Robert Green wrote:

The forensic evidence and semi-witness accounts may elevate the cop's
thinking to the probable cause level, but at the time, on the
street, they just couldn't do it.

Agreed. That points to a defect in the law. It seems a lot of people
including me feel this case wasn't as clear cut as the man who shot a
carjacker in front of witnesses and CCTV cameras. When there's no
doubt, release him. In the Zimmerman case there was and still is
doubt that may never be resolved. When that's the case, a full-blown
judicial hearing will probably be required in the future. It may be
that both the ACA and SYG laws are going to meet similar fates. How
ironic. (-:

A "defect in the law"? Good lord, man, ALL arrests have to have probable
cause! Cops can't arrest someone because he smells funny.

There IS a full-blown judicial hearing when someone is arrested. A judge
MUST sign a warrant before ANYBODY can be placed in jail. The affidavit for
the arrest must lay out the particulars by which the requesting officer (or
other official) believes probable cause exists.

A cop does not (and can not) "arrest" someone and throw them in the clink
while the paperwork catches up. There IS prompt judicial oversight of every
arrest.