The Zimmerman Case
Catching Up.
Okay let me start off with a bit of a recap on the case just in case anybody who reads this hasn't followed it closely as I have. I know this isn't the most detailed, I just want you to get an idea of the main events to take place. In 2012 George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin in the gated townhome community where George resided. Zimmerman was the neighborhood's program coordinator for the neighborhood watch. There had been numerous amounts of incidents in the neighbohood including homes being broken into, therefore this neighborhood watch was implemented. The night of the shooting, Zimmerman seen a man, known to be Martin, walking around the gated community "looking suspicious" wearing a black hoodie. Zimmerman thought something was up and called the Sanford Police non-emergency number to report him. He told the dispatchers he thought the man was up to no good walking around looking around at the houses. At one point in the call Zimmerman tells the dispatcher "he's running". When they asked if he was following him, Zimmerman replies "yes". At this time they tell him that is not necessary. Sometime between ending the call and the police arriving, martin is shot to death by Zimmerman.
The police arrive to find Zimmerman standing near Martin's limp body laying face down in the grass. Zimmerman told the police he was armed and shot Martin in self defense. It's clear there was an altercation, as there were marks on Zimmerman's head and face. Zimmerman was taken into the police department for questioning that night for 5 hours and was released based on not enough evidence. Now I'm not positive of the exact arrest date, but i recall hearing it wasn't until 44 days after the incident. Zimmerman's trial began on June 10th and lasted until July 13, 2013 where a jury acquitted him of second degree murder and any manslaughter charges.
Was This Racism? Right Verdict?
Let me start of by saying I already know I'm gonna see a lot of controversy in any comments made and I'm sure a lot of people do not agree with me and that's fine. I'm always up for discussion. Let me add I'm not here for hate talk and I will not engage in any such talk. I'm a 24 year old white female. I live in Harrisburg, PA and there's a lot of diversity here. I am in no way, shape or form racist. Now when I followed this case, which I usually did read or watch a bit about it almost every day as of a couple months ago, I first felt as though Zimmerman was hands down an awful scumbag for killing this unarmed teenager just walking the streets. How could someone kill somebody else? It didn't take long for me to change my opinion and I'm very pleased with the verdict the jury reached. Zimmerman claimed self defense, and based on the evidence in the case we don't have any facts to show Martin didn't attack Zimmerman first. Why should he spend 20+ years in jail if there's any doubt? The only ones who will ever know the truth are Zimmerman and Martin. Then there's the "He shouldn't of followed him" arguement. It was NOT illegal for Zimmerman to follow him. Dispatchers do not have any legal authority and they can only suggest something. Was race a factor? I don't think so. I honestly believe whatever race the stranger that he seen wandering was, he would have been just as concerned. He seen someone he thought was wandering around suspiciously, and being head guy for the neighborhood watch, he thought he could help out by maybe keeping an eye on him to help police easily find him and see what his business there was. I highly doubt Zimmerman was driving around that night thinking, "Man, I gotta kill somebody tonight, especially a black person." That's just nonsense. He was trying to do right by his community. Let's face it, if Martin was white this wouldn't of even been made such a public trial. The media made this case about race. Is there a teenager dead? Yes, and that's just awful. I would never say it's not. But based on the evidence in this case and the lack of being prepared by the prosecution, this verdict was just.
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I'm impressed by your writing. Are you a professional or just very knoewldgeable?
Here is Wikipedia with the story. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_M...
Notice that Zimmerman says that Martin used the F word 3 times while threatening him. But Zimmerman could be lying. But Martin was on his 3rd suspension from school when this happened. His 2nd suspension was when a camera showed him writing graffiti on a wall saying WTF. Also there is a picture of him on the internet with his hands saying "Fxxx You."
To get the whole story you need to read the following 388 stories on it. Actually this is the number of references that Wikipedia lists to tell the whole story on it. I did not follow it at all. I just read the whole story on Wikipedia.
According to it Zimmerman was waiting for the police. He was not following Martin but was trying to see where he was going to tell the police when they arrive. He could no longer see Martin and according to him Martin surprised him and attacked him.
Martin had no injuries except a small bullet hole and a bruise on his finger. Zimmerman was bleeding from the back of the head and his nose. It is clear that Zimmerman was trying to help the police.
After questioning him for 5 hours the police determined that he had done nothing wrong. But there were rallies promoting a hate of hate that generated enough signatures to get it to go to trial 6 weeks later.
The big factor that people ignore is that he called the police first. If you are looking for trouble, you do not do that. The police chief with a spotless record was fired.
Now there are black celebrities that protesting the decision of the jury like Stevie Wonder not performing in in Florida or any state with the stand your ground law. Beyoncé Jay Z and others are telling people to boycott Disney world and orange juice to punish Florida.
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