Quote:Wrong.

 

It is also part of the pre-trial process. Just as taking an innocent by reason of insanity plea, using a stand your ground defense fundamentally changes parts of a trial.

 

Again, 3 words of jury instruction do not make a law. The case was not stand your ground. Don't take my word for it. Ask any judge or attorney.

 

You win your argument with DF on a technical point. No, it was not a Stand Your Ground case. However, Zimmerman was charged with committing a homicide. To not be guilty, the homicide must either be excusable or justifable. One way it could have been justifiable would have been if it was self defense. In explaining what entailed self defense, the judge included a description of what "stand your ground" means.

 

The just was charged with determining if Zimmerman was guilty or not guilty of murder. To do that, once they established that he had shot Trayvon Martin, they had to determine if they shooting was justified. To do that, they must determine if he acted in self defense. "Stand your ground" is a phrase used to refer to part of the Florida law definition of self defense.

 

So, yes, you are correct in that it was not a Stand Your Ground case, but you are also wrong that it was not included in the jury instructions. There is an entire paragraph, not three words, explaining what it means and how it applied to their deliberations.

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