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Florida's self-defense law complicates shooting of teenager (Trayvon Martin)
Kansas City (Star).com &McClatchy Newspapers ^ | March 19, 2012 | DAVID OVALLE AND FRANCES ROBLES

Posted on 03/21/2012 6:01:38 PM PDT by Navy Patriot

Florida's controversial 2005 "Stand-Your-Ground" self-defense law could make it difficult to charge a Sanford man who shot an unarmed Miami Gardens teenager to death, legal experts say.

An arrest could hinge on whether prosecutors believe that neighborhood-watch volunteer George Zimmerman acted unreasonably when he encountered Trayvon Martin, 17, whom he suspected was a prowler. A 911 dispatcher told Zimmerman that he didn't need to follow Martin.

"If he was attacked, he can stand his ground," said retired Miami-Dade prosecutor David Waksman, who is not involved in the case. "But if police say back off and we'll take care of it, he's not covered by the law."

The state self-defense law eliminated a citizen's duty to retreat before using deadly force to confront an attacker. Police and prosecutors statewide have said the the law fosters a shoot-first, ask-questions-later mentality.

(Excerpt) Read more at kansascity.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: banglist; lamestream; media; trayvonmartin
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To: chris37
'out of his face (he broke his nose) and slammed Zimmerman’s head into the concrete causing it to bleed.'

We dont know that, and that's part of the main problem with the initial handling of the 'investigation'. I'm unaware of any reliable reports that Mr. Zimmerman was treated by the local EMT or went to the hospital to fix his 'wounds'.

Also, I would hope a proper investigation would have photographed Mr.Zimmerman and surrounding areas to conduct a proper investigation, for all we know the blood found on Mr.Zimmerman, could have come from Mr. Martin.


41 posted on 03/21/2012 7:52:39 PM PDT by Theoria (Rush Limbaugh: Ron Paul sounds like an Islamic terrorist)
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To: Navy Patriot

That’s fair enough, except we don’t know much about the agendas of the involved parties in this case, except the obvious agenda of Mr Zimmerman to get away with it whether he was at fault or not.


42 posted on 03/21/2012 7:57:02 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: Revolting cat!
Zimmerman is a hothead with multiple past 911 calls regarding blacks.

Not a criminal act.

Zimmerman followed the victim, even though he was told by the 911 operator to stop.

Not a criminal act.

Zimmerman’s life was not in danger from a 140 lb punk whom he outweighed by a 100lbs.

Not provable in court both physically and mentally speaking.

You would have to prove Zimmerman knew his life was not in danger in his thoughts, and the testimony would have to come from Mr. Zimmerman, what other people thought is not relevant.

Zero for three, care to try again?

43 posted on 03/21/2012 8:03:10 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it. (plagiarized))
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To: Navy Patriot

Zimmerman your hero then?

To me a scumbag, even if his acts were, as you the legal expert pronounce, “not criminal”!

Try again justifying the murder of an unarmed even just like the murderer hotblooded teenager.


44 posted on 03/21/2012 8:08:59 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: Revolting cat!
That’s fair enough, except we don’t know much about the agendas of the involved parties in this case...

Are you alleging that the MSM, US "gun control" organizations, the DemoRat party, and now Justice, Eric Holder and Obama have no agenda or bias?

Or are you alleging they are not involved?

Or are you saying you don't know anything about any entity in this group?

45 posted on 03/21/2012 8:13:15 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it. (plagiarized))
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To: Paradox

Yes, I have been followed and then approched by someone, and that does not equal an assault in any way shape or form.

If the thug responded to someone following and approaching him by smashing his face, taking him down, mounting him and then slamming his head into concrete, then he got what he deserved.

Had he done that to me he would have found out what a Harpy is real fast.


46 posted on 03/21/2012 8:13:45 PM PDT by chris37 (Heartless.)
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To: Navy Patriot

You’ve brought new pieces onto thge board to insinuate I support the agendas (that you know so well) of Holder, MSM, and the like. Sorry, game over.


47 posted on 03/21/2012 8:21:26 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: JimSEA

“I’m not aware of just where the case of the boy being doused with gas and set afire stands but I don’t see what it has to do with this case.” What he is saying is that in this case the media are immediately calling racism and fanning the flames, calling Zimmerman white when he is hispanic, calling for an arrest etc. Whereas in the other case, they downplayed the attackers race (black) as well as the victims race (white) and took a wait and see attitude instead of immediately claiming racism even though the attackers are making racial slurs during the attack.


48 posted on 03/21/2012 8:30:07 PM PDT by falcon99
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To: Revolting cat!
Zimmerman your hero then?

Nope, and find a post where I say that, if you can.

To me a scumbag, even if his acts were, as you the legal expert pronounce, “not criminal”!

You are entitled to the opinion the MSM has given you.

Try again justifying the murder of an unarmed even just like the murderer hotblooded teenager.

There is little justice in law, and I have not justified anything, nor have I tried.

The preponderance of law in America is what the closest leftist DemoRat says it is, but they don't always get their way.

In this case, Florida patriots wrote, promoted and passed a necessary Stand Your Ground self defense addition to existing Florida law, and the leftist Rats hate it because it takes power from leftist lawyers and politicians.

When the law doesn't go the way the leftist Rats want, the MSM uses a few lies and they easily get a hate whitey lynch mob of useful idiots demanding the law be ignored.

And there you are.

49 posted on 03/21/2012 8:42:44 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it. (plagiarized))
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To: Navy Patriot

Then you should argue your case against the representatives of the MSM, not against me, who doesn’t follow the MSM, doesn’t watch the idiot box (DO YOU?!) and gets his news from all over the place mostly via Free Republic, which is to say through MSM, unfortunately, as you do, only to a lesser degree, since as I said, I don’t turn on the idiot box (wanna buy it cheap?) or read the MSM rags on paper or online.

Admit, that like it or not all your info about the universe comes thanks to the hard work of the dedicated employees of the cursed MSM!


50 posted on 03/21/2012 8:52:59 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: Navy Patriot

Then you should argue your case against the representatives of the MSM, not against me, who doesn’t follow the MSM, doesn’t watch the idiot box (DO YOU?!) and gets his news from all over the place mostly via Free Republic, which is to say through MSM, unfortunately, as you do, only to a lesser degree, since as I said, I don’t turn on the idiot box (wanna buy it cheap?) or read the MSM rags on paper or online.

Admit, that like it or not all your info about the universe comes thanks to the hard work of the dedicated employees of the cursed MSM!


51 posted on 03/21/2012 8:53:17 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: Revolting cat!
Here is an entire Google page of links to leftist MSM sites carrying news stories of the Justice Department and FBI investigating the Martin shooting.

Last I heard, Holder ran Justice and Obama ran Holder. Obviously, you don't know.

You're done.

52 posted on 03/21/2012 8:57:50 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it. (plagiarized))
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To: All
From Revolting cat!:

...all your info about the universe comes thanks to the hard work of the dedicated employees of the cursed MSM!

Submitted to all for your approval, while genuflecting.

53 posted on 03/21/2012 9:07:04 PM PDT by Navy Patriot (Join the Democrats, it's not Fascism when WE do it. (plagiarized))
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To: Navy Patriot

You, the idiot box watcher, win the argument, so don’t deflect it unto me, who does not use the MSM AT ALL!

Yes, we must conclude that everyone who disagrees with the self appointed “Patriot” believes the MSM, or else, if he doesn’t partake in the MSM fun, then he must not know the evil personas at the head of the evil government agencies.

That’s called eating the cake and having it too! Bon apetite.

You won, MSM consumer.


54 posted on 03/21/2012 9:14:11 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Let us prey!)
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To: Navy Patriot; All

.

While the Zimmerman ‘white’ on black killing is covered 24/7 on the MSM with an outpouring of rage and charges of a racial hate crime, where is the concern- where is the rage about the home invasion, torture, beating and the murder of the elderly white couple by blacks in Oklahoma just the other day?

The 90 year old war veteran husband was beaten, his jaw broken, shot in the face with a BB gun and barely clings to life.
The 85 year old partially blind wife was raped and beaten to death.

Where is the 24/7 MSM coverage

Where is the outrage?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2861754/posts?page=46

.


55 posted on 03/22/2012 2:12:13 AM PDT by patriot08 (TEXAS GAL- born and bred and proud of it!)
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To: patriot08

“Where is the outrage?”

Here, on FR and a few other places. The MSM and this regime are PC. See; as they see it, blacks are “disadvantaged”, oppressed and repressed. So, it’s okay if Holder’s and Obama’s “people” act up regularly.

You ask when will they have enough reparations to stop this foot stomping on the face of whitey forever? The answer is NEVER. Ever since LBJ declared his “Waw on Poverty”, it just gets worse and worse. Now we are broke, and they demand MORE, and they are angry.


56 posted on 03/22/2012 2:23:51 AM PDT by Twinkie (John 3:16)
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To: chris37
If the thug responded to someone following and approaching him by smashing his face, taking him down, mounting him and then slamming his head into concrete, then he got what he deserved.

We dont know exactly how it happened, we dont know how he approached him, we dont know who made the first move, once the fight starts, all bets are off, however. We DO know that Zimmerman was following him, against recommendations. For that, I fault Zimmerman. Like I said, it might not be a crime, but Zim is at least at fault for starting the whole thing.

And I've been followed too, it ended up pretty ugly. I'm glad the other guy didnt have a gun.

57 posted on 03/22/2012 5:29:38 AM PDT by Paradox (I want Obama defeated. Period.)
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To: Navy Patriot

Wouldn’t the deceased of had the right to fight back citing the same “stand your ground” statute? So the wounds to Zimmerman don’t make it an open/shut case. Also, once (or if) Zimmerman became the agressor (by approaching the young adult or trying to detain him) he forfeits his “self defense” reasoning.


58 posted on 03/22/2012 6:31:16 AM PDT by justice14 ("stand up defend or lay down and die")
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To: Paradox

I’m sorry, but following and approcahing someone is not assault, and it is not aggrvated assault.

The kid could have used his phone to call police and report the following.

If he chose to assault Zimmerman over it, then Zimmerman was within the law to use his gun to stop the assault.

You are exactly right when you say what Zimmerman did wasn’t a crime, and if what the kid apparently did happened, then that was a violent crime.


59 posted on 03/22/2012 9:04:27 AM PDT by chris37 (Heartless.)
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To: Myrddin
Update: the link to Trayvon Martin appears to be a San Antonio, TX school. It's likely the subject of the thread was playing football for the Optimist's Club in Florida that year. We don't have a good weight for Martin the day of the shooting.
60 posted on 03/22/2012 1:33:49 PM PDT by Myrddin
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