The Trayvon Martin Case

[Nepenthe]

UPDATES:

04-11: George Zimmerman has turned himself in to the authorities. Special prosecutor Angela Corey has announced she and her team will be seeking second-degree murder charges.

• 4-12: Court affidavit.
  
  

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  This has been quite the media storm in America for the past month, if not for the amount of twists, turns, and outright lies being put forth by various parties and the media during, then for the re-emergence of racism and racial bias in the public and media discourse. I've been following it myself for awhile casually on GAF, but the entire clusterfuck leaves me livid whenever I sit and think about it; it just boggles the mind how someone can admit to killing someone and be left to go scot-free. Again, this case has bloated into something utterly gigantic, much too big for one op, but I'll try to offer a brief and objective run-down for the uninitiated. Corrections, more pertinent information, and other links can be offered:
  
  

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  Trayvon Martin: 17-year old visiting his father and father's fiancée in Sanford. At his brother's request, he went to the store for candy and iced tea. On the way back, he became aware of being pursued by a man named George Zimmerman, and the ensuing confrontation left him fatally shot.
  
  George Zimmerman: 28-year old community watch coordinator. He called 911 a few times in regards to Martin whom he viewed as suspicious. He followed Martin against the advice of the 911 operator, ultimately confronting and shooting him. He was treated for injuries and arraigned by police but released under the guise of self-defense. He has been in hiding since and has now reportedly disappeared today, although he allegedly called Fox News commentator Sean Hannity with information unbeknown to his lawyers before leaving.
  
  Timeline of the Crime:
  

  
  Investigation: Sanford Police arrived on the scene, examining Trayvon's body and treating Zimmerman for injuries. He was arraigned and questioned but ultimately let go as no contradictory evidence to his defense could be found. This reported lack of evidence has also prevented lead investigators and the State Attorney from filing charges. Public accusations of a cover-up have also been made, ranging from police pressuring witnesses, unnecessary drug testing of Martin, and ultimately to Zimmerman's father, who works in law, having influenced the lack of arrest. On March 20, the FBI and Justice department announced joint investigations. It remains to be seen if Zimmerman will be charged.
  
  Other Issues:

  • Stand Your Ground Laws: Under these laws, a person may use self-defense, including deadly force, if they believe their life is in danger, and some cases allow people to claim legal immunity. These laws are commonly criticized as a way to shoot first and ask questions later, and Zimmerman's lack of arrest has brought these laws into question.
    
    • Racism: Zimmerman is alleged to have racially profiled Martin before the confrontation; he's also been accused of profiling in the past, making several 911 calls about suspicious blacks over a few years. Debate has raged over whether or not one of his calls in regards to Martin contained the racial epithet "coon." This facet of the crime as well as the police's cover-up have ignited hoodie marches (in reference to Martin's wear), speeches and demonstrations, Black Panther and Neo Nazi activity, and general discontent over the disparity of legal justice attained by white and minority citizens.
      

    [*]Media Bias: NBC was accused of editing one of Zimmerman's 911 calls to make it seem as if he assuredly profiled Martin; the director in charge of the segment has since been fired and an apology has been issued. Initial photos of Martin and Zimmerman initially leaked to the public have purportedly influenced feelings about the case overwhelmingly in Martin's favor; in contrast, photos of black teens displaying gold teeth and middle fingers were released and said to be Martin mainly by conservative outlets. These were ultimately proven false.

    Links:

    Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia...._Trayvon_Martin

    The Week's Timeline of the Controversy: http://theweek.com/a...case-a-timeline

Edited April 12, 2012 by Nepenthe

[DGam'r]

This is sad...but I wish Zimmerman would've had common sense that people put on hoods when it's raining. Now we're going to have a "No wear hoods" law because of this. But hearing the caller calling 9-1-1, and Trayvon calling out for help, was just horrifying. I want this dude to goto jail, it wasn't right to kill Trayvon.

Edited April 10, 2012 by DaGamer14

[turbojet]

I live in Orlando. As a matter of fact, Trayvon was shot 10 miles down from my apartment. And this fucking city can't get shit right. First Casey Anthony and now this shit? The fuck?

What I think? People need to stop thinking about whether Zimmerman did it. That should be settled in the court of law where he should be tried by a judge in front of a jury of his peers. The underline issue here is the police who are well on their way a fucking up yet another case. There was more than enough evidence to bring this case in front of a Grand Jury. They just accepted Zimmerman's claim that it was self-defense which is debatable or at least worth being investigated more thoroughly. And that is absurd.

Another thing that bothers me is how quick some outlets are to point out that Zimmerman was hispanic and not white. Hispanic is an ethnicity. White is a race. Was he white hispanic? Yes. So he was white. Drop it.

[Mono]

If this was the other way around, a black male shooting at an unarmed white (hispanic, whatever), they'd be in jail. This case is insane, and the Stand Your Ground Laws must end. More right-wing ideas gone wrong.

[Nepenthe]

Another thing that bothers me is how quick some outlets are to point out that Zimmerman was hispanic and not white. Hispanic is an ethnicity. White is a race. Was he white hispanic? Yes. So he was white. Drop it.

I find the dispute over Zimmerman's ethnic heritage utterly stupid on the basis that many people seem to be arguing that if you're Hispanic, then you're completely incapable of profiling black males, like it's something only Caucasians can do. To add insult to injury, people are playing the "token black friend" card: "He's helped blacks in the past, thus he couldn't have profiled Trayvon!"

And hey, speaking of the token black friend card,

irks me. So glad he got eviscerated.

Edit: Another thing about this entire debacle that has frustrated me is whether or not Zimmerman sustaining injuries adds credence to his lack of arrest, basically that because Trayvon hit him back, it's perfectly okay that he's free then because- hey- he got hit; self-defense. I have a hard time believing on the surface that a guy with a gun who outweighs his opponent by nearly 100 lbs. can claim self defense because his opponent got frightened and hit him back, and worse that people are effectively arguing Martin, the guy who's actually dead here, didn't have the right to self-defense in this regard. Butters my toast, it does.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Nepenthe

[Match]

the Stand Your Ground Laws must end.

I'm a bit confused here, what is the relation to "Stand Your Ground" and self-defense?

[Tornado]

This case is insane, and the Stand Your Ground Laws must end.

It's this attitude that is going to make Zimmerman get away with it. This case had nothing to do with Stand Your Ground any more than a guy shooting someone when they aren't even on their property has to do with Castle Doctrine. Had the media not grabbed a hold of it and turned it into the massive clusterfuck that it is now, this case would have been pretty straightforward that Martin wasn't killed in self-defense and Zimmerman would most likely have gone to jail for at least manslaughter.

But now that this case has become a political rallying point around Florida self-defense laws, any chance of justice being served has gone out the window; because now people are going to dig in to fight that exact sentiment and will try to get him off simply to protect those laws.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Tornado

[D-Metal X]

I'm a bit confused here, what is the relation to "Stand Your Ground" and self-defense?

Said law allows you to use force to defend yourself, i.e. self-defense.

Here's a section from Florida's:

776.012 Use of force in defense of person.—A person is justified in using force, except deadly force, against another when and to the extent that the person reasonably believes that such conduct is necessary to defend himself or herself or another against the other’s imminent use of unlawful force. However, a person is justified in the use of deadly force and does not have a duty to retreat if:

(1) He or she reasonably believes that such force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the imminent commission of a forcible felony; or

(2) Under those circumstances permitted pursuant to s. 776.013.

Section 776.013 is about home defense, for reference.

http://www.flsenate....Chapter0776/All

This whole thing's a mess and Zimmerman's a douche.

Edited April 11, 2012 by D-Metal X

[Invictus Ordo]

If this was the other way around, a black male shooting at an unarmed white (hispanic, whatever), they'd be in jail. This case is insane, and the Stand Your Ground Laws must end. More right-wing ideas gone wrong.

Well it has already happened the other way around albeit under different circumstances and remains to be seen how they are going to handle that case.

I'm a bit confused here, what is the relation to "Stand Your Ground" and self-defense?

The relation is that you can legally use deadly force for self defense without having to retreat first and it grants you legal immunity against any criminal charges as a result.

[Johnny Boy]

This case has really made me sick to my stomach. First of all there was a video released of Zimmerman 30 minutes after the murder and it completely throws his claims of self defense out of the window because in the video there is no injuries on him what so ever!!! And what's worse is that Zimmerman has gotten in trouble with the law before and since his dad is a judge he helped him avoid punishment, and daddy zimmerman allegedly wrote a letter to the state to keep his son from serving jailtime. It's absolutely fucking ridiculous.

I'm not wishing death on Zimmerman but since I know how vengeful people can be be needs to either turn himself in or risk getting his head blown off by a crazed vigilante.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Jeez, the guy manages to get off with a crime and has a history with this and that's thrown out the window now that the media has gotten involved?

I honestly can't believe this. Look, I'll defend the Stand Your Ground law when it has justification, but this isn't anything that looks like it justified whatever Zimmerman did. A grown man getting into a fight and killing a minor (17 is still generally a minor, right?), and he some how gets suspicious of that one person enough to follow him? I don't buy it.

But now this is nothing more than a political shitstorm. I suppose we need to find even better ways to manage this, because what we're doing right now isn't getting us any gains.

This case has really made me sick to my stomach. First of all there was a video released of Zimmerman 30 minutes after the murder and it completely throws his claims of self defense out of the window because in the video there is no injuries on him what so ever!!!

Is that video still around somewhere?

Edited April 11, 2012 by ChaosSupremeSonic

[Autosaver]

Uh, wasn't it confirmed that he actually did have an injury?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM3cul-mYHw

But anyways, a small injury is no reason to pull out a gun and shoot someone.

[Nepenthe]

I expect Zimmerman to have injuries when he confronts a smaller, unarmed person with a gun. What I don't buy is that initially he claimed his injuries were life-threatening, supposedly adding credence to his belief at the moment that his life was in danger and that he needed to shoot; specifically, he claimed Trayvon was on top of him and bashing his head into the concrete. He also claimed to suffer a broken nose from a punch that initially knocked him to the ground. That bit of his story was bullshit by his own admission; he never went to a hospital for actual emergency care. At most, he got some minor first aid by the paramedics that arrived and then went home that night. Life-threatening injuries my ass.

[SuperStingray]

George Zimmerman: 43-year old community watch coordinator.

Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia...._Trayvon_Martin

The Week's Timeline of the Controversy: http://theweek.com/a...case-a-timeline

Probably not that relevant, but your links say he was 28.

It's this attitude that is going to make Zimmerman get away with it. This case had nothing to do with Stand Your Ground any more than a guy shooting someone when they aren't even on their property has to do with Castle Doctrine. Had the media not grabbed a hold of it and turned it into the massive clusterfuck that it is now, this case would have been pretty straightforward that Martin wasn't killed in self-defense and Zimmerman would most likely have gone to jail for at least manslaughter.

Even if the media didn't bring it up, what's to say Zimmerman wouldn't have used it as his defense in court? He claims he saw Trayvon reaching for what could have been a gun, (even if it was just Skittles.) That's his case right there; it'd be flimsy in any other state, but Stand Your Ground is what could give it better odds in Florida's judicial system.

[Nepenthe]

Probably not that relevant, but your links say he was 28.

Huh, wonder where I got 43. Thanks. xP

Anyway, as far as the media is concerned, had they not picked up this story then there arguably would've been even less of a chance of Zimmerman facing legal consequences. I mean, the police let him go in the first place. Considering how little crimes of this nature are reported on, that should've been the end of it.

[Tornado]

Even if the media didn't bring it up, what's to say Zimmerman wouldn't have used it as his defense in court? He claims he saw Trayvon reaching for what could have been a gun, (even if it was just Skittles.) That's his case right there; it'd be flimsy in any other state, but Stand Your Ground is what could give it better odds in Florida's judicial system.

Because "Stand Your Ground" is not a licence to go around killing people. He absolutely would have used it as a defense just like homeowners use Castle Doctrine when they shoot someone burglarizing their house; but to simply state that it would have worked for him like many are acting to be the case ever since it happened is massively presumptuous.

Especially as now that this has become a political dick waving contest, it is impossible to determine what the original investigation would have turned up in regards to his guilt.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Tornado

[-Robin-]

All things aside, concerning Zimmerman's disappearance, I definitely hope it was of his own free will. If his disappearance was caused because he was located by the Neo Black Panthers, that's just going to open up a level of hell we haven't seen since the KKK was harassing African Americans on a regular basis, and things will never be the same.

[Stacy]

This is sad...but I wish Zimmerman would've had common sense that people put on hoods when it's raining. Now we're going to have a "No wear hoods" law

How about "no fucking guns in open public" law first.

Seriously Zimmerman should go down for murder racial or not.

EDIT: I heard Faux News is doing little converage on the story?

Edited April 11, 2012 by BW199148

[Your Vest Friend]

How about "no fucking guns in open public" law first.

That'd never pass in America. Second amendment and what-not.

[Stacy]

That'd never pass in America. Second amendment and what-not.

Its bullshit, its was never meant to be used to carry guns around like a mobile phone it was for Milita purposes only and protection of certain property, plus it was written in 1791, shit has changed since then, like no slaves, not likely to be invaded by the British etc....

[Tornado]

Pretty sure this is about some guy killing another guy and claiming self-defense laws applied for doing it when they almost certainly did not. Not about Constitutional law.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Tornado

[Stacy]

Pretty sure this is about some guy killing another guy and claiming self-defense laws applied for doing it when they almost certainly did not. Not about Constitutional law.

Yeah I know that, I still think if the dickhead wasn't allowed that have a gun on him, things might have been different, but this is America, "One Nation Under God" and all that civil relgious bullshit.

[Your Vest Friend]

Wait, this isn't about religion in the slightest. I can see how the forefather's inability to predict the far future might be related, but the religious...?

[Stacy]

Wait, this isn't about religion in the slightest. I can see how the forefather's inability to predict the far future might be related, but the religious...?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Civil_Religion

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_religion#United_States

America more than most nations like to interbreed its politics with religion.

But this is getting off topic.

I still think it stands that America has messed up laws when comes self defence, it doesn't help laws can change from state to state.

[Mono]

I'm sure the guy would of shot the kid regardless of religion.