Yes ... 1st Degree Murder is planning AHEAD of Time, "I'm gonna kill THAT Guy ..., " whereas 2nd Degree Murder is "Intentional -- NOT Accidental ... " ... IOW, NOT merely "negligent," and CERTAINLY  NOT, " ... in self-Defense ... " ...

Apr 11, 2012 -- 6:25PM, mountain_man wrote:

Apr 11, 2012 -- 6:07PM, Tpaine wrote:

Zimmerman is charged with 2^nd degree murder.

In Florida that means that no grand jury indictment is needed and no death penalty can be applied. It also means that the murderer did not "plan" on killing the victim.

Apr 11, 2012 -- 6:25PM, mountain_man wrote:

Apr 11, 2012 -- 6:07PM, Tpaine wrote:

Zimmerman is charged with 2^nd degree murder.

In Florida that means that no grand jury indictment is needed and no death penalty can be applied. It also means that the murderer did not "plan" on killing the victim.

Under Florida statute 782.04(2) 2nd degree murder is defined as:

(2) The unlawful killing of a human being, when perpetrated by any act imminently dangerous to another and evincing a depraved mind regardless of human life, although without any premeditated design to effect the death of any particular individual, is murder in the second degree and constitutes a felony of the first degree, punishable by imprisonment for a term of years not exceeding life or as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. Link