As I posted a few days ago, Fox News has dispensed with the need for a jury because they already “know” George Zimmerman is not guilty. On Friday (6/28/13), one week into what is expected to be a two to four week trial, no less than three Fox News hosts announced that the verdict is in: Zimmerman not guilty. Sean Hannity, a college drop out, announced, “As far as I’m concerned, this case is over today.”

Friday night, Geraldo Rivera, an attorney, was only slightly less definitive. In an appearance on The O’Reilly Factor (the first video below), Rivera had the following discussion with substitute host Laura Ingraham, also an attorney:

Rivera: George Zimmerman is clearly winning this case.

Ingraham: Oh, he’s going to win this case.

Rivera: It seems to me virtually impossible, given the testimony today that had Zimmerman on his back, being pounded by Trayvon…

Ingraham: That’s doubt. That’s reasonable doubt.

Rivera: However reprehensible, morally speaking, George Zimmerman may have been for provoking this incident, I think it is absolutely clear that self defense applies here and Zimmerman will be acquitted, Laura.

Ingraham: Yeah.

In the next hour, Hannity, who seems never to have met a white guy in racial trouble he hasn’t jumped to befriend, declared, “As far as I’m concerned, this case is over today.” However, not long after, Hannity admitted, “There’s gonna be a lot more.”

His guest, Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi – who, unlike Rivera, Ingraham or Hannity is a real prosecutor – disagreed that “the case is over.” Her appearance on Hannity is in the second video below.  It’s hard to think how Hannity could have been any more pro Zimmerman as he first announced:

Later tonight, we’re gonna show part of my interview where he describes what happened. In this interview, he goes into extraordinary detail, including he got hit – he said he was dazed, he thought his life was in jeopardy, 14 times in the face, that (Trayvon Martin) said, "Expletive, you’re gonna die tonight." All of these things.

Hannity also exclaimed, “Look at these injuries!” A graphic of the back of Zimmerman’s head conveniently popped up on the screen.

Nicolazzi told him, “Those are not bad injuries.”

“Oh, my goodness,” Hannity replied. “Look at his nose!”

But Hannity was being disingenuous here and/or incredibly arrogant. His own pal, Mark Fuhrman, a real crime scene and forensics expert (as well as a guy not exactly known for being too pro-African American) had just told Hannity a few days earlier that Zimmerman’s injuries were not bad and that they were inconsistent with someone whose life was in danger.

Furthermore, Nicolazzi now explained to Hannity that Zimmerman “caused this to come about" and that his “stand your ground” defense does not apply “if you provoke the attack." She added, "And to me, as a lawyer, I’m telling the jury that he provoked the attack.”

But Hannity-for-the-Defense knew better. “This seems to me to be classic self defense. …My reading of (Florida law), he has a right to defend himself,” he insisted.

Last night, on his own show, “Geraldo at Large,” Rivera sounded as certain as Hannity that Zimmerman will be acquitted. Citing the testimony of prosecution witness Jonathan Good the day before, Rivera said Good’s testimony “virtually insures that the defendant, George Zimmerman, will get off.” Later, he said, “There’s no way six women are gonna say George Zimmerman didn’t have a reasonable fear that his life was being threatened.” That's the third video below.

As I suggested in an earlier post, Fox’s pronouncements are probably not just avenues for shoring up their viewers’ sympathies for Zimmerman. It’s a tactic that positions themselves for later: If Zimmerman’s acquitted, they were proven right. If he’s convicted, he’s the victim of racial politics, a liberal media, etc.