Posted on 03/22/2012 5:48:28 AM PDT by libstripper
George Zimmerman once took criminal justice classes at the community college and was practically a one-man neighborhood watch in his gated part of town, calling police close to 50 times over the past eight years to report such things as slow-driving vehicles, strangers loitering in the neighborhood and open garages.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
>>>“Zimmerman could have chosen to avoid a confrontation”
Confrontation is legal. Martin’s right to swing his fist ended at Zimmerman’s nose.<<<
I think we need to define confrontation. If Zimmerman confronted Martin by approaching him and saying, “Excuse me, can you tell me what you are doing here? Do you iive here?” he would be perfectly within his rights. Even if he was ruder about it, it would not give Martin the right to attack him.
Now, if Zimmerman tried to apprehend Martin or physically assaulted or verbally threatened him, Martin would have the right to fight back, and Zimmerman would be at fault.
We still don’t know how Zimmerman “confronted” Martin. I suspect that he did not lay hands on him or threaten him with violence, prior to Martin attacking him, but at this point we don’t know.
The media has used the fact that Zimmerman has called the police about 45 times against him. What they generally don’t mention is that this was over a period of 8 years (roughly 1 call every 2 months) and that he apparently never physically assaulted any of the prior “suspects”. In my mind, this makes the idea that Zimmermn initiated the physical contact with Martin seem rather unlikely.
The more details that come out, the more I am convinced that Zimmerman is probably innocent.
I also am suspicious about the fact that all the photos of Martin seem to be of clean cut, baby faced 12 or 13 year old, often in a football uniform. If he still had such an innocent, non-threatening appearance at the time of his death, why are we not seeing any more recent photos? The media and the family seem to be trying to paint the picture of Zimmerman killing a sweet, helpless, little puppy dog, that nobody could possibly be afraid of.
"Hey, what are you doing here."
"Going to my Dad's girlfriends place. Piss off..."
"Oh... Need a lift?"
"No. Go away..."
"ok...."
Nope. Instead, the Hood-rat ran. When he had a chance, he jumped Zimmerman and ended up dead for it.
Martin felt he had the right to attack Zimmerman because Zimmerman “dissed” him...
It's disgusting to find enemies of the "stand your ground" law on FR.
Police played the 911 tape for Trayvon Martin’s father, who tells police that the voice screaming is not the voice of his son.
The media also characterizes Trayvon as a “model student.” In fact, he was under a five day suspension when the shooting took place. That is why he was staying at a house so far from his school on a school night. A lawyer for Trayvon’s family has blocked access to his school records
Sure I can. Some of the posts here are discussion, others are a rush to judgement.
You are projecting again. Isn't that a liberal trait?
Wow, that’s some nice fiction there. Given it doesn’t remotely fit the known facts of the case, but keep living in that dillusion.
Zimmerman reported the kid FROM HIS CAR.. so, Zimmerman got out of his car, not only did he get out of his car, he shadowed Martin, coming close enough for physical altercation, which frankly I suspect this wanna be cop, most likely started.
He didn’t just step out of his car and as ask the kid a question.
You are flat out ignorant or dillusional to propose what you have, not to mention the inate bias in your terminology of Martin.
Zimmerman claiming self defense has zero merit, you can’t start a confrontation and then claim self defense when it doesn’t go the way you want. Zimmermans actions completely created the situation, and as such, the self defense claim is laughable. He’s going to face manslaughter charges and very likely going to lose.
Claiming this idiot was a victim is patently ignorant and laughable.
Hmm.
Did you realize Florida's "stand your ground" law does not require you to stay around ~ you can still flee if you wish ~ and that doesn't repeal your right of self-defense under that law.
We have Zimmerman's own words regarding Martin fleeing the scene!
When Zimmerman exited his truck he began tracking his quarry.
Hmm.
>>>Zimmerman created the confrotation that lead to the altercation, Martin didn’t drag him from his car, bring him within arms reach and pummel him<<<
Is it against the law to approach someone and ask them what they are doing? Does doing this give that person the right to attack you violently?
Zimmerman might not have been wise to get out of his car. It could also be considered unwise to walk through certain rough neighborhoods at night. Does that make victims of muggings, rapes and murders responsible for “creating the confrontation”?
What if a woman walked alone, through a dangerous neighborhood, at night, and a group of thugs tried to rape her. If she pulled out her gun and shot them, would it be her or the thugs who “created the situation”?
One’s own unwise behavior does not nullify one’s right to protect oneself, if attacked.
What we need to know, if who initiated the violence. If it was Zimmerman, then he would seem to be guilty. If it was Martin, then Zimmerman would seem to be innocent.
Actually... No. It's not. It's a lot more probable than the Neighborhood Watch was out gunning for people after the last couple years worth of good service and actually preventing a couple of crimes.
Keep spouting the MSM/Al Sharpton drivel though.
Yep. Martin had Zimmerman well grounded. Ok, on the ground and beating the tar out of him...
What was Martin suspended from school from? Anger issues and fighting? Looks like he picked the wrong person to fight...
Anyone who gets into this "probability" stuff is ignoring Zimmerman's own words.
Sorry DC, the words aren't going away. Time for you to come out of hiding. Your written statement to the cops is simply not supported by your own words!
Confrontation is legal. Martin’s right to swing his fist ended at Zimmerman’s nose.
Thank you. Too many people cannot distinquish between the law and all their "could haves" and "should haves."
I personally think he ABSOLUTELY "should have" followed and confronted strangers in his neighborhood given the recent break-ins. The poster you address thinks he "should have" avoided doing so.
However, it matters not what either of us (or the 911 operator) think or say. Our particular feelings, philosophies and sentimentalities don't matter for s**. What matters is the LAW.
Zimmerman had every LEGAL right to follow the "kid" and ask him whatever he pleased. The "kid" had no LEGAL right whatsoever to physically attack Zimmerman. Once he did, Zimmerman had every LEGAL right to defend himself.
This is why Zimmerman hasn't been charged with a crime.
That's when he got out of his truck to go find Zimmerman.
If Zimmerman bit off more than he could chew, somebody else is going to really enjoy having him in the same cell. Lots of somebodys in fact.
It is important to the “thug” community that Neighborhood Watch programs be shut down because they deter criminal behavior.
Maybe you should join Al Sharpton and the Million Hoodlum March. They seem to be well over 999,000 hoodlums short, so I’m sure they’d welcome hoodlum sympathizers.
Right.
Getting out of the truck armed, was a bad idea.
However at some point after that, the tables seem to have been turned on Zimmerman. The saying goes: if you go looking for trouble, you’ll probably find it.
Thing is, once he found trouble - did it become self defense when he then started losing the altercation?
There seem to be two critical details none of us know yet:
1) Did Zimmerman threaten Martin?
2) Did Zimmerman initiate any sort of physical contact?
If Zimmerman was merely ‘confronting’ Martin as to why he was there and what he was doing, that’s probably within his rights, and something he’d been doing in that neighborhood for nearly a decade.
If Martin then chased Zimmerman down and started exacting retribution for what he saw as an affront - at that time the situation changed dramatically.
If Zimmerman, prior to the fight, had not threatened or come in contact with Martin in any way, then he was it would seem in a legitimate self-defense.
Don’t know about you, but I’ve seen enough urban gang behavior second-hand, to know sometimes a thug will just go completely phycho at a slight provocation.
I’m inclined to believe at this point, there was some of that at work.
Zimmerman opened a can of worms, and tried to get away from it.
He couldn’t. And then defended himself. Perhaps.
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