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Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

It sucks that this case got so much publicity way before trial. Certainly didn't help that myself and likely a good amount other people found out about it when Wade and LeBron brought awareness to it after Gabrielle Union told Wade about it in spite of only very basic facts being known.

I mean its so hard to sort through who has an agenda and what the cold hard facts are. At the very least though I've believed for a while now that Zimmerman should be convicted of manslaughter. Mainly because we know that he was told not to pursue Martin and he did anyway leading to the situation we have now.

Anything beyond that is tricky. Yes Zimmerman was punched but he wasn't punched as nearly as many times as he said and his head certainly wasn't slammed repeatedly into concrete. It's possible that Martin initiated the first exchange of words and may have even backtracked to hit Zimmerman.

It also doesn't help that both have less then stellar character references. Zimmerman has the 2005 arrest and an accusation of domestic violence. Martin suspended for a pot residue bag at school and rumors of him punching a bus driver.

Regardless it's a huge mess. Hopefully whatever the verdict we don't end up with another riot.

How do we know that?