Well if that was the case (him being violent) this would not have made national news.

So that is irrelevant.

[Edited on March 17, 2012 at 2:54 AM. Reason : /]

3/17/2012 2:54:07 AM

How about we wait for Zimmerman's account to come out before hanging the guy in effigy.

From his pops (and yes, the whole, "he has black friends!" spiel is rather cliche):

Quote :

"The tragic events of February 26 are very sad for all concerned. The Martin family, our family, and the entire community have been forever changed. The portrayal of George Zimmerman in the media, as well as the series of events that led to the tragic shooting are false and extremely misleading. Unfortunately, some individuals and organizations have used this tragedy to further their own causes and agendas. George is a Spanish speaking minority with many black family members and friends. He would be the last to discriminate for any reason whatsoever. One black neighbor recently interviewed said she knew everything in the media was untrue and that she would trust George with her life. Another black neighbor said that George was the only one, black or white, who came and welcomed her to the community, offering any assistance he could provide. Recently, I met two black children George invited to a social event. I asked where they met George. They responded that he was their mentor. They said George visited them routinely, took them places, helped them, and taught them things and that they really loved George. The media portrayal of George as a racist could not be further from the truth. The events of February 26 reported in the media are also totally inaccurate. Out of respect for the on-going investigation, I will not discuss specifics. However, the media reports of the events are imaginary at best. At no time did George follow or confront Mr. Martin. When the true details of the event become public, and I hope that will be soon, everyone should be outraged by the treatment of George Zimmerman in the media. Our entire family is deeply sorry for the loss of Trayvon. We pray for the Martin family daily. We also pray that the community will grieve together and not be divided by more unwarranted hate. The Zimmerman family will have no further contact with the media prior to the resolution of the investigation. It would be greatly appreciated if the media would respect our privacy."

[Edited on March 17, 2012 at 2:58 AM. Reason : 2]

3/17/2012 2:54:31 AM

Minorities can't be racist against other minorities guys, you know that. Clearly the guy is innocent.

3/17/2012 8:29:24 AM

Wait, he's mexican?


this changes everything

3/17/2012 8:47:33 AM

It's not that minorities can't be racist. Of course they can. It's that this guy's hispanic ethnicity shatters the notion that he's only free because of a good ole boy network of cops lookin out for rich white folks.

I'll be curious as to how exactly Mr. Zimmerman can claim that he didn't "follow or confront" Martin, when the 911 call makes it pretty apparent that he did. I mean, is he going to say that Martin dragged him out of his car or something?

3/17/2012 9:02:07 AM

Well, here's Zimmerman's call:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/16/trayvon-martin-911-audio-_n_1354909.html

3/17/2012 10:09:25 AM

Zimmerman was apparently getting beaten up. Who was crying for help prior to the gunshot? Zimmerman or Martin?

3/17/2012 11:13:06 AM

So Zimmerman followed the kid after 911 told them not to, further on approached the kid while he had a gun on his person? Then he wants to claim self-defense after instigating something with the kid? Disturbing.

3/17/2012 11:18:34 AM

I'm going to jump to conclusions and say that Zimmerman probably waved his gun at the kid which is why he took off running in the first place.

3/17/2012 12:12:58 PM

The polices actions here seem to be the most egregious, not Zimmermans. Gun owners especially can't go around shooting people on paranoid fears and the cops don't seem to care.

the outrage of this case has little to do with race.

But it's hard to believe that if a white kid was shot the police would let the shooter go free. It reinforces the statistics that show our legal system being biased against minorities.

3/17/2012 12:25:55 PM

I wonder what all the people living in his community think...you know, since he's a murderer that gets to keep his fucking concealed carry permit

3/17/2012 12:28:39 PM

I was reading some article that said a poll showed that most people in the town, black or white, were outraged at the lack of charges.

3/17/2012 12:31:18 PM

Apparently most people that knew him didn't like him in the first place

3/17/2012 12:32:03 PM

if the guy was screaming for help, as all the witnesses have said, and as you can hear in the background of the one call, then you would think he was trying to get away from zimmerman. i doubt trayvon was attacking zimmerman and at the same time wailing and screaming for help. there is no way self defense can be argued here, from the 911 call and the witness testimony.

Quote :

"Zimmerman was apparently getting beaten up. Who was crying for help prior to the gunshot? Zimmerman or Martin?"

the screaming and crying stops as soon as you hear the gunshot, so that would suggest it was trayvon screaming, i think.

[Edited on March 17, 2012 at 12:36 PM. Reason : quote]

3/17/2012 12:34:03 PM

Quote :

"CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Martin, not Zimmerman, was arrested in 2005. We regret this error."

Huffington Post are racists.

---------------------------------------------------

Quote :

"POLICE OFFICER CORRECTED WITNESS"

[Edited on March 17, 2012 at 12:56 PM. Reason : .]

3/17/2012 12:52:44 PM

Quote :

" the outrage of this case has little to do with race. But it's hard to believe that if a white kid was shot the police would let the shooter go free. It reinforces the statistics that show our legal system being biased against minorities."

Way to contradict yourself.

It has everything to do with race. If a white guy had been killed and the black guy hadn't been charged with a crime *yet*, nobody outside of Sanford would've ever heard about this story.

Stop alleging racism until the facts of the case become more clear. Didn't you idiots learn your lesson after the Duke LAX debacle?

3/17/2012 1:00:46 PM

LOL

It's not alleged that racism is rampant through our legal system. This is a fact.

It's more common for black males to be treated more harshly by the legal system than any other group.

You are pretending that for everyone wrongly treated black person, there's a rightly treated one, or a wrongly treated non-black, when the statistics don't bare this out. You of all people should realize this.

And it was pretty obvious in the beginning with the Duke LAX thing that the stripper was lying (seriously, who believes a cracked out stripper when she says she's raped?). This is a completely different situation.

The only thing that could redeem Zimmerman in this case is if the kid was somehow breaking into his house (which has never been indicated by anything, even zimmerman in his 911 call), or had any type of weapons/tools/whatever that a criminal would have (which doesn't seem to be the case). There's literally NOTHING that has been released so far that remotely could justify Zimmerman's actions.

[Edited on March 17, 2012 at 1:25 PM. Reason : ]

3/17/2012 1:14:43 PM

I'm saying that this is manufactured drama based on incomplete facts, and that you're a fucking tool for getting all riled up about it.

Just like the Harvard professor arrested in his own home (after verbally abusing a cop and refusing to cooperate.)

Just like the "Jena 6" arrested for assault (who just happened to be a group of violent delinquents)

Just like Duke LAX (where the accuser turned out to be a lying murderer.)

When will you learn to let the facts come out? Wantonly throwing out racism allegations is despicable.

3/17/2012 1:25:45 PM

That Harvard guy shouldn't have been arrested.

And this is pretty obviously racism. This isn't a wanton accusation.
To be clear, i'm not saying zimmerman is racist (i don't know, and it doesn't matter-- he's clearly nuts though).

It's the police and the system that's racist in this case, that much is clear.

[Edited on March 17, 2012 at 1:31 PM. Reason : ]

3/17/2012 1:29:44 PM

The Harvard guy shouldn't have verbally abused a cop who was doing his job.

No, it's not clear that the police are racist. They are conducting an investigation. Let them finish before acting like this is some giant coverup.

3/17/2012 1:32:21 PM

Yeah, but it took public outrage to get to this point.

I'd be shocked at this point if they didn't bring charges, but this doesn't mean the systemic racism of our legal/social system didn't rear its ugly head.

3/17/2012 1:35:54 PM

I just wanna know how many hispanic guys have a last name of Zimmerman. Can't be too many of em out there, lol

3/17/2012 1:46:41 PM

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/17/family-florida-man-didnt-kill-black-teen-in-self-defense/

Fox News saying Zimmerman is white. They never get anything right...

^I'm thinking he's adopted or something.

[Edited on March 17, 2012 at 1:49 PM. Reason : ]

3/17/2012 1:48:08 PM

I don't think it was racism that got Trayvon shot, but it is getting harder to think Zimmerman is innocent.

Zimmerman has a prior record of violence. Trayvon was suspended from school for a short time, but it was supposedly neither violent nor criminal.

Zimmerman clearly has aspired to be or still does aspire to be a police officer, as he studied criminal justice and appointed himself as the leader of a community watch.

Other residents of the neighborhood have complained at a homeowner's association meeting about Zimmerman and his tactics.

Zimmerman was told not to follow him, and according to most witnesses and what it sounds like from the tapes, Trayvon was the one screaming for help. When Trayvon attempted to flee (which sounds reasonable, given that a stranger's car was tailing him), Zimmerman pursued.

The investigation has been controversial from the start with things like correcting witnesses, misrepresenting Zimmerman's records, the lead investigator having problems with previous investigations, etc.

3/17/2012 3:31:23 PM

There's not a lot to suggest Zimmerman is racist so much as he is nutty.

After reading a few articles, I'm willing to believe the police are more grossly incompetent than racist.

This article has some information on what is know/unknown at this point:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/19/us/911-tapes-released-in-killing-of-florida-teenager.html

I'm no sure why the police are claiming Florida wonky engagement laws prevent them from charging. The 911 calls seem to imply that Zimmerman started stalking this kid for merely walking down the street. At this point no one has explained what happened but it seems the kid started running from Zimmerman who chased him down, they got in a scuffle and Zimmerman shot him. I wouldn't think if you chase someone down, instigate a fight, then shoot them as being self defense.

3/17/2012 11:18:55 PM

Tapes have been released.

Quote :

""This guy looks like he's up to no good, or he's on drugs or something," Zimmerman tells the 911 operator. "He's just staring, looking at all the houses. Now he's coming toward me. He's got his hand in his waistband. Something's wrong with him." Zimmerman described Martin as wearing a hoodie and sweatpants or jeans. He continues: "He's coming to check me out. He's got something in his hands. I don't know what his deal is. Can we get an officer over here?" "These assholes always get away," he says to the operator. Zimmerman is then heard giving directions to the dispatcher. "Shit, he's running," Zimmerman says. "Are you following him?" the dispatcher asks. "Yes," Zimmerman responds. "We don't need you to do that," the dispatcher says. In other recordings, callers tell the 911 dispatcher that someone has been shot. One person tells the dispatcher that two guys were wrestling behind his back porch and that one of them was yelling for help. Then the male caller stammers in shock. "I'm pretty sure the guy is dead ... Oh, my God! ... The black guy looks like he's been shot and he's dead." "The guy on top has a white T-shirt," another caller said. "Is he on top of someone?" the operator asks. "Mmmhmmm," a female caller responds. Yet another caller says, "Someone was screaming 'Help! help! help!' Then I heard a gunshot." One caller, a teenage boy, said that as he was walking his dog, "I saw a man laying on the ground that needed help. He was screaming." Then, he told the operator, he heard a gunshot and said the screaming stopped. Martin's family and their attorneys were allowed to hear the audio before it was made public. "You hear a shot, a clear shot, that we can only assume is a warning shot," said Natalie Jackson, a family attorney. "Then a 17-year-old boy is begging for his life. Everything tells me that that was Trayvon Martin." Tracy Martin, the teenager's father, broke down crying as he listened to the audio on Friday, the family lawyers said. "My son was crying for help, and he still shot him," Tracy Martin, the teenager's father said, according to Benjamin Crump, another family attorney."

Anyone want to say it's self-defense still?

3/18/2012 3:16:15 PM

Just another case of gang violence imo

3/18/2012 3:42:28 PM

Zimmerman's 911 call: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6aVwPqXc-bk

turn up your volume at 1:53



neighbors 911 call: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1G4WEkcpwco

3/20/2012 2:24:00 AM

FBI opened an investigation.



It's very hard to believe there would have been a death in this situation had Zimmerman minded his own business, or at the very least not started/escalated the altercation

[Edited on March 20, 2012 at 8:39 AM. Reason : l]

3/20/2012 8:36:37 AM

This guy should get the death penalty. Danger to society

3/20/2012 8:41:03 AM

so who was yelling help?


Oh, I see in the article that the boy's father was saying it was his son. any verification of this?

[Edited on March 20, 2012 at 8:53 AM. Reason : d]

3/20/2012 8:49:39 AM

Quote :

"or at the very least not started/escalated the altercation"

How do you know he did?

3/20/2012 8:53:16 AM

^^ I don't think that has been determined yet. Trayvon's father says he recognizes that as his son's voice.


^ the recent accounts I've read say that trayvon was running away, and was cornered by Zimmerman. That's what I'm referring to when I say started/escalated the altercation....you know....the opposite of calling the police and staying in the car.

[Edited on March 20, 2012 at 8:58 AM. Reason : l]

3/20/2012 8:54:32 AM

I bet he gets charged with manslaughter.

3/20/2012 9:01:13 AM

Quote :

" the recent accounts I've read say that trayvon was running away, and was cornered by Zimmerman."

wow. haven't heard/read this (not that I've really kept up with this case). son of a bitch might be going away for a while after all.

3/20/2012 9:03:52 AM

Quote :

"the recent accounts I've read say that trayvon was running away, and was cornered by Zimmerman."

So you take that to be fact? What if the next account you read says trayvon was charging the guy?

3/20/2012 9:05:04 AM

Trayvon was evidently on the phone with a girl when Zimmerman started following him.

Quote :

"He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man," Martin's friend said. "I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run but he said he was not going to run." Eventually he would run, said the girl, thinking that he'd managed to escape. But suddenly the strange man was back, cornering Martin "

http://abcnews.go.com/US/trayvon-martin-death-friend-phone-teen-death-recounts/story?id=15959017#.T2h1UxEge5I

[Edited on March 20, 2012 at 9:13 AM. Reason : .]

3/20/2012 9:11:51 AM

Quote :

"At no time did George follow or confront Mr. Martin."

3/20/2012 9:12:48 AM

As factual as anything else presented thus far I guess. This was the account of the 16 year old girl on the phone with Trayvon when Zimmerman was chasing him, confronted him, and knocked his phone to the ground.

3/20/2012 9:16:32 AM

WTF, why is that sociopath still out running around free? Lock him up before everyone else in Florida thinks they can murder anyone that they think looks suspicious. This shit is fucking absurd.

3/20/2012 9:19:49 AM

I tell ya what, wdprice3 sure had this one pegged from the get go. Fucking Sherlock Holmes I tell ya...

3/20/2012 9:30:04 AM

Fucking awesome....


Apparently it was empasized in the neighborhood watch manual that members don't have police powers and that they shall not carry weapons with them.
I guess that didn't apply to Zimmerman since he was the self-appointed watch captain. Fucking Judge Dredd motherfucker.

3/20/2012 9:35:17 AM

This story breaks my heart each and every time I hear about it....and it's like it gets worse and worse every time.

3/20/2012 9:38:31 AM

3/20/2012 9:39:23 AM

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/17/2700249_p2/shooter-of-trayvon-martin-a-habitual.html

Long article about Zimmerman and the community.



TL,DR: He calls 911 a lot, and the community isn't white (not that it really matters).

3/20/2012 9:40:45 AM

it makes the story sound better if the community was white

also it makes it sound even more ruthless to keep saying how the boy came at him with a pack of skittles

3/20/2012 9:42:43 AM

yeah Zimmerman is Hispanic

3/20/2012 9:48:43 AM

They always get away with their damn Skittles

3/20/2012 9:50:37 AM

Quote :

"“He once caught a thief and an arrest was made,” said Cynthia Wibker, secretary of the homeowners association. “He helped solve a lot of crimes.” Zimmerman told neighbors about stolen laptops and unsavory characters. Ibrahim Rashada, a 25-year-old African American who works at U.S. Airways, once spotted young men cutting through the woods entering the complex on foot, and later learned items were stolen those days."

3/20/2012 9:52:05 AM

I think the same law that Zimmerman is hiding behind in claiming self defense is going to be his undoing. What I mean by that is even if Trayvon did charge or attack Zimmerman, a case could be made that he was lawfully able to do so in self defense - as in Trayvon perceived a threat (and rightfully so) in Zimmerman as a strange man who didn't identify himself as an officer following him, confronting him (presumably with a pistol), and questioning him about being in a place he had a lawful right to be in.

[Edited on March 20, 2012 at 10:25 AM. Reason : Qualifier]

3/20/2012 10:09:31 AM