FL - 17-yo Boy Shot to Death by Neighborhood Watch Captain

[rossva]

BBM
Sanford Police Chief Billy Lee said there is no evidence to dispute self-appointed neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman's assertion that he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin out of self-defense.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/neighborho...-probe-reveals-questionable/story?id=15907136

I'm not sure either, JJ, except that this whole Condo complex is private property and George was the official rep for the HOA at that time to keep a crime watch.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

At the end of this WFTV.com article about this case two groups are mentioned. The New Black Militia and the New Black Panthers.

WFTV also found out that the New Black Militia and New Black Panther groups are planning to protest at the Sanford Police Department next week.

I can find some information on the New Black Panthers, but nothing on the New Black Militia. Does anyone know anything about the New Black Militia? Maybe their a local group of limited size.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/witness-sanford-police-blew-us-teen-slaying/nLSqk/

 

[LolaMoon08]

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/witness-sanford-police-blew-us-teen-slaying/nLSqk/

Witness: Sanford police "Blew us off" in teen slaying

It just gets worse and worse!! What is going on??

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Here's an interesting article from the Sun-Sentinel that talks about the New Black Panthers protest.

SANFORD — Members of the New Black Panther Party gathered outside Sanford police headquarters today to put pressure on authorities who have yet to charge a neighborhood watch volunteer in the fatal shooting of a Miami teenager late last month.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...otest-trayvon-martin-20120310,0,1905865.story

 

[angelmom]

I think if it were almost in any state other than FL, GZ would have been charged. Let him use "self-defense" argument at trial. I think some of these "stand your ground" laws go to far. GZ was in his car, he didn't have to get out of it and go after anyone.

I agree with Daisy that this is a problem with the PD not the law.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/witness-sanford-police-blew-us-teen-slaying/nLSqk/

WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer reviewed the statute and said that if Zimmerman was told by 911 to not confront Martin and did anyway, the statute is not on his side.

"The use of deadly force in this case was unlawful and a valid arrest could have been made," Sheaffer said.

Sheaffer also said that ultimately an arrest could be, and likely should be made, and then the state would decide if the charges stick.

"Under the facts, it is above the discretion for Sanford not to affect on arrest and then send it to the State Attorney's Office," said Sheaffer.

 

[LolaMoon08]

Here's an interesting article from the Sun-Sentinel that talks about the New Black Panthers protest.



http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...otest-trayvon-martin-20120310,0,1905865.story

I think they should be protesting outside the State Attorney's Office? Isn't that who is going to make a decision about whether or not charges will be filed?

 

[jjenny]

While I don't agree with many of the FL laws about guns, I think the issue is with the Sanford PD and not our state laws. JMO.

Police claim its because of these self-defense laws they have not arrested GZ.

 

[jjenny]

I agree with Daisy that this is a problem with the PD not the law.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/witness-sanford-police-blew-us-teen-slaying/nLSqk/

I guess it depends on how one interprets the law.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I think they should be protesting outside the State Attorney's Office? Isn't that who is going to make a decision about whether or not charges will be filed?

I believe your right, but they may be trying to send a message to the police dept.

Sanford resident Rose Casey joined the activists, saying the relationship between police and the black community has long been strained.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...otest-trayvon-martin-20120310,0,1905865.story

 

[jjenny]

It just gets worse and worse!! What is going on??

The witness thinks it was the teenager screaming, not GZ.

 

[daisy7]

Police claim its because of these self-defense laws they have not arrested GZ.

They stated (paraphrasing) that he claimed self-defense and that they couldn't charge him unless they found evidence it wasn't. Please direct me to a FL statute that says this (the castle doctrine statute does not apply in this case).

 

[jjenny]

They stated (paraphrasing) that he claimed self-defense and that they couldn't charge him unless they found evidence it wasn't. Please direct me to a FL statute that says this (the castle doctrine statute does not apply in this case).

I am going by what police are claiming. I never thought what they are saying about this being self-defense made much sense, but that's what they have been saying.

 

[LolaMoon08]

I believe your right, but they may be trying to send a message to the police dept.



http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/lo...otest-trayvon-martin-20120310,0,1905865.story

I understand. This case is just hitting me extra hard. I don't understand any of it? I have a 17-year-old niece that lives in a gated community. Oh, she can be mouthy when she wants to be! She even got sent home from school one day for having pink in her hair. She was almost suspended once for kicking a boy who grabbed her butt (we never told her, but we were super proud of her for that :floorlaugh. I can't imagine her simply walking down the sidewalk in her neighborhood being followed. She would be so scared, for one. But I know if she was confronted by someone like Tray was, she would fight as much as she was physically able to. That's what she has been taught to do. To be shot and killed for protecting yourself against an aggressive **extreme modslip** breaks my heart.

 

[LolaMoon08]

I am going by what police are claiming. I never thought what they are saying about this being self-defense made much sense, but that's what they have been saying.

I know what they have been saying and you are 100% correct! None of it makes any sense. If I had the time off, I would drive up to Sanford and march with the Black Panthers myself. I'd be the short white girl!

 

[daisy7]

I am going by what police are claiming. I never thought what they are saying about this being self-defense made much sense, but that's what they have been saying.

Yep, it doesn't make sense at all! And, AFAIK, there is nothing in the FL statutes that supports them not arresting Zimmerman.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

I understand. This case is just hitting me extra hard. I don't understand any of it? I have a 17-year-old niece that lives in a gated community. Oh, she can be mouthy when she wants to be! She even got sent home from school one day for having pink in her hair. She was almost suspended once for kicking a boy who grabbed her butt (we never told her, but we were super proud of her for that :floorlaugh. I can't imagine her simply walking down the sidewalk in her neighborhood being followed. She would be so scared, for one. But I know if she was confronted by someone like Tray was, she would fight as much as she was physically able to. That's what she has been taught to do. To be shot and killed for protecting yourself against an aggressive **extreme modslip** breaks my heart.

BBM
I don't understand what happened either. With the limited amount of official information that has been released it's hard to say at this point.

Apparently the local PD has had a strained relationship with the black community for a while. Having this happen sure doesn't help better that relationship at all.

You would think that LE would release all 911 tapes and reports that they legally can as soon as possible. At least make a statement saying when they could possibly be released. Otherwise it looks to some that their trying to conceal the truth. JMO.

 

[jjenny]

Yep, it doesn't make sense at all! And, AFAIK, there is nothing in the FL statutes that supports them not arresting Zimmerman.

And it gets even more fishy. The woman the media just interviewed claimed that the teenager was not shot at the same place that the fight took place at (there is some distance between the place the teenager was shot at and where the fight took place, according to this woman). She didn't hear any fighting, but she did hear someone screaming (and she thinks it was the teenager, not GZ). It's hard to imagine teenager was pursuing GZ considering GZ is much larger than this teenager was and in addition the teenager was not armed.

 

[Deleted member 39678]

Yep, it doesn't make sense at all! And, AFAIK, there is nothing in the FL statutes that supports them not arresting Zimmerman.

Aren't the Police claiming there's insufficient evidence to charge Zimmerman when they handed it to the SA's.

Sanford police have said there was no probable cause for an arrest of Zimmerman.

The case is now in the hands of the State Attorney's Office.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/witness-sanford-police-blew-us-teen-slaying/nLSqk/

 

[Deleted member 39678]

And it gets even more fishy. The woman the media just interviewed claimed that the teenager was not shot at the same place that the fight took place at (there is some distance between the place the teenager was shot at and where the fight took place, according to this woman). She didn't hear any fighting, but she did hear someone screaming (and she thinks it was the teenager, not GZ). It's hard to imagine teenager was pursuing GZ considering GZ is much larger than this teenager was and in addition the teenager was not armed.

I think that this interview with a women named Mary C. is the the one your talking about. I'm not sure about what she knows. One thing that bothered me was at the very end of this long interview, she asked why wasn't he arrested,and then brought to trial where he could then prove his innocence. She want's this guy thrown in jail until he can prove that he's innocent. Sorry Mary, it doesn't work that way in America.

http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/interview-with-witness-of-sanford-teen-shooting/vGYPW/

 

[jjenny]

She seems pretty sure the fight started 3-4 houses away from her backyard, and the boy was shot at her backyard. So it appears at some point the two of them (GZ and the boy) traveled together to where the boy was shot at. She also says the boy was face down so I am curious as to what autopsy says about direction in which the boy was shot (from the front or from the back?)