17-yo Teen Trayvon Martin Shot to Death by Neighborhood Watch Captain #6

[gxm]

Long story as to how I know this. Personal survey over the last couple of decades, People have told me they would fight or try to talk their way out of it because they are afraid if they run they will get shot in the back. Correct answer is to run from a gun but people are afraid to.

Yep. If not scared into deer-in-headlights mode, the safest thing is to run, preferably not in a straight line (so they have a harder time aiming).

 

[m00c0w]

From the article: "Police found a single shell casing at the scene, and when they seized George Zimmerman’s handgun, a Kel Tel 9 mm, its magazine was full, according to a source close to the investigation. The only bullet missing was the one in the chamber, the source said."

http://news.bostonherald.com/news/n...ired_once_not_twice_by_crime_watch_volunteer/

Where did you read there was abullet in the chamber?

Thanks, I must have missed this reply.

 

[mikeysmommom]

I am not sure how his following of TM and decision not to disengage as suggested by dispatch after finding out LE was on their way is MORE understandable or excusable because he was not acting at the time as captain but as private citizen?

ETA it would seem to me that GZ was doing both things at once. Grocery run/neighborhood watch.

I was answering to this post.

:goodpost:

Bless you, this is how I feel as well. I feel this so easily could have ended without a dead teen and a national furor with racial overtones. Except there was a gun there and a law which seems to allow for too much latitude.

Thank you.

ETA I believe this is why the Official neighborhood watch program instructs their members NOT to follow and NOT to engage. I am pretty sure they discourage watchers from carrying weapons as well. Why? IMO so that situations exactly like this one can be avoided at all costs.

 

[ohiogirl]

PD were en-route..a couple of minutes away. Do you really think that Zimmerman, knowing this, would have shot Trayvon in ANY other situation than in a fight?

Actually, I don't. My only thoughts here are that this never would have happened if GZ hadn't decided to go against Neighborhood Watch policies by carrying a gun, and by not backing off when told to. That, in my mind, makes him responsible for this death. I don't call it murder. But, he went too far, imo, and is responsible. jmo

 

[Horace Finklestein]

So Trayvon has to react how you, an experienced gun owner, would react? Why can't he just have done what his instincts told him to do? Try to get the gun away from a mad man?

So now he's a mad man? Based on...?

 

[Dr.Fessel]

How is this constructive?

What do you mean constructive? If you mean how could it happen, you said something could have obstructed the slide from coming back. If Zimmerman could not get his gun turned until he had it close to his face then the slide might have hit his nose. There was supposed to be a struggle going on and we don't know the position the gun was in when it went off.

 

[FLmom777]

I have not yet made up my mind as to what transpired. There are so few facts available to us. The one fact we know is that gz decided that tm was suspicious and followed him. That one event triggered everything that followed. We also know that tm was uncomfortable by the testimony off his girlfriend, with whom he was talking to on the phone. Geraldo has me upset by his blaming the hoodie. I think I will wait for more info before coming to a conclusion in this case.

 

[rossva]

If only the police had been a few seconds faster. I wonder if Zimmermans many calls to LE resulted in their not responding as fast as they could.

I'll say it again;


"Either way, if he just reported it like he was supposed to - the kid would be alive today."

 

[OrdinaryLife]

IMO If TM felt he was in danger from GZ following him,why didn't he hang up with his girlfriend and call 911?

In the very few minutes that this altercation occured, who would ever believe that they, the victim, would have to resort to that? Trayvon was a young man talking with his girlfriend and believed this "communication" with Zimmerman would just be another "what the heck" moment.

Shoulda, coulda, woulda. Victim's fault??? Trayvon did not provoke this. Zimmerman did.

imvho

 

[Horace Finklestein]

I wonder if it could have been Zimmerman's nose that obstructed it from going back all the way?

Looks like the injuries sustained by GZ were determined to be from a punch in the nose, as reported by the police.

 

[Donjeta]

Are you implying Trayvon was shot while running away? link? It's pretty well established that the shot happened during a fight that police say was started by TM.

I just said that you can't outrun a bullet.
Link:
[ame]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders_of_magnitude_%28speed%29[/ame]

If you think someone with a gun is out to get you you might not think you're safe turning your back to them and running.

 

[Kimster]

I have not yet made up my mind as to what transpired. There are so few facts available to us. The one fact we know is that gz decided that tm was suspicious and followed him. That one event triggered everything that followed. We also know that tm was uncomfortable by the testimony off his girlfriend, with whom he was talking to on the phone. Geraldo has me upset by his blaming the hoodie. I think I will wait for more info before coming to a conclusion in this case.

Geraldo blamed the hoodie? Seriously? :what:

:waitasec:

Maybe people don't wear hoodies in Florida as much as Oregon! :dunno:

 

[LolaMoon08]

Again, I think you all expect way too much from a 17-year-old. I believe if Dooley can be arrested and charged for what he did, so can Zimmerman. Dooley's victim attacked him first... even though he had a gun. Dooley shot and killed him. I put both Dooley and Zimmerman in the same category. I would hate to have anyone like this living in my neighborhood. They are psycho!

 

[annalia]

That's not true. I am a dual board certified criminal defense attorney, and until I wrote my blog the other night, I was unsure of the in and outs of the Stand Your Ground law. Especially since there are very few articles on what exactly t means.

Honestly, listening to many people here, it seems opinions are based on pure speculation so that they can continue to paint GZ as the bad guy.

After reading the information released by Sanford PD, I think GZ was completely within his rights to react the way he did.

my bolding

But yet you seem to be basing your conclusion that it's all true on a media article.

Just curious, as a criminal defense attorney, since all it took for you to say what police supposedly said in that article is all true, if police said your client did such and such, would it mean that it must all be true?

Especially if your client was facing a police department with a past hisory such as the SPD? Would it be out of the realm of possibility that the police depeartment wasn't just trying to CYA if they said your client did such and such?

You say that you were unsure about the ins and outs of the SYG law. There have been experts on who did know much about the SYG law, even the ones who supported it in the first place, and said it didn't apply here, are they all wrong too?

Have you seen any actual evidence that shows that it was impossible that Trayvon was still attacked first?

JMHO

 

[Dr.Fessel]

Looks like the injuries sustained by GZ were determined to be from a punch in the nose, as reported by the police.

The police have not reported that.

 

[wishuwerehere]

Yeah...and that's not what happened here, at all. Not even close. GZ was defending himself after TM punched him and smashed his head against a sidewalk. I don't think the police had any reason to lie or cover for GZ. Witnesses corroborate this in several stories.

BBM - This is all debatable. GZ needs to be charged with, at least, negligent homicide. And let a trial sort out justice.

And this police dept. has covered for the lieutenant's son in the past when he beat up a homeless guy. There is a pattern for covering up crimes already. So...

jmo

 

[m00c0w]

Again, I think you all expect way too much from a 17-year-old. I believe if Dooley can be arrested and charged for what he did, so can Zimmerman. Dooley's victim attacked him first... even though he had a gun. Dooley shot and killed him. I put both Dooley and Zimmerman in the same category. I would hate to have anyone like this living in my neighborhood. They are psycho!

Dooley had several witnesses that saw the entire encounter from start to end. That apparently is not present in this case.

 

[tlcya]

Slightly off topic but important IMO.

Thank you to our mods who have been kept truly hopping and whose patience must surely have been tested by this case.

This is a really hot topic nationally right now. This is also a very emotional one. There are very strong opinions all the way round.

Thank you to our mods who are working so furiously to keep us all on track.

Thanks as well to the members who have hotly debated this case along with me. Whether we have agreed or view things differently, I appreciate the way you have all kept it clean, kept it non personal and have tried to express your views and opinions so that I may understand.

 

[rossva]

As far as I recall, once your heart stops pumping, your body doesn't produce bruising or swollen parts. How much time was there between the actual shooting, and Martin's death?

When the autopsy comes back and if Trayvon has bruises, bloody nose or swollen lip it would mean nothing?

 

[Dr.Fessel]

Are you implying Trayvon was shot while running away? link? It's pretty well established that the shot happened during a fight that police say was started by TM.

Police never stated that.