A letter published July 17 made the assumption that Trayvon Martin punched George Zimmerman and slammed his head on concrete, a “crime” apparently punishable by vigilante execution, if true.

Not only was there no proof that Martin hit Zimmerman first, but cellphone recordings had Martin yelling “get off me” prior to the much-disputed screaming for help. Besides that hard evidence, it is a matter of record that Zimmerman had been taking martial arts classes three times weekly for a year and was in great shape, yet he couldn’t handle a supposed attack by an unarmed skinny teenager? Moreover, video of Zimmerman walking through the Sanford police station only hours after the fight showed a bloody nose but no marks on the back of his head. The “stand your ground” laws (including New Hampshire’s) simply authorize deadly force with too little proof of its need. But even those laws exclude the privilege of blowing away your opponent if you initiate the violence, and that’s the reason Zimmerman’s defense needed the blatant lies about Martin being the aggressor, despite Zimmerman’s clear opportunity to stay in his vehicle after being told by a 911 operator not to follow the “suspect.” Something closer to the truth will emerge in the civil trial, where ridiculous jury instructions are not in play and Zimmerman may be grilled. Just like in the O.J. trials: no conviction in criminal court, but guilt and penalties in civil court.

Randall Frey

Nashua