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Posted on 04/02/2012 8:55:06 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
It is tragic when violent incidents occur due to mistakes, misjudgments and fear. On Feb. 26, 2012 at approximately 7:15 PM, a Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman, shot and killed 17 year old Trayvon Martin at the gated community - Retreat at Twin Lakes, in Sanford, Florida.
Prior to pursuing Martin, Zimmerman placed a 911 call to report a “suspicious person” lurking in the community. While en route to the scene, police received reports of “gun shots” in the area. Upon arrival, the police found Martin laying on the ground, face down, without movement. After resuscitation processes were attempted, Martin was declared dead.
The occurrence drew national attention because Martin is a black male and Zimmerman is a white male. Cries of racism were forthcoming from just about every news media organization in the country. Yet, there is no evidence to suggest this terrible incident was caused by a “racist” George Zimmerman who purposely shot and killed Martin because he is black.
The real issue here is determining whether Zimmerman, who pursued Martin in his capacity as a Neighborhood Watch volunteer, acted in justifiable self-defense. The public, enthralled by a captivating race war, is focusing its attention on the wrong issue. By doing so, the heart of the matter becomes lost and the public does not receive real facts, but instead, hysterical accusations based on zero proof.
What a grand jury and subsequent judge and jury rightly ought to suspect is whether Zimmerman believed his own life was in danger when he pulled the trigger, and not so much whether Zimmerman was motivated by an unlikely scenario of a deep seeded and unknown proclivity for hatred towards black people.
Anti-gun advocates are now targeting Florida’s “stand your ground” law, saying that statute should “go to trial,” as well. Well, not really. Stand your ground laws did not kill Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman did. Relying on the Second Amendment, stand your ground laws act proactively to protect innocent individuals from prosecution, who, while acting in self defense, commit an alleged crime involving a firearm.
For example; On March 23, 2012 in West Tisbury, Massachusetts, a 63 year old Cynthia Bloomquist shot and killed her estranged 64 year old husband, Kenneth Bloomquist, after she was violently attacked by him. Evidence at the scene clearly suggests Mrs. Bloomquist was reacting in self defense, and prosecutors will not pursue charges against her. Good. That is why stand your ground laws exist.
Florida statute defines “Use of force in defense of person,” as follows:
776.012—A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if:
He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to: (1) prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony.
The United States Supreme Court has ruled that stand your ground laws are fair and Constitutional, but the gun-control media wants those laws changed, and they cover this tragic incident from that perspective.
Seeking gun control by any means, the media are quick to blame the instrument of force or the innocent bystander or laws put it place to protect our Second Amendment right, each time a tragic incident occurs involving a firearm, rather than blaming the culprit, if indeed there is one.
Sometimes bad things happen to innocent people by accident, and it is no one’s fault. Sometimes bad things happen to innocent people on purpose, and the perpetrator should be punished.
However, in the case involving the tragic death of Trayvon Martin, our Constitution is clear: George Zimmerman is innocent until proven guilty; and for the purpose of accuracy, the news media should start their reporting there. So far, they have done nothing of the sort.
Follow the money.
For the past week Dems are claiming a voice expert studied the 911 tape and say the voice cannot be Zimmermans. On MSNBC they have been claiming this is proof he is lying and guilty.
If you see that story posted here please ping me.
I would say that being beaten on the head with a man’s fists creates an imminent scenario of death or severe physical injury, indeed. If George Zimmerman were instead “Georgette Zimmerman”, would there even BE a debate?
It was two voice analysts, hired by the Orlando Sentinel. Just Googgle it.
I’ve read several place that Mr. Zimmerman didn’t even call 911, but rather the regular, non-emergency police operator. Have you heard that?
Registered demo carts should not be able to have guns.
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Why weren’t the 911 tapes initially released?There are exemptions to the public records laws for active criminal intelligence and for ongoing investigations. In this instance, the 911 calls made by neighbors in the subdivision, and the non-emergency call made by Mr. Zimmerman are all key to the investigation by Sanford Police Department.
Yes - I saw his brother make that exact statement.
Also, Zimmerman's father says his son was NOT on Neighborhood Watch that night, but was driving to the store when he spotted Martin, who he did not recognize.
First of all, Zimmerman did not pursue Martin, he followed him so as to keep and eye on him, until the dispatcher told him, "we don't need you to do that". Second Zimmerman did not call 911, he called a non emergency number. You can tell by the way the call is answered. All the 911 calls reporting the final phases, the screaming and/or the shot, start with "911, do you need police, fire or medical". The Zimmerman call starts with something like "This call is being recorded". Not an auspicous start to the article. First, get your facts straight, then put fingers to keys.
The test is "would a reasonable person in the same circumstance believe ... " They can't tell what was in Zimmerman's mind. But I think a reasonable person would figure think that he was in danger of death or bodily injury when a guy is on top of him beating his head against the ground or sidewalk. There are at least two eyewitnesses who saw Matirn on top of and beating on Zimmerman. One of those eyewitnesses, and what he says he saw, has been known from the day after the incident. Way before it got any national attention, or much attention in the local area.
“.....Zimmerman is a white male.”
If that's the final word on DNA, then Obama is also a white male.
I don't know how it is in Florida, but in the SF Bay area calling 911 will have one of two results:
1. Busy signal, or
2. Phone is answered, but I am placed on hold immediately.
Calling any other police number will get a faster response.
I’m all for the law. I was on Frontpagemag earlier this morning listening to “The Glazov Gang” which focused on the Trayvon Martin shooting. I was disturbed to hear several of Glazov’s panelists say that neighborhood watch volunteers should not carry guns. If there was some sort of crime problem around where I live, I’d be more than pleased if a designated watch volunteer armed him or herself. I have no knowledge of the rights of nwvs, but why would it be a bad thing for these people to be armed? Unfortunately, Jamie Glazov appeared to agree with his panelists.
If George Zimmermann were stone cold dead and Trayvon were walking around free as a bird with Zimmermann's pistol, the media pukes would call that fair and square. It's always in good order to "afflict the comfortable" and turn neighborhood-watch weenies into corpses.
the statewide prosecutor is on record as stating she wants to skip the grand jury. IOW she wants to control the fact charges will be filed no matter what the facts or the truth may be.
I wonder if the media can be charged with a hate crime.
I hope zimmerman has a really good defamation lawyer lined up.
both non and 911 call go to the same call center.
The fact he called the non-emergency number is telling in that in indicates a state of mind. He did not consider it an emergent situation but just something.
BTW for anyone who has had police come in and help set up a watch program, there is no on or off duty. If you see anything suspicious they tell people to call in and report it.
folks on the issue of calling the police on ANY number:
Remember the Dept of Homland security (aka Big Sister) has a campaign out saying “IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING”.
The MSM has totally forgotten this. Holder et al all are demanding the public report ANYTHING suspicious. A hoodie in FL weather is suspicious. An unknown person in an association is suspicious.
The government propagandas to report EVERYTHING. Well that is what happened.
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