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.
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.