Trayvon Martin case

[Phishfan]

I haven't followed this case but everything I have heard is kind of opposite of what you said. The 911 operator told him to stop following the guy and the guy begging for help was the kid, not Zimmerman. But, I'm not going to come to any conclusion until someone actually has some kind of clue as to what happened.

There is a oot of misinformation. What CF said was Zimmerman was not "ordered" which is correct. What was clearly said on the recording is the operator told him they don't need him to follow the suspect. As for the yells, many eywitness reports are that Zimmerman was the one on the ground and crying for help.

Why people thought it was Martin is because some of them said it sounded like a kid.

[Buddhagirl]

[Phishfan]

Are you joking?  There's a picture of Trayvon Martin in almost literally every article.

Google "trayvon martin" and go to images.  The picture in the red Hollister shirt is ubiquitous at this point.

Just to respond to this, the released photos of Martin are approximately four years old. That is what CF is referring to. No one has seen what Martin looks like currently without accessing his Facebook, etc.

[Phishfan]

However, if the police had at least done their job and actually arrested the shooter at the scene, this wouldn't be nearly the big deal it is now.  

I'm not sure where you live but according to Florida law, they had to have evidence that it was not self defense as claimed. I'm fine with a grand jury indicting him but the police had no evidence to arrest him at the scene based on the evidence they had.

[Sunstroke]

I was curious as to what you guys' feelings were on the subject as this is my town...

Until all the information and misinformation, legal-dodging and race-baiting is straightened out and we get a clearer picture of what exactly happened, I really don't have any feelings on this issue. I am disappointed - but not surprised - to see all these politicians and attention-mongers using this situation to jump into the picture and promote their own agendas.

[Spider-Dan]

I'm not sure where you live but according to Florida law, they had to have evidence that it was not self defense as claimed. I'm fine with a grand jury indicting him but the police had no evidence to arrest him at the scene based on the evidence they had.

I find it incredibly difficult to believe that if, say, Martin had wrestled the gun from Zimmerman and shot him during the scuffle, he'd be walking free without even having been arrested.

[CF DolFan]

If Trayvon Martin is 6'3" and weighs 140lbs... it is not credible to claim that a 250lb grown man was helpless to defend himself.  Sorry, it just isn't.

I also find it difficult to believe that Martin would have been "running" from Zimmerman (as Zimmerman claimed) and then, after getting away, somehow turn around and head right back to him?  That just doesn't make any sense.

I think what makes more sense is that he ran, Zimmerman caught up to him, and tried to "apprehend" him (read: grab him by the arm and take him back to his truck).  Martin resisted, a scuffle ensued, and Zimmerman responded with deadly force.
Are you joking?  There's a picture of Trayvon Martin in almost literally every article.

Google "trayvon martin" and go to images.  The picture in the red Hollister shirt is ubiquitous at this point.

You are doing an awful lot of assuming. He grabbed him by the arm and drug him to the truck?

I just googled him. Cute pictures but not even close to being recent. Just curious. Did you even read what I wrote.

This ones even old and how many times have you seen this one posted?  I'd guess never.


Facebook had some very interestig photos but mysteriously went down pretty quick. Unfortunately if arrested Zimmeran's attorney's will have every right to show who the racist really was and Facebook postings are evidence.

Have you read No Limit Nigga's Tweets? Nice kid. I'm not sure why the media hasn't even mentioned the self proclaimed "G" .

[CF DolFan]

Please let me be clear. I do not know Zimmerman or if he is guilty of anything. My only argument is that I honestly believe the police have no "legal" reason to arrest him. You can speculate all you want but the fact remains they cannot arrest tsomeone just because. 

Ironically isn't that what fighting against racial profiling is supposed to stop?

I aslo think media, Al and Jesse have contributed to the chaos tremendously and if any of them actually did what they qere supposed to do we wouldn't be in this situation today.

[Cathal]

I thought it was only racial profiling if it only involved a white guy and a black guy. When did that change?

[Phishfan]

Anyone can be racially profiled.

[JVides]

No matter how this turns out, this feels bad for the following reason:

A kid with nothing on him other than skittles and an iced tea is dead.

No matter what comes out from this case, the Zimmerman "kid" (I read he's 28) was absolutely in the wrong for going out there and confronting the kid.  If he was on the phone with the police, then he should have let them take it from there (as, I understand, he was advised).  This is one of the reasons why police would rather us (civilians) not get involved.  We get scared, we get panicky, we don't have training to fall back on when the "suspect" is approached and becomes agitated, and we don't elicit the respect/fear from the "suspect" that will keep him or her reasonably in line.

If some jackhole approached me as I was walking down the street wanting to know my business, I surely wouldn't react violently, but I would not react kindly, either.  If a cop did the approaching, I would hate it, but I would at least keep it cordial lest I spend a night in jail.

[masterfins]

The truth, as usual, probably lies between the two stories being told.  However, from Zimmerman's 911 call and the "rules" that govern neighborhood watch, none of this would have happened if Zimmerman did just what he was supposed to do, which is notify police and nothing else.

[badger6]

Good god, not this shit again. So a black kid gets killed and it's national news ? Wait, really, WTF ? How many people get killed everyday ?  I could care less about either of these 2 scumbags, but what I find really interesting and disturbing at the same time is how certain people will pick sides based on race(usually their own)in a particular situation regardless of right or wrong. Even when they weren't there and don't know what really happened. I think if the situation was reversed and this Trayvon character was the shooter and Zimmerman was killed, this thread probably wouldn't exist. People of every color die everyday all over the world, boo hoo who cares ? Not me, I don't know any of 'em. They can all kill each other and thin the gene pool for all I care, it ain't my business. Life is just like they taught you in science class, survival of the fittest. That goes for us also !!!

[Dave Gray]

People of every color die everyday all over the world, boo hoo who cares ?

I do.

[Spider-Dan]

Good god, not this shit again. So a black kid gets killed and it's national news ? Wait, really, WTF ?

WTF, indeed.  In this case, it's national news because an unarmed black kid was killed by a private citizen, and the shooter wasn't even arrested.

I could care less about either of these 2 scumbags, but what I find really interesting and disturbing at the same time is how certain people will pick sides based on race(usually their own)in a particular situation regardless of right or wrong.

How dare Trayvon Martin go out and get himself shot by an overzealous vigilante!  And I hear he had purchased a gold grill and listened to rap music!  What a scumbag.

I think if the situation was reversed and this Trayvon character was the shooter and Zimmerman was killed, this thread probably wouldn't exist.

That is 100% correct, because Martin would have been thrown in jail faster than you can blink.