. She is crying most of the call.
What the fuck? This is assault. The DA should take over and press charges no matter what Shellie and her dad say. But...who knows in Florida?

[NYC_SKP]

13. I agree. With his priors, I think there's enough to bring a case.

Let's see what they do, we haven't heard from the DA yet, AFAIK.

[gopiscrap]

16. No kidding if it wasn't in this fucked county in this twisted

Last edited Mon Sep 9, 2013, 07:21 PM - Edit history (1)

state and this pariah coddled by the NRA then he would have been put in cuffs and hauled off to jail.

[nolabear]

26. I'd think so too. But FL law may be different. One way or another I'd get a restraining order.

That man is a walking time bomb.

[gopiscrap]

14. Yeah but Florida is not going to touch this shit stain!

[Xipe Totec]

8. Sounds like she wants alimony payments

Which she can't get if he's in jail.

So there is no interest in putting him away.

[TBF]

17. And it's not very smart on her part.

It's not like he's going to leave her alone if she doesn't press charges. And there's no telling when he will snap again and start shooting.

If I were her I'd be pressing charges and using that to obtain the restraining order if nothing else.

[ecstatic]

38. +1. This is nothing to play around with. Domestic violence? Check. Gun access? Check

The next incident could very well turn deadly. A restraining order is meaningless at this point. She needs to move to a place Z won't have access to.

[gopiscrap]

18. that's a cynical way of looking at it

but I would be surprised if that were the case.

[Xipe Totec]

32. I can understand your POV and accept it as valid

without necessarily agreeing with it.

Peace!

[gopiscrap]

41. Peace

[global1]

9. Oh Come On Now - He Was Standing His Ground Again.......nt (sarcasm)

[kalisto2010]

11. Fucking Punk!

Always gets away.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

19. good one

[gopiscrap]

12. Jesus fuck me Christ,

the State of Florida can't admit that they screwed his case up? So now this guy gets to pull his crazy stuff with impunity? Sadly, I fear, some else is going to get killed by this fucking clown.

[Bucky]

22. (not his actual middle name)

I believe in Florida our L&S is properly referred to as "Jesus Stand-Your-Ground Christ"

[gopiscrap]

29. ha ha you made me choke on my food i had to start laughing

[Brigid]

34. Never read DU while eating or drinking.

[gopiscrap]

40. Yeah I know

btw GO CUBS!!!! when I was 14 years old and just arriving from Germany I loved baseball. My mom and I settled in Tacoma and the Tacoma Cubs were the AAA farm team for Chicago. I got a job cleaning the press box and seating the scouts that came to see the players perform. The very first paycheck I ever received $39.82 was from the Cubs organization.

[HappyMe]

20. I guess someone will pay with their life - again-

before this fuck gets jail time.

[Ohio Joe]

21. "I don’t know what he’s capable of"... I believe it is called murder - nt

[Bucky]

24. thank you

[rrneck]

23. Fucking up by the numbers. ntt

[warrior1]

25. I read a BuzzFeed that they did take his gun

[MoonRiver]

27. I also heard that on HLN.

They should also grab that knife he used to cut up Shellie's iPad.

[kestrel91316]

30. Big whoopie. I'm pretty sure he has a whole arsenal.

Shelly and her dad are making a big mistake not making a sworn statement out against him right fucking now so he is arrested and ALL guns turned over.

He is now going to kill her. And the rest of her family.

[MoonRiver]

36. I wonder how bright somebody could be who would marry that punk.

And, of course, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

[vankuria]

39. In the event his firearms are confiscated

the NRA will surely supply him with more, probably even more powerful firearms as well as finance any legal representation he requires, he's their hero.

[LittleBlue]

28. That's the way it goes in family disputes

Often family are reluctant to press charges against other family members.

This guy does need some help, though.

[Ian David]

31. From the article...

...
This does not appear to be an accurate statement of Florida law, however. As a Florida appeals court held “the decision to prosecute does not lie with the victim of a crime” but with the state attorney who must determine whether to pursue the case.
...
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2013/09/09/2592521/report-george-zimmerman-taken-custody-altercation-involving-gun/

I bet Florida gives him a ticker-tape parade before they decide to prosecute him.

And that he shoots someone at the parade.

[warrior1]

33. Good

[ileus]

37. WTFF?