Zimmerman got out of his SUV to follow Trayvon on foot.
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This troubles me. Sorry, it just does.
Hypothetical Scenario:
Joe walks up to Jim.
Joe verbally antagonizes Jim.
Joe pushes Jim.
Joe punches Jim.
Jim finally responds. Jim pushes Joe.
Joe feels life is threatened.
Joe pulls out gun and shoots Jim. In self-defense.
Did Joe act in self-defense?
Hypothetical Scenario:
Joe walks up to Jim.
Joe verbally antagonizes Jim.
Joe pushes Jim.
Joe punches Jim.
Jim finally responds. Jim pushes Joe.
Joe feels life is threatened.
Joe pulls out gun and shoots Jim. In self-defense.
Did Joe act in self-defense?
I once followed a group of black teenagers into a Korean dress shop in Manhattan where they promptly surrounded the female cashier in what I stupidly took to be a somewhat suspicious manner. It turned out they were looking for Size 2 Norma Kamali dresses! (That’s sarcasm.)
Do ANY of you freepers live where frightening black teenagers threaten, rape and murder people???
If I am walking down the sidewalk in my neighborhood, and someone is following me in their car and then pulls over and gets out, I have the right to ask what the hell they are doing. I do NOT have the right to knock them down and bash their head repeatedly into the sidewalk unless they have acted with some kind of force against me, such as punching me or drawing a knife or a gun.
Unless it can be proven that Zimmerman grabbed Martin, threw a punch at Martin or drew on Martin unprovoked (such as to try and detain him), and therefore Martin thought he was fighting for his life against an attacker, the level of force of bashing someone's head against a sidewalk is no way proportional to someone else following you. Realize that the act of bashing someone's head against the sidewalk is and of itself an escalation to potentially deadly force.
There are still a lot of big 'ifs' here, we're getting dribs and drabs. I am not ruling out that the level of force Martin used was excessive if we find out something more in the coming days about what happened in that minute or so where the cops seem to have a gap. But unless we hear something that we have not heard to date, my opinion is that Marin used deadly force and it rose to the level of excessive force that gave Zimmerman reasonable concern to respond with deadly force in turn - because someone can kill you bashing your head on the sidewalk.
He was part of neighborhood watch. He followed and when told to not follow he turned and started back to his vehicle. Zimmerman did EXACTLY what he should have done.
That this bothers you tells me I may not want you as a neighbor. I pay close attention to who is in our neighborhood. If someone looks dicey I follow them a short distance just so they know people pay attention. I do not confront I do not provoke. I say nothing. I merely follow on a public sidewalk.
There's been alot of crime, he's part of the watch group...and is supposed to be on the lookout for ‘suspicious behavior’, he sees an unfamiliar face, this person goes someplace where Zimmerman can't see him from the street (possibly behind buildings).
Is Zimmerman supposed to just sit and do nothing? I have to admit, I would get out of the car, and try to trail the guy, until the police got there.
Now, Zimmerman seems like an over-zealous 911 junkie. I get that. And, he set up a situation - he followed Martin, so Martin walked faster and looked even more suspicious. I get that. Zimmerman set up an awkward situation. But (and this hasn't been proven I know), if Martin attacked Zimmerman, I don't blame Zimmerman. Awkwardly following somebody is weird and uncalled for...but the response to that is not assault. By all accounts, Martin had a phone...if he felt threatened, he could have called the police, the same way Zimmerman did.
Obviously it was a mistake but it does not justify being beaten, getting his nose broken and his head knocked against the ground.