Neighbourhood Watch Kills Unarmed Black Kid

[Mytical]

The Injuries to Zimmerman:
There is a chance that his bloody nose and scalp are self-inflicted. I've been training in martial arts for nearly 31 years. If I beat someone up and the police get called, I'm going to jail if I can't prove it's self-defense. If I don't have witnesses that say I was defending myself, I will hit my forehead on the ground give myself a mark or two. It's a hell of a lot harder to claim self-defense if there's no sign of a struggle.

I was thinking this, but wasn't sure. I mean I wasn't there, so they could be legit, but I find it odd that from what I've seen the shot was not close range if there was a struggle. Well not point blank range that is. From the sound of it, the guy shot the kid..suddenly realized how deep of crap he was in..and self inflicted some wounds. The only thing that does not suggest that is that others supposedly heard a fight. So .. donno. I just have no clue, if there was a fight, what exactly happened.

[Gravekeeper]

There were several 911 calls saying there was a fight. So that much is a given. It sounds more like he started a fight, got surprised when the kid actually fought back, and then shot him. However, the circumstances of the shooting itself are suspect. The kid was face down. Meaning he was running or got shot and tried to run. Also residents reported shots fire, but the kid was only hit once. I'd love to know if he was shot in the front or the back. 1 shot in the middle of a scuffle doesn't seem likely with adrenaline involved on both sides.

Still, someone was shot and died during an altercation, this guy should have been arrested pending the investigation. Not let go until they decide whether or not to arrest him.

The mayor has called a press conference for 4pm this afternoon to reveal the results of the investigation. I don't like the sounds of that. It sounds like they know what they're going to say will be shit hitting the fan.

[Andara Bledin]

Here's a link that includes video of the press conference.
Article at WFTV

I have not watched it, so have no comment on the content.

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[Greenday]

No videos in that link. Just kinda restates that the guy is claiming self-defense. I found that this article describes what went on today better: http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...,3967780.story

The cops are saying because they haven't found enough evidence to convict the guy, they haven't arrested him. And I can understand that. Otherwise it's going to be another guilty-by-media trial like Casey Anthony. Everyone believes she's guilty but they just don't have enough evidence to prove it. Then everyone gets pissed off when the defendant goes free.

[Ginger Tea]

IIR Casey Anthony would have been convicted if they went for a lower charge of manslaughter, but went full on for murder which was harder to prove.

[Hyena Dandy]

Yeah, to have manslaughter, you need proof that they did it. To have murder, you need proof that they PLANNED to do it.

[jackfaire]

What more evidence do they need?

Fuck people who accidentally kill someone, through no fault of their own, get arrested faster.

There is plenty of evidence that he shot the kid. There is plenty of evidence that he provoked the kid.

That he followed the kid in his car and that he shot the kid are established facts.

There is no evidence of this being self defense.

[Greenday]

What more evidence do they need?

Proof that it was murder.

There is no evidence of this being self-defense.

Relevance?

[jackfaire]

Relevance?

It at least qualifies as culpable negligence which is punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

(2) Whoever, through culpable negligence, inflicts actual personal injury on another commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

[Greenday]

It at least qualifies as culpable negligence which is punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

(2) Whoever, through culpable negligence, inflicts actual personal injury on another commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083.

Can you prove the case with the evidence at hand? His claim of self-defense is the only evidence we really have so far. We have no eyewitnesses. We have no videos. So really, the only thing we have to go on so far is his claim of self-defense. That's not going to get you any convictions.

[KnitShoni]

Why is self-defense a valid claim after it was determined that Zimmerman created and exacerbated the situation by following Martin after police told him not to?

[Greenday]

Why is self-defense a valid claim after it was determined that Zimmerman created and exacerbated the situation by following Martin after police told him not to?

Because if the kid started the fight, it's still self-defense. And since no one can disprove that since no one saw what happened, it'd be a tad tough in court to prove otherwise.

[Andara Bledin]

Except that's wrong.

It doesn't matter whether Martin started the fight or not, Zimmerman had to feel that his life was in immediate peril for a claim of self defense to hold water; nothing I've read even comes close to indicating that he had any reasonable indication that Martin was a substantial threat. Unless, there's some other indication that Martin did anything more than punch him in the face and knock him down, he didn't have any reasonable indication that his life was in danger.

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[Greenday]

Possible scenario: Zimmerman was on the ground and the 17 year old was punching him in the face and slamming his head repeatedly into the ground. He thought he was being beaten to death and that it was necessary.

Boom, legal defense. And since no one can prove it happened a different way, seeing as no one saw it, it'd hold. Damnit, I should have been a lawyer.

[Andara Bledin]

Except that in your scenario, Zimmerman would be covered with blood and Martin would not have been found face down on the lawn.

Not a single piece of information currently available gives any indication that Zimmerman had anything more to show for the encounter than a bloody nose, bloody scrape on the back of his head and the back of his shirt was wet, all of which are consistent with 1 punch striking his face and him falling onto his back. Nothing indicates any kind of prolonged physical altercation took place, and several reports go into quite a bit of detail on what damage we do know about.

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