Connecting moms in Polk County, Fla.
Trayvon Martin Story Updates
Federal Government, State to Investigate Sanford Teen's Killing
Have you all been following this story? It's a very sad and tragic event and unfortunately it sounds as if it boils down to no witnesses. One man says his actions, shooting a teen, was self-defense. The family of the teen that was killed, feel their family member was stereotyped and paid with his life.
Do you think there's need to take a further look into this case? Are you happy to see officials other than local police dipping into the evidence?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alicia (Alsan) on -
I've been following this case very closely. While Zimmerman was a concealed permit holder, IMO he overstepped when he began following the teen. I listened to all the 911 tapes yesterday and was crying by the time I finished. You can clearly hear the screams for help, then the gunshot, then silence. The law in FL gives us the right to stand our ground and meet deadly force with force - it does not allow us to pursue what you perceive as a threat. If concerned, he should have called it in and stayed in his vehicle. I have a lot of problems with this situation. The biggest is that he followed the teen. I read a story this morning that the teen was on the phone with a friend right up until the confrontation. It sounded like the teen was rightfully scared. Some guy was following him. Zimmerman assumed a threat existed with the teen. The real threat was Zimmerman. I've also read that while Zimmerman has been called a neighborhood watch captain in news reports, it was a self titled position - apparently no formal neighborhood watch existed in that neighborhood. He was heard in his 911 call "these a**holes always get away" the 911 person asked if he was following and then told him "we don't need you to do that"
I'm a big supporter of concealed carry and of stand your ground. However, you have to keep a good head and being allowed to carry a weapon does not give you the right to use it. While there is no duty to retreat, you don't go after someone. If someone stole my purse in a parking lot would I shoot them in the back as they ran off? Of course not. The threat has passed - the bad guy is going away, I may have lost property but at that point my life is not in danger. IMO Zimmerman way overstepped, he overreacted. Sanford police have said there's nothing to discount Zimmerman's story that it wasn't self defense. I disagree. The minute he started following the teen he became the aggressor. Even IF the teen was up to no good, which it has been widely reported he was not, but even IF - Zimmerman still had no right to pursue him.
I'm glad other officials are looking into it. This one overzealous guy is giving the rest of us who carry a bad name. My heart breaks for the teen's family. They lost their son because he walked to the store for a drink and a snack and an overzealous guy forgot he wasn't the police and took matters into his own hands. There was no reason for this kid to die.
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Permalink Reply by Jmarr on -
100% agree. There are people out there like this....waiting for a confrontation and having a "just try me" attitude. That, combined with a concealed weapon is a recipe for disaster. They have records of him calling in "suspicious" people over 40 times in a year. He wants to be a cop but he is not. He needs to let cops do their job and stop getting in the way. You can clearly hear the 911 operator tell him NOT to get out of his car and not to pursue. He did not follow those orders, and he overstepped. He was the initial aggressor. I would be scared if I was walking home from the candy store and some guy was following me in his car. I can't believe the Sanford police let this one go. It is obvious what happened here. "These a**holes always get away" might be what Zimmerman said, but it is now what everyone is thinking about Zimmerman. He was delusional...get away with what? Buying a soda and skittles and walking home? Poor kid.
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Permalink Reply by Shawn Spivey on -
Trayvon Martin Killing: 911 Tape Reveals Possible Racial Slur by Ne...
This could certainly change how the public handles this story. Online comments linked to articles on this topic go on and on about how many believe this wasn't race motivated. Even the recent Ledger article, Teen's Killing Stirs Debate on 'Stand Your Ground' Law have people replying this isn't a race case.
If the slur mentioned in the top link is heard in the 911 call, do you think race should be considered in this case?
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Permalink Reply by Alicia (Alsan) on
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If it's there, it's very hard to hear. It's very muffled and I think it's pretty subjective. I think a prosecutor would have a hard time with that one. Don't get me wrong, I do think it was racially motivated, it's just hard to prove in court with what's been released to the media. In my heart I believed he saw a young black male in a hoodie, out at night and assumed he was up to no good. I could be wrong but if it was a white teen in khakis and a polo shirt I think he would have been ignored instead of followed.
The reports of Trayvon being on the phone with a girl and worried about being followed by Zimmerman broke my heart. Zimmerman assumed a threat existed, but Trayvon was worried about the guy following him.
I understand Zimmerman cannot be charged federally with murder unless it was racially motivated. I still do not understand why the state isn't pressing charges, and I still hope they will. I keep reading about Stand Your Ground needing to be revisited and lawmakers are saying they will review it, but I still argue Zimmerman wasn't standing his ground, he was pursuing. The law does not give us the right to chase someone down. Arrest the guy, charge him - I really don't see where he can hide behind stand your ground. That law does not give blanket protection for people to do what they want and then cry self defense afterwards. Trayvon was not a threat to Zimmerman when Zimmerman made that initial 911 call.
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Permalink Reply by Jmarr on
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If they can dig up info about him, maybe his Facebook page, or other witness testimony that he was known to use racial slurs, I think it may be used against him in court.
Has anyone heard anything about Zimmerman's past? Does he have a record? It just seems odd to me that a 28 yr old guy would "self-appoint" himself to be his neighborhood watch guy. How did the neighbors feel about a guy with a gun riding around stalking young kids? Why wasn't he out with his friends, enjoying life as a (single?) 28 year old guy? Did he have a job? Any hobbies? Did something happen in his life to make him hate on the neighborhood kids (a recent theft or break-in or assault)? Any hateful/racist/violent web searches? Did he have an arsenal of weapons at home? Was he bullied a lot? History of mental illness? Come from an abusive family? I know all of this is none of anyone's business normally, but when you stalk kids and shoot one of them, it becomes fair game as part of the investigation.
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on -
This case is so sensitive....I hate to hear the media and others calling this Racial Motivated, or Racial Profiling ...but it is what it is ....Zimmerman has a somewhat shady past...he has been known to call the police and report false information, even has pranked called them on occasion. WOW! He had ex Fiance had a restraining order against him...and i am sure there is other stuff...this is what has been reported on the local news in Orlando ..
Zimmerman should be in Jail...NO BOND
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Permalink Reply by Over-wrked Momma on
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Ok, I can't keep my big mouth shut any longer. So many in other on-line forums and discussions are crucifing the police department and the police cheif in this matter. Unfortunately, I believe they made the right decision not to make an immediate arrest. This does not mean that he cannot be arrested. There is something in the constitution about the right to a speedy trial. IF, the PD had arrested Mr. Zimmerman that night, the rest of the investigation would be rushed just to meet the requirements imposed by his constitutional rights. We have seen many cases that end in aquittal because of the hasty arrest and investigation. In many of these cases, the State Attorney's office is consulted during the investigation and many times make the determination not to arrest hastily so that a proper investigation can be conducted and charges are then filed.
Now please do not get up in arms with me, because I do believe he is guilty of murder. I am also a huge supporter of "Stand Your Ground" Unfortunately from everything I read I do not believe he was standing his ground I believe he was very much the agressor in the situation. Some of you may know, in my former life I was a police officer and when this story first broke, I had a conversation with a friend who is still in law enforcement - one of the things we discussed was that this was probably a "wanna-be cop" who could not pass the state test and thought any perceived authority was his right to do what he wanted to. It was later reported that yes he has been in criminal justice classes and yes he has an arrest history. It was pretty easy to read, because unfortunately we saw this alot. Nothing ever went this far but the profile was the same.
I wish Trayvon's family receives the justice they so richly deserve. I also pray that they may be given strenth and courage to keep fighting for what is right. No one should have to lose a child but to do so in such a senseless manner is reprehensible to me.
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Permalink Reply by Shawn Spivey on
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Over-wrked Momma, thank you very much for adding this. Someone with the the inside knowledge of the legal process, such as yourself, can definitely remind us that aren't on the up and up on arrest procedures that steady and slow can at times be the best route.
Thank you! :)
I still can't fault the impatience of the family that wants justice. I just hope they will feel this wait will be worth it in the end.
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Permalink Reply by Alicia (Alsan) on
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I can wrap my brain around why Zimmerman wasn't arrested that night. He was legally allowed to carry a firearm and he was claiming self defense. At this point though, Sanford has said they've completed the investigation, although I believe some people came forward later, I wish Sanford had arrested him at least for manslaughter. That he's hiding behind stand your ground makes me crazy and it's causing some to question the law that's in place. It's not a bad law, it's just that Zimmerman is trying to hide behind it and he shouldn't be able to. I fear that the Feds won't be able to bring charges unless they can prove it's racially motivated. I hope the state will be able to.
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Permalink Reply by MandyJay on -
This. Well said. In fact, everyone seems to be well on-point with the entire conversation.
Over-wrked Momma said:Ok, I can't keep my big mouth shut any longer. So many in other on-line forums and discussions are crucifing the police department and the police cheif in this matter. Unfortunately, I believe they made the right decision not to make an immediate arrest. This does not mean that he cannot be arrested. There is something in the constitution about the right to a speedy trial. IF, the PD had arrested Mr. Zimmerman that night, the rest of the investigation would be rushed just to meet the requirements imposed by his constitutional rights. We have seen many cases that end in aquittal because of the hasty arrest and investigation. In many of these cases, the State Attorney's office is consulted during the investigation and many times make the determination not to arrest hastily so that a proper investigation can be conducted and charges are then filed.
Now please do not get up in arms with me, because I do believe he is guilty of murder. I am also a huge supporter of "Stand Your Ground" Unfortunately from everything I read I do not believe he was standing his ground I believe he was very much the agressor in the situation. Some of you may know, in my former life I was a police officer and when this story first broke, I had a conversation with a friend who is still in law enforcement - one of the things we discussed was that this was probably a "wanna-be cop" who could not pass the state test and thought any perceived authority was his right to do what he wanted to. It was later reported that yes he has been in criminal justice classes and yes he has an arrest history. It was pretty easy to read, because unfortunately we saw this alot. Nothing ever went this far but the profile was the same.
I wish Trayvon's family receives the justice they so richly deserve. I also pray that they may be given strenth and courage to keep fighting for what is right. No one should have to lose a child but to do so in such a senseless manner is reprehensible to me.
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Permalink Reply by Shawn Spivey on
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Obama Speaks on Shooting: 'If I Had a Son, He'd Look Like Trayvon'
This story continues to become a national topic. Our national president has taken notice of this Florida tragedy.
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Permalink Reply by Shawn Spivey on
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US Could Bring Hate Charge in Fla. Teen Shooting
According to the above article, the shooter's (Zimmerman) ethnicity is white from his father and Latino from his mother. If you want to get technical, the surname, Zimmerman is largely Jewish. Obviously, this man, or his family, may not be Jewish, but if he/they are, then he is made up, himself, of two minority groups (if one considers Jewish to be a minority- some do, some don't).
I know there are people that identify themselves as minority that are still prejudice but I've already heard on talk radio the legal defense team plan to play up the fact the Zimmerman is himself a minority.
The other defense? Zimmerman was attacked and suffered injury from the killed teen. According to a couple of online reports, Zimmerman sustained a broken nose and a gash on his head from the assault that allegedly took place prior to the shooting.
From information that continues to come out, do you think local, state, or the federal government can make a case? If so, what level do you feel it should be tried at?
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