Some socialists had thought the courts would find Zimmerman guilty because that would simplify things for the “one percent”, the capitalist class. The idea makes sense in one way. After all, consider the outrage this verdict has created.

This article, however, explains how the judge set up the trial to ensure a not-guilty verdict. For instance, even though the “stand your ground’ law is open to abuse,  even leaving race completely out of the picture (which it never can be in the US) – even then, Zimmerman was not covered by the law as it is written. But the judge made sure that the jury did not consider that aspect. The police, too, were clearly invested in Zimmerman getting off.

It seems strange, since I agree that overall it would have been in capitalism’s best interests for Zimmerman to have been found guilty of something (as was Johannes Mehserle, the San Francisco area transit cop who shot a young black man dead as he (the victim) was lying face down on a train platform.) After all, they knew it would provoke a lot of anger.

But things are a lot more complex than that.

Overall, the divisions within the capitalist class show up in all realms of the state. This includes the judicial wing. The more staunch right wing elements have to be allowed their representation in the judiciary, just as they are in the legislative and executive wings, especially at the state level. And the dominant wings of the capitalist class are extremely reluctant to force their views on the less dominant wings. There is such a thing as class solidarity, after all, even for the capitalist class. Or I should say, especially for the capitalist class.

Only during times of serious danger will the more dominant wings force through their views. The 1960s was one such period. With the colonial revolution still in progress, and with the mass uprising of black people here in the US, the more dominant wings of the capitalist class forced through their views and forced an end to Jim Crow as it was known up until that time.

But they aren’t under such pressure at this point.