17 yo Trayvon Martin Shot to Death by Neighborhood Watch Captain #15

[Isabelle]

I wonder who Trayvon would have pulled for tonight in the college basketball championship? I bet he would be pulling for Kentucky. Bless his heart!!

His parents only consolation is that no one can ever hurt Trayvon again!

 

[Talina]

Saw that one earlier, but it and all the officers have addresses in Orlando, so I don't think it's the same one.

I think that it might be the correct HOA. It looks to me like the address of the registered agent and all directors are the exact same address - the HOA management company address, which is in Orlando.

IMO

 

[claudicici]

GZ was soooooooo sure Trayvon was up to no good...the tone of his voice...I've heard it so many times it's like a famous movie. "he's on drugs or something", "he's up to no good"..."these a**holes always get away". He had the situation so sussed. But he was wrong -- dead wrong.

plus I hate to say it because I know it's an unpopular opinion and based on MO only,the way he is stating things,like "he has his hands in his waistband" IMO he is setting the stage for claiming self defense.To me GZ sounds like a hungry wolf ready to pounce. "these a**holes always get away"
The more I think about it the more I believe this was pre-meditated.GZ was out to get someone that night.That night "the a**hole" whoever the unlucky one was was NOT going to get away.

 

[vlpate]

"What's up homie?" Or, wildly smashed a larger man's head into the concrete over and over again, or grappled for the gun while saying, "you're gonna' die", or dramatically grabbed his chest and stated, "You got me!" as he fell back after being shot.

Zimmerman's a good little story-teller. I think his stories sound silly and unreal but apparently they have served him well in the past and people believe him as they have gotten him out of trouble numerous times. No wonder he continues to tell stories. IMO.

BEM: Did Zimmerman tell this story, or did Tracy Martin tell this story?

 

[Talina]

On Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell Tom Owen said he listened to the tape and says GZ is saying effing *oon....Do not have a link maybe transcripts out later...so will add IMHO JMHO.......And i listened to the tape and believe he said it too... IMHO

That's what I hear as well when I listen to the tape. I know there are some that hear "punks" but try as I might, I just can't hear that at all. I don't hear anything resembling that word ( punks) but I do hear the other one, sadly.

 

[uvamerica]

OK George was arrested by this article in 2005. Which made Zimmerman approx. 22.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nat...ard-aggressive-ex-co-worker-article-1.1053223

Parents moved here in approx 2001 or 2002, which would have made George Zimmerman 17 or 18.
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/loc...zimmerman-grew-up-in-northern-virginia-032112

So Zimmerman was not a minor when he was arrested, which makes me wonder how his record was expunged? Did his father call the States Attorney Wolfinger and make it go away? Is this where the conflict of interest came in?

expunge [ɪkˈspʌndʒ]vb (tr)1. to delete or erase; blot out; obliterate
2. to wipe out or destroy[from Latin expungere to blot out, from pungere to prick]

This is unbelievable, to have assaulting a cop and domestic violence EXPUNGED is shady to say the least. JMO
How could George be that lucky ?

 

[Isabelle]

Like I said, I know nothing about this sort of thing, but it almost sounds like they may have reason to think the efforts might do some good. The officer tried for a certain period and then paramedics took it over. I guess what I'm asking was he still alive?

How long would they typically try to revive what I had thought was a corpse at that point?

EMT's will attempt revival after determining time down, during which time another of the team will contact an MD at whatever ER and inform MD of situation. MD will assess and determine the call. This is if the person hasn't obviously been dead for a while.

 

[OneLove]

I was taught never to go near anyone who was following me, we did not have 911 or cell phone then.My kids were taught by me and school to never go near someone following you, get to a phone and call 911.Now the school is teaching my grandson who is 6 the same thing.My
10yr old same thing and she carries a cell phone.IMO It bothers me neither did. I know it most likely would not have changed the outcome but IMO that is something we will never know because a call was not made.IMO That is why 911 is here for us IMO.

Yes, I believe Trayvon was trying to not go near the one who was stalking him. That is why he ran out of sight behind the condos. That is why he may have tried desperately to hide. Unfortunately, Zimmerman FOUND him. Trayvon was dead in moments.

I really do fail to understand how that is Trayvon's fault. Or his girlfriend's fault. Or his father's fault. Or his soon-to-be stepbrother's fault. Or the younger-than-present-age photographs' fault. Or the scared-for-their-lives resident's fault. EVERYONE'S fault, except the man chasing him with a gun that shot him to death with that gun.

 

[claudicici]

I saw Trayvon on the cover of People magazine in the grocery store today and I had to fight tears so hard.That kid really pulls on my heart strings.
All I ever think about since this happened is all of our kids,any kid just walking down the street.Why should one kid feel safe while the other one doesn't? Our girls are hunted by predators ,black children are being stereotyped and viewed as dangerous and so are white kids in trench coats,piercings, tattoos.....Why do we judge? It makes me soooo sad.

 

[vlpate]

Came out Saturday night. And guess what. The pro-Trayvon people think it makes sense and the pro-Zimmerman people think it doesn't.

I don't look at this as if it's a game. I don't believe a guy sitting at his computer with a $30 program that came out in March, 2012, is all that reliable. Anyone can use a computer program - there's a lot more to it.

I don't see what difference it makes even if it were Trayvon, anyone would be freaking out fighting over a gun - I'd find it strange that a person would make no sound at all.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I keep seeing the word stalking in posts. Here is the Florida statute on stalking so members can see the legal meaning of the word.

(2) Any person who willfully, maliciously, and repeatedly follows, harasses, or cyberstalks another person commits the offense of stalking, a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes...ing&URL=0700-0799/0784/Sections/0784.048.html

 

[OneLove]

I don't look at this as if it's a game. I don't believe a guy sitting at his computer with a $30 program that came out in March, 2012, is all that reliable. Anyone can use a computer program - there's a lot more to it.

I don't see what difference it makes even if it were Trayvon, anyone would be freaking out fighting over a gun - I'd find it strange that a person would make no sound at all.

They should never have been fighting over a gun. The gun should never have been there. Zimmerman should never have been there. It was wrongful for the confrontation to have ever happened to begin with. And it was not Trayvon in the wrong.

And I am not convinced there was EVER a struggle over a gun. We will see what the investigation reveals. But regardless, if there WAS a struggle over the gun, it was Zimmerman's fault and therefore HIS responsibility. Now he should suck it up and accept accountability for his choices. IMO

 

[Chris_Texas]

Her saying TM said Why are you following me showed me that he made the first contact,Also I am not sure if she could tell what happened after she heard GZ ask what are you doing here.How can she be sure if it was a push and who pushed who?She is not an eyewitness .Wouldn't that be just her opinion? What really bothers me a lot is that TM had a phone if he knew he was being followed why not call 911 yourself?Also the GF did not call 911 after she knew he was being followed,heard that they now had words thinks she hears TM pushed and she did not call 911. I find that extremely odd.Most kids are taught at a very young age to call 911 and neither did.JMO.

BBM

Respectfully, and I mean that sincerely, the answer to your question demonstrates as well as anything could the fundamental racial divide that exists in this country. You say that kids are taught at an early age to call the police. In this you are only partially correct. White kids are taught that the police are there to help them. Black kids and adults often have a different expectation and experience -- as this case so clearly demonstrates.

In my opinion

 

[claudicici]

....and in this case per Trayvon's girlfriends account,which I have no reason whatsoever not to believe he was talking to her and dropped the phone when the confrontation started so there was no opportunity for Trayvon to call 911 anyways.

 

[OneLove]

I don't look at this as if it's a game. I don't believe a guy sitting at his computer with a $30 program that came out in March, 2012, is all that reliable. Anyone can use a computer program - there's a lot more to it.

I don't see what difference it makes even if it were Trayvon, anyone would be freaking out fighting over a gun - I'd find it strange that a person would make no sound at all.

It will be determined by the courts what is deemed reliable and what is not. What you or I think is irrelevant to the outcome in the investigation and in a trial.

One person was shot by another; whether they were fighting over a gun is yet undetermined. I believe our opinion on who should have made what sounds and when will also end up being totally irrelevant in judging if there was wrongdoing in this case.

Imo

 

[Deleted member 39678]

They should never have been fighting over a gun. The gun should never have been there. Zimmerman should never have been there. It was wrongful for the confrontation to have ever happened to begin with. And it was not Trayvon in the wrong.

And I am not convinced there was EVER a struggle over a gun. We will see what the investigation reveals. But regardless, if there WAS a struggle over the gun, it was Zimmerman's fault and therefore HIS responsibility. Now he should suck it up and accept accountability for his choices. IMO

So do you feel that Florida's concealed carry laws are the main contributing factor here or the "stand your ground" law? Or both?

 

[vlpate]

They should never have been fighting over a gun. The gun should never have been there. The Zimmerman should never have been there. It was wrongful for the confrontation to have ever happened to begin with. And it was not Trayvon in the wrong.

And I am not convinced there was EVER a struggle over a gun. We will see what the investigation reveals. But regardless, if there WAS a struggle over the gun, it was Zimmerman's fault and therefore HIS responsibility. Now he should suck it up and accept accountability for his choices. IMO

Zimmerman was perfectly within his rights to carry a gun. He was within his rights to report someone suspicious. He was within his rights to deduce, from experience, what suspicious behavior looks like and he was within his rights to follow, from a distance until told to do otherwise. Trayvon was within his rights to be there visiting his father's fiance, he was within his rights to walk down the middle of the courtyard - even to look around at houses. He was absolutely within his rights to stare at GZ, come toward him and take off running. Trayvon Martin was not within his rights to come around and sucker punch George and slam his head into the cement. When he saw Zimmerman's gun, he was not within his rights to try and take it from him.

Saying George was stalking Trayvon is not a fact - no matter how many times it is said, it's not going to be. Saying George has a history of racism is not a fact - could it be? Sure, but we've seen zero evidence of it, so IMO, it shouldn't be repeated again and again as if it is.

As it stands, both George and Trayvon are considered victims here - I'll continue to respect Trayvon, not only because I empathize with his parents, but because our words are forever and I would hate to think George's parents would read here someday and be hurt by something I might have said that has absolutely no basis in truth.

JMO

 

[itsreenw]

Damage control, yes. Preempting, IMO, there being no racial slur on the 911 call. We've not heard about that slur in over a week now - not even the audio experts bothered with it. I don't think it's there, I think ABC manipulated the audio to make it sound that way, JMO.
The family and civil rights leaders have no right to pick and choose poster boys for their cause and spread outright lies about him .
<snipped>

I agree.

Agree again, everyone should be able to speak out about injustice - the injustice, however, should not be under investigation and yet to be established, IMO.

BEM: He's been right about suspicious individuals, and they didn't live in the community. I'll bet ya there are some grateful homeowners in that community, despite the media hype. JMO

BBM...GZ has no right to pick and choose who to stalk and kill. But he did.

He's been right about suspicious individuals, but he's also been wrong. DEAD wrong.

I'll say it again...there was no problem until GZ went looking for one.

 

[vlpate]

So do you feel that Florida's concealed carry laws are the main contributing factor here or the "stand your ground" law? Or both?

To me, this is the rub, the SYG law. I do feel George should have been arrested and he should have stayed in jail until an investigation was done. If it lead to a trial, so be it. I just don't find it to be George Zimmerman's fault that this didn't happen. I think he would still have gotten off pleading self-defense (if his story is accurate), and the parents would have closure.

Nothing to do with race or GZ carrying a concealed weapon, everything to do with a flawed law. IMO

 

[shadowraiths]

The Events Leading to the Shooting of Trayvon Martin ( link )
New York Times, April 1, 2012

Trayvon Martin, 17, in self-defense after a life-or-death struggle on the night of Feb. 26. Official accounts and interviews with those involved in the case offer a glimpse into what may have happened.​