Neighbourhood Watch Kills Unarmed Black Kid

[Andara Bledin]

Except that there is almost a lock on a conviction for manslaughter supported by previous court decisions in cases where the person killed was a much more substantial threat and armed.

There will be at least one trial that the courts are going to have to deal with; if they choose to let this loose cannon go with his thin plea of self-defense then they're going to have to play defense against the family's suit. And while either suit is likely to end in their favor (provided they argue the proper charges on the first), only one is going to earn them enmity.

^-.-^

[crashhelmet]

Another article on this from the Huffington Post. Mentions the earlier complaints against Zimmerman as well as the planned involvement of the NAACP and Reverand Al Sharpton

George Zimmerman Neighbors Complained About Aggressive Tactics Before Trayvon Martin Killing


ETA
Trayvon Martin Case: George Zimmerman's Father Says Son Isn't Racist

This one says the family has gone to the FBI and requested they take over the investigation.

Will this rival the Casey Anthony media circus?

[bainsidhe]

Good grief this is a mess. Now Zimmerman's dad is coming to his son's defense and claiming Zimmerman never exited the vehicle to confront the victim. So what exactly does he think happened then? Zimmerman just happened to follow Martin, who Zimmerman told police was a suspicious person, in his SUV and then coincidentally he decided to take a stroll in the same direction as the victim, around the backside of a townhome?

[KnitShoni]

So. The 911 tapes have been released. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...usaolp00000003

I'm not going to say what I think about folks who continue to defend this man.

[Andara Bledin]

So, based on the quotes from the 9-1-1 calls, Zimmerman was on top of Martin at some point, later fired a warning shot, then while the teen is begging for his life, shoots him in the chest. That's about as cold-blooded and out of control as it's possible to get.

This bigoted (it doesn't have to be race, though I'd be shocked if that wasn't part of it) vigilante shithead that has a history of harassing residents kills Martin in cold blood and they don't think they have a case?

^-.-^

[ngc_7331]

Oh my god, I heard the 911 call and you can hear the kid screaming, I mean, fear of your life screaming and then a gunshot and then just silence. I really doubt a child who's screaming in fear is that much of a threat. Still want to defend the bastard now? Or would you feel threatened by a screaming child that you're -sitting on top of-?

I feel the need to go punch something very hard. What the hell is wrong with people?

[Gravekeeper]

Wow, what the fuck. Scratch manslaughter, I'm all for homicide now. It sounds like he straight up executed the kid. And these are the tapes the police were refusing to release while likewise refusing to arrest Zimmerman? Holy shit. Heads are going to fucking roll in the police department as well.

[KnitShoni]

Yep. And the police chief says he doesn't understand the reaction to the way the department handled the whole thing.

[ngc_7331]

Okay, I've had a good smoke and a good cry and I feel a little calmer. The 911 calls are disturbing. And now between allegations that police "corrected" witness statements to say they heard Zimmerman yelling instead of Trayvon and that they refused to take statements from 2 witnesses who -saw- the whole damn thing, heads are gonna roll. I live near Sanford, I'm up there all the time. I know the place is a shithole but damn, this is way beyond. I just don't know what to say.

[Gravekeeper]

Lee said he is frustrated that Trayvon's family, its lawyers and others have ripped his department for its handling of the case. He is not a racist, he said, and his officers conducted a thorough and fair investigation and did nothing underhanded or untruthful.

"The hysteria, the media circus, it's just crazy," Lee said. "It's the craziest damn thing I've ever seen, and it's sad. It's sad for the city of Sanford, the police department, because I know in my heart we did a good job."

What fucking planet is this police chief on?

[Andara Bledin]

Probably the same planet as everybody else defending Zimmerman's murdering of Martin in cold blood.

I wish to hell they'd all go back and stop trying to pretend that they're not fucking assholes who have no business making such decisions.

^-.-^

[Rapscallion]

I don't want him to live on this planet any more.

Rapscallion

[KnitShoni]

I just really want to know why he's still not in jail.

Sidenote: Just had a "discussion" with someone who basically wanted to know why folks were upset about Trayvon Martin when one of Texas' Planned Parenthood execs was arrested for a sex crime. He wanted to have a debate on abortion. Fucking seriously?

[Gravekeeper]

He wanted to have a debate on abortion. Fucking seriously?

Well, vagina and what those without one can tell those with one to do seems to be the most important issue in the world that far south. -.-

[ngc_7331]

It's all over the news down here now. They're playing parts of the 911 tapes, editing out the gunshots. I don't blame them, it's disturbing. Methinks the shit will be hitting the fan very soon. People down here are -pissed-.