Charges against Zimmerman collapsing in the courtroom

The Second Degree murder charge against George Zimmerman in the death of Trayvon Martin appears to be collapsing in the courtroom. Andrew McCarthy notes that

It’s easy for a corrupt process to produce criminal charges. It is quite something else to prove them.

It is abundantly clear that the murder of Trayvon Martin is not a case of second-degree murder, a charge that carries a possible life sentence and a minimum of 25 years’ imprisonment (because a firearm was used). Yet, the special prosecutor brought the charge anyway. Plainly, she hoped Zimmerman would be either railroaded in a trial that substituted incitement for proof, or intimidated into pleading guilty to a lesser charge.

This case does not belong in a criminal court. That it has gotten this far is a sad triumph of demagoguery over due process.