"Political Strategist Charles D. Ellison also warns that, "There is the risk of a flashpoint as intense as the aftermath of that fateful Los Angeles police brutality verdict in 1992," if Zimmerman walks free.
"At that time, many underestimated the potential for social unrest. And a bit over 20 years to the date, many could be making the same miscalculation at this very moment. The ingredients are there in Sanford and they loom large nationally, from an economy barely managing its own recovery to an unemployment rate that's much higher than it should be, particularly for African-Americans," adds Ellison.
Some are even asking whether the law should be ignored and Zimmerman convicted simply to avoid race riots.
"Regardless of whether or not Zimmerman acted in self defense, a large segment of the population, particularly the black population, are demanding Zimmerman be punished. And if they don't have their demands satisfied, it is possible they might riot," writes a poster at the Aesops Retreat forum. "So would it be appropriate to consider potential riots when deciding on whether or not to prosecute Zimmerman? Or should justice be blind and follow the rule of law?"
Critics of the attempt to convict Zimmerman have cited numerous points of evidence which clearly suggest Zimmerman acted in self-defense and that the case against him was built largely on the back of contrived racial politics."