Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged

July2012bride

I think we discussed this recently.  I just read it on CNN:

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/20/opinion/toobin-trayvon-martin/index.html

Due to a law in Florida, the "stand your ground" law may allow the man who killed the boy from even being prosecuted.

There is so much wrong with this story.  Did anyone else hear about the racial slur the man blurted during his 911 call?

Habs2Hart

I read in another article that even though there's a law saying to stand your ground, there's also a law against unnecessary murder.  So maybe they can slap that book at him.  I guess it's under FBI investigation now after a huge uproar about it. 

The guy wasn't even part of his neighbourhood watch group, he was self appointed, the cops told him to leave the kid alone, and he has prior charges of assult and battery that were later dropped.  Ya... arrest the fucker. 

sparent2010

He is a murderer I hope they figure it out and arrest him

RupertPenny

WTF. I'm not a lawyer but I don't know how stand your ground applies when you leave your property and chase someone down. 

This story sickens me. 

AllAboutTheBenjamin

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_neighborhood-watchman-who-killed-a-boy-may-not-be-charged?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:1e2e8659-7ef0-4db6-a547-7ccf7544fb40Post:48a14588-480e-4e09-8f3f-d05bacd9c0fe">Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged</a>:
[QUOTE]I think we discussed this recently.  I just read it on CNN: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/20/opinion/toobin-trayvon-martin/index.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/20/opinion/toobin-trayvon-martin/index.html</a> Due to a law in Florida, the "stand your ground" law may allow the man who killed the boy from even being prosecuted. There is so much wrong with this story.  <strong>Did anyone else hear about the racial slur the man blurted during his 911 call?</strong>
Posted by July2012bride[/QUOTE]


I didn't just hear about it, I <em>heard</em> him say "fckin coon" under his breath on the 911 call.  Um hello!?  How is this not a hate crime!?

raes19

Yeah, it's not like the kid was trying to break into his house or something. It's rediculous that some crazy ass will be free to roam the streets, while an innocent kid that was minding his own business is dead.

July2012bride

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_neighborhood-watchman-who-killed-a-boy-may-not-be-charged?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:1e2e8659-7ef0-4db6-a547-7ccf7544fb40Post:10c82ab1-b992-4438-9514-3cf76d051051">Re: Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged : I didn't just hear about it, I heard him say "fckin coon" under his breath on the 911 call.  Um hello!?  How is this not a hate crime!?
Posted by AllAboutTheBenjamin[/QUOTE]
AATB, I was listening to the radio when they were discussing this.  They bleeped it all out, but gave a good idea as to what he said.

July2012bride

This man is a murderer and I sincerely hope they find a way to prosecute.

xmansmommy2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_neighborhood-watchman-who-killed-a-boy-may-not-be-charged?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:1e2e8659-7ef0-4db6-a547-7ccf7544fb40Post:10c82ab1-b992-4438-9514-3cf76d051051">Re: Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged : I didn't just hear about it, I heard him say "fckin coon" under his breath on the 911 call.  Um hello!?  <strong>How is this not a hate crime!?</strong>
Posted by AllAboutTheBenjamin[/QUOTE]

Agreed.  This has been dragging on for far too long.  Arrest his a$$.

kcscejal

I think it's pretty fuucking obvious that a teenager walking through a neighborhood with some Skittles and a drink isn't enough of a threat to my life warranting me to shoot and kill him.  Then again, I'm not a racist asshole.

mbody

I was watching his parents interview on the Today show before leaving for work. I feel terrible for them

Also, I couldn't tell what the guys said in the 911 tape- because the Today show bleeped it out. But, from everything else, I'd bet it was a hateful slur.

And I agree, the 911 operator told him that he doesn't need to follow the guy. He needs to be arrested.

divinemsbee

Yeah, the FBI is down there now, it's going to be looked at as a federal Civil Rights case. One happened recently in MS when two (racist and dumb as hell) white teenagers went out and killed a black man outside of a club/hotel because they wanted to kill a black man (yay, my home state--so much sarcasm). Even though police there were taking it very seriously, it still fell under federal civil rights law. I'm really surprised it took the feds this long to get down to FL, when that happened in MS (I think last fall) the FBI was there within a couple of days. 

 The local police in FL have pretty much refused to arrest the watch guy and there are tons of stories coming out about cover ups and racism. I don't see how anyone could hear that tape and not realize what happened. There are, I think, other recordings of what went down when neighbors called police once the fight started, there's a quote somewhere about how one of the 13 year old neighbors can still hear the screams. 

redheadfsu

Has the witness statement been released that corroborated Zimmerman?

As last I heard Zimmerman's story of being attacked still has all the evidence, thus no arrest. (Evidence: bloody nose, head wound, grass stains on back, the one witness confirmed most of his story) The police need evidence to arrest.

chelseamb11

This whole thing makes me so sick to my stomach.  There are other 911 calls backing up that the kid was being chased/yelling for help.  I don't understand how he can claim this was self defense.  And standing ground is bullshit. The kid wasn't on his property and neither was the guy for that matter. Anyone involved in trying to get this guy off without consequence is a horrible person IMO.

NuggetBrain

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_neighborhood-watchman-who-killed-a-boy-may-not-be-charged?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:1e2e8659-7ef0-4db6-a547-7ccf7544fb40Post:d9b7df53-b8fb-4975-bc03-76e5e509918a">Re: Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged</a>:
[QUOTE]Has the witness statement been released that corroborated Zimmerman? As last I heard Zimmerman's story of being attacked still has all the evidence, thus no arrest. (<strong>Evidence: bloody nose, head wound, grass stains on back</strong>, the one witness confirmed most of his story) The police need evidence to arrest.
Posted by redheadfsu[/QUOTE]

Uh, I'm sorry, but if some strange guy twice my age followed me in his car and then chased me down the street before demanding to know what I was doing there and who I was, not identifying himself as a part of the neighborhood watch or anything else, then got aggressive with me, I'd probably try to whoop his ass too.  I'm fairly sure that's what happened, and that still doesn't mean that self-defense comes into play because he activated the aggression the minute he stepped his stupid ass out of his car when the cops told him to stay put.

redheadfsu

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_neighborhood-watchman-who-killed-a-boy-may-not-be-charged?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:9Discussion:1e2e8659-7ef0-4db6-a547-7ccf7544fb40Post:bf7038a1-1185-4bce-a5b0-76cead79a407">Re: Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged : Uh, I'm sorry, but if some strange guy twice my age followed me in his car and then chased me down the street before demanding to know what I was doing there and who I was, not identifying himself as a part of the neighborhood watch or anything else, then got aggressive with me, I'd probably try to whoop his ass too.  I'm fairly sure that's what happened, and that still doesn't mean that self-defense comes into play because he activated the aggression the minute he stepped his stupid ass out of his car when the cops told him to stay put.
Posted by NuggetBrain[/QUOTE]

Correct he can't claim stand your ground if he started it.

However, Zimmerman says the kid jumped him and there is no evidence to the contrary. The ONLY witness told police that the kid was on top of Zimmerman beating the crap out of him. The girl's account just came out and only the parent's atty has talked to her, so who knows if he coached her.

I agree I think Zimmerman started it, the kid then started beating him up, then Zimmerman shot. However, proving that Zimmerman started it is the problem right now.

StephanieM22

Since it is going to the Feds the stand your ground law defence may be overturned as it is a state law and not federal law. If the law is not overturned all Zimmerman would need to prove is that he felt threateded for the stand your ground law to be in effect and since it was a gated community even if it was not on his property but community property which his HOA fees fund it counts. While I agree it was a hate crime the fact that Zimmerman is hispanic may also get that thrown out, which removes it from federal juristiction and back to state. I hate Florida right now. 

ETA:  under section 3 of the stand your ground law. A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in any other place where he or she has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony. Meaning if it can be proven Zimmerman attacked first it doesnt matter that the kid was beating him up since he was allowed in the community he had every right to protect himself. 

brenda2011Wed139476

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_neighborhood-watchman-who-killed-a-boy-may-not-be-charged?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:1e2e8659-7ef0-4db6-a547-7ccf7544fb40Post:f9704b9c-a955-4829-aa39-8c078f7b5419">Re: Neighborhood watchman who killed a boy may not be charged</a>:
[QUOTE]Yeah, it's not like the kid was trying to break into his house or something. It's rediculous that some crazy ass will be free to roam the streets, while an innocent kid that was minding his own business is dead.
Posted by raes19[/QUOTE]

Yes, he would be free to do it again to another innocent person.  There is so much wrong with this story, and there is talk of a police cover-up.  Sick.