Trayvon Martin

[Warborn]

In the absolute best-case scenario, Zimmerman exercised terrible judgment and a person got killed over it. As a CCW holder, seeing a suspicious person and calling the cops over it should always be the end of it. To actively go looking for a fight -- a fight you know could escalate into someone drawing a gun and one or both parties or a bystander getting shot -- is amazingly irresponsible. He had no duty to go searching for this person he was concerned enough about to call the cops over, and for his stupidity someone died, and according to him, he was nearly killed himself.

[Baneblade]

Originally Posted by Vash02

Yes, becuase fists are just as deadly as a gun and able to kill in a second.

It isn't about equal force, it is about force response escalation.

Are you going to let an 'unarmed' man beat you to death, because he doesn't have a gun to equate yours?

Originally Posted by Figment

Sobekeus, let's assume something else, Zimmerman didn't know he was unarmed, felt threatened by someone who MIGHT be armed with concealed lethal weapons (which is a reasonable assumption in the US, isn't it?) and jumped the gun.

Assumptions can go all sorts of ways. What if Zimmerman made a few wrong ones?

(edit: note: what if, nobody but he knows)

I understand that may be a possibility, and where I come from many 'thugs' pretend to be armed even if they aren't. There are numerous scenarios that could have happened. But GZ did get punched in the face and knocked in the back of the head, so it is reasonable to think Martin didn't know George was armed until it was too late.

[Malorn]

Meh.

[WildGunsTomcat]

Originally Posted by Malorn

And in an interesting turn of events, the Grand Jury scheduled for tomorrow will not happen.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/04/09...da-grand-jury/



I think this basically means first-degree murder is not a charge they are considering.

Yeah, I hear tell the best they might charge him with is involuntary manslaughter.

With a plea of self defense he MIGHT get six months jail time. Maybe. If even that much.

What I'm waiting for are the inevitable race riots whichever way this thing tilts.

[Warborn]

The homicide detective initially wanted to charge Zimmerman with manslaughter, but was told not to by the DA. If this goes to trial I'd suspect the same sort of charge will be pursued. First degree murder seems unreasonable.

[Malorn]

Meh.

[Warborn]

Plus, with a case as highly polarizing as this one, it's uncertain that a grand jury could be relied upon to make a reasonable decision. I can understand a seasoned prosecutor like Corey wanting to review the case and make the determination herself, rather than roll the dice and hope she gets more of X type of people than Y.

[Malorn]

Meh.

[Warborn]

Letting a weaker case go to grand jury so they can throw it out lets the prosecution dodge a case that probably didn't have enough evidence to land a successful conviction.

Angela Casey saying she personally will decide whether Zimmerman is charged or not means that, however this goes, it's going to be her baby. To me, that means Zimmerman is going to be indicted, and is probably fucked. For the prosecution to put their signature on the outcome of this means she thinks the case has a strong chance of winning. Her being the one to push it forward and successfully prosecute a high profile case like this one will look very good on her resume.

[Malorn]

Meh.

[Warborn]

Yeah, it'd reflect poorly on her one way or the other if she moves it forward and doesn't get a conviction.

In other news, George wants your money.

[Baneblade]

She would probably go All-In with a pair of deuces before the Flop in poker I'd wager.

[Bittermen]

It was AVOIDABLE... The 911 operator tells Zimmerman not to pursue Trayvon...

What happened after... justified or not... Could have been avoided and Zimmerman will have to live with that for the rest of his life.

His name is tarnished.

[Malorn]

Meh.

[Baneblade]

Originally Posted by Malorn

And how do you know he didn't stop when instructed?

Get with the program man, Martin was a skinny little 12 year old boy with no history of typical teenaged thuggary who was not serving a 10 day suspension from school and was only armed with Skittles and Tea. He couldn't possibly have given someone a reason to shoot him. It's inconceivable that he can't live out the rest of his not-a-thug life in peaceful bliss.

George Zimmerman is the devil incarnate, he is so evil he is considered white and not Hispanic.