Posted on 03/26/2012 8:41:12 AM PDT by maggief
With a single punch, Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who eventually shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old, then Trayvon climbed on top of George Zimmerman and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, leaving him bloody and battered, authorities have revealed to the Orlando Sentinel.
That is the account Zimmerman gave police, and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say.
Zimmerman has not spoken publicly about what happened, but that night, Feb. 26, and in later meetings he described and re-enacted for police what he says happened.
In his version of events, he had turned around and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from behind, the two exchanged words then Trayvon punched him in the nose, sending him to the ground, and began beating him.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.orlandosentinel.com ...
Cousin tweeted about it is what I read.
Here’s the Sanford Police Department site - they’ve got phone calls etc...
http://sanfordfl.gov/investigation/trayvon_martin.html
I was pretty certain it couldn’t be a regionalism. :^)
But growing up in a New York, I’d found loads of words which turned out to be regionalisms.
It would probably depend on what, if anything, was being said by the follower. If whitey is being taunted, then I suspect all reasonable people would find the following to be objectionable. OTOH, if the person following was providing a form of protection (e.g., against known thugs who roamed the vicinity), or if the whitey was peeking in windows (not saying Trayvon was doing this, BTW, just describing conduct), then I think the following is prudent, unobjectionable, etc.
If the follower demanded to know, and got a reasonable answer, and quit following, likewise, I see no issue - certainly not one that gives whitey the right to hit the person who made the verbal demand.
Personal attacks are not equivalent to opinions which is why they call FR a forum. IF we can't express opinion, we have lost our individuality.
I can’t find anything that says he played football for his high school. Any links? Usually if a player is caught with drugs or has other discipline problems, they are kicked off the team. Would love to see proof he was ever actually on the high school team.
You and I share the same position on this issue and many others (you listed).
I must have a higher level of distaste for Sharpton than you. Or a healthier respect for fellow freepers. I can’t see myself calling a Freeper “Al Sharpton”.....a newbie troll? Maybe. But not long time Freepers.
I think you might be misinterpreting the frustration here at FR. I can only speak of my point of view and my years of FR engagement.
The outrage here is that it has been turned into a race issue where there is little evidence supporting this being a racial issue. There are some here that would like to suggest that the "suspicion" was enough to label Zimmerman a racist. Others have suggested the fact that Zimmerman wasn't arrested suggests the police were racists. But those opinions are in the minority in my opinion.
Largely, my frustration is that this is actually a pretty complicated case. The racism issue that has been generated is clouding the issue and is a source of a lot of emotional embellishment and bogus fact fillers. Chasing, pursuit, following all have different meanings and connotations. Some would like to call it black and white and get mad at others (many have).
I have always been proud of the fact that FReepers throw out most of the PC BS regardless of Freeper race, sex, religion, etc. There are black Freepers, women, gay and lesbian, Mormons, catholics (I don't know if there are any Muslims), etc.
Don't mistake the racial overtones associated with media attitudes, motivation and provocation as a label for this website. Most of the debate here is well intended and respectable. But it is a public forum and it will have it's share of goofballs, hayseeds, trolls and drama queens.
When the media attacks a civilian, folks here "get suspicious." When the detestable Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson show up to call for a bounty on "Whity's" head, you might find some that would like to call attention to the fact that Treyvon was not the 12 year old innocent saint he was portrayed to be initially. Noting he had gold teeth and was a gangsta wanna be (see Twitter) is not smearing but certainly pushing back against the media picture. It also presents a different potential picture of what might have transpired in those final 90 seconds or so. Thank you.
Well, the race pimps did come to town. They are a sideshow. George Zimmerman was a Democrat so it won’t work for the media to blame repubicans for this death in the long run. It may work for awhile.
Until the Grand Jury convenes,there will be a lot of hyperbole and chit chat. Let all the findings be consolidated and the rumors will be weeded out on both sides. Due process is in order and Floridians do not act in a mob mentality in most situations. Rick Scott got in front of this along with our Lt Governor and the Grand Jury. I’m going to trust their judgment and things are calm here. That’s a good thing.
Quoting Bud Abbot: Saaaytenly!!
The underground could very well surface and bite them you know where!
Ping..........
To #362
Thank you, GOPJ.
Wendy Dorival is Sanford’s volunteer coordinator for the Police Department. She helped train Zimmerman. She stated that those involved in neighborhood-watch programs are supposed to be “the eyes and ears” for the police, “not a vigilante.” Specifically, she said, members “are not supposed to confront anyone. We get paid to get into harm’s way. You don’t do that. You just call them from the safety of your home or your vehicle.” She added that carrying and using a gun on patrol violates protocols.
Furthermore, the National Sheriffs’ Association, which sponsors the neighborhood-watch program nationwide, is 100% clear in its manual on this point as well: “Patrol members do not carry weapons,” have no police power, and should “not attempt to apprehend a person committing a crime or to investigate a suspicious activity.” Lastly, not following the guidelines can result in serious consequences: “Each member is liable as an individual for civil and criminal charges should he exceed his authority.”
On at least two prior occasions, the Sanford Police Department was accused of giving favorable treatment to relatives of officers involved in violent encounters with blacks.
In 2010, police waited seven weeks to arrest a lieutenant’s son who was caught on video sucker-punching a homeless black man.
In 2005, two security guards — one the son of a longtime Sanford police officer and the other a department volunteer — killed a black man they said was trying to run them over. Black leaders complained of a lackluster investigation. The guards ultimately were acquitted.
“Zimmerman felt he was one of them; he felt he was a cop,” said Trayvon’s family attorney, Natalie Jackson, who accuses the police of protecting him.
I listened to the phone calls and all I’ve got to say is it’s a good thing I wasn’t the 911 operator with that one woman.
The kid’s parents have said they heard him crying for help in one of the calls but if they’re talking about #3 (?) then that’s the woman’s child, Jeremy, inside the house with her because later in the conversation she says they’re still outside talking and you can’t hear anything. The operator does make a comment about not hearing anything anymore but again, that was little Jeremy that the operator heard.
Yo, Obama, nowhere in any of those calls did I hear anything about a cracker doing a hate crime on some innocent little black boy minding his own business.
When FV and I were discussing this yesterday, a statement was made that watch participants were not to be armed. I questioned if that was a law or just a policy suggestion.
Your info further clarifies that there is indeed no law against carrying while on watch, its only a "matter of policy" as I suspected would be the case.
Zimmerman was a renter. Would he or the owner of his unit be responsible?
Is a matter of policy is the same as a violation of protocols?
It is not a "law" but it is 100% clear: patrol members are not carry weapons, have no police power, and should not attempt to apprehend a person committing a crime or to investigate a suspicious activity. Not following the guidelines can result in serious consequences: each member is liable as an individual for civil and criminal charges should he exceed his authority.
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