5 Shocking Things About the Trayvon Martin Case
By Mark “Six” James CPO, EPS
There has been a lot of discussion about multiple topics surrounding the Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman case. In my humble opinion most of it is off base and people have attempted to connect issues which I feel are unrelated and only choose to cloud the issue.
Whenever you talk 2nd Amendment people start to draw a line in the sand. If you bring race into the topic one side or the other stops listening. If a white man kills a black teen emotions are high. If a black man kills a white teen emotions are high. Kids dying get all of us supercharged.
Let me try and disconnect some of the connections which have been made so far. In my mind, HERE ARE 5 THINGS this case is not about:
• 2nd Amendment – this is not about the right to Keep and Bear Arms. I wish people would please stop trying to make it be.
• Race – as I said above kids dying gets everyone upset, regardless of nationality, gender or socioeconomic status.
• Self-Defense and Deadly force are related but not the same. You can use force to defend yourself but all self-defense actions don’t grant you the ability to use deadly force.
• Castle Doctrine – a person has no duty to retreat when their home is attacked. Neither party was attempting to protect their dwelling.
• Stand your Ground – a person may use deadly force without the obligation to retreat. I don’t think anyone should have to retreat to protect themselves from severe bodily harm or death. History has shown the sequence of events often move faster than the law abiding citizens could retreat to a safe place.
I can only speak for Georgia Law and it is pretty simple. You cannot use self-defense as a defense against prosecution if you initiate a confrontation and someone dies.
Georgia Code 16-3-21. Use of force in defense of self or others; evidence of belief that force was necessary in murder or manslaughter prosecution.
(a) A person is justified in threatening or using force against another when and to the extent that he or she reasonably believes that such threat or force is necessary to defend himself or herself or a third person against such other’s imminent use of unlawful force; however, except as provided in Code Section 16-3-23, a person is justified in using force which is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm only if he or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent death or great bodily injury to himself or herself or a third person or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.
(b) A person is not justified in using force under the circumstances specified in subsection (a) of this Code section if he:
(1) Initially provokes the use of force against himself with the intent to use such force as an excuse to inflict bodily harm upon the assailant;
(2) Is attempting to commit, committing, or fleeing after the commission or attempted commission of a felony; or
(3) Was the aggressor or was engaged in a combat by agreement unless he withdraws from the encounter and effectively communicates to such other person his intent to do so and the other, notwithstanding, continues or threatens to continue the use of unlawful force.
In my mind this case is about why Mr. Zimmerman took it upon himself to target or profile this kid. “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.” What led him to those conclusions?
Whether he is a neighborhood watch captain or not here is where it gets cloudy for me:
Neighborhood watch traditional guiding principles:
1. No Guns
2. Never patrol alone
3. Observe and report
4. Don’t get involved even if asked to do so by the parties involved.
If Mr. Zimmerman thought young Martin was the axe murderer, unless he saw him swinging the axe he has no legal authority to stop, detain or harass the kid. Citizens do not get the luxury of probable cause that is reserved for the police. If you do you are accountable for your actions.
In Georgia when you stop, detain or harass (stop someone’s locomotion) without the proper authority you open yourself up to false imprisonment, kidnapping charges or other civil rights violations. When he informed the dispatcher the kid was running away and the dispatcher told him not to follow the kid, and he did it anyway, I don’t understand how he can then attempt to plead self-defense if he initiated the contact by continuing to follow the kid. If any of you reading this post or article and where walking through your own neighborhood and someone you did not recognize attempted to follow you it would or should be cause for concern or at minimum heighten your awareness.
If challenged by the follower and they lacked legal authority, the potential for confrontation, fear or at minimum anxiety would be present. This situation could easily escalate toward physical violence if I thought the stop was baseless and the follower lacked cause. If I saw or felt a gun that would also increase the level of force I would be prepared to return against the individual confronting me. Reasonable people normally come to reasonable conclusions, and most are not looking to be harassed in their own neighborhood.
What puzzles me about the police in this matter is reports say Mr. Zimmerman was not required to surrender his firearm. If that is true, that would be inconsistent with how shootings involving injury or death whether by police officers, security officers, bodyguards and even private citizens are historically handled. Ballistic checks, clothes for gun powder residue etc. are all routine procedures during these types of investigations. I am not going to pass judgment on the Sanford police but again I will say if this is true it would be inconsistent with normal protocol. That in my mind is why outsiders are involved.
What we don’t know is what the analysis of the clothes said. Is there DNA from both parties on the clothes, are there defense wounds, are the wounds and injuries at contact distance, is their residue on Zimmerman’s hands? Is the path of Trayvon Martin the same as the path of Mr. Zimmerman?
Did Zimmerman stay in the car or did he follow on foot? Are there any other witnesses? What did the ballistics evidence tell us? There is a lot more information to come. Stay objective and don’t rush to judgment. If you are going to comment try do some research and make an educated argument based on facts not emotions or personal bias.
There are enough people falsely reporting information for their own selfish gain, are a discredit to their profession, and only choose to further polarize the masses. Use this situation to help manage or assess your own neighborhood watch program, and to hold your local police department and investigators to a higher standard. We cannot bring Trayvon back but hopefully we can improve how we deal with these situations going forward.
Mark “Six” James is the Executive Director of Panther Protection Services a full service protection agency and internationally published author. To find out more about Panther Protection Services visit www.pantherprotectionservices.com or www.facebook.com/pantherprotectionservices .
Why is this even on here?
What was Trayvon Martin doing don’t know. What did Martin do don’t know. Who was screaming Martin or Zimmerman don’t know. That will be determined hopefully by a judge with eye witnesses, ballistic evidence, determination of travel paths, motivations and good old investigative techniques etc.
Here is what I do know. Someone is dead and it did not have to happen. Someone says they were in fear of their life, and they had to discharge their firearm. It did not have to be that way. The role of Neighborhood watch is observe and report, not intervene or pursue. Someone was instructed not to pursue Mr. Martin and they did anyway. Someone did not stand their ground they advanced their ground.
If any of us are walking home and we believe we are being followed we have no obligation to stop and talk to a stranger. Particularly one, who is in plain clothes, has no badge or officially marked vehicle. What gives that person the legal right to question what you are doing or to stop you. It is called violating the persons civil rights. If you are scared you may run away. Would you run home immediately probably not, you may not want to bring the pursuer to your house and potentially put others at risk. If that is your fear, you may hide? Not uncommon actions that many others might consider. If after running and hiding and you get discovered you make chose to fight. Many people have been trained to Escape, Evade and as a last effort Engage. These are all reasonable conclusions that reasonable people may come to. Just like putting on your hood in the rain.
From the start of my original post, I said this is not about race. What this is about is bad judgement. If this was an active shooter situation, someone committing grave bodily against another, we all know many self respecting honorable people who may chose to get involved. But when you decide to confront someone or make them feel threatened you are responsible for your actions.
What continues to be apparent is there is a deep seeded undertone of clear differentiation in understanding and life experiences that reminds us all that many of us have not advanced as far as we think we have.
I welcome everyone’s commentary on the issues as it pertains to the tragic incident in the Martin/Zimmerman case. Unlike many I have no agenda and have encourage us all to use this as an opportunity for us all to learn from the actions that tragic night. For those who claim the laws in Georgia have no bearing, it was designed to show how we should be conscious of the law as it pertains to the use of force. However the GA laws and FL laws are almost identical. I also said their is more information to be force coming from authorities. The article attempts to explain the differences in stand your ground, castle doctrine and second amendment.
As to how it pertains to security or bodyguard what relevance does it have, we too can find ourselves in similar situations. Below is a link to another article I wrote about the case where I site the specific FL laws in question.
http://issuu.com/pantherprotectionservices/docs/the_next_tragedy_pdf
While I agree that this is a tragedy on all sides, and I feel for the parents, no one, not a single Al Sharpton wanna be commentator mentions Zimmerman’s race. They imply he was white by his name but he is Hispanic.
Mr. James, your information is interesting but has nothing to do with Security Protection Details work. Quoting another state’s laws which do not apply here is also of no value. Castle doctrine is not even at issue here. At the instant someone started swinging the rules changed and it became a fight between two people. They were matched as far as weight (160 vs 170 pounds) but a 41yr old 5 ft 9 man vs 6ft 2 football player is not even. Grass stained clothing on his back and wound in the back of the head of Zimmerman proves this.
Laws in our country allow a person free will to pursue their wishes even if it is following someone home shouting obsenities at them. As long as they remain non physical there is no law broken. The smart thing to do would be to find a well lit public place and call for police assistance. Neither of them would be considered smart. The drug dealing thug wanna be Miller (based on his tweet and facebook accounts as well as his suspention) was confrontational. As was Zimmerman. There is a term we use here which I won’t repeat but refers to those that don’t back down or appologize to a small slight. It goes from one bumping another and it escalates to gunshots exchanged. I have a good friend that summed this all up…”You play stupid games; you get stupid prizes.”
As a security advisor with permits to carry and work in a lot of places, I know that there was a very good reason Mr. Zimmerman was not arrested and why he was allowed to go free to this point. It is very hard to prosecute this case and all of the ducks must be lined up or he will not only go free but be exonerated. It would be a nightmare to prosecute. I live here in Sanford and I know the area. Too many people are chatting up this case to promote their own agenda and this commentary needs to stop. If I were Zimmerman I would hide as well. Groups like Black Panthers actually threatening not just Zimmerman but whites in the area? What purpose does that serve?
Conservative Pete is correct. I live in Texas where our rights are under attack all the time. Recently a State Rep. said that the Castle Doctrine should be taken away along with our guns and IF we ever needed to defend ourselves a Base Ball Bat could be used but ONLY when we knew the threat to kill us was clear, such as if the bad guy shot at you. Sorry but that’s not going to work for me.
Here is what a lot of people in our profession forget and I’m so glad that Texas drills it into our heads, beings sarcastic there, THE FORCE NECESSARY TO STOP THE THREAT IS AUTHORIZED.
Which means that once the threat is over then its over, period!
Here are a few things we do NOT know yet, who attacked who first? Just because you are being followed does NOT give you the right to attack someone, which is what I’ve heard that Martin attacked because Zimmerman was following him and making him angry. We don’t know if that is true or not.
Second, exactly WHEN did the gun come into play? Did Martin say to who he was speaking to on the phone that this guy following him has a gun?
Third, the 911 operator told him not to pursue. They HAVE to say that to cover their own asses but the thing that I learned the VERY hard way is that 911 operators are NOT police officers so saying he ignored a lawful police order is NOT true.
I have been followed home by drug dealers who intended to do me harm when I have left work and I knew they were armed, I just led them out to an open crowded area and was on the phone with 911 the entire time as well.
Whether or not Neighborhood Watch SHOULD carry or not is not the question but if they CAN carry is. I use to be a PI in Texas and when Texas said that PI’s could no longer carry I let my PI lasp because I was not going to be apart of something where I could NOT carry, which is also why I refuse to work certain post because they too do not allow it.
Bias or not, I agree we should let ALL the facts come out FIRST. History has proven time and time again when ALL the facts finally come out things are NOT as the world has judged them and innocent people were condemned to being guilty even when they were not.
First I agree with everything Gabe said. Very well put and logical. What isn’t logical is if Zimmerman intended to hunt Trayvon down “like a dog” as one esteemed congressperson stated why would he even call the police? And give them his name and cell #. Also, Zimmerman knew the police were just minutes away? One would have to assume that Zimmerman knew the entire police department and dispacther would cover up the murder he was about to commit. I find that unlikely. Also, the girlfriend who I vote as worst gf ever. Says per her phone call with Trayvon that she knew he was in trouble, that someone was following him. Yet, after his death he layed in a morgue for 3 days unidentified. A reasonable person would have immediately called the police or his family. Lastly, per the media Zimmerman was what? 5’9 and 230 or 240 lbs and Martin was 6’3 and 170? I am 6′ and 185, no one 5’9 and 240 is going to run me down unless they are in the NFL. I do know Zimmermans’ weight is now reported less, more like 190 but, you will have to dig through the internet to find that out.
Six: Well written article; in-depth facts and a great learning experience. Thank you. Keep safe and God speed.
In addition to my licensed bodyguard biz in FL I am also a Florida concealed permit instructor. This case is a prime example of what not to do with a concealed weapons permit, or how to apply the law surrounding concealed carry and self defense.
Crime watch members should not carry guns. Crime watch members should not follow suspicious people. Crime watch members should never get out of their vehicles.
There have been a few times in my classes when I have refunded a student’s money and refused to sign a certificate based on their attitude that seemed to sway towards a “wanna be”. You know the type – the kind that rush out and order a “Concealed Weapons Permit Badge & Wallet”
Since everyone from the President to Chaka Kahn is talking about this case, lets hope it does “ruin” all the progress “pro-gun” groups and legislators have achieved.
Wait for the Grand Jury, people. All of this leaked information and media manipulations are only creating anger on both sides. Stop playing into the media’s hands. All the media wants is more and more chaos that they can report about.
Either way you look at it , very sad situation. A young man was killed. Mr. Zimmermann’s life will never be the same. The real guilty parties are the ones that blew this up for all the wrong reasons.
In time, midst the smoke and fire of the various tragedies which arise from this case, the foundational principles of the Criminal Justice System will emerge, or not, and as it goes will be the defining moment as to whether we are a constitutional nation or not. For, you see, the “stand your ground” doctrine, and those similar, do not in any way leave the decision of whether or not one is justified in using deadly force in the hands and mind of the destroyer. That decision is, in fact, the function of the American Jury System, always has been, and remains so. The only question in this case is how and when it will get to the jury.
Once it does, and such is inevitable for an issue such as this which will not go away, the jury will decide if the destroyer’s actions were reasonable and supportable under the law. It is not the destroyer’s sole belief which controls, but the jury’s examination of that alleged belief and its determination of whether or not it was a reasonable belief. As the facts, so far as may be known, are considered by the jury, that body will have to determine (1) whether or not the destroyer reasonably believed he was in danger of death or great bodily harm, (2) whether or not he reacted reasonably in destroying or he reasonably should have taken some other course of action, and (3) whether or not he was reasonable in putting himself in the situation in the first place causing 1 and 2 to be under consideration at all. The destroyer may have held many beliefs, but the inquiry just does not stop there, and never has. Otherwise, any destroyer would never be prosecuted as his word would be the final determiner of whether or not his actions were lawful. That has never been the law, and is not now.
If the jury finds, from all the facts, that they destroyer’s actions were reasonable under the circumstances, he goes free. If they decide otherwise, he does not. That is the jury’s function, and the jury is the only thing which separates us from the dictatorial nations of the world.
The law moves slowly on purpose. Vigilante justice is not favored by constitutional doctrine. When the understandably strong emotions have subsided, all available facts are known, and the American Jury considers all facets of this case, we will have arrived at a proper conclusion, in precisely the way the constitution requires us to do.
We are Americans, and in the final analysis, we will behave as such and do honor to the legal principles which have served us well through other times as tough as these.
The police reports that were leaked state Zimmerman’s gun was placed into evidence and the area was taped off and made an official crime scene. Many elected officials state the opposite happened. I think the best thing to do is not play the what if game and wait for the DOJ’s or FBI’d timeline of what went down. We have now found that the media outlets have reported facts and scanarios that range from slightly exaggerated to deceptive lies. From doctoring Zimmermans “wound” video to selectvely editing Zimmermans 911 cal to make him sound racist to waiting a week to cover the only eyewitness that saw the fight, allowing race peddlars to build anamosity up to a boiling point.
Opal: You are not automatically arrested and tried in court if you kill someone. The police chief and DA decide whether or not to charge the person on the strength of the circumstances. No matter how much Zimmerman followed him, Martin had no right to start a physical fight with him. Especially if you believe Zimmermans account of the event.
11 break ins in 15 months 1 actually stopped while in progress by Zimmerman. The majority committed by black youths. You see a black male never seen before in the neighborhood who is standing in the rain staring at houses and is on the side of the house? (these houses have no fenced backyards) Is that profiling or a credible inference?
John, I respect your write to comment, however I am trying to understand what gold teeth and tattoos have to do with anything. I wrote the story to focus on objective issues like, second amendment, use of force, castle doctrine, stand your ground etc. Every major news outlet did not get the police transcript wrong.
Please don’t try and side track the discussion by using the same inconsistencies you write about. Also it says please don’t rush to judgment. Lets try and stay fact based and leave emotion out of the discussion.
I have been profiled as a young athletic/scholar and mature educated adult. I have also had a family member killed in Sanford many years ago unjustly by a member of the LE community and have left all my biased out of the discussion. I would encourage others to do the same as it limits our ability to have collective growth.
It seems that everyone continues to be separated by this case, which to me has been full of inaccurate and altered tapes and accounts leaked by the media in a biased way to advance an agenda and inflame racial tensions. None of us here have been privied to all the facts. Some of us try to view and analyze the facts we know with the spin we want to favor one or the other. So I will try and be as unbiased as possible using all the evidence which are true and factual which has been leaked, along with my 20+ years as a Detective for a major Police Department where I’ve investigated over 1000 homicides.
Let’s start with the reasons why Trayvon might have appeared suspicious albeit maybe without him making himself appear that way intentionally.
He is walking back to his Father’s fiancée house while talking with his girlfriend according to her public interview she stated that Trayvon said that some guy was looking at him so he put up his hoodie and started walking in a manner to avoid him. Thus far this was all from her public interview. In the state of Florida it is a Misdemeanor to use a hoodie to conceal your face under title XLVI Sect. 876.12-14. Therefore, maybe unwittingly he raised the level of suspicion towards him combined, with the fact that there had been a series of recent burglaries in the gated community. Trayvon also was not known in this neighborhood because he did not live there.
Now George Zimmerman probably an overzealous neighborhood watchman as evident by the amount of previous calls and reports of suspicious activity in the neighborhood observes what he deemed suspicious behavior and called it in, and attempts to maintain a visual with this person and see what he is doing while relaying it back to 911 dispatcher waiting for police. Up until now I’m sure most can agree that there is nothing wrong by this behavior as a neighborhood watchman.
Now after listening to the full unedited 911 tapes released is where the controversy begins. Zimmerman states that Trayvon is out of his sight. then if you listen to the tapes clearly you will hear the bell tones consistent with a car door opening while the keys are in the ignition followed by some heavier breathing and movement sounds consistent with a person running, which if you time this part takes between 10 to 15 seconds of him running. Then you hear the 911 dispatcher ask Zimmerman “Are you following him?” probably because he heard what I just described. To which Zimmermann responded “yes” and the 911 dispatcher stated “we don’t need you to do that” and Zimmerman responds “ok”.
Here is where the information released is not completely clear as none of us have been privied to all the investigative reports only the initial redacted police report has been released.
However, from the public interview of the only eyewitness thus far known to us he makes several statements which we can use to come to an intelligent. The young man states that he observed Trayvon on top of Zimmerman pounding his head into the pavement and heard Zimmerman screaming for help. When asked where this happened the young man points to an area which is in close proximity to the street where Zimmerman’s car would have been parked when he gave chase Very important fact if it matches what he told police.
If it happened in close proximity to his vehicle then it would support that Zimmerman when told not to follow which he acknowledged by ok, had disengaged and was returning to his vehicle when confronted by Trayvon thus making Trayvon the aggressor and Zimmerman would be reasonable in believing his life was in eminent danger of death or permanent bodily harm when his head was being pounded into the pavement and thus the shooting however tragic would be justified. This is supported by the fact that if you run after someone for ten or more seconds you would not be in close proximity to where you started from instead you would be a considerable distance away.
However, if when all the facts come out Zimmerman was not in close proximity to his vehicle then it would support the assumption that he did not disengage when told by the 911 dispatcher thus making Zimmerman the aggressor and Trayvon would have had the right to stand his ground and albeit the point that he never gives up the right to defend his life no matter what his previous actions might have been which contributed to it. Zimmerman would not be covered by the Stand your Ground Law and would really be on shaky ground regarding the use of deadly force. I will go as far as to say he has set himself up for at the very least an involuntary manslaughter charge.
As to the Police Department’s handling of this case if you read the actual initial police report released with only the names and addresses of the witnesses redacted you will see that they followed the same protocol that most departments have and follow and contrary to media false and manufactured reports, which say they did not do their job the facts seem to exonerate the department. As to why he was not arrested I will say this when it comes to cases as these you will only get ONE chance to get it right. If you arrest the person without all the evidence to support immediate prosecution, chances are that he will be acquitted regardless of guilt or innocence because any smart defense attorney is going to demand a speedy trial and waive many of the evidence gathering tools used by the prosecution.
Now as to all the race baiting and suppositions that this is a hate crime simply because of a difference in race is completely preposterous. For it to be a hate crime Zimmerman’s motivation would have to be because he hates blacks which must be evident by his previous behavior and treatment of Blacks or African Americans. The facts that have come out do not show that his past behavior has been the opposite. He voluntarily tutors African American and minority teens, he has black or African American relatives and close friends. He himself is a minority because of his Hispanic heritage, by the way no such thing as a White Hispanic that is as idiotic as someone saying President Obama is a White Black or White African American hopefully you see my point. It is only done to inflame racial tensions.
In conclusion I hope I have presented this in an unbiased manner based solely on my experience in Law Enforcement. Furthermore I hope it will also serve to show why NOBODY should ever be tried and convicted in the Court of Public Opinion because none of us will ever be privied to all the facts as it should be, to ensure that all parties receive a full, fair and impartial investigation; and if warranted a fair trial. By no means am I taking a side both parties made regrettable mistakes in their actions which led to this tragedy, but let’s not compound it by rushing to judgment without having all the facts. I also hope that once the facts have come out regardless of which way they go that all sides will be able to accept them and not be baited or swayed by those in the media and activists which will want to cause riots for their agendas. For then all of us surely lose as a nation.
Mark, through open sources we now know that the media has created a false narrative. Zimmerman was not on neighborhood watch, but was simply walking to his truck while returning from a retail store.
What you qouted from the 911 call was just revealed to be an edited version which currently has a major news outlet wiping the mudd from its face. What the media has also hidden includes Treyvon’s most recent appearance, which included a 6 foot stature complete with gold teeth and tattoos, born of his income as a drug dealer. The photo currently being shown is about five years old. We should all be angered by the media’s attempty to create a fictional story about race relations.
f you check the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Reports, you’ll find that black on black crime is horrendous. Black on white crime is horrendous. White on black crime represents the least burdensome statistics pertaining to race relations. This was not a hate crime, simply a case of self defense
Conserative Pete,
Don’t know what state you live in, but if you are in FL or GA and someone breaks into your home you may be authorized to use deadly force against them. Below please find an excerpt of FL law. I post this not to challenge but to help enhance knowledge on a critical topic.
Also I post the section of the law which does not allow you to use self-defense as a defense when you initiate the confrontation.
776.013?Home protection; use of deadly force; presumption of fear of death or great bodily harm.—
(1)?A person is presumed to have held a reasonable fear of imminent peril of death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another when using defensive force that is intended or likely to cause death or great bodily harm to another if:
(a)?The person against whom the defensive force was used was in the process of unlawfully and forcefully entering, or had unlawfully and forcibly entered, a dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle, or if that person had removed or was attempting to remove another against that person’s will from the dwelling, residence, or occupied vehicle; and
776.041?Use of force by aggressor.—The justification described in the preceding sections of this chapter is not available to a person who:
(1)?Is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony; or
(2)?Initially provokes the use of force against himself or herself, unless:
(a)?Such force is so great that the person reasonably believes that he or she is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that he or she has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant; or
(b)?In good faith, the person withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to the assailant that he or she desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force.
History.—s. 13, ch. 74-383; s. 1190, ch. 97-102.
No one really knows ALL the facts, the Media has screwed up this case possibly worse then any other when it comes to factual evidence and hear say BS. Why is this case taking so long to solve? THEY HAVE ALL THE EVIDENCE they need! It is A.Murder B.Self Defense C.Manslaughter.
Well written without any agenda but truth…beautiful! !
(Quote from article:) “In my mind this case is about why Mr. Zimmerman took it upon himself to target or profile this kid. ‘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.’ What led him to those conclusions?”
I think this is definitely one of the cruxes of this tragedy – but the subsequent actions (and, lack of appropriate action) by the police department is, to me, what makes this especially outrageous and unacceptable.
We will always have sociopaths and psychopaths acting as lone rangers and causing harm. But when our institutional ‘public servants’ are complicit with this undercurrent of hatred and disrespect for human life, we have far greater dangers. This is just an incredibly horrific situation that none of us should accept…. Thanks for posting, Huck!
Putting race aside, just hearing who we all know now was Trayvon (not Zimmerman per 2 experts) screaming for HELP..HELP..HELP..HELP ME. I don’t understand who anyone could believe this was self-defense or defend Zimmerman. This teen needed rescuing, some one to help save his life..He screaming for approximately 1 minute before Zimmerman pulled the trigger. This is anyone’s greatest nightmare!
What’s beside me at this point is Zimmerman supporters who calls the outrage for justice for Trayvon racist and biased. How would you explain the actions of a man who listens to somoene scream for their life and shot him dead in cold blood? How do you explain the actions of the police department to cover this up. Is Trayvon’s life not worth justic
This is a good commentary. People who kill people are arrested and tried in court; why should Mr. Zimmerman be treated differently than most everyone else.
Some people wonder why we should be quick to arrest George Zimmerman, I wonder why the State Attorney was so quick to dismiss the case of Trayvon’s death and why the dead teenager’s body was tested for alcohol and drugs while George Zimmerman wasn’t.
I wonder why it was considered okay for Mr. Zimmerman to assume that Trayvon Martin was up to no good just walking in the neighborhood at 7:15pm–just walking back to the home of his father’s fiance; and why Mr Zimmerman decided it was okay to go against Neighborhood Watch protocol by carrying a gun and pursuing Trayvon Martin.
It is very frightening having someone follow you in a vehicle (personal experience); if Trayvon did hit Zimmerman, he may have been defending himself–Standing his Own Ground without a weapon.
Even if you do something wrong, you don’t give up your right to defend you own life with deadly force. If I push someone, and then they start beating me to within an inch of my life, I haven’t given up the right to use deadly force in self defense. I should get charged with assault for pushing him, but that doesn’t mean I lose the right to defend my very life.
So even if he was wrong for following him, even if he walked toward him and and questioned him without cause, then charge him with harassment or whatever, but that doesn’t mean he still cannot rightfully defend his own life in self defense.
If someone breaks in to your home, and you knock him down and subdue him, you do not have the right to then go grab a ball bat and start beating him to death. The robber can and should be charged with robbery, but just because he broke in, that doesn’t mean he sacrifices his right to defend his very life.
If he has a gun, the robber still has EVERY RIGHT to use it in order to save his very life. So, let’s be clear, there IS NO LAW that states “If subject A illegally assaults subject B, and subject B begins beating subject A to death, then subject A, because he did something illegal is then required to lay there and allow himself to be beaten to death.
He has given up his right to defend his very life. Once Trayvon got on top and started beating, NOTHING ELSE BEFORE THAT MATTERS. Charge Zimmerman with stalking or harassment, but once Trayvon began beating, everything entered a new and separate zone at that point. Zimmerman never gave up the right to defend his very life, and no one else does at any time!!.
Now, some race baiters then say, “Well that means I can go around shooting people because I feel they threaten me”? Uh, the answer is, YES, you can shoot anyone for any reason. But any time someone does this they take a huge risk. What keeps you and others from doing this?
It’s because the evidence and witnesses BETTER AGREE WITH YOUR CLAIM, or you have committed MURDER!!! Zimmerman is no different, he took that risk, and it so happens that the eye witnesses agree with him that he was reasonable for fearing that his very life was in mortal danger.
When he shot, he had to take the risk that the evidence and witnesses would agree that he acted reasonably, or he would be charged as A MURDERER!!. The police and the evidence, as well as the witnesses DID AGREE WITH HIM. It’s that simple. It appears that the main eye witness, John, who stood just feet away, agrees with Zimmerman that his life was in danger, it’s really that simple.
Great article Mr. James, I think you nailed it 100%