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

[Gaspar]

Wait, Wait...How all of the sudden do we know the "History" of the Sanford and Son Police department ? I dont live there, I have never lived there, My family or friends have never lived there. So what are we to base that on ? spoon fed media info or a wikipedia search ?

My opinion is that all Police Departments are corrupt to a extent. It's human nature. Very hard to have that much power over lowly law breakers and control it.

All police are racist. Get with the program!

[Hoss]

All police are racist. Get with the program!

Did I ever claim racism?  I'm claiming misconduct, as I stated in citing the Wikipedia page with their citations noted.

Yep, putting words in people's mouths.  You've been doing it a while now.

[Conan71]

Zimmerman's father is a retired magistrate, yes?

What sort of schooling do you have to have prior to becoming a judge?  Perhaps the Sr. Zimmerman was acting on his son's behalf as his attorney.  He did have a right to have an attorney present at all times after he was taken into custody.

The second officer's account in the police report says he observed Zimmerman had a wet back, bloody nose, and abrasions on his head.  He was tended to by the SFD paramedics as he sat in the police car.  Sounds like they cleaned him up at the scene.

Just saying those are obvious things still being overlooked.

[Gaspar]

Did I ever claim racism?  I'm claiming misconduct, as I stated in citing the Wikipedia page with their citations noted.

Yep, putting words in people's mouths.  You've been doing it a while now.

Sorry.  I was jumping to conclusions before others arrived there.  We will get there soon enough. 

[DolfanBob]

Wikipedia in this instance.  And sources are cited.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanford_Police_Department_(Florida)#Misconduct

So while bemoaning the 'oh, it's Wikipedia so you KNOW it's right', consider the fact that all those referenced in that section are cited with the 'spoon fed' media reports.

Ok out of the four instances cited. Only one was race related. Hardly a History for the city.
But we really could talk about a City with History of race relation problems. And we are still trying to appease and make amends 91 years later. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_Race_Riots

[Hoss]

Ok out of the four instances cited. Only one was race related. Hardly a History for the city.
But we really could talk about a City with History of race relation problems. And we are still trying to appease and make amends 91 years later. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulsa_Race_Riots

And like I said, I wasn't the one citing race.  I'm citing a pattern of misconduct for a police department.  As everyone keeps pointing out here, it's not necessarily about race, although in time we'll come to know one way or the other.

[Gaspar]

And like I said, I wasn't the one citing race.  I'm citing a pattern of misconduct for a police department.  As everyone keeps pointing out here, it's not necessarily about race, although in time we'll come to know one way or the other.

Hoss,

1. This will be about race, because that's the card that carries no penalty to play.
2. If Zimmerman does not receive a conviction there will be protest, even if it is proven that he acted in self defense.
3. If Zimmerman is convicted of manslaughter, there will be protest because he was not convicted of murder.
4. Any individual, group, or organization that aids in Zimmerman's defense or testifies on his behalf will be branded as racist. This includes law enforcement, EMTs, or witnesses.


This case has been tried by the public and Zimmerman is white, and is guilty.  Nothing can change that.  The mob has spoken.  Zimmerman has been branded a witch and will be burnt. 

I am hopeful that justice will be served, and if guilty, Zimmerman will face the full force of the law, and serve as an example to others that feel compelled to take the law into their own hands beyond what is legal. . .but I am only hopeful.  The damage created by the sensationalization, race-baiting and political marketing is deep.  For some like Jessy Jackson and Al Sharpton, this will fuel their enterprises for years to come.  For others who have adopted this tragedy as a political platform to push their agendas, Trayvon will be immortalized as a symbol for their campaigns. 

This was a tragic incident with lots of moving parts.  It was disrespected and distilled into whatever people wanted it to be.

[Conan71]

This was a tragic incident with lots of moving parts.  It was disrespected and distilled into whatever people wanted it to be.

The most honest assessment I've read anywhere.  Thanks for the lucid moment, I think everyone needs to let that sink in.

It's particularly disturbing to see how the media obviously edited various accounts and evidentiary items to manipulate evidence in the court of public opinion. 

Anyone remember all the comments after Casey Anthony walked?  Nancy Grace and her ilk spent two years trying and convicting Anthony on the news every night.  The result was millions of people second-guessed a jury who was specifically charged with hearing the case and making a determination on Ms. Anthony's fate.  The jury had to abide by the court rules and go on what they were allowed to hear. 

I've just about given up on getting any sort of honest account out of any news outlet any more.  It's not treated as news and facts, it's strictly entertainment.

[patric]

Nancy Grace and her ilk spent two years trying and convicting Anthony on the news every night.

It aint Ted Turner's CNN anymore, but rather some talk-show machine that mistakes Grace for a journalist.

[Conan71]

It aint Ted Turner's CNN anymore, but rather some talk-show machine that mistakes Grace for a journalist.

Funny I was just thinking last night as I was trying to get a handle on what had happened in Dallas and all I could find on "HLN" was more headless corpse stories: "Why do they even call it 'Headline News' anymore? They don't have any headlines!"

[dbacks fan]

Funny I was just thinking last night as I was trying to get a handle on what had happened in Dallas and all I could find on "HLN" was more headless corpse stories: "Why do they even call it 'Headline News' anymore? They don't have any headlines!"

HLN has become the CoutTV/Entertrashment channel.  My dad and I have made the comment several times about whether or not most of the people on CNN/Faux/MSNBC are really journalists at all since most of them just read a script and a teleprompter.

[Red Arrow]

Did I ever claim racism?  I'm claiming misconduct, as I stated in citing the Wikipedia page with their citations noted.

Yep, putting words in people's mouths.  You've been doing it a while now.

I find the racism assumption with your response to be reasonable since you replied to:

That would certainly explain why there has been NO EMPHASIS AT ALL on the pesky details that the kid was black and the shooter is white.

With:

Maybe there wouldn't have been as much had the Sanford PD not had a history with it.

[nathanm]

The second officer's account in the police report says he observed Zimmerman had a wet back, bloody nose, and abrasions on his head.  He was tended to by the SFD paramedics as he sat in the police car.  Sounds like they cleaned him up at the scene.

Turned out, they canceled the ambulance for Zimmerman, although it may be that they did that because they realized there wasn't anything to be done for Martin, so the folks responding for him could also treat Zimmerman.

[DolfanBob]

So now it sounds like Zimmerman may not have said the "Racial Slur" on the 911 recording.
CNN (no really) had the recording enhanced and instead of 'f***ing c**ns' it now sounds like 'f***ing cold'

[nathanm]

I know I would have said the same thing if I were walking around outside when the temperature was in the low to mid 60s.