Justice

The Travon Martin-George Zimmerman case is about to go to the jury, and now that additional counts have been allowed, I have no idea how it will turn out.  I didn't think the prosecution, from what I read, had proven a case of second degree murder.  But I thought from the outset that a case for involuntary manslaughter could be made, and now manslaughter is a charge the jury can consider. 

But what's interested me is the calls from Martin's parents for justice for Trayvon.  Technically, he's getting it.  Justice is his day in court.  The state of Florida is prosecuting Zimmerman -- that white of Hispanic descent as he's known in the MSM -- for murder and manslaughter.  Zimmerman is asserting self-defense.  Rather than have a lynch mob take Zimmerman out, a legally constituted court is listening to evidence and will render a verdict hopefully based on nothing but the evidence.  That is justice.  The verdict, whatever it is, is the end result of justice.  But the verdict is not justice in and of itself.

Dire predictions are being floated that in the event of an acquittal, there will be rioting on a scale rivaling that seen after the Rodney King incident, and I tend to agree.  There is a notable difference between the two cases.  Whereas in the King case there was video showing the cops savagely and unnecessarily brutalizing Mr. King, here there is no video, just a few sketchy audio tapes and Zimmerman's account of what happened.  Mr. Martin's perspective has gone to the grave with him.  Forensic evidence isn't dispositive, so the jury is going to have to decide as best it can what it thinks happened.  It may very well acquit Zimmerman.

If it does, does that mean that Mr. Martin didn't receive justice?  No, it doesn't.  It means that his parents didn't get the verdict they wanted, but justice was provided.  None of us will ever know what actually happened that sorry night, so we can't be sure that the jury gets it right no matter how it finds.  But justice has been provided.  The system has worked.

And if Mr. Martin's parents are disappointed by an acquittal, imagine how Mr. Zimmerman's life will be.  There will always be those who think he killed Mr. Martin in cold blood.  Some will say that the system saved him, others will find racism because, after all, Mr. Zimmerman is that white of Hispanic descent.  Mr. Zimmerman will be a pariah to many because he, as an adult, killed a teenager. 

But where are the Zimmerman supporters seeking justice for him?  There haven't been any calls for justice for Mr. Zimmerman that I've heard.  He, too, has had justice.  As I've already mentioned, there are no lynch mobs roaming about that could have served up their own brand of justice already.  He has invoked his right not to testify, much to the chagrin of many.  Mr. Zimmerman, also, has had justice.  He's had a speedy trial, he's had counsel and he's been able to put on his own case.  That is justice.

Verdicts do not equate to justice depending on what they are.  That they are rendered is justice.  That they are rendered fairly and legally is justice.  That they are guilty or innocent, liable or not liable, are simply elements of the justice system.  Those claiming to want justice for Trayvon don't mean that.  What they mean is that they want him to be found guilty and go to jail.  Cloaking their desire in less objectionable language to hide their bloodlust is transparently false.  They want Mr. Zimmerman to spend a long time in jail.  And that's understandable.  But it's not the same as justice.

It's a tragic story and no matter how the jury decides there will be more to come afterwards.  Almost certainly there will be an appeal.  But the reaction of society will be most telling.  How the supporters of whichever side loses this case reacts will be telling as to how far we've come in race relations in this country.

I only hope the MSM doesn't fan the flames of racial hatred any more than they already have simply to sensationalize a very sad incident.

(c) 2013 The Truxton Spangler Chronicles