Trayvon Martin is still dead

Trayvon Martin is still dead.  That's about the only thing I'm sure about relative to the George Zimmerman trial.  There is one other thing that seems to be certain in all of this media mess:  George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin.  It all degrades from there, and what you believe may in fact depend on what you choose to hear.

If you watch the NBC affiliated news organizations, you're almost left with the following mental headline:

"Choir Boy and future nuclear scientist Trayvon Martin was assassinated by racist vigilante thug George Zimmerman just for being black."

Now if you watch Fox News or read the Drudge Report you are almost left with the following mental headline:

"Pot-crazed Trayvon Martin attacks innocent community volunteer George Zimmerman; Zimmerman courageously defends himself and barely escapes with his life."

As for me, I would feel far too soiled to spend any length of time watching or reading any of the coverage.  As it stands I'm on the break of tossing my cookies just typing this posting.

All I know for certain is the following:

1. Trayvon Martin was 17 years old.
2. Trayvon Martin is dead.
3. George Zimmerman did in fact kill him.

Call me crazy, but unless someone is in the process of invading your home, car-jacking you, or coming right at you with a weapon...and you feel that your very existence is threatened...then killing another human being is wrong.  Period.  Does that make me more sympathetic to the prosecution in this case?  Maybe, but it certainly doesn't stop the nausea I feel whenever I encounter the media coverage of the case.  All I know is that Trayvon Martin is dead.

Speaking of the case and contrary to what was presented in court, we will never know what was really in George Zimmerman's head that fateful day.  Even if he told us...or if he as told us...I don't know that I'd believe him.  Wanting to avoid jail time seems to be something of a mitigating factor in anything any defendant would say about any case such as this.

Trayvon Martin, on the other hand, doesn't get a chance to explain his side of the story.  I refer to the whole "being dead" thing.

The bottom line for me is this:  just generally being "threatening", if you care to believe the defense line of reasoning, shouldn't be a death sentence for anyone.  This includes Trayvon Martin.  Not even in Texas (let alone Florida).  Now I don't believe that the death of this 17 year old was a planned, pre-meditated act; I do believe that Trayvon Martin is dead though, and in the end George Zimmerman has to pay some price for what he did.  What should be penalty be?  That's above my pay grade to decide.