Trayvon Martin was walking through a gated community which had experienced numerous thefts by black youths. Note: gated community = private property.
He was noticed by a member of the community watch, a Mr. Zimmerman, who pursued the 6’-3”, 200 lb. highschool football player, loudly asking why he was on the property and what he was doing. When he couldn’t get Tryvon to stop, he tried to return to his vehicle.
Two witnesses say they saw the assault on Mr. Zimmerman, a small, pudgy Hispanic male, by the much larger Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin has been described as sitting on Mr. Zimmerman’s chest, beating the smaller man’s face with his fists.
When the police FINALLY arrived, they found Mr. Zimmerman lying prone on the ground with a broken nose and bloody contusions to his head. Mr. Martin was dead, a bullet hole in his chest.
1. Mr.Zimmerman was where he belonged.
2. Mr.Martin was supposedly “passing through”.
3. Mr.Zimmerman was assaulted and severly injured, as two witnesses attest.
4. Mr.Martin ended up dead.
Was the shooting in self-defense? The police believe Mr.Zimmerman was where he belonged, as he lived in the gated community, and was assaulted with violent intent. The “Castle doctrine” fits.
No, I do not agree with Rep.West.
Note: all the above facts were garnered from threads posted yesterday on Free Republic. Amazingly, even the Boston Herald had an article on this incident.
All of those ‘facts’ you list don’t fit with the police report and follow up reports. In fact, I think everything you stated is false.
First, Martin was 6’ 160lbs, not the 6’3” 200lbs you list. See the police report below.
There is no statement by Zimmerman in the police report stating that Martin was on his chest. Zimmerman gave his statement to both officers at the time of the incident and did not state that. Zimmerman also did not tell either officer that he was being punched.
Martin was with his father visiting his father’s girlfriend who lived in the neighborhood, thus he had a legal right to be there.
Martin had no responsibility to stop for an unidenfiable individual who was trying to detain him.
The police report indicates that the responding officer had Zimmerman at gunpoint, then cuffed him and put him in his car.
The police report indicates that Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose. I don’t know where you get ‘broken nose’ from. I see no witness statements to that effect.
The police list charges of Negligent Homicide and Manslaughter on their first report. Apparaently, the two responding officers did not think Mr. Zimmerman was quite so innocent.
The Castle Doctrine is irrelevant here because Ziummerman innitiated the confrontation.
Info compiled here:
http://sanfordfl.gov/investigation/trayvon_martin.html
Trayvon Martin was walking through a gated community which had experienced numerous thefts by black youths. Note: gated community = private property.
We only know that there had been burglaries. We do not know who committed them. Also, while it is a gated community, it is undisputed that Martin was within his rights to be there, as a guest of a resident. This is in the police report.
He was noticed by a member of the community watch, a Mr. Zimmerman, who pursued the 6’-3”, 200 lb. highschool football player, loudly asking why he was on the property and what he was doing. When he couldn’t get Tryvon to stop, he tried to return to his vehicle.
No. There is no evidence that Zimmerman chased Martin. After the operator suggested he should not follow, he said "okay" and remained on the line for almost two more minutes. Near the end of the call he stated that he could no longer see Martin, and did not know where he had gone.
The only account of the conversation between them comes from Martin's girlfriend, who states that it was Martin started the conversation by asking "why are you following me?"
Two witnesses say they saw the assault on Mr. Zimmerman, a small, pudgy Hispanic male, by the much larger Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin has been described as sitting on Mr. Zimmerman’s chest, beating the smaller man’s face with his fists.
True, but incomplete. There were more than two witnesses who corroborate this account.
When the police FINALLY arrived, they found Mr. Zimmerman lying prone on the ground with a broken nose and bloody contusions to his head. Mr. Martin was dead, a bullet hole in his chest.
No. Zimmerman was standing and walking towards the officer. The officer noticed Zimmerman's injuries and the grass and wetness on his back while handcuffing him. The police report does not state where the bullet hole was, so I can't say it was not in his chest. But Martin was lying face down with his hands underneath him. Also, I'd be cautious about using that "FINALLY." Zimmerman called the non-emergency line (not 911.) He hung up at 7:13 PM. The first officer arrived at 7:17 and was informed on the radio as he arrived that a shot had been fired. Four minutes is not bad for non-emergency response.
1. Mr.Zimmerman was where he belonged.
2. Mr.Martin was supposedly “passing through”.
No. He was staying as a guest with a resident of the community. He was also where he belonged.
3. Mr.Zimmerman was assaulted and severly injured, as two witnesses attest.
4. Mr.Martin ended up dead.
Was the shooting in self-defense? The police believe Mr.Zimmerman was where he belonged, as he lived in the gated community, and was assaulted with violent intent. The “Castle doctrine” fits.
No, not the Castle doctrine.
No, I do not agree with Rep.West.
Nor do I. I am not a LEO, but I am having a hard time figuring out exactly what steps some people think the police missed in their investigation. They may or may not "believe" Zimmerman committed a crime, but there are no witnesses or any other evidence that contradicts Zimmerman's account. There are witness accounts which corroborate parts of it. I am at a loss to understand why so many people are convinced he needs to be prosecuted.