Hat tip to Squid
The below article by the Orlando Sentinal gives George Zimmerman's version of the shooting that left 17-year-old Trayvon Martin dead.
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-26/news/os-trayvon-martin-zimmerman-account-20120326_1_miami-schools-punch-unarmed-black-teenager
What is crucial to this investigation is to determine what exactly happened when Zimmerman and Martin came face to face. Who initiated the fight, and under which circumstances did Zimmerman draw his weapon and under what circumstances did he fire the weapon? Was there a struggle for the weapon? At any point did Zimmerman fear for his life? Therein lies the case.
I think it behooves everyone to let the investigation proceed and not jump to a conclusion.
If Martin accosted Zimmerman, when Zimmerman was minding his own business, then we have whole new ball game.
ReplyDeleteIf Zimmerman, in violation of what the 911 dispatcher told him, accosted Martin for no discernible reason but that Martin was black and "looked suspicious," then there is no merit to claiming "self defense" when Martin turned on Zimmerman.
What seems most dubious to me about this story is Zimmerman claiming he had "lost sight" of Martin and was walking back to his vehicle.
What we know so far seems to be mutual misunderstandings that led to a tragedy. Martin appears to have been there innocently originally for some reason. I don't know if that was his neighborhood or if he had some innocent reason for being there. Zimmerman is on or even the head of the neighborhood watch committee. They seem, based on the number of 911 calls, to have had a lot of break-ins in that neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteSo Zimmerman thinks Martin is there for no good reason. It may well be that Martin thinks Zimmerman is stalking him. According to the witness there was a confrontation and Martin decked Zimmerman. Then he was smashing Zimmerman's head on the concrete curb. Zimmerman was calling for help which was futile.
My point is that it unfair when you have a reasonable expectation that your life is in danger, no one else has the right later to criticize what level of force you used.
This is all without imposing any racial considerations into the mix. That is another topic.
The truth must be determined by evidence gotten from police work and guilt determined by the court.
ReplyDeleteAs for "civil rights activist" Al Sharpton, my comment is Tawana Brawley sums up Sharpton. Sharpton is Rusty Kennedy only more successful whose fame was gotten bymTawana Brawley. And Rusty Kennedy's fame? Screaming to,the media that gangs of white supremacists roamed Orange County in the deep, dark of night spray painting racist, religious threats on public buildings. Remember Tawana, remember Kim Rebar.
Miggie,
ReplyDeleteWhat I have heard is that Martin was in the area to visit his father's girlfriend.
You know something smells fishy when the picture of the Black kid was taken when he was 14 and a more recent picture shows that he is covered with tattoos, gold teeth and has been suspended from school numerous times.
ReplyDelete@ Siarlys:
This smells like the Duke Lacrosse Scandal.
Those White students were innocent of all charges too. But that didn't stop Al Kill the Jew Sharpton from crying racism when there was none.
His father's GIRLFRIEND? And he is VISITING her?
ReplyDeleteFrom all the appearances and proclamations, it appeared that they were an All American family.
This is just like the original and still circulating photos of Martin when he was a nice looking 14 year old. It turns out that his current photos as the 17 year old he was at the time are very much different.
Which side is skewing the information? This is another aspect that I take as a negative inference.
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No Findalis, it does not smell like the Duke LaCrosse scandal.
ReplyDeleteIn that instance, it turned out there was no rape.
In this case, there definitely was a homicide. If Zimmerman initiated the confrontation, he does not have a legitimate self-defense claim, after the victim turned on him, and he pulled a gun. Its not first degree murder, but it is some degree of manslaughter. He should have know that his actions could have had such an outcome.
Sharpton and Jackson really need to find a nice retirement home. There presence is not helpful, except to themselves.