Trayvon Martin and "Stand Your Ground" in FL

[StPaulHusker]

I think you should care, but I would wonder why they would sensationalize some and not others. Here is a link to a story that is basically the opposite of this case. Were there protests, looting, marches, The View, etc......?

 

http://rochester.ynn.com/content/top_stories/490926/jury-finds-roderick-scott-not-guilty/

 

 

[Whistlebritches]

Was it illegal for George Zimmerman to carry a gun?

 

Why is everybody complaining about this? There are several citizens that I know who are not police officers that carry a concealed weapon

 

Who said it was illegal that Zimmerman carried a gun?

 

This is twice now you've posted this afternoon, and both times you're either misunderstanding or falsely characterizing the opinions you read here.

I never specifically said anybody it was just a question Knapp. I was just wondering because everybody keeps bringing up the fact that GZ had a gun as if they were saying that he wasn't allowed to carry a gun?

 

It's purely speculation but I don't think that GZ would have gotten out of the truck and followed Martin if he (GZ) weren't carrying a gun which most likely means that Zimmerman doesn't end up dead.

[knapplc]

Was it illegal for George Zimmerman to carry a gun?

 

Why is everybody complaining about this? There are several citizens that I know who are not police officers that carry a concealed weapon

 

Who said it was illegal that Zimmerman carried a gun?

 

This is twice now you've posted this afternoon, and both times you're either misunderstanding or falsely characterizing the opinions you read here.

I never specifically said anybody it was just a question Knapp. I was just wondering because everybody keeps bringing up the fact that GZ had a gun as if they were saying that he wasn't allowed to carry a gun?

 

Nobody is saying that.

[Apathy]

Why would you ask someone for a ride who you are profiling as a criminal who looks like he may be in the verge of breaking into a home or homes

 

I think that's the point. Why was he profiling him as a criminal? Wouldn't it be nice if he hadn't seen a black kid in a hoodie and thought "criminal!" and just offered him a ride?

Looking into houses and cutting in between houses is my guess. That neighborhood has had like 8 or 9 burglars and majority those were black. I'm sorry but if I'm walking somewhere I'm not browsing in the windows of houses like TM was

[Junior]

 

Looking into houses and cutting in between houses is my guess. That neighborhood has had like 8 or 9 burglars and majority those were black. I'm sorry but if I'm walking somewhere I'm not browsing in the windows of houses like TM was

 

Wow, that's a serious statement right there. Anything to back that up?

[carlfense]

Yeah. The true non-english meaning of Matthew 5:39 is something like "thou shalt resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, gun them down."

Is that the original Greek or the Hebrew? Or was it Aramaic?

Aramaic, I believe.

[knapplc]

Why would you ask someone for a ride who you are profiling as a criminal who looks like he may be in the verge of breaking into a home or homes

 

I think that's the point. Why was he profiling him as a criminal? Wouldn't it be nice if he hadn't seen a black kid in a hoodie and thought "criminal!" and just offered him a ride?

Looking into houses and cutting in between houses is my guess. That neighborhood has had like 8 or 9 burglars and majority those were black. I'm sorry but if I'm walking somewhere I'm not browsing in the windows of houses like TM was

 

[Enhance]

This got lost in the shuffle, but can someone please point me to the evidence supporting the claim that Martin followed or approached Zimmerman? As far as I knew, the only person that we can factually prove followed someone is when Zimmerman admitted to dispatch that he was following Martin.

 

And I'm looking for something outside of Zimmerman's testimony of what happened.

[Mavric]

I presume that if Zimmerman didn't have a gun, and Martin had bashed Zimmerman's head in and killed him, that would also be justified in your eyes? Yes?

This is true. Martin was just standing his ground. The alleged head bashing on the concrete was completely legal.

Is anyone arguing otherwise?

[Mavric]

Yes that would be cool but unfortuantely we live in a society where you can't trust a stranger as much or at all.

 

Yet you are buying everything Zimmerman is selling.

And you're not. That's why there is an argument. And neither one know for sure they are more right than the other.

[Mavric]

just because he wasn't a cop doesn't mean he can't stop a situation.

Or, as in this case, start a situation.

except there's nothing to back that up.

Was this you?

Since Zimmerman didn't know who it was or what he was doing he followed him.

Depends on your definition of when "the situation" started. Did it start at the actual fight? Did it start when Zimmerman began following Martin? Did it start when Martin entered the apartment complex?

[Mavric]

How do you know the gun was still concealed?

 

Mostly because Zimmerman said so.

 

http://www.dailykos....-Zimmerman-Draw

 

Statements from both George Zimmerman and his friend Mark Osterman, claim that during the struggle, Trayvon Martin saw the gun that Zimmerman was carrying concealed and attempted to grab it. This caused Zimmerman to wrestle control away, draw from his holster, and fire one round into the center of Martin's chest.

Do you have the quote from Zimmerman saying it was still concealed, or just how that site happened to report it?

 

Or did you not bother to read the entire article you posted?

 

Zimmerman claimed that his shirt pulled up at some point during the struggle, allowing Martin to see the his gun.

[Mavric]

I don't remember seeing this reported before. Doesn't seem to fit the "racist" label many are applying:

 

Public didn't get true picture of Martin, Zimmerman

 

Local and international news sources, especially Reuters, presented a different picture of Zimmerman. Here are some facts they printed and broadcast about him that the major media generally ignored:

 

Although Zimmerman is classed as “white Hispanic,” his great-grandfather was black, and he has black relatives. He was raised in a mixed-race home. His grandmother babysat two black girls in the community for years, the girls ate their meals with Zimmerman’s family, and traveled back and forth to school with the Zimmerman children.

 

Zimmerman is a registered Democrat who supported Barack Obama for President.

 

He chose a black girl as his date for his high-school prom.

 

In 2004, Zimmerman and a black friend opened an insurance office together.

 

Zimmerman and his wife tutored and mentored black kids for years, free of charge.

 

In 2011, the Sanford Police failed to arrest a white police lieutenant’s son after he assaulted a homeless black man. Zimmerman played a leading role in protesting the cover up. He passed out fliers urging citizens to attend a public meeting about the case, and confronted the newly-elected mayor at the meeting, demanding more police accountability.

[Mavric]

I'm slightly hesitant to post this because it will probably degrade into an argument over why people are interested in it instead of what it actually contains but there is some interesting stuff. They even admit that a lot of it is somewhat circumstantial but there is quite a bit of smoke there.

 

Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3

 

This is the part I find most interesting (from Page 3):

 

When checking out Trayvon put two dollar bills in his hand carrying the bag.

Trayvon finished his purchase at 6:24 and left the store.

A minute later, 6:25, Larry, Moe, and Curly enter the store.

Curly has two dollar bills in his hand, and initially buys two Blunts.

Curly decides to buy another blunt and goes into his own wallet for more money.

Curly leaves the building around 6:28 while Moe is checking out.

50 Seconds Later at 6:29 Trayvon is seen walking back toward the Retreat at Twin Lakes saying something in parting to someone standing near the enterance door.

At 6:30pm (according to phone records) Trayvon calls “DeeDee” back. Presumably while en route back home. Trayvon had his hands-free phone ear buds on when he left. The Retreat is less than a half mile away. The actual Brandy Green Townhouse is .60/mile away.

Approximately 35-40 minutes after Trayvon leaves the 7-11 George Zimmerman sees Trayvon entering the retreat via the walk through “shortcut”. At 7:09 George Zimmerman calls police while watching Trayvon at/near the “Club House”.

Trayvon is shot at 7:17pm according to the shot heard on the 911 call tapes.

It took Trayvon 40 minutes to walk less than 1/2 mile from the 7-11 (6:29pm to 7:09pm) to the clubhouse while talking to DeeDee?

The Skittles and Watermelon Juice were found on Trayvon’s body when he was shot, but not the blunts.

The hands-free phone ear buds were in his pocket when he was shot, as was the button he was wearing.

 

Most of the people who don't believe Zimmerman play the "he was just going out for Skittles" card. If he was just going out for Skittles then headed back home, why did it take him 40 minutes to walk a distance that should be easily covered in 10-15 minutes, especially for a healthy teenager?

[Whistlebritches]

I'm slightly hesitant to post this because it will probably degrade into an argument over why people are interested in it instead of what it actually contains but there is some interesting stuff. They even admit that a lot of it is somewhat circumstantial but there is quite a bit of smoke there.

 

Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3

 

This is the part I find most interesting (from Page 3):

 

When checking out Trayvon put two dollar bills in his hand carrying the bag.

Trayvon finished his purchase at 6:24 and left the store.

A minute later, 6:25, Larry, Moe, and Curly enter the store.

Curly has two dollar bills in his hand, and initially buys two Blunts.

Curly decides to buy another blunt and goes into his own wallet for more money.

Curly leaves the building around 6:28 while Moe is checking out.

50 Seconds Later at 6:29 Trayvon is seen walking back toward the Retreat at Twin Lakes saying something in parting to someone standing near the enterance door.

At 6:30pm (according to phone records) Trayvon calls “DeeDee” back. Presumably while en route back home. Trayvon had his hands-free phone ear buds on when he left. The Retreat is less than a half mile away. The actual Brandy Green Townhouse is .60/mile away.

Approximately 35-40 minutes after Trayvon leaves the 7-11 George Zimmerman sees Trayvon entering the retreat via the walk through “shortcut”. At 7:09 George Zimmerman calls police while watching Trayvon at/near the “Club House”.

Trayvon is shot at 7:17pm according to the shot heard on the 911 call tapes.

It took Trayvon 40 minutes to walk less than 1/2 mile from the 7-11 (6:29pm to 7:09pm) to the clubhouse while talking to DeeDee?

The Skittles and Watermelon Juice were found on Trayvon’s body when he was shot, but not the blunts.

The hands-free phone ear buds were in his pocket when he was shot, as was the button he was wearing.

 

Most of the people who don't believe Zimmerman play the "he was just going out for Skittles" card. If he was just going out for Skittles then headed back home, why did it take him 40 minutes to walk a distance that should be easily covered in 10-15 minutes, especially for a healthy teenager?

 

I'm not sure why the amount of time it took for him to walk a half mile even matters unless were still trying to justify the shooting because we're sure Martin was up to 'something'. Any beyond that, there's no way that GZ would have known how long Martin was out.