Trayvon Martin: civil rights leaders call for Florida police chief to resign
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Zimmerman's lawyer: 'Stand your ground' doesn't apply in Trayvon Martin case - CNN.com
Sanford, Florida (CNN) -- A lawyer for the man at the center of the Trayvon Martin death investigation said Florida's "stand your ground" law doesn't apply to the shooting that killed the unarmed teen.
"In my legal opinion, that's not really applicable to this case. The statute on 'stand your ground' is primarily when you're in your house," said Craig Sonner, attorney for George Zimmerman.
"This is self-defense, and that's been around for forever -- that you have a right to defend yourself. So the next issue (that) is going to come up is, was he justified in using the amount of force he did?"
Trayvon Martin, 17, was killed February 26 as he walked to his father's fiancee's house in Sanford, Florida, after a trip to the convenience store. Police say he was shot by Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer who says he was acting in self-defense.
Report: Witness Says Trayvon Martin Attacked George Zimmerman
A new witness to the Trayvon Martin shooting has come forward, claiming the Florida teen did in fact attack neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, according to media reports.
(Related: Report: New Audio Surfaces of Trayvon Martin Shooter
Zimmerman has said he shot the 17-year-old in self-defense, though Martin was reportedly carrying only a bag of Skittles and an iced tea when he was killed. Despite a loud national outcry, Zimmerman has not been arrested or charged in Martin’s death.
According to Tampa Bay Fox affiliate WTVT-TV, what the witness says he saw could bolster Zimmerman’s claim that he shot Martin in self-defense:
A new witness to the Trayvon Martin shooting has come forward, claiming the Florida teen did in fact attack neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman, according to media reports.
(Related: Report: New Audio Surfaces of Trayvon Martin Shooter
Zimmerman has said he shot the 17-year-old in self-defense, though Martin was reportedly carrying only a bag of Skittles and an iced tea when he was killed. Despite a loud national outcry, Zimmerman has not been arrested or charged in Martin’s death.
According to Tampa Bay Fox affiliate WTVT-TV, what the witness says he saw could bolster Zimmerman’s claim that he shot Martin in self-defense:
“The guy on the bottom who had a red sweater on was yelling to me: ‘help, help…and I told him to stop and I was calling 911,” he said.
Trayvon Martin was in a hoodie; Zimmerman was in red.
The witness only wanted to be identified as “John,” and didn’t not want to be shown on camera.
His statements to police were instrumental, because police backed up Zimmerman’s claims, saying those screams on the 911 call are those of Zimmerman.
“When I got upstairs and looked down, the guy who was on top beating up the other guy, was the one laying in the grass, and I believe he was dead at that point,” John said.
more
Report: Witness Says Trayvon Martin Attacked George Zimmerman | Video | TheBlaze.com
Oh, and...
Report: New Black Panther Party Issues ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ Poster for George Zimmerman
Report: New Black Panther Party Issues ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ Poster for George Zimmerman | Video | TheBlaze.com
Trayvon Martin was in a hoodie; Zimmerman was in red.
The witness only wanted to be identified as “John,” and didn’t not want to be shown on camera.
His statements to police were instrumental, because police backed up Zimmerman’s claims, saying those screams on the 911 call are those of Zimmerman.
“When I got upstairs and looked down, the guy who was on top beating up the other guy, was the one laying in the grass, and I believe he was dead at that point,” John said.
more
Report: Witness Says Trayvon Martin Attacked George Zimmerman | Video | TheBlaze.com
Oh, and...
Report: New Black Panther Party Issues ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ Poster for George Zimmerman
Report: New Black Panther Party Issues ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ Poster for George Zimmerman | Video | TheBlaze.com
How reliable is the witness that said that Martin attacked Zimmerman?? Was this attack premeditated?? IF he did.....was it in self defense?? What about self defence of this young kid ??
This issue is about a LOT more than just hoodies, black , white, race, self defence etc. It is just another example of what happens when a culture condones violence. creating a national atmosphere where guns , (a big part of a violent culture) and aggression bullying and other such attitudes are so prevalent. This is about a culture of fear. Fear is fostered from the leadership and all the way down to the domestic situation. This is what happens when a complete erosion of trust has taken place and is replaced with defensiveness , intolerance , abusiveness and the numerous other behaviors that are consistently being presented to the population via video games , violent TV programs.
Human killing is an every day event in this kind of culture.
So why is it any surprise that shooting of an unarmed youth (and killing him) takes place. The difference is that this one is so blatantly ugly ....it has brought forth the furor of a population.
Sadly, in time.....a new ugly shooting will take over in the media , and not even a serious professional unbiased investigation would have taken place.
Thanks to the media .....now the killer is a household name. (for a month or so anyhow ) So how much does the media enable this kind of culture?? Most news / media present the facts as facts in matter of fact manner .....but US media sensationalizes it. There is plenty of emotional bias when the talking heads present their news.
**********should he be arrested??? Well he KILLED a kid. Seems any killing of a human being requires legal action. The courts can then decide if the killing "was justified". and on what basis?
This issue is about a LOT more than just hoodies, black , white, race, self defence etc. It is just another example of what happens when a culture condones violence. creating a national atmosphere where guns , (a big part of a violent culture) and aggression bullying and other such attitudes are so prevalent. This is about a culture of fear. Fear is fostered from the leadership and all the way down to the domestic situation. This is what happens when a complete erosion of trust has taken place and is replaced with defensiveness , intolerance , abusiveness and the numerous other behaviors that are consistently being presented to the population via video games , violent TV programs.
Human killing is an every day event in this kind of culture.
So why is it any surprise that shooting of an unarmed youth (and killing him) takes place. The difference is that this one is so blatantly ugly ....it has brought forth the furor of a population.
Sadly, in time.....a new ugly shooting will take over in the media , and not even a serious professional unbiased investigation would have taken place.
Thanks to the media .....now the killer is a household name. (for a month or so anyhow ) So how much does the media enable this kind of culture?? Most news / media present the facts as facts in matter of fact manner .....but US media sensationalizes it. There is plenty of emotional bias when the talking heads present their news.
**********should he be arrested??? Well he KILLED a kid. Seems any killing of a human being requires legal action. The courts can then decide if the killing "was justified". and on what basis?
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President Obama said that if he had a son he "would look like Trayvon Martin".
A person who is not racist, a person who would prefer to see and appreciate the content of character of a person, rather than the colour of his skin would have said that if he had a son he "would BE like Trayvon Martin".
A person who is not racist, a person who would prefer to see and appreciate the content of character of a person, rather than the colour of his skin would have said that if he had a son he "would BE like Trayvon Martin".
Given what's available to the public, about Mr. Martin. I think I'd pass on that.
NO
WRONG
ABSOLUTELY the antithesis of the basic premise of English Common Law.
You first must determine that a CRIME has been committed before you prosecute a man. Otherwise it is not prosecution, it is persecution.
technically, you are right of course. I do so wish this principle was followed in ALL cases... be they local, national or international.
Not a stretch to think this young man was "assassinated". Given that the US is in favor of such "justice"... this one could be one for the legal scholars ......
Let's do a what if:. what if the young man had shot and killed Zimmerman ?? In self defense of course on the grounds that Zimmerman was a threat and had been stalking him.
what do you think public opinion would be on that?? Would the principles of law that you mention appy?? There is a history of the law being used and abused to favor one or the other depending on the bias of the people doing the judging .
I don't know....I would certainly hope that the same rules would apply....but I am completely unsure about this case.
The clash of stories:
Did Zimmerman run the kid to ground?
Did Zimmerman attack the kid?? Or did the kid attack Zimmerman??
Had Zimmerman drawn a weapon???
Did the conflict take place next to Zimmerman's car?
Was Zimmerman on the ground being beaten??
Did the police decide not to arrest, or the District Attorney (prosecution) decide not to press charges?
Too many conflicting reports, and that makes me unwilling to challenge the decision not to arrest.....
Yeah, but due process says that those are the things a court and a jury is supposed to decide, so that the people can actually know what happened.
What we have here is a very public event with the judge and jury being the police (I consider a DA to be part of the police) and the investigation was not public. Self defense is a legal defense against homicide; at face value, when a person shoots another person, it is a crime (it is by definition homicide) and the individual must prove that it was in self defense.
