Al Sharpton has already convicted George Zimmerman

In a column for The Huffington Post, MSNBC's Al Sharptonmakes the case against George Zimmerman explains that all he ever wanted was a fair trial for Florida teen Trayvon Martin's killer.

"It has always been my position that no matter what the defendant's alleged reasoning or defense may be, he should have been arrested and the matter properly investigated," Sharpton writes of George Zimmerman, who is accused of murdering Martin. "We never rendered our own verdict; we instead urged authorities to follow proper protocol and have him arrested, an investigation put into place and a court of law to decide."

Readers would think Sharpton was nothing more than an officer of the court looking for justice. Then they'd keep reading. He stops just short of saying Zimmerman, who claims he acted in self-defense, clubbed Martin to death in a schoolyard and nearly got away scot free...

From Sharpton's column:

--"Even today, the pain in [Martin's] mother's eyes is as vivid as ever. Nothing can and nothing ever will replace the joy she received from her son."

--"Despite the horrific loss of their precious Trayvon, they remained active because they knew that their son's killer hadn't even been arrested, nor charged with anything. Zimmerman was free to walk around as if nothing had occurred."

--"Trayvon's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, would never hug their son again."

--"As jury selection takes place, we are going to see many methods of distraction. But none of it can negate the fact that Zimmerman stands accused of second-degree murder in a court of law."

@eScarry