Neighborhood Watch guy chases down a kid, shoots him, charged with 2nd-degree murder

[MoOff24]

In the NBC segment, Zimmerman says:

“This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”

So Zimmerman is a racist, right? Uh, not quite.

The full version, though, unfolds like this:

Zimmerman: “This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.”

911 operator: “Okay. And this guy, is he white black or Hispanic?”

Zimmerman: “He looks black.”

wow.

[motorcityjoe611]

It's because the Internet-driven society has a huge ego problem in the fact that nobody says "I don't know what happened, I'll pass on voicing an opinion." Instead you have TM and TRRW inferring the actual events of the night based on an extremely limited amount of info.

Man, you're probably right, but I would say you could apply your statement to this whole board--me included--not just TRRW.

FWIW, I think we all see situations like this, where there's MUCH open to interpretation, from our own preconceived POVs before we do anything else. '
In other words, we all "profile" whether that's racial, economically, etc.

I obviously have no idea what happened that night. But when I heard the information that I did, as it was initially presented, I took my own notions and past experience of guys who try to play tough guy/overstep their authority. So that's probably one of the reasons I see Zimmy being way on the wrong side of this one. I don't think many here have said what they thought was "Fact." Perhaps the conviction in which they stated it comes across that way.

[The Great Gazoo]

[COLOR=#333333][I]In the NBC segment, Zimmerman says:

The full version, though, unfolds like this:


wow.

shocking, the media changes the story to fit it's own agenda...i guess they didn't change anything, they just omitted some words from the 911 call...

the above item is why my other thread was started...the media is full of **** and do nothing but do what helps whatever agenda they think will bring them ratings...a$$holes

[The_Real_Right_Way]

if it is determined that TM attacked GZ first wouldn't that cause GZ to have a reasonable belief of a threat, and hence have the right to use deadly force? the law isn't as cut and dry as you're making it out to be. I see a way in which both parties could be perceived as defending themselves. we dont know all the facts.

I agree GZ shouldnt have followed TM though, if that is in fact what happened.

Clearly the law is not as cut and dry as it could be. That said, this is exactly why this matter should have been handled in a court of law. TM can't speak for himself, so therefore they took GZ word, but the story doesn't add up. Using the defense of the stand your ground law works both ways in my opinion. On the surface GZ initiated this whole thing and used a 9mm against a can of iced tea in whatever altercation took place.

[The Great Gazoo]

Clearly the law is not as cut and dry as it could be. That said, this is exactly why this matter should have been handled in a court of law. TM can't speak for himself, so therefore they took GZ word, but the story doesn't add up. Using the defense of the stand your ground law works both ways in my opinion. On the surface GZ initiated this whole thing and used a 9mm against a can of iced tea in whatever altercation took place.

i think we can agree on this..

but it doesn't help that the media tends to distort things and cause outright hate against people...

[sseelhoff]

Just an FYI-from the Florida Statute:

(3) A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

Zimmerman has to prove that he was attacked by Trayvon first in order to justify the use of force.

[pGekko]

Just an FYI-from the Florida Statute:



Zimmerman has to prove that he was attacked by Trayvon first in order to justify the use of force.

Goes both ways, correct?

[sseelhoff]

Goes both ways, correct?

Absolutely.

[pGekko]

Absolutely.

Ok. That's been incorrectly interpreted in this thread for a few pages now.

This whole thing sucks. I really think the answers that everyone wants won't be answered.

[The_Real_Right_Way]

It's because the Internet-driven society has a huge ego problem in the fact that nobody says "I don't know what happened, I'll pass on voicing an opinion." Instead you have TM and TRRW inferring the actual events of the night based on an extremely limited amount of info.

And here is what is wrong with your statement. Had people said, "I don't know what happened, I'll pass on voicing an opinion." This case would have been buried. Clearly that would have been a travesty. Instead, I am glad someone said, "this doesn't seem to be right and no one is offering answers to justify killing a person who had every right to be where he was at." The notion that people should not debate this is comical. Everyone has the right to their opinion and to offer it if they so choose.

Since you want to refrain from commenting I am wondering why you came in this thread anyway.

My preference is to continue to look at the information that is available, analyze it and comment on it if I feel like it. Thankfully millions of others are doing that as well as protesting until the unanswered questions get answered, and most importantly so that people that should be held accountable are not let off the hook.

[The_Real_Right_Way]

Oh, so the kid knew it was a life or death struggle now? C'mon man. He didn't know it was life or death until he was shot. If he knew, he wouldn't have attacked the guy (allegedly)... No one walks up to someone with a gun and initiates a confrontation that could mean his life.

If a stranger is following you and you don't know his motives, indeed if an altercation ensues you should be fighting for your life.

I teach my self defense students all the time when you engage, you engage with the understanding you are fighting for your life. I would tell my son and daughters to do the same if they are followed by a stranger particularly in an area without witnesses.