By State Representative Leon D. Young
Leon D. Young
If you are like most Americans, you are probably either talking or have an opinion about the George Zimmerman trial. And, based on the actual presentation of facts, evidence and applicable law in this case, the jury’s verdict came as no surprise to me.
Now having said that I truly believe that George Zimmerman should be held culpable for his overzealous actions. This would seem to suggest some ambiguity on my part, and on a certain level it does.
In retrospect, the prosecution’s most persuasive day was ironically the opening day of the trial.
John Guy, an assistant state attorney, delivered the opening statement for the state; and he hit a home run!
The defense’s initial statement to the jury was given by Don West, who was absolutely awful and completely clueless in attempting to tell a “knockknock” joke to the six, women jurors.
In my view, the prosecution team made a plethora of mistakes in trying this case.
This, in turn, has raised a sundry of daunting questions regarding the prosecution’s legal strategy.
Here are but a few:
• Did the state overplay its hand in requesting a second-degree murder charge?
• Why didn’t the state attorney, Angela Corey, prosecute the case rather than one of her subordinates (Bernie de la Rionda)?
• Why didn’t the state do a better job of preparing its witnesses – Rachel Jeantel (Trayvon’s friend and last person to speak to him) and Shiping Bao (the prosecution’s medical examiner), in particular?
• Why did the state refrain from impeaching the lead investigator, Chris Serino, when he testified that he “believed Zimmerman” and didn’t see any inconsistencies in his story?
• Why weren’t there any African-Americans impaneled on this jury?
• Why did the state decide to introduce the recorded statements of Zimmerman’s story into evidence, thus diminishing the likelihood that he would take the stand in his own defense?
• And lastly, why wasn’t Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon’s mother and the state’s most effective witness, the last person to be called to the stand by the prosecution?
As I intimated earlier, the jury’s final determination in the George Zimmerman case didn’t surprise me. However, I would be the first to admit that I was gravely disappointed and angry with the prosecution’s feeble attempt in this case.
To borrow a Shakespearean metaphor, there’s “something rotten in Denmark.” In this instance, stand your ground laws and a two tier criminal justice system are repugnant banes on this nation.