Why Manipulate the Tragedy of Trayvon Martin?

National Review Online ^ | March 25, 2012 | Heather Mac Donald

[Netizen]

Also, do we know where the father lives or how far away from the fiance and do we know where Trayvon’s cousin in that area lives and how far away?

[thecodont]

This is not about Martin or Zimmerman. Its about Obama.

Per berdie at #27,

I read an article (if true) that said this started with some organization at Harvard that posts on line petitions. The petition for this event was very vague in facts and garnered the attention of some high profile individuals.

Nailed it. Which "high profile individuals"?

Please note the possible Harvard connection here.

[GOPJ]

Why do they go back and forth between fiance and stepmother for the father’s girlfriend? Can’t the media get anything straight?

/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Watch this and you’ll see why elites don’t ‘get it right’....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBFOmUXR080

[Sola Veritas]

“The story here isn’t the incident. The story here is the MEDIA. This is a huge window into the MEDIA. It lies, it obfuscates, and it agitates.”

Exactly correct! I am not taking sides on the guilt or innocence of Mr. Zimmerman. However, this “trial by media” is just plain wrong. Plus, it is screwing up any chance of a proper trial IF one is deemed as warranted by reviewing authorities.

I know little about the law, but I doubt getting a conviction of manslaughter is even possible (or warranted) based upon the evidence.

My guess is that Mr. Zimmerman will eventually be sued for “wrongful death” like the OJ case. At worst it appears to me that Mr. Zimmerman is guilty of imprudent behavior that resulted in a human life lost. However, it is so easy for me to make such calls from my armchair.

Whatever, this case is getting way too much press, and most of the press is distorting things. Trials should be in the courtroom not the press.

[Rifleman]

I believe that the police report indicated the the chamber was empty and the mag was full, probably indicating that someone was holding the barrel/slide assy when it was fired. That would point to a struggle for the gun.

[101stAirborneVet]

I'm not so sure that was in the police report released to the public. I believe it was a media story.

So, could go either way.

[Smokin' Joe]

Then that may not be a drug reference, but actually may refer to the products. It can be tough to tell nowadays...

I have noticed the media continue to feed the situation, as if pressuring prosecution is the 'right thing' to do.

I still think if the police and DA thought there was a case against Zimmerman, it would have moved forward.

In the absence of that, the media villifying an individual (which has been done before) nationally, and using the incident to stir up broader civil unrest may be heady stuff for the media folks, but they are playing with fire.

[Talisker]

Unless Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman, had reason to believe that Martin was armed, shooting him was a grossly disproportionate response to a fistfight, even leaving aside the fact that Zimmerman had initiated the encounter.

Heather Mac Donald is a moral whore.

[Cboldt]

-- My guess is that Mr. Zimmerman will eventually be sued for "wrongful death" like the OJ case. --

If the shooting is ruled a justifiable use of deadly force in self defense, then Martin's family is barred from bringing a civil suit.

But I do agree that what Martin's counsel is angling for is a trial, becuiase if there is a criminal trial, then the civil suit is not barred.

[Last of the Mohicans]

The real reason that there won’t be a civil suit is because Mr. Z is a turnip from which no blood may be squeezed. Unlike Mr. Heisman Trophy.

[Cboldt]

-- I didn't see where Crump is quoting Trayvon's GF about the skittles. --

Good point - on rereading the materials, I don't see it either.

See Sourcing narrative "facts" in the Martin case at legal insurrection.

Update 3-29-2012 5:30 p.m.: The Martins' attorney never responded, but a reader forwarded an email exchange he had with a Miami Herald reporter, who said that the source of the information regarding Skittles and ice tea was the former Sanford Police Chief, although I don't believe the Herald ever attributed the information to him in any of its articles.

[Cboldt]

-- do we know where the father lives or how far away from the fiance and do we know where Trayvon's cousin in that area lives and how far away? --

I don't know either one of those. I've assumed that Tracy lives at the complex where Trayvon was killed, or at least that's wehre he returned after dinner the night of Feb 26th.

I assume the cousin is a reasonable drive away, but not living with Tracy, Tracy's GF, etc.

[Sola Veritas]

“If the shooting is ruled a justifiable use of deadly force in self defense, then Martin’s family is barred from bringing a civil suit.”

Now I’m really curious? Do the statutes in Florida barr a civil lawsuit if/when the prosecution declines to bring something to trial? Failure to prosecute is not, in my understanding, a “ruling” of justifiable homocide. It is merely a determination by a DA that it would not be easy to get a conviction and they therefore decline to prosecute. There have been cases in other states where it was a clear cut case of “justifiable homocide” but an over zealous DA prosecuted anyway. In Mr. Zimmerna’s case no judge or jury has “ruled” anything.

However, I’m not familiar with the Florida statutes or much of the law for that matter.

I do know that in my home state of OK, at one time, a “self-defense” permit was only for that purpose. Someone on a “neighborhood watch” that carried would be in deep trouble if they got into an altercation with a person they followed and then shoot even in clear cut self defense. For one, neighborhood watchers were clearly told by police they could not “carry” while doing that - even IF they had a “self-defense” permint. Basically, you had to have the cover of being a licensed and legally employed “Security Guard” to even remotely get away with use of deadly force....even then they expected a licensed and armed guard on duty to retreat and call for law enforcement unless it was not possible. Even then you were subject to prosecution.

[101stAirborneVet]

776.085 Defense to civil action for damages; party convicted of forcible or attempted forcible felony.—

(1) It shall be a defense to any (suit against Zimmerman) for damages for...wrongful death...that such (suit against Zimmerman) arose from (death) sustained by (Martin) during the commission or attempted commission of a forcible felony (by Martin). The defense authorized by this section shall be established by evidence that the participant has been convicted of such forcible felony or attempted forcible felony, or by proof of the commission of such crime or attempted crime by a preponderance of the evidence.

I inserted names and deleted non-relevant sections to make for easier reading.

[Sola Veritas]

“If the shooting is ruled a justifiable use of deadly force in self defense, then Martin’s family is barred from bringing a civil suit.”

I did some reading of Florida’s law, and now understand what you were talking about.

[Cboldt]

-- Do the statutes in Florida barr a civil lawsuit if/when the prosecution declines to bring something to trial? --

Yes.

Oklahoma may have a duty to retreat, but even if FL had one, the fact pattern here, as told by Zimmerman, precludes retreat. The question then becomes whether or not the use of deadly force is justified for a person in his predicament.

F.S. 776.032 - JUSTIFIABLE USE OF FORCE

776.032 Immunity from criminal prosecution and civil action for justifiable use of force.--

(1) A person who uses force as permitted in s. 776.012, s. 776.013, or s. 776.031 is justified in using such force and is immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force, unless the person against whom force was used is a law enforcement officer ...

Zimmerman's defense lies in 776.012. You can backtrack from the link above, to the various statutory provisions.

[101stAirborneVet]

Basically, if Zimmerman's attorneys in a civil suit can prove by a preponderance of the evidence that Martin got on top of him such that Zimmerman couldn't get away (as at least one eyewitness stated), we would have the forcible felony of False Imprisonment and the Martin family would be barred from recovery in a wrongful death suit.

That's my reading of the statute.

[presently no screen name]

Zimmerman's life must be hell. The media should be condemned for how they portray this. They are deliberately being deceptive - the people are not getting the right info. If it weren't for FR, I wouldn't know it either. And their deliberate lack of reporting on other crimes. There should be a ban on the media - a long over ban on them.

I imagine the author never saw anyone killed by one punch.

Martin decked him with one punch that sent him to the ground and then beat his head to the ground. Martin was a violent kid, he felt no threat because there was none. At 6'2", he thought he was all big and bad. He stupidly went into a situation without a thought or care. Who knows if there is some blood clot in Zimmerman's head because of this. He should sue his parents for letting their violent kid unchaperoned.

[Avoiding_Sulla]

“The story here isn’t the incident. The story here is the MEDIA. This is a huge window into the MEDIA. It lies, it obfuscates, and it agitates.”

You are both dead on. Now what will you do with that?

Whenever I get the chance I take a hint from Orwell. But because we are not THERE yet, I do not call it the Ministry of Truth, but the Agency of Lies. On rare occasions I will abbreviate as AoL. But normally I write it out in full and freely interchange Agency of Lies with media as much as possible.

The object is not simply to make the point, which is freaking obvious to most of us. It’s to get us comfortable when we come in contact with agents of the AoL (facetiously called reporters).

“Before I answer your questions, answer mine.

How does it feel to be an agent of the most dishonest institution on the planet?

Ever heard of Winston Smith?

Don’t you know what happens to apparatchiks?’

When you find yourself in the gulag, do you think you’ll remember these words? ‘If only Stalin knew.’”

[what's up]

Blacks commit 80 percent of all shootings in the city — as reported by the victims of and witnesses to those shootings — though they are but 23 percent of the population; whites commit 1.4 percent of all shootings, though they are 35 percent of the population. Add Hispanic shootings to the black tally, and you account for 98 percent of all of the city’s gun violence

23% + 35% = 60%.

So what race is the other 40%. Hispanics (or are they white now)? Mixed?