Like a Old Western Hanging Mob

[newfoundland]

As Bunnylady says, perhaps just a couple of guys being jerks? Add a gun to the equation and this is the tragic result. Anyone who contacts the police 50 times in a year is clearly unbalanced. Why is such a person allowed a gun permit? Like thaiturkey, I wonder at the unreasonable force aspect? We have reasonable force laws here. Of course it is true that perhaps the whole story is still to come out.

 

[KristyHall]

As Bunnylady says, perhaps just a couple of guys being jerks? Add a gun to the equation and this is the tragic result. Anyone who contacts the police 50 times in a year is clearly unbalanced. Why is such a person allowed a gun permit? Like thaiturkey, I wonder at the unreasonable force aspect? We have reasonable force laws here. Of course it is true that perhaps the whole story is still to come out.

I suspect it is what Bunnylady suggested as well. Two guys in a macho chest thumping contest. the difference is, one is a teenager, and teenage boys are not exactly known for their smarts when it comes to chest thumping, and a grown man who should know better.

 

[RHRanch]

And I personally question the story...Zimmerman says he's going to persue Martin, is told not to, and then the teen conveniently goes after a guy with a gun, allowing Zimmerman to claim self defense....

Who here hasn't seen people lie about who started something to get out of trouble? This altercation could not have happened if Zimmerman had stayed away from Trayvon. To me, that places the blame of the outcome on Zimmerman, the instigator.

I for one would fight back against a man who had no uniform and a gun who was persuing me in a neighborhood. Something like that happened here when a woman was followed and attacked by a man... she broke his nose and escaped. He was over 200lbs.... It turned out he was a serial killer, he was later caught.

 

[ChicknThief]

I don't have much to add, but I think bunnylady put it beautifully.

Do I think that Zimmerman is just an innocent victim? Absolutely not. If he had followed the direction of the 911 operator the altercation would never have happened.

Did Martin attack Zimmerman? Possibly. If I had a big dude following me with a gun I would have attacked him too. Assuming I did not pass out in fear first.

Should Zimmerman be arrested? Yes, I do think so. At the very minimum he commited involuntary manslaughter. I say this because the boy is dead as a direct result of Zimmerman not following orders.

My heart goes out to Trayvon's family. Though I am a bit disgusted with his mother. The death of her son should not be a podium for her glory hounding.

 

[mom'sfolly]

If it were a white kid in a hoodie, and a black man following and then shooting the kid we wouldn't be having this discussion. The only reason Zimmerman thought the kid was suspicious was that he was a black kid in a hoodie in a gated community. He was told, by police dispatchers, not to follow the kid, he did anyway. There was an altercation, allegedly, and the unarmed kid was killed. If a black man in an SUV followed a white kid and the white kid ended up shot, we would be calling this a drive-by.

I don't know what happened, and neither does anyone else here. Most of the evidence indicates that Zimmerman followed Martin for no other reason than being black. Evidence also indicates that Zimmerman liked calling 911, 50 times in a year or once every 10 days or so. To most, this would seem that he was unduly focused on others possible misbehaviour. It also looks like Martin had gotten into fairly typical teen trouble; tardiness, graffiti, and possibly pot. There is no indication this kid was violent or aggressive.

The police have fallen down on this. They did not question the multiple 911 callers, they did not drug or alcohol test Zimmerman, they did not follow-up with the girlfriend who was on the phone with Martin, and the simply took Zimmerman's word that it was self-defense.

 

[KristyHall]

If it were a white kid in a hoodie, and a black man following and then shooting the kid we wouldn't be having this discussion. The only reason Zimmerman thought the kid was suspicious was that he was a black kid in a hoodie in a gated community. He was told, by police dispatchers, not to follow the kid, he did anyway. There was an altercation, allegedly, and the unarmed kid was killed. If a black man in an SUV followed a white kid and the white kid ended up shot, we would be calling this a drive-by.

I don't know what happened, and neither does anyone else here. Most of the evidence indicates that Zimmerman followed Martin for no other reason than being black. Evidence also indicates that Zimmerman liked calling 911, 50 times in a year or once every 10 days or so. To most, this would seem that he was unduly focused on others possible misbehaviour. It also looks like Martin had gotten into fairly typical teen trouble; tardiness, graffiti, and possibly pot. There is no indication this kid was violent or aggressive.

The police have fallen down on this. They did not question the multiple 911 callers, they did not drug or alcohol test Zimmerman, they did not follow-up with the girlfriend who was on the phone with Martin, and the simply took Zimmerman's word that it was self-defense.

I've wondered about this myself. Let's face it, many people are more likely to be suspicious of a black/hispanic teen boy wandering the street at night than a white teen boy. IMO since I don't feel like digging up studies/cases/citations right now.

 

[conny63malies]

no, we wouldnt because its so common that it doesnt eve make the national news. Dano Ciccaro,Matt Williams&Diogi, Joe Kaluza..... did anyone protest for them? Back in Youngstown our white neighbor (of ukrainian decent) got beat up by black teens while walking to his friends house. What did the black female cop say"just odnt walk this way then" the white cop just kept mum. I had a all out gang brawl in my front yard over a black teen neighor, took two 911 calls and a hour for the cops to get there. Its no wonder people take things into their own hands.
Edit to add: just weeks ago a local soldier here in Ft Riley was killed while driving in his car by a black man. THere were flyers allover. but he wasnt found. WHERE WAS THE NATIONAL MEDIA? it was just another case....

If it were a white kid in a hoodie, and a black man following and then shooting the kid we wouldn't be having this discussion. The only reason Zimmerman thought the kid was suspicious was that he was a black kid in a hoodie in a gated community. He was told, by police dispatchers, not to follow the kid, he did anyway. There was an altercation, allegedly, and the unarmed kid was killed. If a black man in an SUV followed a white kid and the white kid ended up shot, we would be calling this a drive-by.

I don't know what happened, and neither does anyone else here. Most of the evidence indicates that Zimmerman followed Martin for no other reason than being black. Evidence also indicates that Zimmerman liked calling 911, 50 times in a year or once every 10 days or so. To most, this would seem that he was unduly focused on others possible misbehaviour. It also looks like Martin had gotten into fairly typical teen trouble; tardiness, graffiti, and possibly pot. There is no indication this kid was violent or aggressive.

The police have fallen down on this. They did not question the multiple 911 callers, they did not drug or alcohol test Zimmerman, they did not follow-up with the girlfriend who was on the phone with Martin, and the simply took Zimmerman's word that it was self-defense.

 

[mom'sfolly]

Twice Daniel Cicciaro has been mentioned on this thread, as an innocent white kid shot by a black man...

Cicciaro showed up at the offenders home with 4 other people, while drunk, and shouted epithets at the offenders home. The homeowner, a black man, came out and ended up shooting Cicciaro. He claims it was an accident, he also said he felt threatened. He was tried, convicted, went to jail and had his sentence commuted. If anyone was threatened, it was certainly the homeowner in this instance. This made national news. Five drunk guys show up at my house in the middle of the night, they might find some bad things happening.

 

[dainerra]

news interview with the witness that says she heard Martin crying. She states that she has gone to the police, but that they say her statement "doesn't match others"

 

[conny63malies]

He had twenty minutes time to call the police, why didnt he? BUt back to the Trayvon Martin casse. We have to see all the facts before we can judge. Its easy to pick sides when one pic shows a 13 year old in a foot ball jersey and the other a fat unshaven mexican looking dude with what seems a orange prison jumps suit. It would be different if we would see the same man clean shaven in a suit and Trayvon with a wife beater shirt and saggy pants.

Twice Daniel Cicciaro has been mentioned on this thread, as an innocent white kid shot by a black man...

Cicciaro showed up at the offenders home with 4 other people, while drunk, and shouted epithets at the offenders home. The homeowner, a black man, came out and ended up shooting Cicciaro. He claims it was an accident, he also said he felt threatened. He was tried, convicted, went to jail and had his sentence commuted. If anyone was threatened, it was certainly the homeowner in this instance. This made national news. Five drunk guys show up at my house in the middle of the night, they might find some bad things happening.