17 yo Trayvon Martin Shot to Death by Neighborhood Watch Captain #19

Concerned Papa said:

I guess the point that puzzles me is, the SPD had already made the decision that he was innocent when they let him go with no charges. The only reason this situation has escalated to the point it has is because there is a public perception of guilt because of virtually no corroborating evidence of his story, which is borderline incredulous to many.

There would be no justice department investigation if anyone had shown tangible, believable evidence of a broken nose.

There would be no special prosecutor if there were pictures of the back of his head looking like it went through a meat grinder.

He was at the police station 36 minutes after he pulled the trigger looking fresh as a daisy to many!

If his story is true, why wouldn't the SPD want to diffuse this craziness that's swirling around their town when all it would take to start is some kind of reasonable evidence of his claims being true?

Do these people realize that their stonewalling the public of the truth, which ever way it lies, has brought all of this down on themselves?

< mod snip >

IMO, JHMO, MOO, etc.

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Dr.Fessel said:

Exactly! They went to all kinds of trouble releasing lots of evidence in the case like the partial police reports and 911 calls to justify what they did.

They even released burglary reports with the victims names, addresses and phone numbers to somehow justify what Zimmerman did.

But they refuse to release the reports on the clothing of both shooter and victim, refuse to release the info on Zimmerman's injuries or the ballistics of the gunshot or the witness statements.

and IMO

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songline said:

I see it very differently.
IMHO the media painted a very different case than the real case will prove to be.
I still wish it all happened very differently and no life was lost.
But I do not see a murderer. I see an overzealous cop want to be. But not a killer
I think the media who used to report news is not making news.

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vlpate said:

Trayvon wasn't shot walking down the street - according to police and eyewitnesses, he was shot while getting the best of a man half a foot smaller than him. According to the law in Florida, in a self-defense case, TM would be considered an adult, not a child.

I've looked, and I can't find a single case where a child was actually walking down the street and was shot by the owner of a concealed weapon - less than none where SYG law was a defense for such an act. However, cases where children and dozens of teenagers have been shot just walking down the street, riding in a car, or sitting outside/inside their house are countless. Where Trayvon lived, 7 innocent people were shot attending a funeral - there were 30 murders in March alone. In every case the shooters were armed with illegal firearms. Where's the outrage by either side??

Very few concealed handgun owners shoot innocent people. JMO

Disclaimer: The above is not an effort to make excuses for GZ and I truly am not trying to argue - I just can't "guess" what happened, I have to go by what has been said by LE & witnesses. As far as who confronted who - LE has stated the g/f's phone records are not consistent with what they have.

JMO

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"While in life Trayvon Martin was barely 17, when it comes to justifiable homicide his size -- about 6-foot-3 and 150 pounds -- makes him an adult in death." ABC

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"I woke up Sunday to Seminole county helicopters right above my sector of the community and I immediately felt very fearful," said Frank Taaffe, who lives at the Retreat at Twin Lakes community where Trayvon Martin was shot and killed.

"It was a scary, scary time," he told FOX35 Friday.

"I ran out to the street and there were nine police cruisers out there - two Seminole and the other seven, Sanford."

http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/local/040712-Deputies-Called-to-Zimmerman's-Home#ixzz1rRosu3Ge

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"George is a congenial, amiable, admirable person,” he said. "He had a passion and a care for this neighborhood to ensure the safety of everybody here. And, furthermore, George is no Rambo."

Taaffe said that Zimmerman was appointed as a watch captain, despite reports that he appointed himself to the post.

He said he believes his neighbor acted in self-defense, which is what Zimmerman told police.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...r-comes-to-defense-of-trayvon-martins-shooter

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Chris_Texas said:

Ordinarily I agree (at least to a point), but not in this case. Silence is a request for trust that, in my opinion, LE has not earned. Just the opposite -- in my opinion they have earned our anger and mistrust.

Millions of people around the country are angry over what they perceive to be corruption, incompetence, or outright racism and civil rights violations on the part of law enforcement. It is past time for LE to come forward with the information they have so that the people of Florida and America can determine just how worthy of trust these people are. They decided to allow a child killer to go free, and it is well past time they justify this decision. If they cannot do so, then the people need to know.

In my opinion.

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JBean said:

LOL I don't think the report was a prank I think someone called in a prank against Zimmerman- like they were going to blow up his house or something like that. Cops came out in force to handle it but it was just a prank threat.
Just the way I am reading it.

from the links:
>>Who made the call and what they said is now at the center of a new investigation, but the sheriff's office says it was enough to deploy police helicopters and detectives<<

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highflyer said:

The same article states that Zimmerman is well over 200 pounds.

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suzihawk said:

One could also say Trayvon was shot and killed BECAUSE he was walking down a street. For whatever reasons (I have my own ideas), that made him suspicious to Zimmerman so that he felt the need to pursue him. Had he not done that, there wouldn't have been the need for self defense on the part of either party.

That makes your point regarding whether he was an adult in the eyes of the law according to ABC rather moot, IMO.

Trayvon Martin was minding his own business while walking down the street. Trayvon Martin was not an adult according the the law.

Your quote for reference:


MOO

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songline said:

BBM
That article has to be wrong. (brother has been ill and weighs less now).
But just before he got ill. My brother is 6'2" WHICH IS a lot taller than Zimmerman his normal weight would be 185 lbs and -not he is not a skinny guy just average.
My friend here is 6 feet tall and he weighs 180 pounds and has a bit of a belly – he is not fat at all.
So this article with GZ weight can’t be right.

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uvamerica said:

:what: Me thinks Mr.Taafe should take his "transparent comments" and go into hiding with George. No wonder why he sticks up for George , they both have the same mentality. :moo:

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Adding to the uncertainty and flux was the sense among some residents that this secured community was no longer so secure. There had been burglaries; at least seven in 2011, according to police reports. Strangers had started showing up, said Frank Taaffe, 55, a marketing specialist, originally from the Bronx, who works out of his home in the Retreat. He made it clear that he was not talking about just any strangers.

“There were Trayvon-like dudes with their pants down,” Mr. Taaffe said.
Last August, the homeowners association decided to create a neighborhood watch, and a Sanford police official came to the Retreat to explain the guidelines: volunteers do not possess police powers; they should not be armed; and they should be the eyes and ears for the police — but not vigilantes.

The group chose as its neighborhood watch coordinator the very man who had invited the official to speak: a man with thinning dark hair and an average build named George Zimmerman. The next month, the newsletter for the homeowners association included a cartoon of a man peering through a magnifying glass, à la Sherlock Holmes, next to a call for help: “We have recently experienced an increased incidence of crime within the community, including three break-ins in the past month, which is why having residents committed to being members of the Neighborhood Watch and reporting suspicious activities is so important. We must send a message that we will not tolerate this in our community!”

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Concerned Papa said:

After looking at the distance between these two residences and the curve in the street preventing a line of sight between the two points, I&#8217;ve got a problem believing in Frank Taaffe&#8217;s ability to accurately tell us anything pertinent regarding whatever happened in this &#8220;prank&#8221; emergency response by SPD.

If I can&#8217;t believe what he says about this:



How am I supposed to believe any of this?

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suzihawk said:

BBM

Are you talking about George or his brother? I haven't read that either lost weight due to an illness. Link please?

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vlpate said:

Photo legend

Gold
Dispatcher: Ok you said it is 1111 Retreat View Circle or 111?
GZ: That's the club house
Dispatcher: He's near the club house right now?

Pink (*Indicates where a left would have been)
GZ: ....Yep, when you come to the club house you come straight in and make a left ...

Blue (*The first left is a through street, but he's trying to direct him to the street he's on, which is also a left, but not really - it cuts through and straightens out)
GZ: ...actually, you would go past the club house. (*still directing near club house)
Dispatcher: Oh, you say it's on the left hand side from the club house?
GZ: No, you go in, straight through the entrance and then you make a left, ummm, yeah you go straight in, don't turn and make a left.

*my notes

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Concerned Papa said:

After looking at the distance between these two residences and the curve in the street preventing a line of sight between the two points, I’ve got a problem believing in Frank Taaffe’s ability to accurately tell us anything pertinent regarding whatever happened in this “prank” emergency response by SPD.

If I can’t believe what he says about this:



How am I supposed to believe any of this?

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LiveLaughLuv said:

I believe the bolded portions of the quote do show the mentality this NW patrollers have and Trayvon was targeted due to his looks...whether that be clothing or color...It solidifies for me, the intent of GZ...we will not tolerate this in our community and he did take his NW stance way too far...it cost a teen his life...being in the right place at the wrong time...

I pray there will be justice...lease:

Oh, even if RZ Sr., claims they have black relatives, doesn't mean GZ embraced that part of his genes...he certainly seems to have discrimination towards the way one dresses or looks...it means nothing...:banghead:

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songline said:

Sorry but many people have discrimination about how some people look especially how some teens want to look these days. It never made anyone into a killer.
I have escorted them out of the office when they walk in with their pants to the knees and their underpants showing. I have also cut interviews to 10 minutes when they come in inked all over.
Yes I have a right to create a proper image for a firm. So we do judge, we will judge, and we should judge. This does not make killers.

I also pray that there will be justice.... lease:

No matter what happens one side will not be happy.

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songline said:

:what::what::what:


With helicopters and 7 police cars you have trouble believing that there was a commotion there?
the distance is not great. DEFINITLY if we were in Frank’s house would hear the commotion.

The way I see it is that some have already played judge and Jury and would not see anything they do not wish to see.

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songline said:

Sorry but many people have discrimination about how some people look especially how some teens want to look these days. It never made anyone into a killer.I have escorted them out of the office when they walk in with their pants to the knees and their underpants showing. I have also cut interviews to 10 minutes when they come in inked all over.
Yes I have a right to create a proper image for a firm. So we do judge, we will judge, and we should judge. This does not make killers.

I also pray that there will be justice.... lease:

No matter what happens one side will not be happy.

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Race, Tragedy and Outrage Collide After a Shot in Florida
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/02/us...ted=1&_r=4&hp#

Good read, 7 pages....this one stands out for me...

snipped from page 2....

Quote:
Adding to the uncertainty and flux was the sense among some residents that this secured community was no longer so secure. There had been burglaries; at least seven in 2011, according to police reports. Strangers had started showing up, said Frank Taaffe, 55, a marketing specialist, originally from the Bronx, who works out of his home in the Retreat. He made it clear that he was not talking about just any strangers.

“There were Trayvon-like dudes with their pants down,” Mr. Taaffe said.
Last August, the homeowners association decided to create a neighborhood watch, and a Sanford police official came to the Retreat to explain the guidelines: volunteers do not possess police powers; they should not be armed; and they should be the eyes and ears for the police — but not vigilantes.

The group chose as its neighborhood watch coordinator the very man who had invited the official to speak: a man with thinning dark hair and an average build named George Zimmerman. The next month, the newsletter for the homeowners association included a cartoon of a man peering through a magnifying glass, à la Sherlock Holmes, next to a call for help: “We have recently experienced an increased incidence of crime within the community, including three break-ins in the past month, which is why having residents committed to being members of the Neighborhood Watch and reporting suspicious activities is so important. We must send a message that we will not tolerate this in our community!”

To get involved, the newsletter said, “Call George Zimmerman.”

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