Neighborhood watch captain shoots innocent black youth and doesn't even get arrested

[Bump]

This is some ****ED UP SHIT, they aren't sure if the racist neighborhood watch idiot should be arrested? If anything, local gangs might take notice of this and start shooting up that neighborhood or just random white neighborhoods. I could never live in the south, it's ridiculous. The guy shoots an innocent teen walking to the store to buy skittles. Should be life in prison, that's cold blood man.

http://news.yahoo.com/family-florida...044537742.html




ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The family of a 17-year-old African-American boy shot to death last month in his gated Florida community by a white Neighborhood Watch captain wants to see the captain arrested, the family's lawyer said on Wednesday.

Trayvon Martin was shot dead after he took a break from watching NBA All-Star game television coverage to walk 10 minutes to a convenience store to buy snacks including Skittles candy requested by his 13-year-old brother, Chad, the family's lawyer Ben Crump said.

"He was a good kid," Crump said in an interview, adding that the family would issue a call for the Watch captain's arrest at a news conference on Thursday. "On his way home, a Neighborhood Watch loose cannon shot and killed him."

[Related: Fla. teen avoids deportation]

Trayvon, who lived in Miami with his mother, had been visiting his father and stepmother in a gated townhome community called The Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford, 20 miles north of Orlando.

As Trayvon returned to the townhome, Sanford police received a 911 call reporting a suspicious person.

Although names are blacked out on the police report, Crump and media reports at the time of the shooting identified the caller as George Zimmerman who is listed in the community's newsletter as the Neighborhood Watch captain.

Without waiting for police to arrive, Crump said, Zimmerman confronted Trayvon, who was on the sidewalk near his home. By the time police got there, Trayvon was dead of a single gunshot to the chest.

"What do the police find in his pocket? Skittles," Crump said. "A can of Arizona ice tea in his jacket pocket and Skittles in his front pocket for his brother Chad."

Zimmerman could not be reached for comment on Wednesday evening at a phone number listed for him on the community's newsletter.

Crump said the family was concerned that police might decide to consider the shooting as self defense, and that police have ignored the family's request for a copy of the original 911 call, which they think will shed light on the incidents.

"If the 911 protocol across the country held to form here, they told him not to get involved. He disobeyed that order," said Ryan Julison, a spokesman for the family.

"He (Zimmerman) didn't have to get out of his car," said Crump, who has prepared a public records lawsuit to file on Thursday if the family doesn't get the 911 tape. "If he never gets out of his car, there is no reason for self-defense. Trayvon only has skittles. He has the gun."

Since Trayvon, a high school junior who wanted to be a pilot, was black and Zimmerman is white, Crump said race is "the 600 pound elephant in the room."

"Why is this kid suspicious in the first place? I think a stereotype must have been placed on the kid," Crump said.

(Editing By Cynthia Johnston and Peter Bohan)

[Comrade Crapski]

Originally Posted by InChiefsHell

It's because people who don't think it's good for citizens to be armed can't fathom a reason to carry a gun. If you are carrying a gun, you obviously intend to use it on someone. Seriously, they just flat out don't get it. As if you are supposed to carry a gun ONLY when you plan to go to some seedy scary part of town...

The incompetence of the police in this case should be enough to convince the average citizen, hey maybe it's a good idea to get a gun so I can protect myself, because the cops can't or won't, maybe they'll show up after I'm-- or a family member or friend is--- assualted, raped, murdered, so they can take a statement. But alot of good thats going to do after the fact.

[Chiefshrink]

Do you realize that right after the shooting that TM remained in the morgue for 3 days as a John Doe?

Now riddle me this? If he was on the phone with his girlfriend just prior to the shooting and his dad and dad's girlfriend lived in the gated community how in the hell does Trayvon go missing for 3 days as a John Doe in the morgue?

ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE WAS JUST A SHOOTING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD??

[BigCatDaddy]

Originally Posted by BigRichard

That is such a bullshit statement. It is not always about race. If everything happened exactly the same that night only Treyvon would have been white, we would have had a dead white kid shot by a mexican. It wouldn't have made the national news and Zimmerman would still be walking away from this without being arrested.

I think at one point you had something like 75% of Americans (that included white people too) wanted to string Zimmerman up from a tree without a trial. The other 25% at least wanted to give him a trial before the strung him up. It was not until the true details started to come out that things got murky.

You statement is very ignorant and truly shows where the racism comes from.

[Comrade Crapski]

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

Do you realize that right after the shooting that TM remained in the morgue for 3 days as a John Doe?

Now riddle me this? If he was on the phone with his girlfriend just prior to the shooting and his dad and dad's girlfriend lived in the gated community how in the hell does Trayvon go missing for 3 days as a John Doe in the morgue?

ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE WAS JUST A SHOOTING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD??

If it wasn't so serious it would be laughable.

[InChiefsHell]

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

Do you realize that right after the shooting that TM remained in the morgue for 3 days as a John Doe?

Now riddle me this? If he was on the phone with his girlfriend just prior to the shooting and his dad and dad's girlfriend lived in the gated community how in the hell does Trayvon go missing for 3 days as a John Doe in the morgue?

ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE WAS JUST A SHOOTING IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD??

Never thought about that...that's either total incompetence by the cops or uncaring on the part of the parents. From what I understood, they (the parents) were searching for Trayvon, so I think the cops were just dumb as shit. Maybe. Hell, I don't know.

[Comrade Crapski]

Originally Posted by InChiefsHell

Never thought about that...that's either total incompetence by the cops or uncaring on the part of the parents. From what I understood, they (the parents) were searching for Trayvon, so I think the cops were just dumb as shit. Maybe. Hell, I don't know.

If the kid had no identification on him, how would the cops know who to notify? But sportshrink is right, why wouldn't the girlfriend say something? It sounds like a really dysfunctional family.

[frankotank]

Originally Posted by frankotank

IF T was on top of Z beating his head into concrete....IF Z hadn't shot him....I wonder if T would have killed Z??

Originally Posted by Extra Point

Who knows? I wonder if he would have been suspended if pot was legal?

not trying to be a dick...but what WTF does that even MEAN? I guess my question is just soooo stupid huh? nobody on here has wondered the same thing....right? let me spell it out for you.....
IF and I say again IF T was on top of Z beating his head into concrete....T pretty much had to shoot him or possibly be killed.
I've been in a few scraps and I've come out on top a few times....and I've NEVER jumped on a downed dude and started smashing his head into the street. I ain't like that.
now go smoke another joint.

[InChiefsHell]

Originally Posted by Tom.Jay61

If the kid had no identification on him, how would the cops know who to notify? But sportshrink is right, why wouldn't the girlfriend say something? It sounds like a really dysfunctional family.

True. One would think that his folks would have gone to the hospitals and the police to report him missing. And it's hard to believe they wouldn't have known about a shooting in the neighborhood. The whole thing stinks.

[Chiefshrink]

Proof that TM doubled back.

http://content.clearchannel.com/cc-c...1333536101.jpg

[KChiefer]

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

In Florida you have the right to pack especially in the neighborhood you live in and the right to defend yourself. And he was licensed to carry. Otherwise this would have been an issue already and he would have been arrested if he was not in his legal rights

Yeah, if you can't CCW on the street then where? I wondered that after reading his post and looked it up. Apparently most states, many by federal law, say you can't in churches, schools, hospitals, fed buildings, amusement parks, work, and bars. I see why people shouldn't carry in those places, but if the reason for carrying is protection, can't you be attacked in those prohibited places(SCHOOLS)?

Still, it does seem weird to me to arm the neighborhood watch. I doubt that most watchmen are armed in the US. That would be a lot like a militia.

[Comrade Crapski]

Originally Posted by InChiefsHell

True. One would think that his folks would have gone to the hospitals and the police to report him missing. And it's hard to believe they wouldn't have known about a shooting in the neighborhood. The whole thing stinks.

Yeah I don't think it's too big a stretch to assume this kid didn't have a whole lot of adult supervision growing up. Except for winding up dead and in a morgue-- this was probably a typical thing for little Trevor dissapearing for days on end before any of his guardians noticed.

[KChiefer]

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

Proof that TM doubled back.

http://content.clearchannel.com/cc-c...1333536101.jpg

Proof that Zimmerman went somewhere other than straight back to his truck?

[frankotank]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

There are a few very key questions to ask. #1 - if he was truly going to Target, as he claims, then why was he carrying a gun?

not disagreeing with what you're saying. just want to point out that this subject has been brought up several times. it is meaningless. I carry. I didn't get my CCW so that I could not carrry when going to the store. I carry almost always. furthermore 9 times out of 10 the signs on establishements (if they are there at all) that say no guns allowed are not the legal size (there are very specific rules....I know it sounds stupid but it's covered ad nauseum in a CCW class) which makes the sign meaningless. my personal opinion is that it's none of your damn business what I have in my pants and I don't really give a shit what the sign on the door says. there's a very good chance that if shit goes down and I'm there....I'm gonna be armed.
the fact that Z was carrying a gun to Target means nothing. I've been in Target many times....armed.

[Comrade Crapski]

Originally Posted by KChiefer

Yeah, if you can't CCW on the street then where? I wondered that after reading his post and looked it up. Apparently most states, many by federal law, say you can't in churches, schools, hospitals, fed buildings, amusement parks, work, and bars. I see why people shouldn't carry in those places, but if the reason for carrying is protection, can't you be attacked in those prohibited places(SCHOOLS)?

Still, it does seem weird to me to arm the neighborhood watch. I doubt that most watchmen are armed in the US. That would be a lot like a militia.

Florida is a very strange state, it's overpopulated and has a large transient population. I can see why people arm themselves to the teeth in that state, especially since the average Florida police department is a joke. Florida state troopers are the biggest clowns, and usually it's the opposite in most other states, the state troopers are the most professional and elite. I know since the housing bust alot of areas in Florida have turned into ghettos overnight. I'm sure some areas are just as bad as Juarez or Rio De Jeneiro.

[patteeu]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

I think you need to think about what a reasonable reaction would be to a large, creepy stranger in YOUR neck of the woods tracking you down in a dark area. And you had no idea why.

Following somebody doesn't give Trayvon the right to assault Zimmerman, but if Trayvon had no idea why Zimmerman was following him and felt threatened, then self defense laws apply. And that's assuming Zimmerman didn't do anything to provoke Martin. Isn't it entirely possible Zimmerman verbally assaulted Martin, shoved him, or even flashed his gun out to prove to him he was serious?

Given the location of the altercation, it's a more than reasonable question to ask.

I agree that they are reasonable questions to ask and I don't think I've ever suggested otherwise.

You can't just assume that Zimmerman started the fight though. You need evidence and we haven't seen any yet. I agree that it's reasonable to believe that Trayvon felt threatened but I don't think that changes the calculus at all. What matters is how the altercation started from Zimmerman's (reasonable) point of view, not from Martin's. And we have almost nothing to go on in that regard, beyond Zimmerman's account, of course.