Innocent teen shoot and killed;police do nothing

[diffangle]

Being followed does not add up to violence. You may not like that he was followed but the young man's innocence ended when he attacked the man with no real just cause.

No just cause? Trayvon was walking down the sidewalk with a bag of Skittles minding his own business, not breaking any laws, and this weird unidentified man starts following him, Trayvon tries to flee from the weird man, weird man starts running after you, you think you lose weird man, only to find weird man has found you... you then ask weird man, "why are you following me?"... weird man says, "what are you doing here?"... a witness on the phone with Trayvon said she heard Trayvon get shoved because his headset hits the ground. The aggressor never identified himself, at what point does Trayvon have the right to stand his ground? How would you feel if a strange man who failed to identify himself was following and cornering your child after dark? Would you tell your child to do absolutely nothing?

[Revmitchell]

No just cause? Trayvon was walking down the sidewalk with a bag of Skittles minding his own business, not breaking any laws, and this weird unidentified man starts following him, Trayvon tries to flee from the weird man, weird man starts running after you, you think you lose weird man, only to find weird man has found you... you then ask weird man, "why are you following me?"... weird man says, "what are you doing here?"... a witness on the phone with Trayvon said she heard Trayvon get shoved because his headset hits the ground. The aggressor never identified himself, at what point does Trayvon have the right to stand his ground? How would you feel if a strange man who failed to identify himself was following and cornering your child after dark? Would you tell your child to do absolutely nothing?

Uh no wrong again:

On Feb. 26, when Zimmerman first spotted Trayvon, he called police and reported a suspicious person, describing Trayvon as black, acting strangely and perhaps on drugs.
Zimmerman got out of his SUV to follow Trayvon on foot. When a dispatch employee asked Zimmerman if he was following the 17-year-old, Zimmerman said yes. The dispatcher told Zimmerman he did not need to do that.
There is about a one-minute gap during which police say they're not sure what happened.
Zimmerman told them he lost sight of Trayvon and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from the left rear, and they exchanged words.
Trayvon asked Zimmerman if he had a problem. Zimmerman said no and reached for his cell phone, he told police. Trayvon then said, "Well, you do now" or something similar and punched Zimmerman in the nose, according to the account he gave police.
Zimmerman fell to the ground and Trayvon got on top of him and began slamming his head into the sidewalk, he told police.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/...black-teenager

[diffangle]

Uh no wrong again:


Zimmerman told them he lost sight of Trayvon and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from the left rear, and they exchanged words.
Trayvon asked Zimmerman if he had a problem. Zimmerman said no and reached for his cell phone, he told police. Trayvon then said, "Well, you do now" or something similar and punched Zimmerman in the nose, according to the account he gave police.
Zimmerman fell to the ground and Trayvon got on top of him and began slamming his head into the sidewalk, he told police.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/...black-teenager

Zimmerman is the only witness to that account, there's a witness that heard the words exchanged between them, if Zimm was reaching for his phone, is it possible that at that point Trayvon could have thought the weird man who followed him was reaching for a weapon and felt like he had no choice but to stand his ground and hit him instead of running again and getting shot in the back by weird man?

[Revmitchell]

Zimmerman is the only witness to that account, there's a witness that heard the words exchanged between them, if Zimm was reaching for his phone, is it possible that at that point Trayvon could have thought the weird man who followed him was reaching for a weapon and felt like he had no choice but to stand his ground and hit him instead of running again and getting shot in the back by weird man?

People will believe what they want too. I suppose you are no different.

[Fenris]

We don't know who attacked who at this point. What we do know is that Zimmerman was following Trayvon. As I've said, he initiated the contact which makes him at least somewhat the aggressor here.

[keck553]

Did I say I rush to judgement or disregard due process? Maybe you could answer the question... who were you referring to? Any posters in this thread? My beef is with those who feel like it's necessary to cast personal insults at the other posters in these discussions. I say other posters (meaning not necessarily myself)... as Reynold's can attest to when he alone got insulted before by another poster, I got upset over it and voiced it to that poster. I just don't feel it has a place on this message board. I've been on other Christian message boards before where the people thrived on insulting the other posters and I don't ever stick around those boards, it would be nice if this Christian board remained free from all that.

I was addressing an attitude, not any particular person. The attitude is wrong, wrong in this country and wrong Biblically. If that characterization of attitude convicts someone specifically, then they need to examine their own heart, not lash out.

[keck553]

We don't know who attacked who at this point. What we do know is that Zimmerman was following Trayvon. As I've said, he initiated the contact which makes him at least somewhat the aggressor here.

While other testimonies state that Zimmerman went back to his truck and Trayvon followed him. Change of circumstances if this is true.

[keck553]

Zimmerman is the only witness to that account, there's a witness that heard the words exchanged between them, if Zimm was reaching for his phone, is it possible that at that point Trayvon could have thought the weird man who followed him was reaching for a weapon and felt like he had no choice but to stand his ground and hit him instead of running again and getting shot in the back by weird man?

specualation is not admissible in court. There are many things that happen in the imagination. We don't know either of these individuals; just sketchy details about both of them through past legal issues, and gangsta-rhetoric on social networking sites. Can't build much around that except assumptions and speculation.

But there are witnesses. The legal system will determing the validity of their testimony.

[Fenris]

While other testimonies state that Zimmerman went back to his truck and Trayvon followed him. Change of circumstances if this is true.

Zimmerman was still following Trayvon though. I'm really not sympathetic to the guy. He went looking for trouble and he found it. Save the police work for the real police, not the wannabees.

[Reynolds357]

[QUOTE=diffangle;2828217]

Yet Zimmerman didn't feel his injuries were bad enough to go to the hospital at the time of the incident?


Yes, it's called Stand Your Ground. When you get followed and cornered by a stranger when you've done nothing but walk down the sidewalk with a bag of Skittles, it could be considered a threatening situation.

It just amazes me that you are defending this gang banger the way you are.
Have you even kept up with the latest news releases in the case.

[Fenris]

It just amazes me that you are defending this gang banger the way you are.

Zimmerman has arrests for brawling with the police. He's not a choirboy.

[keck553]

Zimmerman was still following Trayvon though. I'm really not sympathetic to the guy. He went looking for trouble and he found it. Save the police work for the real police, not the wannabees.

I agree. But that means nothing in a court of law. Besides, Trayvon alledgely followed Zimmerman after he ceased the "pursuit." If one does not have sympathy for one, then they shouldh't have sympathy for the other who reciprocates with the same actiona followed by a physcial attack, don't you think?

[Fenris]

I agree. But that means nothing in a court of law.

I think it may. Although who knows, Florida seems pretty wacky about these things.

Besides, Trayvon alledgely followed Zimmerman after he ceased the "pursuit." If one does not have sympathy for one, then they shouldh't have sympathy for the other who reciprocates with the same actiona followed by a physcial attack, don't you think?

Erm, I'm sympathetic to the guy who is dead, because I don't see how "wearing a hoodie and acting 'suspicious'" gets someone shot. Zimmerman should have been arrested and the whole thing sorted out at trial.

[keck553]

I think it may. Although who knows, Florida seems pretty wacky about these things.

It's not the "stand your ground" that is relavent here (IMO), it's the question - "Did the defender perceive the level of force was deployed to warrant the use of lethal force as a defese measure?" It's all going to circle around that. Following someone is not illegal.

Erm, I'm sympathetic to the guy who is dead, because I don't see how "wearing a hoodie and acting 'suspicious'" gets someone shot. Zimmerman should have been arrested and the whole thing sorted out at trial.

If Zimmerman is not guilty of his actions, and his testimony is discovered to be the truth, then 'wearing a hoodie and acting suspicious' didn't get Trayvon shot. Bashing Zimmerman's head repeateadly on a concrete sidewalk and going for his handgun did.

[Fenris]

It's not the "stand your ground" that is relavent here (IMO), it's the question - "Did the defender perceive the level of force was deployed to warrant the use of lethal force as a defese measure?" It's all going to circle around that. Following someone is not illegal.

Well, what do we know?

Zimmerman is playing cops and robbers, carrying a gun and following someone around who he perceives to be 'suspicious'. What makes the person suspicious? In Zimmerman's vast police experience (i.e. none) the person is wearing a hoodie and acting like he's on drugs (whatever that means). Next thing we know, said person is dead.

I don't like this story at all.

Private citizens should call 911 and be a good witness. That is all. I don't like this vigilante garbage. That could be you or me getting shot.

If Zimmerman is not guilty of his actions, and his testimony is discovered to be the truth, then 'wearing a hoodie and acting suspicious' didn't get Trayvon shot. Bashing Zimmerman's head repeateadly on a concrete sidewalk and going for his handgun did.

Until his testimony is heard, one way or the other, he should be behind bars. He shot and killed a man. No one has ruled on the circumstances yet.