The Trayvon Martin incident

[CathyA]

Alan..........so is the manslaughter charge out too? I thought that changing your charge to a lesser charge, would be not allowed. If the prosecution would be allowed to do that, wouldn't the defense have to agree to allow that? I thought it had to stay what you initially wanted to charge.

[Yossarian]

skittles and iced tea.

I guess we all learn something during these trials, but as a parent this one was news to me:

http://www.topix.com/forum/state/tx/TG0F35U9S8LVLTJF5

or

http://thekansascitian.blogspot.com/2012/05/more-than-bag-of-skittles-trayvon.html

Or just google "purple drank" or "purple lean"

[CathyA]

Is this believable?
I actually heard awhile back that Martin had actually purchased Watermelon Arizona tea, and it was purported that it was changed to "iced tea", so that people wouldn't make watermelon jokes.........but I guess it was more than that.
What bothers me is that some of the various truths aren't allowed in the courtroom. What if Zimmerman is found guilty, then the jury is let out and then they learn about the purple drank? Would that have made them vote differently?
Sure wish we had a working Minority Report thing...........
Any of you guys pre-cogs looking for a job?

[redfox]

I guess we all learn something during these trials, but as a parent this one was news to me:

http://www.topix.com/forum/state/tx/TG0F35U9S8LVLTJF5

or

http://thekansascitian.blogspot.com/2012/05/more-than-bag-of-skittles-trayvon.html

Or just google "purple drank" or "purple lean"

If the suggestion is that Mr. Martin was high on this yucky stuff, as the Kansas blog posting suggests, it obviously didn't show up in a tox screen. Suggesting he was doing drugs is pretty stereotyped.

And, I agree with Alan that it was right for the judge to toss out the 3rd degree murder suggestion. That was goofy.

[CathyA]

I did read that on his autopsy that his liver was somehow affected......potentially from the purple lean drink.........but if he hadn't had the drink for awhile, it wouldn't show up in his blood.

Maybe I watch too many Law and Order shows......but I still don't understand how the prosecution can change the charge towards the end of a trial, without the defense agreeing to it.

[redfox]

I did read that on his autopsy that his liver was somehow affected......potentially from the purple lean drink.........but if he hadn't had the drink for awhile, it wouldn't show up in his blood.

Maybe I watch too many Law and Order shows......but I still don't understand how the prosecution can change the charge towards the end of a trial, without the defense agreeing to it.

I imagine that if this showed up on a tox report, that the defense would have been all over it. Just a surmise.

[CathyA]

I don't know if they even knew about Purple Drank.

[redfox]

Alan..........so is the manslaughter charge out too? I thought that changing your charge to a lesser charge, would be not allowed. If the prosecution would be allowed to do that, wouldn't the defense have to agree to allow that? I thought it had to stay what you initially wanted to charge.

From the New York Times:

"On Thursday, the judge, Debra S. Nelson, said the jury would also be able to consider manslaughter as a lesser charge. This charge is typically included in Florida murder cases if either side requests it. Manslaughter with a firearm carries a sentence of up to 30 years in prison."

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/12/us...charge.html?hp

By the way, "purple drank" has been around for 13 years. It's commonly known in law enforcement.

[Yossarian]

It's commonly known in law enforcement.

But not by me. The skittles and ice tea purchase almost seems like it is used as a badge of innocence when in fact it may have been quite the opposite given his text messages about codeine. I never would have picked up on it and I have teenagers. And that was my point- I have at least learned I have more to learn about teenage drug use.

[redfox]

But not by me. The skittles and ice tea purchase almost seems like it is used as a badge of innocence when in fact it may have been quite the opposite given his text messages about codeine. I never would have picked up on it and I have teenagers. And that was my point- I have at least learned I have more to learn about teenage drug use.

I remember those days! It's a fast changing terrain. I kept up on drug & gang trends and slang by info the Seattle Police Department put out. It was very helpful. Good luck with it all.