Andrew F. Branca is in his third decade of practicing law in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He wrote the first edition of the "Law of Self Defense" in 1997, and is currently in the process of completing the fully revised and updated second edition, which you can preorder now at lawofselfdefense.com. He began his competitive shooting activities as a youth in smallbore rifle, and today is a Life Member of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and a Life Member and Master-class competitor in multiple classifications in the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA). Andrew has for many years been an NRA-certified firearms instructor in pistol, rifle, and personal protection, and has previously served as an Adjunct Instructor on the Law of Self Defense at the SigSauer Academy in Epping, NH. He holds or has held concealed carry permits for Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Maine, Pennsylvania, Florida, Utah, Virginia, and other states.
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 19, 201354 Comments
Now that the Zimmerman criminal trial has concluded, much attention has focused on the prospects for Zimmerman seeking protection under Florida's self-defense immunity statute from any possible civil action against him.
Florida's statute 776.032, is among the broader self-defense immunity statutes, in that it possesses all...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 18, 2013112 Comments
In 2005 the Florida legislator enacted statute 776.032. "Immunity from criminal prosecution and civil action for justifiable use of force." This immunity statute is often erroneously referred to as Florida's Stand-Your-Ground (SYG) law, even by lawyers, judges, and law professors who ought to know better...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 17, 2013118 Comments
By now some of you may have heard about the Marissa Alexander case in Florida.
Many people are trying to twist the facts of this case in a fashion that will be familiar to the rational among us who watched the Zimmerman case.
Essentially they want to...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 16, 201371 Comments
Well, that's it. George Zimmerman has his legal victory. Late in the night on Saturday, July 13, 2013, George officially survived a brutal and malicious legal assault backed by the full power of a State government intent on hanging a life sentence on an innocent man...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 13, 2013722 Comments
A verdict has been returned in Florida v. Zimmerman:
NOT GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS
The State prosecutors, including the until recently rarely-seen Angela Corey, are currently providing interviews to the press, essentially re-arguing their catastrophically failed courtroom arguments. From this commentator's perspective, they are simply in complete denial and/or in full-blown CYA mode, no matter how often they say they respect the decision of the jury.
It is also remarkable how frequently both Angela Corey and Bernie de la Rionda are explicitly re-affirming their support of the Second Amendment and self-defense--perhaps they sense the "seething rage, ill-will, spite, and hatred" they may well have engendered among the community of law-abiding gun-owners and CWL owners in Florida.
Reactions from around the web can be found at this post: includes press conference videos of key people connected to the trial, photos of demonstrators outside the Florida courthouse, tweets/photos/videos related to current and scheduled "Justice for Trayvon" marches, verdict reactions from Twitter and embedded feeds for key Twitter hashtags. It will continue to be updated.
The Prof. will have his post in the morning as he's stuck at O'Hare Airport now, but quickly adds:
The just verdict was reached. As I have said repeatedly, this was a case that never should have been brought. It's not too early to demand an inquiry into the prosecution of this case. Angela Corey should resign.
Watch live with Legal Insurrection on one of the two video streams below, as well as in the scrolling Twitter feed from selected contributors below. (My own tweets can be identified as coming from @LawSelfDefense.)
https://twitter.com/JeffWeinerOS/status/356244577121873921
https://twitter.com/SonniAbatta/status/356242394406076416
https://twitter.com/TennisLaw/status/356236312082264065
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 13, 2013433 Comments
The Zimmerman trial jury paused their deliberations at around 6:00PM EST to present Judge Nelson with a question:
"May we please have clarification on instructions regarding manslaughter?"
Nelson announced the question to the parties in open court, and has now recessed court 30 minutes to address the...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 13, 20131,040 Comments
Well, here we are: Verdict Watch.
The jury has been charged in Florida v. Zimmerman, and have begun their deliberations. The verdict form is here. Final Jury Instructions here.
Last night they asked for an inventory list of the evidence--which makes sense given the dozens of witnesses and hundreds of exhibits. Now, we here at Legal Insurrection (and Law of Self Defense) are on stand-by ready to jump into action as soon as news emerges, whether that is the verdict itself or some lesser item. The video feeds located below the fold will be active when the broadcasters that control them feel there is something worth streaming.)
In a breaking development, the Special Prosecutor's Office of Angela Corey has fired the IT specialist who blew the whistle on the prosecution's concealment of evidence:
State Attorney Angela Corey fired her office’s information technology director Friday after he testified last month about being concerned prosecutors did not turn over information to George Zimmerman’s defense team in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.
On the same day attorneys finished their closing arguments in that nationally watched trial, a state attorney investigator went to Ben Kruidbos’ home about 7:30 a.m. to hand-deliver a letter stating Kruidbos “can never again be trusted to step foot in this office.”
The letter is here.
(WAJ adds) This has been a dirty prosecution in so many ways, so no one should be surprised that as soon as the jury went into deliberations the retaliation began.
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 12, 2013277 Comments
(Note: the first couple of paragraphs reflect today's earlier, short post. To start at the newest updates, skip to the first heading, "Mark O’Mara Delivers Compelling Narrative of Innocence Based on Evidence & Law." The remainder of the post also contains embedded and linked video...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 12, 2013435 Comments
All the closing arguments are now completed, and in a few moments the jury will be instructed, and then sent into deliberations. We will be covering the jury charge live here on streaming video, along with our usual twitter feed. Once the jury goes into deliberations, we will be prepared to cover any breaking news, and of course both the Professor and I will be active covering the trial conclusion on Twitter.
Live Stream Video
WITH COMMENTARY FROM CHANNEL 9 IN SANFORD
[For live-stream video without commentary, see NBC live feed at bottom of this post.]
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 12, 2013149 Comments
This morning saw the defense give its closing statement in Florida v. Zimmerman, the last opportunity for them to deliver their compelling narrative of innocence to the jury. And boy, did Mark O'Mara deliver. In a closing rich with evidence, facts, and the law, O'Mara focused...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 12, 2013980 Comments
Today we will again be covering the Zimmerman Trial live, all day, with streaming video. Continuing commentary will be posted in the Twitter feed of selected contributors below the first video feed, below.
[caption id="attachment_58489" align="alignnone" width="305"] Mark O'Mara defense counsel, Florida v. Zimmerman[/caption]
This morning Mark O'Mara is to present the defense's closing arguments, striving to raise at least as much reasonable doubt of guilt as the prosecution achieved yesterday in its own closing statement, an analysis (and video) of which can be found here:
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 11, 2013375 Comments
NOTE: Streaming video of the entirety of the State's closing argument is provided at the bottom of this post.
Today, the State presented their closing argument to the jury in the matter of Florida v. Zimmerman. After 14 months of investigation and discovery, weeks of pre-trial...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 11, 2013704 Comments
Today we will again be covering the Zimmerman Trial live, all day, with streaming video. Continuing commentary will be posted in the Twitter feed of selected contributors below the first video feed, below.
The State is scheduled to begin its closing argument at 1:30PM today, and the defense tomorrow morning. By tomorrow afternoon the jury should have been charged and begun their deliberations.
[caption id="attachment_58364" align="alignnone" width="500"] Judge Nelson, Florida v. Zimmerman[/caption]
We covered this morning's charging hearing here:
We also have brief summaries of the previous day's events Zimmerman Defense Rests, Closing Statements Start Tomorrow along with links to more detailed posts below the second video feed at the bottom of this post.
In addition, last night Professor Jacobson posted an analysis of the racial politics driving the Zimmerman prosecution, here:
Also, a quick note, in thanks to the Professor and all of you I've put in place a 10% discount/free shipping coupon for Legal Insurrection followers interested in "The Law of Self Defense, 2nd Edition"--use code LOSD2-LI at checkout.
Live Stream Video
WITH COMMENTARY FROM CHANNEL 9 IN SANFORD
[For live-stream video without commentary, see NBC live feed at bottom of this post.]
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 11, 201364 Comments
Breaking: Charge on Murder 3/Child Abuse is denied by Judge Nelson
This morning the Court in Florida v. Zimmerman conducted a hearing to finalize the instructions that will guide the jury on arriving at a verdict. While some of the instructions were long-expected and raised little...
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 11, 2013591 Comments
Today we will again be covering the Zimmerman Trial live, all day, with streaming video. Continuing commentary will be posted in the Twitter feed of selected contributors below the first video feed, below.
This morning is the charging conference, in which the State and defense will argue about the specific charges on which the jury is to be instructed. The options are second degree murder, manslaughter, and aggravated assault. The defense wishes a charge only on second degree murder, the State prefers the latter two charges also be considered.
The State is scheduled to begin its closing argument at 1:00PM today, and the defense tomorrow morning. By tomorrow afternoon the jury should have been charged and begun their deliberations.
We also have brief summaries of the previous day's events Zimmerman Defense Rests, Closing Statements Start Tomorrow along links to detailed more posts below the second video feed at the bottom of this post.
[caption id="attachment_58318" align="alignnone" width="500"] Defense attorney Don West and George Zimmerman[/caption]
In addition, last night Professor Jacobson posted an analysis of the racial politics driving the Zimmerman prosecution, here:
Also, a quick note, in thanks to the Professor and all of you I've put in place a 10% discount/free shipping coupon for Legal Insurrection followers interested in "The Law of Self Defense, 2nd Edition"--use code LOSD2-LI at checkout.
Live Stream Video
WITH COMMENTARY FROM CHANNEL 9 IN SANFORD
[For live-stream video without commentary, see NBC live feed at bottom of this post.]
Posted by Andrew Branca
on July 10, 2013355 Comments
The defense team continued on what is expected to be the last day of their presentation of their case. The day began and ended with a bang. This morning Judge Nelson denied the defense's request to introduce their animated movie as evidence, although they will...
