It's cool in here, so they'll keep for a couple days . . .
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 ...
Since I posted this, I’ve come on more information posted here on FR that shows we FReepers are a lot better journalists than, among others, “the journalists at Fox News,” as self-described by Shepard Smith. It turns out there are one or more independent witnesses who corroborate Zimmerman’s testimony that Martin attacked Zimmerman after Zimmerman dropped off his pursuit of Martin. Please see:
http://www.wesh.com/r-video/30696935/detail.html
It always helps to get the whole story before jumping to conclusions.
Now it looks like this started with Zimmerman following Martin and then getting out of his truck to have some type of ill-advised personal interaction with Martin. Then, for one reson or another, Zimmerman chose to break off the contact. Martin, however, being s somewhat high-strung, athletic young man, decided to get even with Zimmerman for being hassled, jumped Zimmerman, got him down, and started beating Zimmerman. At that point Zimmerman, being beaten by this large, powerful football player, legitimately feared suffering death or great bodily harm and legally shot Martin.
I’m with you on this. There is a paucity of information on him and the media continue to ignore it. My guess is that what background there is does not fit the template. sd
There’s a lot more. Take a look at my excerpt from the article.
Zim then got out of his truck/car and followed him on foot carrying a firearm which he then used to kill Martin.
So, anything that leads back to the theory that Zim could "challenge" any visitor is a dead end. That's because he actually didn't "challenge" him earlier. He challenged him "later", on foot, after he'd reported what he was doing to the 911 clerk who advised him to not follow him.
Not that Zimmerman had to obey the clerk, but the next legal issue up after that event is whether or not Martin had a reasonable fear for his life, and since he's dead, we'd have to say YES!
Really folks, keep in mind that this case has a dead body and whatever theories you come up with have to deal with that fact. So far no one has come up with any reason why the shooter had to shoot the victim!
I’m amazed at rush to judgement here. It’s the opposite side of the same coin you all are complaining about.
Pathetic.
Does anyone know if the neighborhood watch vehicles are marked or if Zimmerman was wearing a jacket or cap that would identify him as a member of the neighborhood watch?
I figured there was more to this. The way the media makes it sound, including Fox, is that the Watch guy phoned in, said there was someone suspicious, then chaesed the kid down, and that the kid was on the cell phone to his girl friend who said he was scared and running and then they heard gun shots.
Not ONE WORD about any potetnial scuffle that had Zimmerman on the ground and bleeding, or any witnesses stating as much.
This one piece of information, if true, changes my opinion and view of the case 180 degrees. From a guy chasing a young kid down and killing him to a guy chasing a young kid who he couldn’t catch and then getting blind sided by that same kid and having to defend himself.
You drag a witness out who is willing to go on camera, in a magistrate's or other court, and swear then we'll listen.
Part of their reluctance may have to do with the fact that Zimmerman is on the loose and presumably still armed and dangerous. Which is a disturbing aspect ~
Actually, it was the sperm-donors current sperm-depository’s house that the kid was walking back to. I have only seen it mentioned that it was “near” or “by” the Retreat gated community.
That statement has been known almost since the beginning of the case!
The family got a lawyer to go after the police 911 call recordings to see if that confirmed Zimmerman's statement.
Turned out there are some serious discrepancies.
The discussion of the discrepancies touched off the firestorm. Until then NOBODY CARED!
“Zimmy Boy”???? I wonder where your bias lies?
“brought this beating on himself”??? How do you bring a beating on yourself? Following someone? Being a neighborhood watch captain?
I don't care if he followed Trayvon Martin all over the area calling Trayvon’ mom a crack whore. It doesn't allow him to assault Zimmerman or take away Zimmerman's right to defend himself.
You can differentiate between “discussion” and “judgement,” can’t you? People use the word “judge” so loosely. No one has been “judged.” People are allowed to talk and exchange ideas.
If a 6' 3", 200 pound, football playing male is sitting atop your body, beating you in the head and face, regardless of how he got there, you would BE fearing for your life and could use self defense.
If that is a real, provable fact, there is no way Zimmerman gets convicted.
What was the brother in a hoody doing in a gated {i.e. PRIVATE NO TRESPASSING ALLOWED} community? Just axing, bro?
It's cool in here, so they'll keep for a couple days . . .
He was in the community with his father and his father’s girlfriend.
Maury Povich already has just such a show.
From what I’ve read, your account seems the most likely.
Good summary.
Zimmerman probably started the trouble. Somewhere along the way, he became the one in danger.
Eventually he was using self-defense. Though the fact (if it’s a fact) that he initiated contact, armed, is not a point in his favor.
He does seem to meet the criteria toward the end of the altercation, to have been in real fear for his life.
At that time - once the larger Martin had Zimmerman on the ground pounding his head by some accounts, one or the other of the two was probably not going home that day.
I’m no lawyer, so I’ll not pretend to opine as to what crimes may have been committed.
However clearly the story is being wildly spun in the media.
Only in your fevered imagination.
Don't you have an episode of The View to go watch?
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.
There is no self defense here, just a overzealous neighborhood watch guy who thought he was a cop who bit off more than he could chew, and when it didn’t go his way, shot the guy.
Zimmerman clearly created the situation, for him to claim victim status is laughable.
If the kid jumped Zimmerman and had him on the ground beating him then Zimmerman was well within his rights to shoot in self defense. If thats what really went down especially if Zimmerman was withdrawing from the fray and heading back to his truck he is probably home free. Fla gun laws are pretty lenient.
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