As I have stated before I feel that Zimmerman screwed up in so many ways that night it's not even funny, and I have very little sympathy for him.
I'm just curious on something though, we all acknowledge that he created the situation by following Trayvon, getting out of his car, etc. We all know that. I think we'd all agree it would've been best if he hadn't gotten out of his car.
But let's set that aside for a second, and flash back to him just having gotten out of his car. That part's done... we all know it was a stupid move, but it's done. He's walking between houses, trying to locate this guy... and now let me present a scenario of one way it may have gone down that seems to fit the eyewitness testimony, Zimmerman's account, gf's phone account, injuries observed, etc.
He rounds a bend and is in the dark backyard, Trayvon is there too. Trayvon sees Zimmerman first, asks "why are you following me?" Zimmerman responds "what are you doing here?" (he should've said "i'm neighborhood watch" immediately, let's hope it was in there somewhere... if it wasn't that's another way he f'd up) then now here's where it gets into speculation:
Trayvon then says something like "none of your business, what right do you have to question me?" and let's assume Trayvon thinks this guy might have malicious intent, I'm trying to be as charitable to both parties here as I can be... Trayvon thinks this guy means him harm, and decides to strike. Did he actually strike first? Don't know. Did he see the gun or know about it in any way at that point? Was seeing it what inspired him to attack? Or was NOT seeing it what inspired him to attack? No idea.
But here's what I'm really getting to:
for those who keep repeating "he followed him, he followed him, he created the situation" if you were him at that point, having already boned it all up with those same mistakes... and now you're laying on the grass on your back and you're out of shape, fat, and getting your ass handed to you by this lean young athlete. Should you just lay there and take your beating? Should you think to yourself "y'know what, I created this situaton... I followed him, I'll just take this beating" let me state, I think maybe the answer is yes. But i'm not sure on that.
But now let's add this wrinkle: in the process of beating Zimmerman, Trayvon discovers the pistol. He then grabs for it (perhaps thinking to increase his own safety by getting it out of this weirdo's hands) or, maybe Zimmerman gets it out to try to scare Trayvon into stopping the beating. Either way... now the pistol is out and there's a struggle for control of it.
If at that point both parties are under the assumption that the other party intends to shoot them if they gain full control of the pistol, should Zimmerman think to himself "y'know, I followed him... I created this situation... I'm ready to go. It's my time. I'm going to let him shoot me." ? Some people almost seem to be implying that in how fervently they keep asserting facts that aren't in dispute, as though they were the beginning and end of this discussion.
I think there's a very real chance that both men thought the other was a threatening, malicious party and intended to kill them if they gained control of the pistol. I also think that there's a very real chance that had either of them simply curled up in a ball and screamed "I MEAN YOU NO HARM, PLEASE DON'T HURT ME" that the other man probably would've let it be.
Maybe once the fight had begun both their actions were reasonable to them, maybe it was all a big tornado of testosterone, misunderstanding, machismo, pride, fear, suspicion, racism, ageism, and stupidity. That seems likely to me. I think Zimmerman is a real dipshit, but I don't think he should have to serve hard time. I think the guilt he will feel will probably cover him pretty well, and I would revoke his right to own firearms too.