a new picture

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

But all Zimmerman was doing was walking in his own neighborhood as well. If someone walks behind another person; that is enough to warrant attacking them?

I don't think Martin ran away. In fact, I think he said on the phone to his girl friend that he wasn't going to run. But, I'm definitely not interested enough to search for the right answer.

What is Martin defending himself from? Martin is walking in the neighborhood and so is Zimmerman; so Martin gets to attack Zimmerman?

Zimmerman was driving from Target, TM was walking home. He followed him in his vehicle, and when Martin got out of his view, he got out of his car and followed him on foot. maybe Martin hid and waited for him to come around and attack him, it was a trap that GZ created and then walked right into.

A few pics of Trayvon were posted by the media. One of when he was 14 years old, and another pic that was photo chopped to make him look "whiter". Kind of had him with Micheal Jackson's post surgery skin tone. Good 'ol media and ethics.

I'm talking about pics of him in the morgue, this is why I have no sympanthy, a broken nose is better than being dead.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Zimmerman was driving from Target, TM was walking home. He followed him in his vehicle, and when Martin got out of his view, he got out of his car and followed him on foot. maybe Martin hid and waited for him to come around and attack him, it was a trap that GZ created and then walked right into.

I'm talking about pics of him in the morgue, this is why I have no sympanthy, a broken nose is better than being dead.

Agreed. That's why I pack.

[bsd058 296]

Whether I agree with this or not, even if he did start the fight, he's allowed (by FL law) to defend himself and use lethal force if he feels his life is in danger after he instigated the fight. The fact that he had these injuries could exonerate him from 2nd degree murder charges since it's enough to show that he had good reason to believe his life was in danger. So this picture could justify him in court, at least, for using lethal force.

Also, not taking sides, but 911 did not tell him to not follow Martin. They told him it wasn't necessary. Though, he might have been thinking that he was going above and beyond. Again, I'm not defending him. Just stating the facts.

Transcript of 911 call: http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/326700-full-transcript-zimmerman.html

Please know that I cannot judge the incident. So don't think that I'm for Zimmerman or against him. I think this might have been a race issue, but I cannot know for sure and I'm not about to say what I think about the situation. I would have definitely handled it differently than Zimmerman. Especially since I have a family to think about.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Whether I agree with this or not, even if he did start the fight, he's allowed (by FL law) to defend himself and use lethal force if he feels his life is in danger after he instigated the fight. The fact that he had these injuries could exonerate him from 2nd degree murder charges since it's enough to show that he had good reason to believe his life was in danger. So this picture could justify him in court, at least, for using lethal force.

Also, not taking sides, but 911 did not tell him to not follow Martin. They told him it wasn't necessary. Though, he might have been thinking that he was going above and beyond. Again, I'm not defending him. Just stating the facts.

Transcript of 911 call: http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/326700-full-transcript-zimmerman.html

Please know that I cannot judge the incident. So don't think that I'm for Zimmerman or against him. I think this might have been a race issue, but I cannot know for sure and I'm not about to say what I think about the situation. I would have definitely handled it differently than Zimmerman. Especially since I have a family to think about.

I don't believe you should be able to stand your ground if you start the fight, GZ had so many other options that would have ened in no one getting killed.

[bsd058 296]

I don't believe you should be able to stand your ground if you start the fight, GZ had so many other options that would have ened in no one getting killed.

Not saying I agree, but that's the law. It's meant to prevent the defender from escalating the fight to something more.

I think the logic is supposed to be that an instigator doesn't always have the intention of killing, and if you allow the defender to escalate the fight, then you leave the instigator defenseless to defend themselves from a death blow when that wasn't their intention to begin with.

I see its purpose. I just don't know whether or not I agree with it. Seem archaic to basically say that the survivor is the one more likely to be innocent, which is essentially what it could lead to. Since it's the fight's winner's words against the dead loser's words in most cases where no one is around to witness the event.

Edited December 4, 2012 by bsd058

[slim 1,533]

I love how some of you think poor little innocent Trayvon was the good guy. He beat the ####### out of someone and when you do that, you place your own life in danger. You do not have the right to beat someone just because they're following you. In Florida, you do have the right to shoot someone when they're beating you.

Since you're talking facts here, lets review some other facts. Multiple thefts in the area led Zimmerman to actively patrol his neighborhood - something we all should do. When criminals commit thefts in your neighborhood the most effective deterrent is people from the neighborhood talking to strangers when present. Trayvon Martin was a stranger in that neighborhood. He did not live there. He was only there because he was suspended from school in Miami and sent to stay with his father. Zimmerman acted in a responsible manner by trailing Martin while simultaneously alerting the authorities. As others have pointed out, the 9-1-1 dispatcher is not the police and there was never an order to discontinue the pursuit and/or search for Martin.

A person with a concealed carry license cannot legally instigate a fight in order to use their handgun. However, pursuing someone and attempting to ascertain who they are and why they're there is hardly instigating a fight. By that rationale, we'd be legally cleared to shoot every police officer we encountered because they started a fight with us.

In this case, (and from what's been released so far) the only evidence of a fight is a very one-sided encounter where Martin was physically assaulting Zimmerman to the point he was in fear for his life. The physical evidence suggests Zimmerman acted according to the law.

The big issue is why the photo in the OP wasn't released until recently. Poor little Trayvon has been shown to be this cute little kid who couldn't hurt a flea. Even President Obama felt sorry for the little lad. But, imagine the look on Al Sharpton's face when poor little Trayvon was pictured next to this photo of Zimmerman. How could that innocent little teenager do that much damage? And how could we, as a nation, condemn that man for defending himself?

I know Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, President Obama, and all the other racists out there will defend little Trayvon with their best efforts. But images such as the one in the OP clearly illustrate the state of Trayvon Martin's innocence and, more importantly, his capability.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

A matter of time before someone mentioned Al Sharpton. People are obsessed.

VJ is so hypocritical. I'm almost convinced you guys are trolling, but I hope not. Because it's too funny and I want it to be true so badly.

On VJ, walking in a neighborhood your parent(s) live in is good enough reason for a stranger to follow you and question you. Even though this stranger has absolutely no authority and shouldn't be acting like a cop. Don't wear hoodies if it's cold or raining, because then you're acting suspicious enough to be interrogated.

Thank goodness for the Zimmermans of the world who are packing heat on their way to Target for keeping the streets safe of thugs like Trayvon and his damn candy and iced tea. Trayvon is the thug kid, while Zimmerman (even though he has a history of violence) is the innocent victim of a mean black boy.

You see someone you don't like the look of? Call 911 and then take matters into your own hands anyway. I'm sure it'll go well.

Edited December 5, 2012 by Evylin

[slim 1,533]

walking in a neighborhood your parent(s) live in is good enough reason for a stranger to follow you and question you. Even though this stranger has absolutely no authority and shouldn't be acting like a cop.

Not all of us want or need the government to secure the safety of our community. We can do so on our own. Talking to strangers is a great way of doing that.

What authority is necessary to ask someone questions?

Thank goodness for the Zimmermans of the world who are packing heat

If everyone was like Zimmerman there'd be very little crime.

Zimmerman (even though he has a history of violence)

He has the same history of violence Martin has. None.

You see someone you don't like the look of? Call 911 and then take matters into your own hands anyway. I'm sure it'll go well.

If you don't take matters into your own hands you're part of the problem. America is trending downward because cowards and lazy people would rather pay someone else to handle their problems for them. That has to stop. Zimmerman took an active approach to cleaning up his neighborhood and even had the courtesy to alert the authorities. If everyone in America would do that, we'd have almost no crime.

Personal involvement. That's what it takes.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Not all of us want or need the government to secure the safety of our community. We can do so on our own. Talking to strangers is a great way of doing that.

What authority is necessary to ask someone questions?

If everyone was like Zimmerman there'd be very little crime.

He has the same history of violence Martin has. None.

If you don't take matters into your own hands you're part of the problem. America is trending downward because cowards and lazy people would rather pay someone else to handle their problems for them. That has to stop. Zimmerman took an active approach to cleaning up his neighborhood and even had the courtesy to alert the authorities. If everyone in America would do that, we'd have almost no crime.

Personal involvement. That's what it takes.

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Shooting an unarmed teenager in a confrontation YOU started after getting your pathetic butt handed to YOU is not 'what this country needs more of.'

Edited December 5, 2012 by ready4ONE

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Shooting an unarmed teenager in a confrontation YOU started after getting your pathetic butt handed to YOU is not 'what this country needs more of.'

Because that would mean less violent teenagers on the streets?

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Because that would mean less violent teenagers on the streets?

Less idiots with guns who can't act responsibly would be the main focus of my comment, so no to your silly question.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

If you don't take matters into your own hands you're part of the problem. America is trending downward because cowards and lazy people would rather pay someone else to handle their problems for them. That has to stop. Zimmerman took an active approach to cleaning up his neighborhood and even had the courtesy to alert the authorities. If everyone in America would do that, we'd have almost no crime.

Personal involvement. That's what it takes.

What matters? A kid walking down the street? Those are the "matters" people should "take into their own hands"? Martin wasn't doing anything that needed to be cleaned up. If Zimmerman had simply alerted the authorities, then Trayvon Martin wouldn't be dead and Zimmerman wouldn't be in this mess. But he didn't. He tried to do the police's job for them and f*cked up.

If some random person comes up to you on the street, follows you, and demands to know what you're doing and where you're going.. you're just gonna answer them?

Edited December 5, 2012 by Evylin

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

What matters? A kid walking down the street? Those are the "matters" people should "take into their own hands"? Martin wasn't doing anything that needed to be cleaned up. If Zimmerman had simply alerted the authorities, then Trayvon Martin wouldn't be dead and Zimmerman wouldn't be in this mess. But he didn't. He tried to do the police's job for them and f*cked up.

If some random person comes up to you on the street, follows you, and demands to know what you're doing and where you're going.. you're just gonna answer them?

You can answer them, walk away, call 911, or physically attack them and chance getting shot. Zimmerman was head of his neighborhood watch in a gaited community that had close to two dozen robberies in less than two years, 17 of those robberies having been committed by black males.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

You can answer them, walk away, call 911, or physically attack them and chance getting shot. Zimmerman was head of his neighborhood watch in a gaited community that had close to two dozen robberies in less than two years, 17 of those robberies having been committed by black males.

Trayvon WAS walking away up until a certain point. He just kept walking home. Zimmerman was simply a neighborhood watch volunteer. Being the "head" of the neighborhood watch in his community gives him no authority. He should have simply called 911 and let them do their job. Taking matters into your own hands, getting out of your vehicle and following someone on foot and demanding answers out of them is taking the risk of creating a conflict, which is exactly what happened.

Martin did absolutely nothing to warrant Zimmerman's attention, other than being black in Zimmerman's neighborhood.