George Zimmerman

[Bryant 1st MRB]

How do you all think the trial went. I personally thought all aspects off the issue were wrong and could have easily been avoided if Zimmerman didn't try to play cop...but at the same time, I feel the trial was very fair and just and proved that there still is ' innocent until proven guilty,

[Arevicci]

Well honestly I think it went well, but the defense really shined. He was neighborhood watch, it's not like it was his job, he volunteered, but he followed a suspicious character in a neighborhood plagued by break-ins and robberies. He reported it, misunderstood the operator, followed some more for additional information and was attacked (what I believe, if you don't, then better wording would be 'He got in an altercation with the suspicious character') He defended himself legally, and the media turned it into a racial thing leading to this case.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Arevicci 1st MRB

[Lehman 1st MRB]

If a teenager was looking in my windows, I would want my neighbor to question him about it. If he assaulted my neighbor, I would want my neighbor to shoot him out of his own self protection.

[Samuels 1st MRB]

Honestly from everything that Ive seen with the trial I believe that there is a strong possibility of Zimmerman having either a light sentence or none at all. The Defense really made a fantastic case for Zimmerman and some of the evidence that was discussed in the trial could lead to Zimmerman being let go.

[Lehman 1st MRB]

Might I add that volunteer or not, when you have a job to do, you do it. Volunteers are always taken for granted, especially in cases like this one.

[Arevicci]

Might I add that volunteer or not, when you have a job to do, you do it. Volunteers are always taken for granted, especially in cases like this one.

I was getting at that, didn't fully reflect that in my post though. Was thinking it all the way

[Perrone]

George Zimmerman is guilty of, at the very least, manslaughter. He followed a black kid in a hoodie who looked 'suspicious' too him in his neighborhood, he called the cops on the kid, and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin. The kid got spooked that some guy was following him. He lives in the city, when a person follows you at night, it's not cause they think you're 'suspicious'... and did what he thought was best. Was it the smartest? Nope. Was it rational? Nope. But when you are a 17 year old who's getting followed at night by some strange guy, what would you have done?

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

But the system decided Zimmerman is not guilty, that's what we'll have to live with.

[Kabasares]

George Zimmerman is guilty of, at the very least, manslaughter. He followed a black kid in a hoodie who looked 'suspicious' too him in his neighborhood, he called the cops on the kid, and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin. The kid got spooked that some guy was following him. He lives in the city, when a person follows you at night, it's not cause they think you're 'suspicious'... and did what he thought was best. Was it the smartest? Nope. Was it rational? Nope. But when you are a 17 year old who's getting followed at night by some strange guy, what would you have done?

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

But the system decided Zimmerman is not guilty, that's what we'll have to live with.

+1

Edited July 14, 2013 by Kabasares 1st MRB

[Griswold]

George Zimmerman is guilty of, at the very least, manslaughter. He followed a black kid in a hoodie who looked 'suspicious' too him in his neighborhood, he called the cops on the kid, and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin. The kid got spooked that some guy was following him. He lives in the city, when a person follows you at night, it's not cause they think you're 'suspicious'... and did what he thought was best. Was it the smartest? Nope. Was it rational? Nope. But when you are a 17 year old who's getting followed at night by some strange guy, what would you have done?

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

But the system decided Zimmerman is not guilty, that's what we'll have to live with.

Did he ever state he was black? I'm confused, normally when someone is wearing a hoodie you cant tell there skin tone and he is following him as in behind him how can you tell? Also wasn't it stated that he had his hands in his pockets? Still you wouldn't be able to tell at a distance.

How about we discuss the Florida law that let him do what he did? Seems a more reasonable argument.

[Stroops]

George Zimmerman is guilty of, at the very least, manslaughter. He followed a black kid in a hoodie who looked 'suspicious' too him in his neighborhood, he called the cops on the kid, and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin. The kid got spooked that some guy was following him. He lives in the city, when a person follows you at night, it's not cause they think you're 'suspicious'... and did what he thought was best. Was it the smartest? Nope. Was it rational? Nope. But when you are a 17 year old who's getting followed at night by some strange guy, what would you have done?

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

But the system decided Zimmerman is not guilty, that's what we'll have to live with.

Did he ever state he was black? I'm confused, normally when someone is wearing a hoodie you cant tell there skin tone and he is following him as in behind him how can you tell? Also wasn't it stated that he had his hands in his pockets? Still you wouldn't be able to tell at a distance.

How about we discuss the Florida law that let him do what he did? Seems a more reasonable argument.

Also just to add to the fact that you made it seem like he shot him while following or during his questioning of treyvon but he used the firearm during a physical fight with treyvon which is totally different in context.

[borschtBomber BAR]

This should have never even been a case and the whole trial was a joke from the prosecutions side. I'm glad he was found not guilty as it makes me feel like our justice system still works. That this tard special prosecutor Angela Corey got involved was where things went wrong. She is an absolute joke and seems to do nothing but try and railroad people into prison. Of course this never would have gotten to that point if the media and our stupid president didn't turn this into some civil rights/racial issue which it was not.

I was glad to see O'Mara stick it to the media afterwards a little bit as this was largely their fault that this trial even took place. I'm not sure how anyone who paid any sort of attention to the trial could be upset or surprised with the verdict?

[Arevicci]

and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin.

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

That's actually wrong, the operator (This was said in court twice) asked him "which direction did he go" The operator even said in court "I can see why Zimmerman would misunderstand it and take it as 'follow him and find out'"

Of course this never would have gotten to that point if the media and our stupid president didn't turn this into some civil rights/racial issue which it was not.

All the win of the world.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Arevicci 1st MRB

[Perrone]

George Zimmerman is guilty of, at the very least, manslaughter. He followed a black kid in a hoodie who looked 'suspicious' too him in his neighborhood, he called the cops on the kid, and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin. The kid got spooked that some guy was following him. He lives in the city, when a person follows you at night, it's not cause they think you're 'suspicious'... and did what he thought was best. Was it the smartest? Nope. Was it rational? Nope. But when you are a 17 year old who's getting followed at night by some strange guy, what would you have done?

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

But the system decided Zimmerman is not guilty, that's what we'll have to live with.

Did he ever state he was black? I'm confused, normally when someone is wearing a hoodie you cant tell there skin tone and he is following him as in behind him how can you tell? Also wasn't it stated that he had his hands in his pockets? Still you wouldn't be able to tell at a distance.

How about we discuss the Florida law that let him do what he did? Seems a more reasonable argument.

In the 911 transcript, he stated the guy "looks black." Zimmerman saw Martin entering the neighborhood through a side path at the back entrance, not through the gate. I don't know how it's set up in that neighborhood, but usually there is only a gate for cars in gated communities, not a gate for people. Martin was returning from buying stuff at a convenience store; Zimmerman was watching him and called the cops, then disobeyed the 911 operator and followed him.

Actually, if you argue the Florida law, then by logic you'd have to also argue about what Zimmerman had done. Because Zimmerman's main defense was the Stand Your Ground law that allowed him to do this. It's just one big circle.

Also just to add to the fact that you made it seem like he shot him while following or during his questioning of treyvon but he used the firearm during a physical fight with treyvon which is totally different in context.

I guess I was too subtle with what I said Stroops, I implied that Martin beat Zimmerman up before getting shot. That was the whole last part of "Was it the smartest? Nope. Was it rational? Nope." thing. What Martin did, he did out of fear... he was being followed. He's 17, what would you have done if some big guy was following you through a gated neighborhood at his age? Not to mention that Martin is from the city, which you don't get followed by someone if they think you are 'suspicious', you get followed because someone marks you as their next target to mug... or worse.

But Zimmerman made the conscience choice to follow Martin... against the 911 operators orders. He made the conscience choice to pull the gun out during the fight, and too pull the trigger. I've seen the pictures of the police department, he had a bloody nose and some scraps on the back of his head. Martin got a bullet in the heart.

As for Zimmerman's portrayal of the fight, I don't know enough about Zimmerman himself, but I do know people embellish events like this to make it look like they were in the right. We'll never know what really happened in the fight, if Martin actually tried to get to the gun as Zimmerman claims, or if he backed away. But what I do know, is that all of this would have never happened, if Zimmerman followed orders from the 911 operator, and stayed where he was and let the police handle this.

[Xiong]

My stand is that unless someone knows all the facts, it's wrong to take sides.

I'm sure nobody knows all the facts, especially the media.

Media skews everything.

[Arevicci]

He had ample time to run away, 4 minutes, he could outrun zimmerman any day. Also, Zimmerman had stopped following, Martin could have escaped and continued doing whatever he was doing, legal or illegal, but I believe (and evidence shows) he decided to flank around and attack Zimmerman, because he had followed him.

[Perrone]

and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin.

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

That's actually wrong, the operator (This was said in court twice) asked him "which direction did he go" The operator even said in court "I can see why Zimmerman would misunderstand it and take it as 'follow him and find out'"

Of course this never would have gotten to that point if the media and our stupid president didn't turn this into some civil rights/racial issue which it was not.

All the win of the world.

... I listened the the 911 call, it was as clear as day "Don't follow him". And I don't care what the operator said in the trial... he asked which way was Martin running, then asked him if he was following him, which he then told him not to follow. Zimmerman continued to try to follow Martin after being told not to do so.

[Goodwin 1st MRB]

As a guy who lives outside Chicago - I can say murders far more racially motivated and far more violent occur on a DAILY basis here but receive no national news coverage. We have wanna be cops here, we have lots of dumb stuff.

Gangs, race murders, etc. etc. White guy in the wrong 'hood? Dead.

I personally don't give two craps about Zimmerman or the dead kid - why? Because way worse is committed around Chicago daily. The media whores who sensationalize one case instead of standing up for the THOUSANDS of other murders occurring on a weekly basis should be fired and the public who stays glued to this stuff should really learn to not play into the media so easily.

[Arevicci]

and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin.

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

That's actually wrong, the operator (This was said in court twice) asked him "which direction did he go" The operator even said in court "I can see why Zimmerman would misunderstand it and take it as 'follow him and find out'"

Of course this never would have gotten to that point if the media and our stupid president didn't turn this into some civil rights/racial issue which it was not.

All the win of the world.

... I listened the the 911 call, it was as clear as day "Don't follow him". And I don't care what the operator said in the trial... he asked which way was Martin running, then asked him if he was following him, which he then told him not to follow. Zimmerman continued to try to follow Martin after being told not to do so.

So you condemn him because of this? Because he wanted to make sure his neighborhood was safe? The fact is, he volunteered for neighborhood watch and took it seriously and did his job. This is a neighborhood plagued by break-ins and robberies, He wanted to make sure nothing happened to anybody in his neighborhood.

[Peaker]

The exact wording was actually "We don't need you to do that", which isn't a command. The shooting was also during an altercation, which by most witness accounts was likely started by the kid. While I won't defend Zimmerman on the issue since I think Stand your ground laws are pretty dumb, there was definitely a reasonable doubt as to the culpability of George Zimmerman, therefore the jury was right to let him walk.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Peaker 1st MRB

[Perrone]

and willfully ignored the operator who told him not to follow Martin.

Zimmerman chose to follow him, to pull out his gun and pull the trigger.

That's actually wrong, the operator (This was said in court twice) asked him "which direction did he go" The operator even said in court "I can see why Zimmerman would misunderstand it and take it as 'follow him and find out'"

Of course this never would have gotten to that point if the media and our stupid president didn't turn this into some civil rights/racial issue which it was not.

All the win of the world.

... I listened the the 911 call, it was as clear as day "Don't follow him". And I don't care what the operator said in the trial... he asked which way was Martin running, then asked him if he was following him, which he then told him not to follow. Zimmerman continued to try to follow Martin after being told not to do so.

So you condemn him because of this? Because he wanted to make sure his neighborhood was safe? The fact is, he volunteered for neighborhood watch and took it seriously and did his job. This is a neighborhood plagued by break-ins and robberies, He wanted to make sure nothing happened to anybody in his neighborhood.

Right, so lets just ignore the fact he killed an unarmed kid that he was following based on simply because he looked 'suspicious'. Zimmerman's job was to report suspicious activity, not engage suspicious people. He chose to remain in the area instead of leaving... and from the account Martin's friend gave about it, it sounds like Zimmerman started the altercation because it was Martin who said let go before the phone went dead.

Zimmerman never identified himself, even in his own version when Martin confronted him about why he was being followed. There was no way Zimmerman's head was pounded against the side walk and walked away with a few small cuts on the back of his head.

I'm not saying Martin was in the right for what he did. But he was a 17 year old kid with issues... being followed by some middle aged white guy who was hostile to him when he confronted Zimmerman.

[Arevicci]

being followed by some middle aged white guy who was hostile to him when he confronted Zimmerman.

That's all I got out of it simply because again, it's made into a racial thing.

1. There's no need for it to be racial

2. Zimmerman is actually of hispanic decent, but of course he's classified as Caucasian, because its easier to be made racial that way.

[Zorbanos 1st MRB]

Honestly, if im being followed by some scary dude, I'm not going to confront him. im going to try to get away from him. THE LAST THING IM GOING TO DO IS START AN ALTERCATION WITH HIM. and if he start one with me, ill run. and if he chases me, ill run faster. and if he catches me and beats me down wrongfully because he thinks im some sort of criminal, then im goign to press charges against him and HES going to go to jail for being a fucking asshole.

but thats not what happened. who started it isn't clear, but either way, i believe this kid could have avoided zimmerman and not goten into an altercation with him. Granted Zimmerman was overzealous in his neighborhood watch duties, but when it comes to the shooting, he acted in self defense. plain and simple. witnesses testified they saw a man in a red or light colored jacket on the bottom in what was charcterized as a ground and pound fight, zimmerman was wearing a light red jacket on the day in question. to characterize zimmermans injuries as a few scratches is unfair. there are gashes on the back of his head, and he had a broken nose. what were trayvon's injuries? a few scratches on his knuckles? sounds kind of like what happens when you pound someones face with your bare hands...

honestly, LT Goodwin makes the best point. There are alot worse things that happen in our country, ESPECIALLY in Chicago. Race murders that go both ways. Murders that have nothing to do with race. but no one gives a fuck about that, at least the media doesnt, except to report on crime statistics and spin them one way or another, for some sort of agenda. Its all bullshit.

[Perrone]

being followed by some middle aged white guy who was hostile to him when he confronted Zimmerman.

That's all I got out of it simply because again, it's made into a racial thing.

1. There's no need for it to be racial

2. Zimmerman is actually of hispanic decent, but of course he's classified as Caucasian, because its easier to be made racial that way.

Ah, yes, ignore everything else so you can change the tone of the argument to fit into what you want to turn the argument into, not what the argument is about. Classic deflection tactic Arevicci, but it's not going to work. The racial thing has nothing to do with the fight, and at first glance or at night, Zimmerman looks like a tanned white guy. Doesn't change the facts of what happened, and the one turning this into a racial thing is you, not me.

Zorbanos, according to Martin's friend who was on the phone with him at the start, she heard Martin saying something that sounded like "Let go, let go". Of course we don't have it recorded (but perhaps the NSA has it stashed somewhere), but if what she heard was true, that means that it would have been Zimmerman who started the altercation, not Martin.

As for Goodwin, what happens in Chicago is a different story then the Martin/Zimmerman story.

[Arevicci]

I didn't ignore it, I chose not to comment on it seeing as it has already been covered/refuted by earlier posts or by the facts themselves, And I most certainly did not change the tone, you did that by adding in that comment. Anyways, the facts have been laid out and my opinion voiced, your opinion is your opinion there's no point in arguing over it.

Edited July 14, 2013 by Arevicci 1st MRB

[Morton]

I'd like to point this out. Zimmerman was not a police officer. His whole job is to observe and report, not act like a police officer. Then when he decided to play "cops and robbers" all it would have taken was "Hey I'm George (or Mr. Zimmerman) with the Neighborhood Watch, how is it going?" That would have pretty much absolved him in my mind. If Martin was up to no good, it would have been the same outcome. However, if Martin was just passing through he would have known Zimmerman was just protecting his property, instead he attacked Zimmerman (or as some said perhaps he was attacked by Zimmerman) because he thought his life was in danger. When Fight or Flight kicks in, it is hard to overcome. In my opinion, a man died for no good reason, unless looking suspicious is a reason to die. Zimmerman should have just done his job, which was to observe and report, and wait for the police. Instead he followed Martin around, and may have antagonized Martin.