Well, George had no authority at all. Trayvon was walking through a neighborhood in which he was a guest, with signs at the entrance saying “neighborhood watch - all suspicious people will be reported” (or something like that.)
The really tragic thing is that I can see myself doing exactly what both of them did - up to a point.
Once he hung up the phone, Zimmerman clearly went down the walkway behind the buildings - I think in order to try to spot Martin. Bad judgment? Yeah, maybe. But “these assholes always get away” and he clearly wanted to be able to tell the police when they arrived where they could find the suspicious person. Would I have done that? Yeah, maybe.
Trayvon is headed for his dad’s place, and suddenly sees this guy coming down the path. Instead of running (he told his girlfriend he didn’t want to) he turns to confront the guy. “Why are you following me?” That’s how the conversation started.
Poor judgment? Yeah, I think so. Would I have done the same thing? Yeah, probably.
How it came to blows I do not know, and my account above is only speculation. But everything I have described to this point fits the known facts. Nothing I have described to this point is an illegal act by either person.
But there is only one living witness to what happened next, and he says the shooting was self-defense. The police say they have found no evidence to contradict his claim.
I’m not sure why so many people who know less about it than the police have reached a different conclusion.
I agree with you, in regards to Trayvon. But I’ve learned, when dealing with people who are an unknown quantity, as George would have considered Trayvon, the best way to deal with him is inform him, from a distance that the cops were on their way and that you’re only there to observe and nothing more.