"If I had a son, he’d look like Trayvon."

[jacobi]

The question I have been wondering about this whole thing is, who the HELL goes on neighborhood watch with a gun?  I thought this was the thing that busybody old ladies did on their fannypack-wearing strolls around the school track (no gun in the fanny pack; just an overused tissue and some hard candy).  Any 200lb + dude with a gun who would be roaming around my hood saying he was keeping me safe would be very quickly getting the police called on him.  Make no mistake, not only do I pass the brown paper bag test, I look like there mayor of white guy town.  I would feel really nervous about having some big guy with a gun and something to prove staring people down.

[Red Arrow]

Any 200lb + dude with a gun who would be roaming around my hood saying he was keeping me safe would be very quickly getting the police called on him. 

I missed the beginning credits.  Did this 200lb + dude live in the neighborhood or was he just someone from across town trying to keep some distant neighborhood safe?

[guido911]

Conan, the "according to the Sentinel's report" has no reliable basis. It means nothing.

This is a clear cut case of bad police work. We've seen similar corruption here.

Worse, it's a clear case of vilifying the victim. Shameful...

I think Zimmerman is a nut case with a history of violence and ignoring police. I wouldn't believe a word the police say or what they leak like Martin's suspension from school. I want to see all the evidence which will point towards a teenager being bullied by a bigot and murdered.

Guido, the context you use to make the President's sentiments look anything but compassionate come across as racist.

You are the biggest doosh in this forum. How dare you even suggest you know what is compassionate or otherwise. And accusing me of racism? GFY. Any takers in here aox has one of these hanging in his closet?

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/trayvon-martin/cracker-tshirt-759832

[guido911]

I missed the beginning credits.  Did this 200lb + dude live in the neighborhood or was he just someone from across town trying to keep some distant neighborhood safe?

Neither. He was some guy that had it out for young, black, innocent teenagers just minding their business. Probably a tea bagger. There. We don't have to worry about pesky facts or more of the story to come out.

One thing is certain. This country's race hustlers best be right and Zimmerman gunned this kid down in cold blood because whatever Richard Jewell got should pale in comparison. And if he did it, you know after that dumb "innocent until proven guilty" thing, then let justice be done.

[guido911]

If anyone gets the chance take a look at how the Daily Show covered this story.

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/jon-stewart-returns-with-hoodie-tastic-trayvon-martin-outrage-roundup/

[nathanm]

Did this 200lb + dude live in the neighborhood or was he just someone from across town trying to keep some distant neighborhood safe?

He does live in the neighborhood. He called himself the "neighborhood watch" (along with one other guy) and patrolled the neighborhood looking for hoodlums. When talking to the 911 dispatcher he was rather distressed that one of the "bucking coons" might get away again.

It also turned out that Martin was on his cell phone with his girlfriend during part of the incident, but the call was interrupted after Zimmerman confronted Trayvon. The most dispositive evidence I've seen so far is the witness testimony that whatever fight took place did not take place where Martin was shot. Even if Martin did attack Zimmerman earlier, there was no ongoing brawl when he was killed.

[erfalf]

I'm sure debate about what actually happened will rage on for some time. However, the police report states that Zimmerman was attacked, and provided evidence as to why they came to that conclusion. That is why he wasn't arrested.

First, I'm not saying that the police were correct in their assessment, but they are humans, and they didn't see it happen. So let's cut the cops some slack. I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

Second, this smells to me just like the Duke Lacrosse team case. Damn the facts, we have a conclusion to reach. Ironically in that case as well, the defendants acted "stupidly". But until they outlaw stupid, you can't send them to jail for that alone.

[Conan71]

I want to see all the evidence which will point towards a teenager being bullied by a bigot and murdered.

Are you serious?!  So just ignore any evidence contrary to your preconceived notion because you are that bent on the idea that Zimmerman is a bigot?  

At what point did we decide we want to abdicate jurisprudence to the news media and a couple of corrupt preachers who have never passed on an opportunity to get more air time for the sake of fanning the flames of racial divide?

Anyone remember how up in arms people were when Casey Anthony was acquitted?  Just because Nancy Grace says someone is guilty or should be found guilty doesn't mean they are.  We need to quit trying cases on tabloid TV and allow the justice system to do the job it was designed to do.

That said, if there was a gross miscarriage of justice in this instance, then the Sanford PD and the prosecutor with jurisdiction in the case need to come under fire and some people probably need to lose their job.  

Until we know more about ALL the evidence in this case, and it sounds like there is, reaching a conclusion one way or the other is impossible.  I'd reached a conclusion that Zimmerman should have been arrested.  Now I'm not sure.

If Zimmerman was the aggressor and was pursuing Martin, Martin had a right to think he was in danger and to protect himself, ironically under the stand your ground law that the PD has cited for Zimmerman not being arrested.  However, if it was a simple case of Zimmerman asking what this kid was doing wandering his neighborhood and Martin went nuts on him, the law is on Zimmerman's side.  I'm going to reserve further judgement until the Sanford PD pulls it's head out of it's donkey and diffuses the situation one way or another.

[Gaspar]

Are you serious?!  So just ignore any evidence contrary to your preconceived notion because you are that bent on the idea that Zimmerman is a bigot?  

At what point did we decide we want to abdicate jurisprudence to the news media and a couple of corrupt preachers who have never passed on an opportunity to get more air time for the sake of fanning the flames of racial divide?

Anyone remember how up in arms people were when Casey Anthony was acquitted?  Just because Nancy Grace says someone is guilty or should be found guilty doesn't mean they are.  We need to quit trying cases on tabloid TV and allow the justice system to do the job it was designed to do.

That said, if there was a gross miscarriage of justice in this instance, then the Sanford PD and the prosecutor with jurisdiction in the case need to come under fire and some people probably need to lose their job.  

Until we know more about ALL the evidence in this case, and it sounds like there is, reaching a conclusion one way or the other is impossible.  I'd reached a conclusion that Zimmerman should have been arrested.  Now I'm not sure.

If Zimmerman was the aggressor and was pursuing Martin, Martin had a right to think he was in danger and to protect himself, ironically under the stand your ground law that the PD has cited for Zimmerman not being arrested.  However, if it was a simple case of Zimmerman asking what this kid was doing wandering his neighborhood and Martin went nuts on him, the law is on Zimmerman's side.  I'm going to reserve further judgement until the Sanford PD pulls it's head out of it's donkey and diffuses the situation one way or another.

I am also starting to doubt my initial conclusions.  Apparently there was another call to 911 and a witness that watched the events from a window. Orlando Sentinel "One witness, who has since talked to television news reporters, told police he saw Zimmerman on the ground with Martin on top, pounding him" and was unequivocal that it was Zimmerman who was crying for help. http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-26/news/os-trayvon-martin-zimmerman-account-20120326_1_miami-schools-punch-unarmed-black-teenager

The cops report that Martin was shot at very close or point blank range.

Apparently the scuffle was quite loud and in an open residential area.  I'm willing to bet there is actually more than one witness that will emerge.

We have no right to try this case in the media because that almost always renders a failure of justice. It would be very unwise for any politician to adopt for political means a tragedy like this until all the evidence has been presented and justice served.

Unfortunately, regardless of the outcome, Jackson & Sharpton have again set back race relations at least 50 years.  Black Panther members are tweeting Zimmerman's home address with the message "you know what to do!" and the blogosphere is full of threats and hate.  

[Conan71]

Ironically, had this been a confrontation between a white male and Zimmerman with Zimmerman at the wrong end of the muzzle, it would have been "racist" because Zimmerman is Hispanic.  Actually sounds like Jewish Hispanic, but I digress...

Who here honestly doesn't look twice when you see a young black male wearing droopy jeans and a hoodie walking toward you in a parking lot?  Is that racism, or simply being vigilant and aware of your surroundings?

[Townsend]

I've noticed a change in course on my SM feeds.  Even news agencies are having a hard time deciding which wagon to hitch up to.

[Conan71]

I've noticed a change in course on my SM feeds.  Even news agencies are having a hard time deciding which wagon to hitch up to.

They shouldn't be having such a quandary if they were reporting facts.

[Townsend]

They shouldn't be having such a quandary if they were reporting facts.

You watch the news lately?  2 minutes of "facts" and 21 minutes of information about a product/project in the same company.  (NBC talking about Housewives, etc.)

[Gaspar]

Won't change a thing for Sharpton, Jackson, and the Panthers.  For them, Martin is beyond any guilt, Zimmerman is white.

If it is found that Martin did indeed attack Zimmerman, and the law rules in favor of Zimmerman.  There will be riots.

[we vs us]

Won't change a thing for Sharpton, Jackson, and the Panthers.  For them, Martin is beyond any guilt, Zimmerman is white.

If it is found that Martin did indeed attack Zimmerman, and the law rules in favor of Zimmerman.  There will be riots.

Zimmerman had to be arrested.  There was enough (and still is enough) compelling evidence to necessitate an investigation.  We wouldn't have gotten to these possibly exculpatory witnesses without what's come before, which is mass protests.  That includes but is not limited to actions by your most despised black preachers.