Will you Donate to Zimmerman Website??

[Titan]

zimmerman went out looking for a fight that night.  wanting to be the hero. 

Really??

Please explain how you came to this determination.

to me a neighborhood watch means "i'm going to WATCH for trouble".  zimmerman didn't do that.  zimmerman went after martin, stalked him, tracked every move that kid made that night.  zimmerman had the choice to NOT bring a gun, zimmerman ASSUMED that martin was up to mischief.  zimmerman went after a person that was not guilty of anything other then not being from that neighborhood.  had martin been in a group of kids, making noise, throwing bottles, disrupting the peace, then it would be a totally different story, but in this case, there's ONE kid, unarmed, probably scared 'cause he knows he's being stalked, so you have a choice, fight, or flight.  you run, you're guilty, you stand your ground, you're dead......  

i'm sorry.  if it were my son, i'd be hunting down zimmerman too.

How can you be so certain of all this just because you saw it in the news? Talk about gullible! Haven't you ever noticed that the media sucks, that they will stretch the truth as far as they can, that they get caught at it, and are never to be fully trusted? Yet you'll shout to the public that everything you've read/heard about the case is true? Wow.

[Serk]

What the hell is this guy thinking ?

http://www.newsmax.com/US/zimmerman-attorneys-withdraw/2012/04/10/id/435442

PURE speculation, but he's thinking.... Crazy terrorist groups are making death threats against me, putting a bounty on my head, the government's doing nothing to stop this, it's okay to threaten my life, my family's life, and anything I have or own, from my job, to my property to my reputation. I'm scared out of my mind...

I know if I were in his situation I'd be a bit of a mental case by now...

[The Anvil]

I know if I were in his situation I'd be a bit of a mental case by now...

Pure speculation...

Maybe he was already a mental case?

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

My question to those who feel he should be arrested is simple.

If it turns out that he was acting in self-defense, if he was physically attacked first, do you agree that it was then self-defense and no charges should be filed against him or do you feel he should be charged either way?

[The Anvil]

My question to those who feel he should be arrested is simple.

If it turns out that he was acting in self-defense, if he was physically attacked first, do you agree that it was then self-defense and no charges should be filed against him or do you feel he should be charged either way?

The question makes no sense. "If it turns out"?

What if it "turns out" that he chased Martin down and threatened him? Do you think that he should just walk? Do you see why this gets murky? What if, what if, what if.

I just think there's enough evidence that he (Zimmerman) made a crucial error in judgment that led to someone's death and that is a matter for a jury to decide. If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it. But again, the FACTS that are not in dispute are:

Mr. Martin had a legal right to be where he was.
Mr. Martin was unarmed.
Mr. Zimmerman was armed with a pistol.
Mr. Zimmerman left his vehicle to to pursue Martin WHILE ARMED.
Mr. Zimmerman had no official authority to follow Mr. Martin.
Mr. Martin is dead.

I think that's enough to warrant a manslaughter trial. Not a conviction necessarily, but a trial.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I think the question makes perfect sense. 

[Jeff K]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. I think the question makes perfect sense. 

+1

[Skinhead]

Mr. Zimmerman had no official authority to follow Mr. Martin.
Mr. Martin is dead.

I may be wrong, but I don't think you need "Official Authority" to follow someone.  Paparazzi do it ATT.  Mr. Zimmerman had as much right to be where he was as Mr. Martin did.  I agree he made some bonehead decisions and I'm sure if he knew how things were going to turn out, he never would have left the house.

[f6gal]

I just think there's enough evidence that he (Zimmerman) made a crucial error in judgment that led to someone's death and that is a matter for a jury to decide. If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it. But again, the FACTS that are not in dispute are:

Mr. Martin had a legal right to be where he was.
Mr. Martin was unarmed.
Mr. Zimmerman was armed with a pistol.
Mr. Zimmerman left his vehicle to to pursue Martin WHILE ARMED.
Mr. Zimmerman had no official authority to follow Mr. Martin.
Mr. Martin is dead.

I think that's enough to warrant a manslaughter trial. Not a conviction necessarily, but a trial.

As the saying goes, I don't have a dog in the hunt.  But, if you want to appear unbiased, you really should include facts from both sides of the argument.  Here are some facts that you omitted:

Mr. Zimmerman was not breaking any laws in following Mr. Martin, armed or not.
When dispatcher told Mr. Zimmerman they did't need him to follow, Mr. Z said OK.
Mr. Zimmerman lost sight of Mr. Martin; clearly stating on the 911 call, "I don't know where this kid is."
The police report stated that Mr. Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and the back of the head.
The police report stated that Mr. Zimmerman's back appeared wet and was covered in grass.
The police released Mr. Z because the evidence supported his account of the events.
NBC's editing of the 911 tape assigned motive to Mr. Z that did not exist (Z wasn't even sure Martin was black).

IMHO, NBC essentially created this debacle.  Their irresponsible actions have resulted in extreme racial tension that may yet result in bloodshed.  The mayhem resulting from NBC's irresponsible actions have rendered a fair trial extemely unlikely.  Unintentional my a$$, the media's goal is to create controversary... remember the good ol' days when the media's goal was to report news, not to create it?

[Willow]

... If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it.

So, you and I, then, are possibly the only two people in America who are okay with the outcome of the O.J. Simpson issue?    

Incidentally, I agree with Mike.  It's a legitimate question.  I think the point he was attempting to make, in a subtle manner, is that lynch mobs are not really interested in the facts.

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

... If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it.

So, you and I, then, are possibly the only two people in America who are okay with the outcome of the O.J. Simpson issue?    

Incidentally, I agree with Mike.  It's a legitimate question.  I think the point he was attempting to make, in a subtle manner, is that lynch mobs are not really interested in the facts.

Yep. 

[Jess from VA]

Frye (Mike), my answer to your question is if all of the evidence when considered in due course by the DA or grand jury, leads them to conclude that Z acted justifiably and reasonably in self defense as defined in FL statutes, and that the evidence presents little chance of conviction on any criminal charges (and there may be several lesser included or associated offenses to a manslaughter/murder charge available), then there should be no charges and no trial.  Prosecutors have a special ethics responsibility to not bring unfounded cases to trial for political reasons (and can themselves be charged with prosecutorial misconduct.... like by a judge, immediately following a trial with no significant evidence of guilt produced).

In no event should charges be brought and a trial ordered, if the evidence does not support it, simply because of the media hype and that thousands have predetermined his guilt and will howl white man's justice, or to avoid riots in FL or elsewhere, or for any other reason than the evidence in the case.  A trial simply to placate the raging masses is not how the US legal system works.  

If the known evidence (and I suspect they have all they are going to get) is such that the case turns principally on Z's story, and thus his veracity, then a trial may be warranted.  But if Z's testimony is largely supported by the other evidence, physical, tapes, witnesses, etc., then a trial is probably not warranted.

Put another way, the case should be handled like any other without regard to (and in spite of) hype.

My dog in this hunt, is that all parties be provided due process of law, in the ordinary course, like any other case.  If there's reasonable evidence of guilt then charge and try him, if not cut him loose.

Pretrial publicity is 1st amendment stuff, but it can also deny a man a fair trial by an impartial jury of his peers.  If there is a trial, a change of venue to somewhere in the South Pacific may be warranted.

[Jeff K]

My dog in this hunt is the fact that
I live in Florida
I have a permit to carry
I don't want the media judging my actions if I ever have to use my weapon.
I don't want the media protesting the law that protects me while protecting myself
I don't want anyone in the US to think twice about protecting themselves or others based on a fear of media persecution.

Zimmerman was released and the state was continuing their investigation.
The media decided that he should be charged before the investigation was complete, not a law enforcement official.

This is a political witch hunt to shut down "stand your ground", further the gun control agenda, and create a race issue.

Zimmerman is a pawn.

[Jess from VA]

I think you're on to something Jeff.   

As I've written before, I love my 1st Amendment, but I (generally) detest loathe the media.... increasingly.

[donaldcc]

I think you're on to something Jeff. . . .  

   
 
    i do too!  and i grew up in central florida with guns, rednecks and swampland.  i think maybe u could be on some of those mushrooms that grow in the cow fields. 

[The Anvil]

... If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it.

So, you and I, then, are possibly the only two people in America who are okay with the outcome of the O.J. Simpson issue?    

Well first of all, I'm not saying that juries don't screw up. Nothing is perfect. But the system we have is the best we've got and I'll hold it up against any other country's court system.

Specifically regarding the O.J. verdict; I disagree with it but I understand the jury's reasoning. Mark Fuhrman's suspect credibility (dropping the N word like Viagra at Heffner's grotto and then lying under oath about it) alone was enough to cast a pall over the prosecution's case.

The one that really makes me see red is the Casey Anthony verdict. I can find no reason why she should have been acquitted.


As for having a "dog in the fight"? So do I. I have a CCW permit, I carry and I have actually had to do so for my job in the past. This will come as a shock to no one here but I've made some potentially dangerous enemies. But I still think there's enough evidence to warrant a jury trial.

[Jess from VA]

I think you're on to something Jeff. . . .  

   
 
    i do too!  and i grew up in central florida with guns, rednecks and swampland.  i think maybe u could be on some of those mushrooms that grow in the cow fields. 

So how long have you lived in CA?  

And do you believe the media in this case has acted purely (or even mostly) in righteous indignation for the public benefit?

[The Anvil]

Zimmerman is a pawn.

Yes he is.

But that does not mean that he's innocent. Doesn't make him guilty either.

[Valkahuna]

Mr. Zimmerman had no official authority to follow Mr. Martin.
Mr. Martin is dead.

I may be wrong, but I don't think you need "Official Authority" to follow someone.  Paparazzi do it ATT.  Mr. Zimmerman had as much right to be where he was as Mr. Martin did.  I agree he made some bonehead decisions and I'm sure if he knew how things were going to turn out, he never would have left the house.

+1. Actually Zimmerman had more right to be there than Martin. Zimmerman lives there. As for the rest, I can't make a judgement, and won't speculate.

What can be said beyond a shadow of a doubt, and is factual as can be is that the rabel-rousing done by those that wish for a certain outcome is reckless at best, and as far as I am concerned borders on "Inciting a riot", but for whatever reason. some of you just don't get that. Anvil, you go off spouting your facts! What about the "fact", proving by police video, that Zimmerman had a wound on the back of his head, and grass stains on his back. What about the fact, that the media chose to continue to run pictures of Martin when he was 12 or 13 in order to get the response that they wanted to trigger?

How about we let the legal system run it's course WITHOUT the court of public opinion doing that? I agree that maybe Zimmerman acted foolishly, but according to what he was allowed to do, it all started quite legally. I've had situations where we lived in areas that were being vandalized, or worse, and any of you fine gentlemen here that say you would sit idly by without being suspicious of strangers are either gullible or not being truthful with the rest of us or even yourselves. There is no way I would not try to protect my family or their property. Sometimes situations escalate way beyond what the original intent was, and unfortunately in this case, a young man is dead, and another's life is forever altered at best, or ruined forever. Sad, very sad, indeed. But let's get the real facts, not supposition, and go from there.

[The Anvil]

Anvil, you go off spouting your facts! What about the "fact", proving by police video, that Zimmerman had a wound on the back of his head, and grass stains on his back.

Fact; being on the winning end of hand-to-hand combat does not make you the aggressor. Zimmerman's wounds may mean that he was ambushed or they may mean that he should have taken karate.

But okay, we can enter that into the fact column if you like.

[donaldcc]

So how long have you lived in CA?  

And do you believe the media in this case has acted purely (or even mostly) in righteous indignation for the public benefit?

  yes jess, CA for 35 years.  wanted to go west to peace, love, etc. but did it in navy until i coud get out. could have warped my mind.  

  do not believe media much about anything, but i try to keep up to date.  and how great internet is for that.  just have to be selective and understand most things have to be judged with skepticism.
 

[Gangman036]

What Zimmerman needs to do is get the same lawyer that Richard Jewel had. He was also crucified by the media and after it was all over..........got PAID for what they did to him.

Ride Safe.

And the thread started out "Will you donate to Zimmerman website".......Just because someone has asked for money , doesn't mean they need it. One linked report claims the attorneys stated that they would represent him Pro bono.

[Reb]

I donated, for reasons I do not wish to discuss. 

[musclehead]

I know if I were in his situation I'd be a bit of a mental case by now...

Pure speculation...

Maybe he was already a mental case?

if we can assume he wasn't a mental case he probably is by now.  semantics, your going to speculate he was nutsy beforehand?

[musclehead]

My question to those who feel he should be arrested is simple.

If it turns out that he was acting in self-defense, if he was physically attacked first, do you agree that it was then self-defense and no charges should be filed against him or do you feel he should be charged either way?

The question makes no sense. "If it turns out"?

What if it "turns out" that he chased Martin down and threatened him? Do you think that he should just walk? Do you see why this gets murky? What if, what if, what if.

I just think there's enough evidence that he (Zimmerman) made a crucial error in judgment that led to someone's death and that is a matter for a jury to decide. If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it. But again, the FACTS that are not in dispute are:

Mr. Martin had a legal right to be where he was.
Mr. Martin was unarmed.
Mr. Zimmerman was armed with a pistol.
Mr. Zimmerman left his vehicle to to pursue Martin WHILE ARMED.
Mr. Zimmerman had no official authority to follow Mr. Martin.
Mr. Martin is dead.

I think that's enough to warrant a manslaughter trial. Not a conviction necessarily, but a trial.

Z had no official authority to follow M, but he broke no laws by doing so.

the sticking point for me has been and will continue to be, Z got out of his car and followed M. again he had every right to do so, but it was probably bad judgement on his part.

[Thespian]

... If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it.

So, you and I, then, are possibly the only two people in America who are okay with the outcome of the O.J. Simpson issue?    

Incidentally, I agree with Mike.  It's a legitimate question.  I think the point he was attempting to make, in a subtle manner, is that lynch mobs are not really interested in the facts.

 wow, lynch mobs? strange you should use that phrase. Far more blacks have died that way than whites. But then as so many have said, "this isn't about  white on black relationship in Florida" I would disagree. 

[Moonshot_1]

I’ll bet even Zimmerman doesn’t even know what the hell happened.

I’ll bet it just happened so damn fast.

Maybe Martin saw Zimmerman was armed and coming for him so he was after Zimmerman in an attempt to defend himself and Zimmerman sees it as he’s suddenly getting attacked by this guy.

There are so many variables and possibilities.
The only thing I’m pretty sure about is that neither of them wanted this outcome.

The conduct of most of the media has been criminal. They have poisoned any attempt by anyone to find out what really happened.

Was watching MSNBC for a short time tonight and they were lambasting Sean Hannity for talking with Zimmerman claiming that Hannity is biased WHILE VIRTUALLY THE SAME TIME they go on assuming Zimmerman’s guilt and the need for him to be arrested and charged. 

Zimmerman’s legal team is a piece of work as well. They have a press conference to talk about their former client. That's class right there.

They no longer represent him and the media goes nuts.
Zimmerman hasn’t been arrested, hasn’t been charged.
Suddenly he’s fleeing the state and chucking his lawyers according to the media.

If I was the prosecutor down there I’d have a press conference and tell them that Zimmerman will not be charged because of a lack of evidence of criminal wrong doing and due to the fact that the media has poisoned the jury pool and created such fabrications and prejudicial reporting that it has made it impossible to give Zimmerman a fair trial.
It’s time that the media discover that freedom of the press doesn’t free them from responsibility of what they do.

[The Anvil]

I know if I were in his situation I'd be a bit of a mental case by now...

Pure speculation...

Maybe he was already a mental case?

if we can assume he wasn't a mental case he probably is by now.  semantics, your going to speculate he was nutsy beforehand?

I'm only speculizing that it's a possibility.

An awful lot of murders (and remember that it's a broad term) start out as errors in judgment that when viewed separately are pretty insignificant. It's when they pile up and we make one bad decision after another inraapid succession...

[98valk]

... If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it.

So, you and I, then, are possibly the only two people in America who are okay with the outcome of the O.J. Simpson issue?    

Incidentally, I agree with Mike.  It's a legitimate question.  I think the point he was attempting to make, in a subtle manner, is that lynch mobs are not really interested in the facts.

 wow, lynch mobs? strange you should use that phrase. Far more blacks have died that way than whites. But then as so many have said, "this isn't about  white on black relationship in Florida" I would disagree. 

where are your historical facts on lynch mobs?  they used to hang horse thieves and others all of the time, and they were white.

[Willow]

... If a jury were to decide that he was innocent then so be it.

So, you and I, then, are possibly the only two people in America who are okay with the outcome of the O.J. Simpson issue?    

Incidentally, I agree with Mike.  It's a legitimate question.  I think the point he was attempting to make, in a subtle manner, is that lynch mobs are not really interested in the facts.

 wow, lynch mobs? strange you should use that phrase. Far more blacks have died that way than whites. But then as so many have said, "this isn't about  white on black relationship in Florida" I would disagree. 

And therein lies a difference.  We each see the world through the filter of our own prejudices.  I'm not certain your assertion is correct, but I wouldn't doubt that it might be.  However, even if it is true, I see no need to lynch an equal number of whites before we start pointing out the wrong in lynch mob mentality.  Maybe complicating things a bit further is the issue that Zimmerman is white in the same sense that Barrack Obama is white.  How will that one count on the tally?

Then, of course, there's the whole issue of whether this incident was solely a white versus black conflict.  Despite the evidence presented that Zimmerman (who you may recall is not white) didn't even know that Martin was black until well into the episode, the rabid racists insist on race being the only consideration.

My point, if I failed to make it, is that many, maybe even most, frothing over this killing will not be satisfied with any result other than Zimmerman being found guilty of unjustified homicide, and that specifically including that Zimmerman killed Martin primarily because he was black.  They will not trust the government's inquiry and can't seem to see the injustice in the electronic mob mentality that has driven an uncharged man from his family, job, and the public in general.  The mob has not even acknowledged that Zimmerman reported that the hooded man he was observing (continued watch, by the way, may require following) was meandering about the neighborhood, not seeming to be going anywhere in particular.  Rather they insist Trayvon was simply walking directly and innocently through the neighborhood on his return from the store.

It appears a large portion of the public and the government are at odds.  The government, our government, is obliged to operate on a presumption of innocence until the evidence proves otherwise.  The mob appears to insist upon a presumption of guilt, at least for the surviving member of the confrontation.

Some have said they have no dogs in this hunt.  I'm not sure I can say so.  From the initial reports I developed an opinion that Zimmerman was most likely guilty of an unjustified killing.  As more evidence has been made available to us I have come to believe it is most highly probable that Zimmerman acted in self defense.  I will be pleased to accept the results of a proper and due process of law whether it results in a trial or the determination that no charge or trial is warranted. 

We will not be finished with racism in this country until race ceases to be a consideration.  Separate and equal prejudice was not and is not the answer.

For personal background, I am of mixed race descent.  It colors my view of the world.

I am not an expert in any facet of the law and I did not stay in a Holiday Inn express last night.    

[f6gal]

My dog in this hunt is the fact that

Some have said they have no dogs in this hunt.

I perhaps worded poorly my meaning of not having a dog in the hunt.  I was referring to the fact that I have no reason to take sides in the dispute between Z and M, as it appeared Anvil was doing with his representation of the undisputed facts.  As to the specific event between Z and M, I have no dog in that hunt.  
However, on the more global issues that will result from the falsely created frenzy, specifically the ramifications of renewed racial unrest and yet another inevitable attack on gun rights, of course we all have dogs in those hunts.  

[Bob E.]

I'm still reserving final judgement on guilt or innocence on Zimmerman, but I'd still like for the judicial system to run its course.  My perception (right or wrong) is that out system of justice was being circumvented and is the source of my discomfort with this story.

With regards to racism, I acknowledge that the theory has been put forward by some that Zimmerman killed Martin because he was black. I don't believe that was the case (although I do suspect that Zimmerman "profiled" Martin when he decided to "watch" him), nor do I believe that is the source of most of the outrage.  I have surmised (just my own impression) that the general outrage with regards to race is that Zimmerman may have received preferential treatment by the police because he is white and because Martin was black.  My take is that the outrage is...or at least started out to be...directed at the police department/police cheif/prosecutor for their apparent lack of follow-thru (valid or not) on the investigation perceived by the public to be a result of their own racial prejudices.  This sense of injustice, at at time when people are more and more distrusting of our governmental institutions, and amplified because of the racial overtones,  has blown this story up. The police and other officials didn't appear to help themselves in terms of releasing information or keeping the Martins informed of the investigation.  And of course, we've all seen what a monster it has grown into since then.

As to Willow's statement that Martin was "meandering about the neighborhood, not seeming to be going anywhere in particular", I'd like to know where that came from.  I saw a report (yeah I know...it came from the media) that showed a map of the complex that indicated that Martin was on a path leading in the direction one would expect to travel from the convenience store to the complex, entering the complex most likely by way of a popular "shortcut" path then down the sidewalk leading to the apartment where he was staying.  The timing/duration of Zimmerman's account on the 911 call appeared to line up with the distances travelled, etc. There was even the point where Martin would have turned the corner around the buildings that Zimmerman would have lost sight of him for a bit...as detailed in the call.  Martin was utlimately killed on or right next to the sidewalk, literally about 8 or 10 apartment units away from the door where he was headed...at least according to the report I saw.  Of course, what happened on that sidewalk immediately prior to the shooting is the big question.

[98valk]

I'm still reserving final judgement on guilt or innocence on Zimmerman, but I'd still like for the judicial system to run its course.  My perception (right or wrong) is that out system of justice was being circumvented and is the source of my discomfort with this story.

With regards to racism, I acknowledge that the theory has been put forward by some that Zimmerman killed Martin because he was black. I don't believe that was the case (although I do suspect that Zimmerman "profiled" Martin when he decided to "watch" him), nor do I believe that is the source of most of the outrage.  I have surmised (just my own impression) that the general outrage with regards to race is that Zimmerman may have received preferential treatment by the police because he is white and because Martin was black.  My take is that the outrage is...or at least started out to be...directed at the police department/police cheif/prosecutor for their apparent lack of follow-thru (valid or not) on the investigation perceived by the public to be a result of their own racial prejudices.  This sense of injustice, at at time when people are more and more distrusting of our governmental institutions, and amplified because of the racial overtones,  has blown this story up. The police and other officials didn't appear to help themselves in terms of releasing information or keeping the Martins informed of the investigation.  And of course, we've all seen what a monster it has grown into since then.

As to Willow's statement that Martin was "meandering about the neighborhood, not seeming to be going anywhere in particular", I'd like to know where that came from.  I saw a report (yeah I know...it came from the media) that showed a map of the complex that indicated that Martin was on a path leading in the direction one would expect to travel from the convenience store to the complex, entering the complex most likely by way of a popular "shortcut" path then down the sidewalk leading to the apartment where he was staying.  The timing/duration of Zimmerman's account on the 911 call appeared to line up with the distances travelled, etc. There was even the point where Martin would have turned the corner around the buildings that Zimmerman would have lost sight of him for a bit...as detailed in the call.  Martin was utlimately killed on or right next to the sidewalk, literally about 8 or 10 apartment units away from the door where he was headed...at least according to the report I saw.  Of course, what happened on that sidewalk immediately prior to the shooting is the big question.

Zimmerman is not white, he is Hispanic. He is Hispanic when it fits a liberal/news media/democrat voting purposes/push their marxist agenda forward, but for this he is a white/hispanic per the marxist anti-gun/liberal/news media/race war/democrats agenda.
do u not read the real news or just listen to the liberal/marxist news media?
Is Obama a black man or is he a white/black man? Cause I know his birth mother is white.

[Willow]

As to Willow's statement that Martin was "meandering about the neighborhood, not seeming to be going anywhere in particular", I'd like to know where that came from.  

I think what Willow said included, "Zimmerman reported that."  It comes from the 911 transcripts.  Early on is this quote:

This guy looks like he’s up to no good or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around looking about.

Later in the conversation Zimmerman comments that Martin is "looking at the houses."  I'm not assuming that Zimmerman's report is either correct or incorrect, but I note it is in direct conflict with the report of Martin's walk presented by the news media and it is Zimmerman's description of his perspective and thus his suspicion

Certainly we agree that what happened on the sidewalk just prior to the shot is what truly matters.  The only witness I've seen reported to that scene seems to confirm Zimmerman's account.

[Bob E.]

I'm still reserving final judgement on guilt or innocence on Zimmerman, but I'd still like for the judicial system to run its course.  My perception (right or wrong) is that out system of justice was being circumvented and is the source of my discomfort with this story.

With regards to racism, I acknowledge that the theory has been put forward by some that Zimmerman killed Martin because he was black. I don't believe that was the case (although I do suspect that Zimmerman "profiled" Martin when he decided to "watch" him), nor do I believe that is the source of most of the outrage.  I have surmised (just my own impression) that the general outrage with regards to race is that Zimmerman may have received preferential treatment by the police because he is white and because Martin was black.  My take is that the outrage is...or at least started out to be...directed at the police department/police cheif/prosecutor for their apparent lack of follow-thru (valid or not) on the investigation perceived by the public to be a result of their own racial prejudices.  This sense of injustice, at at time when people are more and more distrusting of our governmental institutions, and amplified because of the racial overtones,  has blown this story up. The police and other officials didn't appear to help themselves in terms of releasing information or keeping the Martins informed of the investigation.  And of course, we've all seen what a monster it has grown into since then.

As to Willow's statement that Martin was "meandering about the neighborhood, not seeming to be going anywhere in particular", I'd like to know where that came from.  I saw a report (yeah I know...it came from the media) that showed a map of the complex that indicated that Martin was on a path leading in the direction one would expect to travel from the convenience store to the complex, entering the complex most likely by way of a popular "shortcut" path then down the sidewalk leading to the apartment where he was staying.  The timing/duration of Zimmerman's account on the 911 call appeared to line up with the distances travelled, etc. There was even the point where Martin would have turned the corner around the buildings that Zimmerman would have lost sight of him for a bit...as detailed in the call.  Martin was utlimately killed on or right next to the sidewalk, literally about 8 or 10 apartment units away from the door where he was headed...at least according to the report I saw.  Of course, what happened on that sidewalk immediately prior to the shooting is the big question.

Zimmerman is not white, he is Hispanic. He is Hispanic when it fits a liberal/news media/democrat voting purposes/push their marxist agenda forward, but for this he is a white/hispanic per the marxist anti-gun/liberal/news media/race war/democrats agenda.
do u not read the real news or just listen to the liberal/marxist news media?
Is Obama a black man or is he a white/black man? Cause I know his birth mother is white.

I was speaking of public perceptions.  If you look at a picture of Zimmerman, he is white.  Sure, he may have some latino/hispanic descent. But his skin is light and therefore he is perceived as white.  As for Obama, he is perceived as black because his skin is dark...even though he is half white...which I guess is a valid comparison with Zimmerman because he is only half hispanic.  His father is white and his mother is peruvian if I remember correctly.

[Chrisj CMA]

I think Im on the same place as Willow..........I stand by my initial feelings though that the bottom line, After all the "news" for what its worth to trust, I feel that Zimmerman guy was beyond his bounds, acting like a cop and contributed to whatever confrontation happened in a way he shouldnt have. 

That doesnt mean at the moment he pulled the trigger it couldnt have been self defense, and the fact that he was trailing the dude did not give Martin the right to attack Zimmerman.........so it was what it was, the courts are going to have to figure it out.

I recon, just like the Q "Where was Obama born" there are going to be opinions on both sides unswayed by the courts decision and theres really no way of ever knowing for sure what really happened

[Bob E.]

As to Willow's statement that Martin was "meandering about the neighborhood, not seeming to be going anywhere in particular", I'd like to know where that came from.  

I think what Willow said included, "Zimmerman reported that."  It comes from the 911 transcripts.  Early on is this quote:

This guy looks like he’s up to no good or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around looking about.

Later in the conversation Zimmerman comments that Martin is "looking at the houses."  I'm not assuming that Zimmerman's report is either correct or incorrect, but I note it is in direct conflict with the report of Martin's walk presented by the news media and it is Zimmerman's description of his perspective and thus his suspicion

Certainly we agree that what happened on the sidewalk just prior to the shot is what truly matters.  The only witness I've seen reported to that scene seems to confirm Zimmerman's account.

You're right...I missed the "Zimmerman reported..."  part of your post.  

[3fan4life]

The one that really makes me see red is the Casey Anthony verdict. I can find no reason why she should have been acquitted.

IMHO:

She walked because the prosecutors were GREEDY.

They went for a conviction on First Degree Murder.

This meant that they HAD to prove "Intent".

They weren't able to do that and she walked.

Had they been willing to charge her with Second Dergree Murder or Manslaughter, I believe that they would have gotten a conviction.

This will come as a shock to no one here but I've made some potentially dangerous enemies.

Thanks Anvil, I needed a good LAUGH.......... 

[Gangman036]

A guest on Sean Hannity today stated that Zimmerman will be arrested at 6 PM tonight  and that charges will be filed against him. There was also a hint of a video that has yet to be released involving the incident. This may have been used to file the charges. Maybe we are finally getting to a point where the real facts come out.......not someones opinion. We'll see what happens at 6 PM.

Ride Safe !!!

[..]

Charged with second degree murder.

Hopefully, now, the media etc will calm down (FAT CHANCE).