State pushes to keep Trayvon Martin's past out of George Zimmerman trial

[mota bhai 2,675]

You need to get out more. Black folks don't want race riots, they want equal treatment.

You speak for all black folk now? What are you, VJ's Voice of Black America?

[Karee 4,191]

You speak for all black folk now? What are you, VJ's Voice of Black America?

I guess he's P&R's voice of Black America since no other black members post here that I'm aware of. Unless you count lostinblue. I'm somewhat convinced he's black.

Edited May 16, 2013 by Karee

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

So does the jury just come back with that on their own? I assume this is explained to the jury, correct? Just curious how it works.

I would imagine that this is part of the instructions the jury receives from the judge prior to their deliberations on the verdict. It's been a decade since I sat on a jury but I remember that the instructions that the judge gave us were quite extensive. That was a trial on an aggravated assault charge which also included lesser offenses.

[Karee 4,191]

Marvin himself has already found GZ guilty because according to him "I can look at the facts and make a call without bringing race into it"

[mota bhai 2,675]

I guess he's P&R's voice of Black America since no other black members post here that I'm aware of. Unless you count lostinblue. I'm somewhat convinced he's black.

So he's like our own Alan Keyes.

[Teddy B 17,252]

See the bolded part, in order for this to work, the proper channels have to work for us as well. Think about it, Rodney King was beaten almost to death, in front of several witnesses, and it was caught on film. What happened to the cops? Not guilty. Do you really think this would be the case if he was a white man? I've posted dozens of links where black men are killed under the most unusual circumstances, and what happens to the police who pull the trigger? At best, they might get a misconduct charge and have to apologize to a grieving family whose son was shot 100 times because they THOUGHT they saw a gun. No warning, no second chances, just another black man murdered. At worst, nothing happens and it's ruled "excusable". We are not animals, but they treat us as such. Our lives are not valued the same, because no one can post a story where a white person was shot an excessive amount of times for reaching for their wallet, or even worse, being shot 7 times, handcuffed after the fact, because even though you are bleeding out on the street, you look combative.

That's why this trial is going to be messy if GZ is found innocent. I can look at the facts and make a call without bringing race into it, but you have to know that race played a big, if not biggest part in this whole debacle. If TM was white, he would have never been profiled, and if this altercation happened, I bet even money GZ would be in jail right now waiting for his trial.

Rodney King was high as a kite and put many lives in danger that night including the police officers that were beating him. Rodney King was also very well known by law enforcemnet for his extensive criminal record. So to answer your question, yes, I do believe a white man in the same situation would have been treated the same. Rodney King is to blame for what happened that night, not the cops.

Police brutality happens all the time to people of all races. Most of the time it happens because of what the suspect was doing and how they interacted with police, not the color of their skin.

[Karee 4,191]

So he's like our own Alan Keyes.

[mota bhai 2,675]

Police brutality happens all the time to people of all races. Most of the time it happens because of what the suspect was doing and how they interacted with police, not the color of their skin.

That is ridiculous.

[Teddy B 17,252]

That's why this trial is going to be messy if GZ is found innocent. I can look at the facts and make a call without bringing race into it, but you have to know that race played a big, if not biggest part in this whole debacle. If TM was white, he would have never been profiled, and if this altercation happened, I bet even money GZ would be in jail right now waiting for his trial.

No you can't make a call without bringing race into it, because the whole case IS about race and racial profiling. You yourself said if TM was white he would never had been followed.

[Teddy B 17,252]

That is ridiculous.

Is it?

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Marvin himself has already found GZ guilty because according to him "I can look at the facts and make a call without bringing race into it"

I don't care if TM was white, brown, or even green, GZ made too many bad decisions in handling this situation. Last time I checked, walking home from the store isn't a crime, but he made it one. He also made no attempts to give that kid the benefit of the doubt. He didn't even try to find out if he was up to no good. He made up in his mind he was guilty of something, called the cops on him, stalked him like an animal, and when the cops couldn't come fast enough, he got out the car and chased him. He had so many chances to approach him and talk like a rational adult, but he waited until after calling 911, following him in a car and then on foot, to try and initate contact. I don't buy the getting out of the car to see which way he went because look at how far he was from his car when it went down. TM was killed 74 feet from his back door.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

Rodney King was high as a kite and put many lives in danger that night including the police officers that were beating him. Rodney King was also very well known by law enforcemnet for his extensive criminal record. So to answer your question, yes, I do believe a white man in the same situation would have been treated the same. Rodney King is to blame for what happened that night, not the cops.

Police brutality happens all the time to people of all races. Most of the time it happens because of what the suspect was doing and how they interacted with police, not the color of their skin.

http://newsone.com/2029299/police-brutality-against-blacks-petition/

This is a interesting read.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

You speak for all black folk now? What are you, VJ's Voice of Black America?

I have to, if not, you'd have certain members here that swear we're a bunch of uneducated animals.

[B_J 2,752]

I don't care if TM was white, brown, or even green, GZ made too many bad decisions in handling this situation. Last time I checked, walking home from the store isn't a crime, but he made it one. He also made no attempts to give that kid the benefit of the doubt. He didn't even try to find out if he was up to no good. He made up in his mind he was guilty of something, called the cops on him, stalked him like an animal, and when the cops couldn't come fast enough, he got out the car and chased him. He had so many chances to approach him and talk like a rational adult, but he waited until after calling 911, following him in a car and then on foot, to try and initate contact. I don't buy the getting out of the car to see which way he went because look at how far he was from his car when it went down. TM was killed 74 feet from his back door.

Assuming everything you said is true; what, in your opinion, would be the correct charge and sentence for GZ?

[Teddy B 17,252]

http://newsone.com/2029299/police-brutality-against-blacks-petition/

This is a interesting read.

It's an opinion piece, nothing factual.