The Trayvon Martin Shooting

[UnseenWombat]

You see the poll. What do you think? Did George Zimmerman justifiably shoot Trayvon Martin in self defense? Or did he murder/manslaughter/IDKwhateverlegalword him?

Also for discussion: What do you think of the media frenzy surrounding the case? Does it make sense, or it just because of race?

 

[Supa]

Whole thing is ridiculous.

Zimmerman killed another person regardless. There were no reports of shouts for help or warnings that he would shoot. There were no shots to the extremities. Only lethal retaliation. It used to be that in Florida you had to prove you attempted to flee before firing.

On the other hand, there are no reports of cries for help from Martin. There are no indications he attempted to further flee (wounds were clearly to the chest which would not be the case if he had attempted to run). There is no explanation as to why the fist fight started or ended.

Very stupid situation that shouldn't have happened. If anything, it makes a good case for better gun control or, at minimum, better laws around using lethal force.

 

[Slade]

We can't say anything definitively but the fact that Zimmerman pursued Martin despite the police telling him not to is more than enough reason to bring this to trial.

 

[Supa]

We can't say anything definitively but the fact that Zimmerman pursued Martin despite the police telling him not to is more than enough reason to bring this to trial.

It's actually not. Zimmerman committed no crimes up to (and possibly including) the shooting. To arrest Zimmerman at the time of the shooting would have been illegal.

He was licensed to carry a firearm. Carrying it was not against the law.
Not listening to a 911 operator is not against the law.
Chasing people is technically not against the law.
Getting beaten up is not against the law.
Leaving the scene of the crime for fear of your own person is not against the law.
Entering a stand-off with another person that results in a lethal shooting is not against the law.
Even being a profiling jackass that hates children and/or non-latinos is not against the law....
Being stupid is not against the law. :(

For the record, I hope the joker ends up in prison because we need less gun-toting knuckleheads in Florida. But there is simply no reasonable cause to arrest him.

 

[Goofy]

Whole thing is ridiculous.

Zimmerman killed another person regardless. There were no reports of shouts for help or warnings that he would shoot. There were no shots to the extremities. Only lethal retaliation. It used to be that in Florida you had to prove you attempted to flee before firing.

On the other hand, there are no reports of cries for help from Martin. There are no indications he attempted to further flee (wounds were clearly to the chest which would not be the case if he had attempted to run). There is no explanation as to why the fist fight started or ended.

Very stupid situation that shouldn't have happened. If anything, it makes a good case for better gun control or, at minimum, better laws around using lethal force.