Posted on 03/20/2012 9:36:58 PM PDT by marktwain
A Sanford neighbor of George Zimmerman and fellow neighborhood watch captain in their gated community came to his defense Tuesday, saying that he shot Miami teenager Trayvon Martin after numerous burglaries at The Retreat at Twin Lakes.
Frank Taaffe pointed out the circumstances that he believes led his 28-year-old neighbor to react the way he did on the night of Feb. 26: eight burglaries within 15 months, most done by young black males, he said.
"The stage was already set. It was a perfect storm,” Taaffe said. “I think any time you use a weapon, there are certain anger issues working.”
NBC 6 could not immediately confirm the burglary statistic Taaffe cited in a phone call to Sanford Police Tuesday night.
Martin, 17, picked up Skittles and iced tea from a 7-Eleven that Sunday, then headed back towards his father’s girlfriend's home on a rainy, drizzly night. Martin put on his hoodie and ran to take cover. Zimmerman spotted him, got out of his car and followed him.
In Trayvon Martin's final phone call with his own girlfriend, according to Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump, he could be heard saying “Why are you following me?” and Zimmerman replying “What are you doing around here?”
Their confrontation ended with Martin getting shot in the chest.
“This guy looks like he’s up to no good … he looks black,” Zimmerman told a police dispatcher from his car. His father has said that Zimmerman is Hispanic, grew up in a multiracial family, and is not racist.
Twin Lakes’ population is ethnically mixed. A few residents said there is tension within the gated community.
“I think he had fed-up issues. He was mad as hell and wasn't going to take it anymore,” Taaffe said of Zimmerman.
He insisted, however, that Zimmerman cared about all his neighbors.
"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 actually 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. That is what Zimmerman told police.
Zimmerman has not been charged, despite growing calls for his arrest.
"It’s really sad that he's already been convicted in the public media and has already been sentenced to the gas chamber,” Taaffe said. “Let's let justice do its job."
At the same time, Martin’s death is “devastating,” he said.
”It's a tragic event – we can’t bring that boy back,” he said. “I wish we could.”
Maybe. maybe.
Thank you for posting this article.
I have been recommending patience since this story first broke.
Eventually all of the facts will come out.
There is no need to rush to condemn Mr. Zimmerman.
“His father has said that Zimmerman is Hispanic, grew up in a multiracial family, and is not racist.”
So, does the black race card trump the Hispanic one? In more and more of this country (and I suspect in Florida), it doesn’t. Hope this brings a lot of publicity to our race issues (all of them).
Please tell me there is more to the story than just a "fear" of burglaries in the area. If that's this guy's defense, he's toast.
There is quite a bit more, which is why he has not been arrested yet.
I think the rule is if a Hispanic person commits a crime, he’s counted as white. If a Hispanic person is the victim of a crime, he’s Hispanic or “a person of color.”
“...fed up, mad as hell and wasn’t going to take it anymore...”
sure sounds like a wannabe Dirty Harry to me. Lock him up. Instead of observing and reporting, he confronted a scared young black guy who up to the point where he fatally crossed paths with Zimmerman was doing absolutely nothing wrong. IMO Zimmerman was the instigator of the confrontation...
The media have apparently decided to obsess over this case. The way they are presenting it, it’s a senseless crime. Whether that is the case may come out sooner or later, but the way emotions are being played on, if Zimmerman is not found guilty, this could be another Rodney King situation.
Eric Holder has had the files for 24 hours now.
Has the shooter been arrested?
It doesn’t matter if he’s had 99 failings, in terms of not catching black criminals.
He should have been following procedure of gathering information only and only acting, if he actually caught the person in the act of doing something.
Its an election year for a very weak DNC leader.
Their focus will be on anything other than Obama.
I see it that way as well.
The emotional play is incredible.
It was only today that I learned that Trayvon was almost 18 and six foot three inches tall.
All the pictures that I have seem make it appear that he was a little boy.
Either he averted a lot of crimes - or he was over-reactive.
Meanwhile, I do not expect this story to get anything like the same national play, even though it represents a more serious, because more frequent, problem.
And of course, the MSM are not running the Zimmerman/Martin story as a man bites dog story, but as representative of deep-rooted, not uncommon evils in our society.
Remember Theodore Briseno?
It has been reported from the beginning that Mr. Zimmerman's defense is that he was attacked by Mr. Martin and shot in self-defense.
That is precisely the rule.
Absolutely. Lock him up based on speculations by someone who wasn't there. Sounds like justice to me!
The key words in your excerpt are “according to Martin family attorney”.
Clever and biased journalism. Dispatchers ask for race, that's why he mentions he's black. Nice use of "..." to leave out the dispatcher's question.
Its terrible that someone died. I’d like to know what happened that caused him to resort to deadly force. Was he trying to make some sort of Citizens Arrest?
But I tell ya, we have got to be proactive and if we wait for the cops to get there, it will be too damn late.
They’re still pushing the white on black story despite Zimmerman obviously being Hispanic in the first case and now it’s from the family.
Like the suspended youth being on top of him? If the cops go with that witness report, then it’s enough in Florida.
And had been suspended for 10 days from his high school, which is why he was staying at his father's house in the first place.
The only disciplinary offense which carries a 10 day suspension is fighting, although it is possible to get 10 days for repeated offenses of other types.
attorneycrump (Benjamin Crump, Esq.)
Attorney for kid’s family
attorneycrump Shoutout to @UncleRUSH for standing behind #TrayvonMartin.
36 minutes ago
donnabrazile Watching AC360 discuss the #trayvonmartin case. The 911 tape will be played once again. #CNN
1 day ago
Retweeted by attorneycrump
https://mobile.twitter.com/attorneycrump
attorneycrump @tnewmstweet, thanks for getting this issue to @keyshiacole ‘s attention! That is Awsome!
41 minutes ago in reply to keyshiacole
keyshiacole HE HAD NO RIGHT TO TAKE THIS YOUNG MANS LIFE! RT @tnewmstweet:#Trayvon Martin’s parents started petition for conviction change.org/trayvon
1 day ago
Retweeted by attorneycrump
attorneycrump The parents of Trayvon Martin and I will appear at NY’s A Million Hoodies March for Trayvon Martin to show support! facebook.com/events/3477842…
about 3 hours ago
attorneycrump Tune into the @todayshow at 7:15AM and @datelinenbc at 9PM as the parents of #TrayvonMartin and I continue to seek justice.
about 3 hours ago
attorneycrump Tuned into wftv.com/s/watchlive/ to watch the #TrayvonMartin twonhall. Hope to see everyone on 03/26 at the #Rally!
about 6 hours ago
mpowermovement “@attorneycrump: Can you tell us about the Conference Call Friday with @mpowermovement? <—— Info released tomorrow at noon!
about 6 hours ago
Retweeted by attorneycrump
attorneycrump Thanks to the Sanford Branch @NAACP and @BenJealous. We hope to see you at the Rally on 03/26. #TrayvonMartin @808life
about 6 hours ago in reply to 808life
blacklaw18 All attending #TrayvonMartin Rally for Justice in Sanford do not spend one cent in the city of Sanford. DO NOT allow this city to benefit!
about 13 hours ago
Retweeted by attorneycrump
https://mobile.twitter.com/attorneycrump?max_id=182272003821146112
READ_BOOK_CLUB We received a call from @CMMichaelABrown’s office offering organizing help for the bus from DC to FL. We appreciate the love from his office
about 5 hours ago
Retweeted by LovelyAB8
CanesSwag954 @jvelezmitchell how disrespectful is it for #FrankTaaffe to b at the church n defending #Zimmerman #disgusting!! #TrayvonMartin
about 8 hours ago
Retweeted by LovelyAB8
LovelyAB8 This man on HLN is just crazy! Get him off now!
about 8 hours ago
LovelyAB8 Please watch @TherealTaraji and @TichinaArnold on HLN at 7. I know they will speak truth and not politics. #TrayvonMartin
about 8 hours ago
DaraleneJones Our reporter Kenneth Craig is at the scene of tonight’s NAACP town hall. He said the line is VERY long to get in. #TrayvonMartin
about 9 hours ago
Retweeted by LovelyAB8
DaraleneJones I’m live in 10 minutes on Ch 9 w/interview with #TrayvonMartin’s best friend. If you can’t watch at home, log on to wftv.com/watchlive
about 9 hours ago
Retweeted by LovelyAB8
rebellove_ So Michaels Browns office just called to see if they can help w/ finding us a bus to attend the Trayvon Martin rally!!!!!! Crosses fingers
about 10 hours ago
Retweeted by LovelyAB8
Yes, Ron Brown’s (Clinton era) son, Michael
KarrahMiller Racism is Killing America ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-763910 #ireport
about 16 hours ago
Retweeted by LovelyAB8
DrStevePerry How is it that POTUS can get himself entangled in the ‘arrest’ of Harvard prof Skip Gates but is not out front on the Trayvon Martin murder?
1 day ago
Retweeted by MsJacksonifyour
MsJacksonifyour My p/t job was so horrible today I’m on the brink of tears :-( I have got to find another way. And I still have another full hour.
2 days ago
MsJacksonifyour @BlackElleWoods it typed the wrong thing... Just a wee bit of alcohol :-)
3 days ago in reply to BlackElleWoods
“Taaffe said that Zimmerman actually was appointed as a watch captain, despite reports that he appointed himself to the post.”
Some people just don’t know when to shut up. I bet this HOA gets sued into oblivion.
“It was only today that I learned that Trayvon was almost 18 and six foot three inches tall.
And had been suspended for 10 days from his high school, which is why he was staying at his father’s house in the first place.
The only disciplinary offense which carries a 10 day suspension is fighting, although it is possible to get 10 days for repeated offenses of other types.”
**********************************************************
Anyone else notice that the papers and press coverage always show a picture of Zimmerman that make him look like a perp but the ones shown of Trayvon are cleancut pictures of him from a much younger time looking very sweet and innocent+?
No agenda there!
Here’s the thing...the Fed guys will convince some Grand Jury of some terrible thing. Then you go to a Florida court-house, and attempt to pick twelve jurors who have never been robbed or threatened in their life. All George needs....is one of the jurors to have experienced some robbery or assault in their life, and they will stall the whole case. If you ask me....the local cops and prosecutor know this, and see a court case as a waste of time. Let the Feds waste their money and resources on a case that hinges on twelve jurors reaching an almost impossible decision (at least in Florida).
“It was only today that I learned that Trayvon was almost 18 and six foot three inches tall.
And had been suspended for 10 days from his high school, which is why he was staying at his father’s house in the first place.
The only disciplinary offense which carries a 10 day suspension is fighting, although it is possible to get 10 days for repeated offenses of other types.”
Although this is interesting, it does not really matter. Zimmerman is the one that started this deadly chain of events. Trayvon was obviously defending himself from Zimmerman.
“Taaffe said that Zimmerman actually was appointed as a watch captain, despite reports that he appointed himself to the post.”
Some people just don’t know when to shut up. I bet this HOA gets sued into oblivion.
*********************************************************
You do understand that it’s perfectly OK for a neighborhood to have a neighborhood watch, don’t you? Or did you leave out a “sarc” flag on your comment?
“Trayvon was obviously defending himself from Zimmerman.”
********************************************************
Surely you’re just posting some sarcasm? If not, did you get some video when you were an eyewitness to the incident?
Apparently, on one of the 911 calls, Zimmerman is heard using a racial slur. I bet pretty soon he will be charged with a hate crime. Thank goodness the shooter isn’t white, or else the MSM would’ve had a field day. I do hope justice is served, somehow I don’t believe this Zimmerman character.
So you know all the facts? Did you do your own investigation?
Don't get me wrong the guy may be guilty but I would like a complete investigation by competent law enforcement. Not the media putting cameras in front of people and calling it facts.
On the news this morning they are now saying the so called racial slur was the word punk.
one article I read said he was a “white hispanic” ????? Does that make hussein obama a black white??
“Does that make hussein obama a black white??”
No he just a lying race baiting halfrican of unknown origins wannabe, socialist, marxist scum bag commie b*stard of scum bag commie loving parent(s).
When I put on my hoodie, I feel like I've got "cover" to commit a crime! But this is South Florida—where this past winter—I needed a hoodie only one morning.
:-/
I think the former will be amended, since the numbers favor Hispanics, while the latter will be further reinforced. They certainly have no “white guilt”, and are fighting blacks for the same freebies.
Since the 2000 census (when Hispanics passed blacks for the first time in numbers), the old dynamics are out the window; nobody even pretends to care what “black leaders” think, and simply loads up on Hispanics to meet quotas. They are fighting for the same freebies, and the Hispanics have the clout; here in NJ cities are electing Hispanic mayors to reflect their displacement of blacks in neighborhoods, the workplace, and in the Democratic Party leadership (Senator Menendez being the most visible - remember there was no black Senators to sign their document when the Congressional Black Caucus opposed Bush winning the 2000 election - in heavily Hispanic Florida?).
This whole thing reeks of Holder-ites
Now, about shooting someone because you think he's black ~ ...............
Pretty clear Martin should have brought his gun. He could have stopped his assailant in a NY sec.
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