ZIMMERMAN VERDICT PART 3: “WHO STARTED IT?”

Backwoods Home ^ | July 17th, 2013 | Massad Ayoob

[Sopater]

Welcome to the new commentators here, many of whom seem to feel that Zimmerman started the encounter, a concept that concerns many of our regulars as well. Whenever there’s a fight, no matter the degree of consequences, the first question is always “who started it?”

Zimmerman took the first action, calling police when he observed Martin. He said that he was concerned because the man in the hoodie appeared to be wandering slowly and aimlessly in heavy rain. This is more consistent with what might be called “casing the joint” than with someone in a hurry to get somewhere dry. He didn’t mention Martin’s skin color until expressly asked about it by the call center operator.

The evidence indicates that Zimmerman didn’t get out of his car until the operator asked where the suspicious person was, and where the police should meet Zimmerman, the complainant. Taking that as a request for information, Zimmerman obligingly got out of the car to gather the intelligence that seemed to have been implicitly requested of him. He was, after all, the elected (not self-appointed) captain of Neighborhood Watch, and his function as Eyes and Ears of the Police had been drilled into him and the other Watch members through the Police Department itself. When the call-taker asked if he was following the man, Zimmerman replied in the affirmative. He was then told, “You don’t have to do that.”

[Monty22002]

Ayoob is one of the tops of the field. If he says something I listen. If it’s something I don’t agree with, I’ll listen even more. As usual he takes the calm, rational approach and explains it well here.

[imardmd1]

Delacon; Delmarksman; exit82; deweyfrank; NTHockey; imardmd1; Fishtalk;

His book on matters related to defending oneelf with arms, "In The Gravest Extreme" is worthy of mention here.

It has been my handbook on preparation for such a confrontation. I recommend it to others as a necessary book of essential advice.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

There’s only one thing amiss about Zimmerman’s story. He told the police that the confrontation between him and Martin occurred right at the T-intersection of the sidewalk. Yet Martin’s body was found about 30 feet from the intersection, down the sidewalk. I have a feeling that when he was confronted, Zimmerman walked down the sidewalk to face Martin. It doesn’t make any difference in the overall picture, but there you have it.

[saleman]

Big fan of Ayoob.

This was a textbook case of self defense. Anyone saying otherwise has another agenda. Period. I understand that many people don’t want others to have the right to defend themselves with guns. That is a fight for another day. But for all these people to cloak themselves in Saint Trayvon in an effort to disarm law abiding citizens is disgusting.

[saleman]

“Yet Martin’s body was found about 30 feet from the intersection, down the sidewalk. I have a feeling that when he was confronted Zimmerman walked down the sidewalk to face Martin.”

This was covered in the evidence. The struggle was not static. There was a trail of so called “debris” from the T down to where the body was found. Also. 30 whole feet? Really? About the length of a large room.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Rachel Jeantel has told us at least twice on cable TV that Trayvmon Martin was just going to give Zimmerman an #%%-whooping, and that Zimmerman misinterpreted and thought his live was in danger and overreacted.

In other words, Saint Skittles initiated a violent assault.

But Eric Holder's people have a right to give white-Hispanics an #%%-whooping. Ain't no big thang.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

There’s only one thing amiss about Zimmerman’s story.

Rachel Jeantel has told us at least twice on cable TV that Trayvmon Martin was just going to give Zimmerman an #%%-whooping, and that Zimmerman misinterpreted and thought his live was in danger and overreacted.

In other words, according to the only witness who was actually talking to him at the time of the altercation, Saint Skittles initiated a violent assault and that it was no big thang.

Case closed.

[MrEdd]

Trayvon had the right to walk down public streets. He did not have the right to be wandering at night in a gated community that did not allow overnight guests.

He was not a resident.

Any resident had every right to question him.

[MrEdd]

You didn’t bother to watch the trial. A resident did indeed do just that but Trayvon kept up the assault. Trayvon was shot after the man stepped back inside.

I suppose the guy could have tried to pull Travon off, but not everyone is a fighter.

[traderrob6]

Related...

http://exposingtheleft.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-zimmerman-prosecution-clarified.html

[Shelayne]

Yep. He just went to 7-11 and purchased two of the three ingredients needed to make a nice Lean or Sizzurp cocktail, of which—according to his social media posts—he quite enjoyed. His toxicology report with the beginnings of liver and brain damage certainly support his regular use of DXM.

I believe that the narrative of Iced Tea and Skittles was purposely constructed and imprinted to steer anyone away from Purple Drank. Surely anyone versed in the whole gangsta/rap/hip-hop culture would connect the dots with Watermelon juice and Skittles—or at the very least have them investigating further. But I suppose that would be racist. **sigh**

[tbpiper]

“Some of the missions of our [Trayvon Martin] foundation is to mentor, do scholarships, educate communities on the law, and to advocate for senseless violence.”

If he had just done that with his son....

[FortWorthPatriot]

I've heard a lot of talk on local radio stations around here about how this all could have been avoided had Zimmerman "just stayed in his truck." That might be true, but he did not and unfortunately the events unfolded as they did. Although Zimmerman did get out of his truck, he would have gotten back to it safely after his call to 911 had ended and Martin would still be alive today had Martin not made three bad decisions.

According to his "girlfriend," Martin had ran from where Zimmerman had spotted him, down between two rows of homes down a sidewalk that ran between the backyards towards his father’s house which was at the far end of the row, about 100 hundred yards away from where Zimmerman ends up after leaving his truck:

GIRLFRIEND: I said, ‘Keep running.’ He said he ain’t gonna run. ‘Cause he said he is right by his father’s house. And then in a couple minutes he said the man is following him again. He’s behind him. I said, ‘Run!’ He said he was not going to run. I knew he was not going to run because he was out of breath. And then he was getting excited, the guy’s getting close to him. I told him, ‘Run!’ And I told him, ‘Keep running!’ He not going to run. I tell him, ‘Why are you not running?’ He said ’I’m not gonna.’ He was tired. I know he was tired.

His girlfriend testifies that Martin had told her over the phone that he is at his father’s house. So safety is within reach - Zimmerman is nowhere near Martin’s location. Martin is more than a hundred yards from Zimmerman now and in no immediate danger. He could have simply walked inside and that would have been the end of it all right then and there. Zimmerman would have later given the police his report, they would have looked around and probably not found anything.

But Martin made the conscious decision to go back the entire 300 feet that he just ran, away from the safety of his father’s house, apparently just so he could confront Zimmerman. Martin made the decision to return to the location from which he had previously ran.

So while Zimmerman is walking back to his truck and talking to the dispatcher, Martin is returning back up between the rows of homes he had just ran down, back to where Zimmerman is still. Zimmerman has no idea that Martin had reached his father’s house nor is now unaware that Martin is moving towards his direction.

I would imagine that in Zimmerman's mind, he is probably thinking that the kid probably ran out the back gate (which was the direction in which Martin was running) and is now long gone. To him, it's now a problem for the police.

After Zimmerman hangs up after his call to 911, he states that Martin then comes out of the shadows and confronts him.

Zimmerman had screamed for help during the struggle but no one came to help him (although they did call 911). Zimmerman feared for his life because he was afraid that Martin was going to kill him so he was left with no other alternative but to fire the fatal round.

Perhaps Zimmerman should have stayed in his truck. That’s a fair statement. Maybe he should have. However, for me the following questions are more pertinent to the case:

• Why didn’t Martin simply go inside when he had clearly reached the safety of his father’s house?

• Why did Martin deliberately (he certainly wasn’t forced) return roughly a football field’s length back to where Zimmerman was especially if Martin was unsure as to Zimmerman’s intent?

• Why did Martin then decide to confront Zimmerman? He could have simply stayed in the shadows and let Zimmerman walk on back to his truck in peace. Then Martin could have slipped right back down to his father's house and gone inside.

If Zimmerman made a knuckleheaded decision to leave his truck to follow Martin which ultimately lead up to the deadly confrontation, Martin made three equally knuckleheaded decisions as well to (a) not enter the potential safety of his father’s house, (b) go back to where Zimmerman was located, and (c) confront Zimmerman.

Sharpton made the comment that Martin had the “civil right” to go home. Well, Martin did go home. All he had to do was open the door and walk inside. Had he simply gone into his father’s house, Martin would probably still be alive today. In my opinion, Martin is 100% responsible for his own death.

Too bad the left won't ask these questions...

[Iron Munro]

He was keeping an eye on the guy because he didn't recognize him as being from the neighborhood, and because his behavior didn't match someone just walking through to get somewhere.

What is so suspicious about an unkown black kid in a dark hoodie standing by the corner of someone else's house in the dark, in the rain, in February, in a neighborhood where there have been recent break-ins and robberies?

Sounds like the white-hispanics are profiling innocent black children again.

/s

[Sergio]

bkmk

[virgil283]

Thanks for posting this Sopater. Read all three parts 'cause Mas has the talent to get right to the point .. : It all boils down to this - two guys got in a fight...so who threw the first punch ???....Well TM didn't have a mark on him.....

[Sopater]

It all boils down to this - two guys got in a fight...so who threw the first punch ???....Well TM didn't have a mark on him.....

Actually, I'd say it boils down to "who first presented themself as a viable threat to life or limb?" The evidence supports Zimmerman's statement that Martin did by throwing the first punch. My 10-year-old daughter could not be presented to a jury as a viable threat to life or limb for simply throwing a first punch. Martin's size and capabilities however, put him into a different light than some others.

[Sopater]

I've heard a lot of talk on local radio stations around here about how this all could have been avoided had Zimmerman "just stayed in his truck."

It's the old "blame the victim because they shouldn't have gotten involved". As the elected neighborhood watch person for the community, I believe that Zimmerman felt that he had a civic duty to his community to get involved.

If the dispatcher on the phone with Zimmerman hadn't asked him which way he went, he probably wouldn't have gotten out of his car... If someone else had answered the non-emergency phone that night... If TM had taken a different route so that GZ could still see him... the list is endless as to how many different ways this thing could have gone to come out with different results.

Who's to say that TM wouldn't have gone back and pulled him from his vehicle either? You play the cards you're delt and don't bother thinking about what "could have been"... it's not useful.

[Uncle Chip]

Sybrina Tracy Crump on The View July 18 2013

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=B4H0gnsCvfg#at=157

[Fresh Wind]

If he had just done that with his son....

Tracy Martin set a wonderful example for his precious son by his involvement with the Crips gang.