CNN: Zimmerman Jury asks the judge a clarification question about "Manslaughter"

[stevenleser]

Interesting



This is where I thought they would end up. Doesnt mean they will but it's a clue into what they are thinking.

[polichick]

1. Lisa Bloom says this is bad for the defense...

But who knows.

[arthritisR_US]

2. Lisa is spot on. Sounds like they have settled on

guilt but just not the degree.

[FarPoint]

6. That is indeed my feel on the situation.

Guilty for sure...what degree?...stay tuned folks as I believe the verdict to be announced tonight. I'm not going anywhere. Yea, it's a roll of the dice but I'm hooked.

[arthritisR_US]

10. You and me both! I personally feel he is guilty

of murder 2 but will take manslaughter over him skipping gleefully out of the court house free.

[FarPoint]

12. This will not be over for Georgie....

Life for him will be torture.... If you ever watched "HBO's Game of Thrones"....think of Theon Greyjoy's experience.

Or, you may of read the books...but this torture of the character Theon is merciless.

[arthritisR_US]

15. Ouch!!

Wax poetic

[chelsea0011]

7. It could be just the opposite. It could be a juror is holding out for murder

and other jurors who are sure of not guilty have asked for charges to show why the holdout is wrong.

[lawwolf]

3. sort of.

If they are asking questions about the lesser charge it means they probably have already decided not guilty on murder 2

[Jackpine Radical]

5. They may be deciding between the 2.

And, all things considered, manslaughter is probly the best you're going to get here.

[lawwolf]

9. maybe

But as a prosecutor I always hate it when a jury asked questions. It was my job to explain the charge and why the defendant's actions meet all the elements. If I didn't do a good enough job explaining the charge I feel I have little chance of having succeeded in convincing them he is guilty if it.

[FarPoint]

11. I will be okay with that now

since we know he will appeal....suffer sitting in jail hopefully if not out on bail.

The next trial...he will have to take the stand to try and make his case. I dream of a real cross examination of this pumpkinhead...

Regardless...it won't be over for Georgie....Life can serve up a slow burn if you don't get honest.

[Quixote1818]

4. Uh oh! Taffee might not be dancing on Trayvon's grave after all.

But I don't want to get my hopes up.

[VanillaRhapsody]

8. When I was a juror on a murder trial (albeit in another state)

We asked the judge that question. We were told that Manslaughter would require that the victim "provoked" their own death. That they had "some" responsibility. I disagreed but after realizing the person wouldn't be retried if it went to hung jury....settled for Manslaughter because I felt he deserved some punishment for this act....Judge agreed and gave the maximum penalty of 15 yrs.

One other thing to add...Manslaughter also means automatic appeal.

[bettyellen]

14. the other automatic thing is an enhanced sentence for a minor. 10 extra years in jail, I believe...

[onenote]

13. Lots that we don't know.

Could be that the jury has ruled out second degree and is now looking at manslaughter, but hasn't reached any conclusion either way.

Presumably they haven't accepted his self defense claim (since if they had, they wouldn't need to ask about manslaughter), but its also possible that they haven't considered it yet.

[NoGOPZone]

16. I guess they didn't get the memo

about what a trainwreck the prosecution was.

[ceonupe]

17. Maybe they did and

There hearts are having them search for any way to not let GZ walk.

Maybe they have found that by law he should be acquired but want to punish him in some way for the loss of travon. Maybe they are looking for something to allow them to go with manslaughter. Maybe there is one who is aginst total acquittal and others are just hearing them out and asking for clarification

[SoutherDem]

18. I am not sure it means anything

Already discounted murder 2?

Already discounted not guilty?

Split jury between not guilty and manslaughter?

Split jury between murder 2 and manslaughter?

Split jury between murder 2 and not guilty, working for compromise?

Basically, who knows?

We will just have to wait.