Here is how the George Zimmerman case could go as badly as possible.
The prosecution has not presented anything that looks like a compelling case in its pre-trial documents. That continues as the trial begins with a weak case for conviction being made at trial. Courts are not good in general in bringing out the truth, being only places where it is tried to prove that someone did something beyond a reasonable doubt. As the trial goes on, divisions in public opinion get stronger and stronger.
The press, rather than accepting responsibility for its own malfeasance, plays less and less attention to the actual substance of the evidence presented and reports the divisions, thereby heightening them. And when the jury is unable to reach a verdict, the media report this.
In the immediate aftermath of the report, some violence breaks out in the streets of Florida's cities. This escalates sharply when it is reported that the jury split along racial lines. Then a black member of the jury accuses the white members of being motivated by racism.
All hell breaks loose. Cities are in flame.
But it's worse than that for now everyone is trying to seek clarity and truth but all anyone is succeeding in doing is yelling at one another. The case becomes a dividing line which people use to define themselves and it is used stir up anger and hatred for at least two decades.
I really, really hope not but it could happen. You'd like to think that a divisive case like this will produce clarity is pushed but they almost never do.
The prosecution has not presented anything that looks like a compelling case in its pre-trial documents. That continues as the trial begins with a weak case for conviction being made at trial. Courts are not good in general in bringing out the truth, being only places where it is tried to prove that someone did something beyond a reasonable doubt. As the trial goes on, divisions in public opinion get stronger and stronger.
The press, rather than accepting responsibility for its own malfeasance, plays less and less attention to the actual substance of the evidence presented and reports the divisions, thereby heightening them. And when the jury is unable to reach a verdict, the media report this.
In the immediate aftermath of the report, some violence breaks out in the streets of Florida's cities. This escalates sharply when it is reported that the jury split along racial lines. Then a black member of the jury accuses the white members of being motivated by racism.
All hell breaks loose. Cities are in flame.
But it's worse than that for now everyone is trying to seek clarity and truth but all anyone is succeeding in doing is yelling at one another. The case becomes a dividing line which people use to define themselves and it is used stir up anger and hatred for at least two decades.
I really, really hope not but it could happen. You'd like to think that a divisive case like this will produce clarity is pushed but they almost never do.
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