Posted on 03/22/2012 9:03:25 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Ever since his CPAC Keynote Address in 2010, Rep. Allen West (R-FL) has been one of the gold standards of modern American political conservatism. He has also been widely hailed as a political model for conservative African American politicians. And now, following recent revelations surrounding the highly suspicious shooting of Trayvon Martin, Rep. West has joined a growing bipartisan consensus calling for the case to be reopened, possibly even with Federal assistance. West’s statement, put out today by Talking Points Memo, resonates with controlled fury (emphasis added):
itself in Sanford, Florida involving the shooting of 17-year-old Treyvon Martin. First of all, if all that has been reported is accurate, the Sanford Police Chief should be relieved of his duties due to what appears to be a mishandling of this shooting in its early stages. The US Navy SEALS identified Osama Bin Laden within hours, while this young man laid on a morgue slab for three days. The shooter, Mr Zimmerman, should have been held in custody and certainly should not be walking free, still having a concealed weapons carry permit. From my reading, it seems this young man was pursued and there was no probable cause to engage him, certainly not pursue and shoot him….against the direction of the 911 responder. Let’s all be appalled at this instance not because of race, but because a young American man has lost his life, seemingly, for no reason. I have signed a letter supporting a DOJ investigation. I am not heading to Sanford to shout and scream, because we need the responsible entities and agencies to handle this situation from this point without media bias or undue political influences. This is an outrage.
(Excerpt) Read more at theblaze.com ...
Jury duty will make one thing clear which is that crime is rarely clear cut. In this case some idiot chases another idiot who turns around and attacks the idiot who shoots the idiot. It’s hard to have any sympathy for either of them.
Let me tell you a story that a guy from Africa had told me and it should give a reasonable mindset about most black fathers.
He was new to my city and he came when it was January and about minus 10 Fahrenheit. He called his father, who was in Africa, and asked for some money so he could get proper winter clothing, as he had none. His father’s response was to tell his son that his call was no longer clear and the father promptly hung up the phone. He let his son figure out how to get funds to pay for the clothes he needed.
Yes, it is too bad that it happened. But it can’t be wished away. Bad decisions and mistakes were made all around and it is horrible.
I don’t want to see this tragedy compounded by a media lynching of Zimmerman.
I just wants the facts to come out and allow justice to take its course, with blindfold intact and the scales held firm and balanced—not the media and public trying to climb onto one side and force an outcome.
That scale belongs to evidence and law, not our emotions...no matter how tragic this is.
That report came from one of the 911 calls. I noticed that too. Zimmerman himself described it as "a dark hoodie, like a grey hoodie." Maybe Martin had a white t-shirt underneath the hoodie and it was zipped down a bit and that's what the 911 caller saw. Or maybe it's just human error. Eyewitness accounts can be very unreliable for details sometimes, especially when you're observing from a distance. I would go with Zimmermans account since he was probably paying the most attention. But beside that, the one witness who identified himself only as John and was closer to the scene, pretty much identified Zimmerman as the one being on the ground. Besides, we have physical evidence that supports Zimmerman's account.
Leaving the above aside, let's say Martin was on top. You state that he was in control of the situation! Was he? How much in control can someone who is unarmed be against someone who is armed? In your scenereo I'd have to argue there is a case of self-defense that can be made for Martin as he was unarmed, and fighting an armed man. I don't know about you, but if I found myself in that position I wouldn't stop hitting the other person until I knew he waw either no longer armed or completely incapacitated.
What evidence is there that demonstrates Martin knew Zimmerman was armed, and further, that he brandished it? None that I know of...
It wouldn’t have been daylight, sunset was at 6:22pm.
But yes, I am probably too frumpy. I hold an umbrella for my pups when it is raining and they need to do bidness.
Everyone is different, kiddo always wanted a ride if it was raining. *shrug*
I am just guessing around the facts like everybody else.
Too bad the kid just couldn't peacefully walk back to the apartment without being pursued by a wannabe cop. According to the incident report the shooting occured in the walkway behind 2831 Retreat View Court.
There is no evidence that Zimmerman chased Martin after the initial pursuit when Martin began to run. That's pure speculation on your part based on your prejudice because you believe Zimmerman is some kind of neighborhood vigilante.
Of course there is a difference between following and chasing. Chasing suggests running, following is more casual and Martin clearly asked why are you "following" me.
Also, Zimmerman tells the police dispatch that he doesn't know where Martin is. That's the reason he didn't want to give the officer his address.
A 14-year-old boy was arrested in the rape and beating of a woman outside the Hyatt Place Lakeland Center hotel, police said this morning.... The victim, a hotel employee, was choked until she was unconscious before being sexually assaulted, said police, who called the attack "particularly violent."
Sutton, who is 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighs 215 pounds, had been reported missing since Friday by his mother, police said.
Kind of stretches the definition of "boy".
Sounds like a good dad.
Well, I missed that. Where is the evidence for that?
Yes, there's that on the tape also, but the part you quoted from my post is when the Officer asks Zimmerman his address.
If Zimmerman had waited for the police by his truck or by the mailboxes, this incident would have never happened. Who shoved first, who punched first, who knows ... does it matter? Zimmerman panicked and the kid's dead.
Yes, we are all just guessing. And more and more parents are chauffeuring kids on any whim.
All the witnesses who called 911 stated the incident occured in the backyard ... both the grass and the pathway are mentioned. Check out the photo I posted, that pathway is for foot traffic only.
I thought so. He survived the experienced and can laugh about it,...,now.
Zimmerman may or may not be guilty of manslaughter or murder or he may be innocent.This story may be a lot grayer than the fevered pitch media accounts of what happened. The first thing they need to do is stop creating the impression this was a little child by constantly showing his photo when he was 11 and stop talking about skittles. This was a 6’2” 17 year old high school football player.The police report said that Zimmerman’s back was wet and he was bleeding from the nose and back of head when he came on the scene and that he overheard Zimmerman tell the EMT that he was yelling for help but no one came to help..If there was a fight, who threw the first punch? If Zimmerman chased him, he should not have done so but that does not make him guilty of murder at that point. What would make him guilty of murder or negligent homicide is if he shot Martin while he was on his back being hit by Martin and was not reasonably in fear of imminent serious bodily harm or loss of life.This is something for a jury to sort out not the media or agenda driven folks like Al Sharpton.
I suppose I am guilty of chauffeuring my kid on some whims. I didn’t usually find it unreasonable if it was raining and I wasn’t busy.
Looking back— I should have told kiddo about the good old days of walking 10 miles, up hill, in a snow storm, with no shoes, 20 lbs of books and a onion sammich for lunch. Just to get to school.
Why back in the day.... Bloody softy he is.
I guess more and more brothers are going to get Skittles for their little brothers on a whim, too.
Hey, it was probably smart self-interest on your part—he’ll likely take good care of you in your old age!
It may very well be true, but I still say Martin would have had plenty of time to get to the apartment before Zimmerman could catch him.
Shoot, he’s a brat but he’s my brat. :)
Saying, “ok” is not the same as agreeing to comply.
We cannot say factually that Zimmerman gave up the chase.
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