Posted on 03/22/2012 9:03:25 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Ever since his CPAC Keynote Address in 2010, Rep. Allen West (R-FL) has been one of the gold standards of modern American political conservatism. He has also been widely hailed as a political model for conservative African American politicians. And now, following recent revelations surrounding the highly suspicious shooting of Trayvon Martin, Rep. West has joined a growing bipartisan consensus calling for the case to be reopened, possibly even with Federal assistance. West’s statement, put out today by Talking Points Memo, resonates with controlled fury (emphasis added):
itself in Sanford, Florida involving the shooting of 17-year-old Treyvon Martin. First of all, if all that has been reported is accurate, the Sanford Police Chief should be relieved of his duties due to what appears to be a mishandling of this shooting in its early stages. The US Navy SEALS identified Osama Bin Laden within hours, while this young man laid on a morgue slab for three days. The shooter, Mr Zimmerman, should have been held in custody and certainly should not be walking free, still having a concealed weapons carry permit. From my reading, it seems this young man was pursued and there was no probable cause to engage him, certainly not pursue and shoot him….against the direction of the 911 responder. Let’s all be appalled at this instance not because of race, but because a young American man has lost his life, seemingly, for no reason. I have signed a letter supporting a DOJ investigation. I am not heading to Sanford to shout and scream, because we need the responsible entities and agencies to handle this situation from this point without media bias or undue political influences. This is an outrage.
(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...
Dear Alma,
witnesses have been talking to reporters. Not everything pertinent to an incident is in a police report. I know, because my sister assaulted me, falsely accused me of the crime, and a police report resulted that did not include pertinent facts because a witness lied!
If Mr.Zimmerman is charged with a crime, I have no doubt he will be found innocent. Then he can sue the bejesus out of the Police Department. Now, won’t that make the taxpayers angry?
The Castle Doctrine very much applies here. It doesn’t matter whether Trayvon was 6’ or 7’ tall; beating someone in the face and about the head with fists can kill them. And now there are witnesses.
It doesn’t make you happy, I can tell.
Trayvon Martin was suspended from school for 5-days. Why, I really don’t care. But it is possible he was really ticked off about it, and Zimmerman was an irritant that set Trayvon off.
“Martin was with his father visiting his father’s girlfriend who lived in the neighborhood, thus he had a legal right to be there.”
So why didn’t he stop and tell Zimmerman that fact.
“Martin had no responsibility to stop for an unidenfiable individual who was trying to detain him.”
When I have the right of way at an intersection I don’t have to stop - but it isn’t worth dying for, either.
You state that Trayvon had a reason to be there, so why not stop and tell that to Zimmerman? This is really a shame, because Zimmerman probably knew the name of Trayvon’s dad’s girlfriend. All Trayvon had to do was be civil, stop and chat with Zimmerman.
If he had, we wouldn’t be having this discussion.
The physical evidence you put so much stock into is what exactly? The witness statements explain what exactly? NO ONE saw the initiation of the confrontation. The physical evidence that Zimmerman had a bloody nose does NOT preclude the possibility that Zimmerman initiated the confrontation with the 17 year old. It amazes me that the FACT the 17 year old was not doing anything wrong; had NOT been involved in the burglaries; that Zimmerman had been essentially stalking the 17 year old due to an unfounded suspicion isn’t being taken into consideration. Why is it not appropriate to even consider that Zimmerman used poor judgement? Are you suggesting that you would not, if being followed by someone, take steps to get that person to end their actions against you? Sorry, but I’m not willing to take Zimmerman’s word simply because the person he shot is unable to tell his side of the story. And, neither should anyone else.
Sir, where we part ways is that I feel no need for federal involvement at this point. I think the local legal system should be given a chance to do what it has to do, without a bunch of pressure and opportunistic statements from politicians, and certainly without pressure from known race-baiters like Sharpton and company.
I confess to having a knee-jerk reflex of sympathy towards Mr. Zimmerman when I see the cast of characters using to further their own agenda, and it may well be that he did murder and the physical evidence just happens to point towards self defense. It’s up to the local authorities to decide if it makes sense to put him in front of a jury who’ll have to try to read what was in his heart when he pulled the trigger.
It pains me to see conservatives call for the feds to come in to satisfy what really amounts to an emotional reaction. Let the locals handle it, and let’s see how it goes.
So, if there was a recent incident of criminal activity on my street, and then I saw someone who was unknown to me, I can first follow that individual, with his knowledge that I am doing so, and, perhaps, initiate some type of contact with that individual, regardless of whether he is actually doing anything of a criminal nature, and then, if he becomes upset and/or violent with me, despite the fact that I initiated the contact, I can shoot and kill the individual? Okay, got it. Committed to memory. It is okay to commit a homicide just so long as I am somewhere on my street and following someone who is unknown to me and I THINK they might be up to no good because SOMEONE ELSE committed criminal activity in the past. That is good to know. I hope you don't mind that I don't actually engage in such stupid behavior.
“The guy on the bottom, who had a red sweater on, was yelling to me, ‘Help! Help!’ and I told him to stop, and I was calling 911,” said the witness, who asked to be identified only by his first name, John.
John said he locked his patio door, ran upstairs and heard at least one gun shot.
“And then, when I got upstairs and looked down, the guy who was on the top beating up the other guy, was the one laying in the grass, and I believe he was dead at that point.”
Guys I was a cop for 20 years. I worked in DC. What’s happening in this case is LIB 101.
One of our white officers would respond to a “shots fired” call. They arrive, see black guy with gun, order black guy to drop gun, black guy raises gun, white cop shoots.
Next day, front page of the Washington Post:
“17 Year Old Aspiring Poet Gunned Down by Police”
— “Was star player on HS Football Team”
— “Was trying to turn life around”
— “Wanted to be a good father to his new baby”
— “Mom says he was a ‘good boy’ who had a ‘contagious smile’
— “White officer had been disciplined before”
This is exactly what’s happening here, but with more widespread success. The libmedia has found itself a White Devil to persecute, and it’s gone viral.
People shoot people every day. Blacks shoot whites. Blacks shoot blacks. Whites shoot blacks. Adults shoot kids. Kids shoot adults. Sounds like Dr. Seuss.
EVERYTHING THE MEDIA SAYS IN THIS CASE should be examined with a microscope. Every word choice, every weasel phrase, every omitted detail.
I’ve seen it dozens of times.
You know he was taken in for questioning by detectives right from the scene? You know forensics came to the scene and processed it for fingerprints, took photos and collected evidence? You know they took his firearm and put it into evidence?
I’m not sure why people think an investigation was “not done”.
I never called for federal involvement. In fact, that would be totally inappropriate. And independent investigation does not necessary need to be federal.
Oh I'm sure why....the results didn't fit with their agenda.
Who isn't even white.
The basis for your statement please.
Zimmerman's statement to police hotline operator. "Oh crap, he's running" Zimmerman gets out of his truck to follow.
Police operator (translated from cop speak) "Don't do that"
Zimmaerman (frustrated) "These a***holes always get away" "Have the cops call me to find out where i am when they arrive"
It's simply a preliminary report, covering very basic information. Such as basic descriptions, the players etc. It also noted Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and back of his head.
It also noted Zimmerman while being medically treated on scene stated, "I was yelling for someone to help, but no one would help me".
That is not an investigation report, but basically a response report, very preliminary. You'll note in the preliminary report, it stated the responding officers turned Zimmerman over to "Investigations" for an interview.
Reports I’ve heard indicated that the firearm was NOT taken and processed. If true, there’s a problem. If not true, then that needs to be dispelled. There is conflicting information. I see no reason to not have clarification and/or an independent investigation (that doesn’t mean federal). I’ve read on FR thread after thread bashing law enforcement over the course of the past several years. Now everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon of this particular police department in this particular incident and claim there is not reason to consider that the police didn’t do a complete investigation.
You’re so right. Ah, the irony.
That’s the wisest post on the thread, IMHO.
Oh, you were there? Great! We can expect your first-hand report on FR.
You heard BS.
Try reading page 4 of 4.
It clearly stated the weapon was "Collected and placed into evidence".
http://www.sanfordfl.gov/investigation/docs/Twin%20Lakes%20Shooting%20Initial%20Report.pdf
Ah. Sarcasm. The arguement of a weak mind. Thanks for that illuminating comment.
Sarcasm isn’t an argument. For weak mindedness I’ll go back to post #2.
“””Reports I’ve heard indicated that the firearm was NOT taken and processed.”””
_____________________________________________________
http://www.sanfordfl.gov/investigation/docs/Twin%20Lakes%20Shooting%20Initial%20Report.pdf
See page 4 of 4.
It clearly stated the weapon was “Collected and placed into evidence”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.