Posted on 03/26/2012 8:43:45 AM PDT by kristinn
...Police Say
With a single punch, Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who eventually shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old, then Trayvon climbed on top of George Zimmerman and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, leaving him bloody and battered, authorities have revealed to the Orlando Sentinel.
That is the account Zimmerman gave police, and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say.
Zimmerman has not spoken publicly about what happened, but that night, Feb. 26, and in later meetings he described and re-enacted for police what he says happened.
In his version of events, he had turned around and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from behind, the two exchanged words then Trayvon punched him in the nose, sending him to the ground, and began beating him.
Zimmerman told police he shot the teenager in self-defense.
SNIP
Police have been reluctant to provided details about all their evidence, but this is what they've disclosed to the Sentinel:
Zimmerman was on his way to the grocery store when he spotted Trayvon walking through his gated community.
Trayvon was visiting his father's fiancée, who lived there. He had been suspended from school in Miami after being found with an empty marijuana baggie. Miami schools have a zero-tolerance policy for drug possession.
Zimmerman called police and reported a suspicious person, describing Trayvon as black, acting strangely and perhaps on drugs.
Zimmerman got out of his SUV to follow Trayvon on foot. When a dispatch employee asked Zimmerman if he was following the 17-year-old, Zimmerman said yes. The dispatcher told Zimmerman he did not need to do that.
There is about a one-minute gap during which police say they're not sure what happened.
(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...
He went to his own doc the next day. That’s good enough for me. The man was most likely in pain, exhausted, in shock (after all he just had to pull his gun and fire to protect himself), and not thinking 100% about his ‘health’ problems. I too in that case would just want to get home to the wife and kids
Obviously it was a mistake but it does not justify being beaten, getting his nose broken and his head knocked against the ground.
If Joe tried to every means to escape (yelling help, trying to get the Jim off him) and Jim wouldn’t let him (holding him down and beating him), and Joe truely feels like his life is threatened, then yes Joe acted in self defense.
I once followed a group of black kids who had vandalized a building while talking with dispatch. I was in my car and was getting yelled at (and yelling back at the kids) while on the phone.
My exact words were “Shut up, I’m trying to talk to the police.”
One of them broke my windshield and some reinforcements from the hood came by.
When the cops arrived, it was amazing how fast everyone hit the ground when they noticed laser pointed at their chests.
The prosecutor asked if I suffered any psychological harm. I said that I don’t suffer psychologically by doing the right thing.
“Zimmerman will go down for Manslaughter”
No he won’t. Its likely a case of self defense and just a tragic incident. There is nothing to charge the guy with. This whole thing has been frothed up by the black racist activists and the media.
I've seen your posts on this subject and I feel you are mistaken in your beliefs, but you are welcome to them.
This “17 year old kid” was 6’2” and a football player at his school from what I read. So don’t let the old pictures of him fool you. Ever wonder why they aren’t showing any recent pictures of him in the media?
He was no small child or innocent angel.
I assume you are refering to the accusation that Zimmerman said the word “coon.” It has also been reported that he said the word “goon.” I realize that this story is spinning out of control in a manner reminiscent of Rodney King but we all (me, too!) need to get our facts straight.
‘Zimmerman got out of his SUV to follow Trayvon on foot.’
That negates any self defense argument in my book.
Do nothing. Say nothing. Accept the consequences of letting criminals (etc) have free access to your community and possibly to your family or friends and neighbors.
A simple challenge of a suspicious character could possibly prevent an incident & “if” the person is innocent he would possibly appreciate the fact that there are concerned people who are watching and protecting the neighborhood and its residents.
Which is one of the reasons why most people won't look at other drivers on the highways anymore.......the roadrage thing.
I have given up on this story. The truth will never be known, and those politicizing it will never be satisfied with any amount of evidence of self-defense.
I expect Zimmerman will be charged with something as a sacrificial lamb.
IN a neighborhood where that has been an increase in burglaries and other incidents ( enough that a neighborhood watch had been set up) ANY one that is not one of the regulars would be considered suspicious. I follow people often. You apparently didn’t read the part where Zimmerman said Martin asked him if he had a problem. Zimmerman says no and then Martin says well you do now and inches him in the use knocking Zimmerman to the ground. Martin did not leave at this point he escalated the attack slamming Zimmerman’s head into the side walk (eye witness reports to the police that night, police statements about Zimmerman’s condition when they arrived, later reports of a broken nose). Seems to me you want to emphasize the ‘kid’ part. This was not a kid this was a young adult thug up to no good. Don’t try to sugar coat it
Do you have anything besides your imagination to support this "opinion?"
he apparently had a Facebook page under the name ‘no limit n*****’. The picture in the hoody was when he was THIRTEEN not current.
Following someone is not illegal and does not cause you to lose your self-defense rights if the person subsequently turns around and attacks you from behind.
His physical injuries were probably not his main concern. He was quite shaken up.
You keep posting that crap......what exactly are those "NAMESs" and note that it is plural, meaning more than once.
----------------- Hypothetical Scenario or is that what you WANT people to think REALLY happened. You want people to "Think" that is what really happened BUT you don't have the slightest clue.
Casting dispersions is as dangerous as pulling the trigger on a gun you are not sure is loaded or not. Go ahead. Shoot your mouth off and make matters worse!
I’ve heard the tapes and even in the cleaned up ones I still can’t hear what they want me to hear. It was even reported that many police can’t hear the word coon in the tapes.
There are a lot of “if’s, what’s and could have been’s” in your comments. Sounds like you’re in danger of throwing out your back jumping to such conclusions.
Also, calling someone a name isn’t grounds for attacking them physically. You better check with the lawyers on that one. Remember the old saying that Sticks and Stones may break your bones but names will never hurt you?
If your son punches someone because they said something he didn’t like then your son would be the instigator.
You are a dolt. You have not even read the report linked above. The 911 dispatcher told Zimmerman not to follow. Zimmerman says that he turned to go to his vehicle. The eye witness ( and there are more than one but this is the guy who went in and made a 911 call about the attack on which can be heard Zimmerman screaming) said he was punched in the nose and hit the cement.
How you can still have ‘the opinion’ that Zimmerman instigated? What facts lead to this conclusion? If this opinion is an indication of your logical skills, I don’t want to be anywhere near you
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