Intentional murder or self-defense?

This was clearly not a self defense case. This was a passion crime, it was jealousy over this woman that seems to play with men as she wishes. She is in prison for 15 years, but Ferrer most likely will go to prison for the rest of his life. Was it worth it? No, I do not believe that woman's was worth one little cut in the victim's body nor this other young man to pay for the rest of his life for some savvy woman that seemed to be an expert in "love".

The judge was way off base today when he spoke to the mother of the victim the way he did. He told her if she could not stop the tears, etc. she would be asked to leave the courtroom. She was not disturbing the trial in any way. She was not crying out loud or making a scene. She has the right to be in the court room since she was not disrupting the trial. It is impossible to keep all expressions off your face when your child has been murdered. Even the other people in the court room looked very unhappy, but the judge did not get after them. The judge could have at least spoken with the mother in privacy and in a sympathetic manner.

As far as the reason for the defendant is concerned, he went to the apartment with one thing in mind - murder. He took the knife with him with that intent.

I can under stand that he was very upset when he heard his girl friend tell him that she was raped But that is when they should of took a trip to police and let then that justic in there hands. So i really think that he went to the house for one reason and that was to hurt him in in any way.

Let's see,
Two thugs plus one knife, plus one thugess, equals one dead thug!
You can't divide one gilrfriend into two thugs...end of story!

Well I believe he went to the mans apartment with the intent to kill why else would he show up at the door at 4 in the morning that would be the best time for a murder cause everyone else is sleeping an no one could see or hear what was going on...

Colin had not been in a fight in the entire 17 years I was part of his life. Colin did not go outside at punch Ferrer. Ferrer and Heizel DID GO TO COLIN'S apartment with the plan to murder COLIN!!! Those 2 people are horrible mean people who took a kind, loving daddy from his children whom he loved tremendously and they all love him termendously. I hope Ferrer gets the DEATH PENALTY!!!

And as far as the judge making those comments to the mother of the victim I believe that was not neccesary,any mother who has lost a child in such a violent way has every right to show her emotions now if she didnt i think there would be a problem ..what if it was his child that was murdered I am sure he would act the same way an would not want to be told the same things he said to her,I dont believe her crying or showing she is upset would lead to a Mistrial.

I live just 10 miles from Bartow so I have followed this case since the murder occured. My opion is and has always been that Heizel lied to her boyfriend so he would confront her baby's Daddy and kill him. She knew what his reaction would be and depended on it, I think the insurance money had a great deal to do with her lies. She did not want him to see their son and she wanted the money, the only way they could happen was to have him dead.

I also was appalled today to hear the judge tell the victims Mother she would have to leave the courtroom if she showed emotion, that was her son.....he should be ashamed of himself.

Boy the Judge on the current case needs a life lesson in humble. How does he expect a mother of a murdered child to act. Maybe if it was his child or wife he'd feel differently. I was so appalled by how he talked to the mother. I think the jury should see the damage that this incident has done to the family. How is that going to cause a mistrail? Does the law say it is not a fair trial if the family members are deeply impacted by an attack such as this. This defendent does show any emotion at all for his actions – I think that is more appalling than the mother.

This judge is a disgrace to the victims family!!!!

I think the brother didn't show any emotion because he is very mad
that he wasn't thier to help his brother. Plus I think he was biting his
tongue not to say anything to Ferrer.

Before my fellow posters start yelling "innocent until proven guilty", I am NOT on the jury for this trial, therefore, I am allowed an opinion sheerly due to my status as a free person.

Drive to a person's location, retrieve a weapon from your vehicle, accost an unarmed man and end his life. That is murder, not self defense.

The biggest question that needs to be answered is, "How involved is Gonzalez-Martinez?" Looks, to me, like she stands to cash in on a life insurance policy while her boyfriend goes to jail for murdering the policie's owner. She is the beneficiary of the ending of two people's lives.

If the defendent went to "talk" to the victim, how did he start a conversation and start and end a fight in a matter of 6-7 minutes?

These two both deserve the death penalty in the same fashion as Colin was butchered. It's time we stop with victim's rights and acknowledge that we live in a society that is out of control with no respect for life. It is so terribly sad that the life of a dedicated father was so savagely ended. My utmost sympathy and prayers go out to Colin's family (including his ex-wife.

How is stabbing someone 40 times self defense?

Would he have been safe after say.... 20 times?

This is way out there... he will get the death penalty... and it sounds like he's got it comming...

Hey Dean:

Thanks to our constitution we all have the right to voice our opinions and I respect those rights. But I don't respect someone who did not know Colin tagging him in the same category as Heizel and Alex who will have Colin's blood on their hands for the rest of their lives!

There was without a doubt a "thug and a thugess" in the equation but Colin was DEFINITELY not one of those. Colin was a good man who lived for his children and family. He saw the best in everyone and unfortunately, this great quality cost him his life and robbed four beautiful children from a life with a wonderful father!

Wow . . . I really don't know what to say . . . All I know is that my fiance was murdered the early morning of May 17, 2007 and was taken away from me, my children and most of all his 4 wonderful children. Our lives will NEVER be the same. I pray that at the end of the day, Justice will be done and people will know exactly what happened here. Some of you have already hit it right on the head. Alex was a puppet in the wicked woman's hands and played right into her manipulation. I know first hand as does the mother of his three oldest children that Colin didn't have one mean vicious bone in his body. The man was the most laid back individual you would ever meet. I can go as far as saying that he never even raised his voice to me much less his hand. He lived with me and my children and that in and of itself is a true testiment of my trust and assurance in this great man that was taken from us. Let's all keep in mind that Colin didn't have a shirt on, no shoes and most of all no contacts when he was lured out of his temporary apartment. Colin was blind as a bat without contacts and was COMPLETELY blind-sided. I could go on and on, but I won't. All we want is justice and honestly, there is no real justice for the loss of Colin Brendan Zieler. I love you baby!

Why are you not streaming the live feed for the Live trial from Fla.?

No one takes a knife to confront a person at 3 o'cock in the morning if you think they raped your girlfriend, unless you are looking for a fight! You call the police. Ferrar claims in his interview that all he wanted was to have Colin arrested. If that was the case all he hd to do is pick up the phone and put it in the hands of the LAW. I am so tired of people using this as an excuse to take matters into their own hands. If you come to this country LEARN THE LAWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
They should both rot in prison for the rest of their lives AT THE VERY LEAST.

Did I hear correctly? Ferrer is a convicted child molester? If that is the case, I know what kept Colin coming at him. Appears that the wrong man ended up at the morgue.

I hope I NEVER have to go before this Judge!!!
The murderer of this women's son is sitting there with no emotion
at all (except for a smirk once in a while) and the Judge reprimands
the Mom of the murder victim?
This women is showing A LOT of class – so what if she is silently
showing sadness or silently crying? She's not wailing.
The Judge should have exhibited the same amount of class and
decorum in his demeanor. He can take a lesson from Mom.

This guy is slime,,, and he stand there with his suit on,, thinking he is so fine , and witht that smurk on his face,, not to mention his dumb A girlfriend who is protection his slimy ass ,, we will see the look he has when he get s the death penalty

I'll admit I haven't been following this case very closely, but based on what I've read so far it looks to me that this was all about the $500,000 of insurance money. Sounds to me like the girlfriend orchestrated this whole scenario to achieve this result.

What's not clear is whether or not Ferrer was in on the plan or whether she just manipulated the situation because she knew Ferrer would react violently. Like I said, I haven't been following it that closely.

I think the death penalty is too easy for people like this. Let them rot in jail for the rest of their lives.

To heck with rotting in jail and living on our tax money!

Sentence them to death and let them die in the same malicious way in which they murdered. Let them fight for their lives and everything that ever mattered to them, just as Colin had. Let's show them the same "respect" which they showed this loving and devoted father!