George Zimmerman may still be on trial for killing Trayvon Martin, but his fate may already be sealed.
Yesterday, defense attorneys launched their case for Zimmerman, who was convicted of murdering the 17-year-old Martin for thinking he didn’t “belong” in the upscale neighborhood he was walking in. But a number of anonymous citizens are using Twitter and other social networking sites to express that if Zimmerman is not convicted of murder, the court of public opinion is prepared to take over and administer their own brand of “street justice” to close the case.
Zimmerman’s lawyers are taking very seriously a huge number of threats aimed at their client, which claim that if Zimmerman is allowed to walk out of the courtroom as a free man, his freedom — and his life — will be short lived. The tweets don’t mince words and make it clear with bold statements such as “Ima kill me a cracka” and “I swear I will kill Zimmerman my damn self,” among other threats.
Zimmerman has been in hiding since he shot and killed Trayvon Martin. In the interest of his own safety, he has been unable to work, unable to walk down the street, and has even put on a few hundred extra pounds from being a virtual hermit. But whatever verdict the jury decides, his life as he once knew it is over.
George Zimmerman will either spend the rest of his life in jail, attempt to disappear into oblivion as a “free man,” or find himself on the wrong side of a rifle. Unfortunately for him, there are no other alternatives.
Not into vigilante justice. And the person(s) posting/tweeting that stuff could indeed find himself/herself arrested, charged, convicted and sitting in a jail-cell.
That said. I don't think there's any question that regardless of the outcome of this trial, Zimmerman's life as he knew it is over.