[thebigmole]

I think people calling this murder don't really understand the legal terms

1st degree murder is premeditated. The person planned the killing and intended to kill the person.

2nd degree murder is an intentional killing but with no premeditation. This is what the prosecution was trying to prove. That while Zimmerman had not gone out that night planning to kill Trayvon Martin, upon seeing him and deciding he looked suspicious he decided to follow and kill him. (See how ridiculous that sounds when you know the evidence of the case)

Then you have Involuntary Manslaughter, where you find yourself in a highly emotional situation and you perform an action that results in someone's death but you did not intend that result. Such as arguing with someone and pushing them and they fall and hit their head and die.

Finally there's Voluntary Manslaughter (the other option for the jury) It's a crime of passion, where you find yourself in a highly emotional situation and in that moment take action with the intent to kill. Such as having the crap beat out of you and getting pissed and shooting the person attacking you. In other words something that would have been easier to prove if the prosecution had actually bothered to bring the proper charge.

In short what happened, as we know from the evidence, wasn't murder. At the most it was manslaughter.

Also here's another fun tidbit, the prosecution tried to get the jury to consider a 3rd degree murder charge, which is pretty much the same as murder 2 just with child abuse thrown in. Luckily the judge saw that suggestion for the travesty that it was and said so and did not allow it.