Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Martin was 17, a football player, and appeared to be in very decent physical shape. If, as you claim, fear was his motivating factor, why didn't he just run away from the overweight, middle aged guy following him? His house was 70 yards away. Why would he care if Zimmerman though he was a criminal? A cop can give a lawful order to stop, in which case running would be a bad idea. There is no reason to think that this civilian did so. You're trying to say he was too scared to run away, but not to scared to go to Zimmerman, confront him and get in a fight with him? That dog don't hunt.
My theory (and it's only that) is that he saw Zimmerman, knew he was being followed, got pizzed and went back, or waited for Zimmerman, and confronted him verbally. All very reasonable IMO. It's equally reasonable that Zimmerman, as a neighborhood watch guy, would be following a person that fit the description of those that committed a string of burglaries in the neighborhood. Perhaps not smart, but not illegal, and reasonable to do so at some distance and report his position to the police. It's very possible that had Z seen M walk into an occupied house and seen him welcomed there, that he would have realized he belonged in the neighborhood and it would have ended. What we don't know is how exactly the verbal confrontation started, who initiated the physical confrontation (threw the first punch) and if Z reasonably was in fear for his life.
Exactly what happened...is up to a jury to decide now.
Precisely! Which is why your speculation of what transpired is just that...speculation. Trayvon's confronting Zimmerman is very much specutation at this point...wouldn't you agree?
in GA, we have a castle doctrine that allows killing unarmed home invaders. there was an event where i thought someone broke into my basement, but i didn't go down with my weapon pointed and finger on the trigger, my weapon was on my side facing down with finger off the trigger while i had a flashlight ready on strobe mode. what i feared most was taking the life of someone who was not dangerous, but at that time, i was ready to kill.
Dangerous or not.....break into my house and you are getting shot.
The unsolved rash of breakins led to a sense of hypervigilance. What exactly happened when those two collided we don't know, but we know why Zimmerman was out there watching the streets.
Were the people who committed the crimes arrested and charged? How do you know they weren't bears?
Seriously, you are listening to Frank Taaffe, not the Sanford Police. He is the man who keeps defending this shooting because of all the "Black males" who committed these crimes. I find it amazing that one man makes a statement and everyone figures it must be true. How easy for people to believe that a gang of Black hoodlums were breaking into homes.
But if you do some homework, you'll find that out of "the rash" of burglaries reported, only 3 were Blacks. Keep in mind that there are 263 townhouses in Twin Lakes. So what is "a rash?" Yet every single newsletter emailed by Zimmerman told neighbors to be on the look out for young, Black males.
Now, let's look at the facts from the Sanford police: 8 burglaries in the 14 months prior to the shooting on Feb 26.
In 3 of those incidents, Black males were implicated by witnesses or arrests. (think only 1 arrest)
So why would a young Black male be any more suspect than a White or Hispanic male or female?
A homeowner who reported that someone had broken into her home and stolen a video game console referred police to a black man who had previously visited her home asking for her son.
After an investigation into the matter, police did not list that man as a suspect in their report.
In the other four incidents, there were no witnesses or suspects, according to police reports.
Yet every time I read about the burglaries, it says they were committed by young, Black males.
Precisely! Which is why your speculation of what transpired is just that...speculation. Trayvon's confronting Zimmerman is very much specutation at this point...wouldn't you agree?
Exactly, which is why I said "My theory (and it's only that)". It's purely speculation. The balance of my post was why your speculation didn't make a lot of sense given what we know of the case. Can you point out what part of my theory doesn't make sense, given what we know?
Martin was 17, a football player, and appeared to be in very decent physical shape. If, as you claim, fear was his motivating factor, why didn't he just run away from the overweight, middle aged guy following him? His house was 70 yards away. Why would he care if Zimmerman though he was a criminal? A cop can give a lawful order to stop, in which case running would be a bad idea. There is no reason to think that this civilian did so. You're trying to say he was too scared to run away, but not to scared to go to Zimmerman, confront him and get in a fight with him? That dog don't hunt.
My theory (and it's only that) is that he saw Zimmerman, knew he was being followed, got pizzed and went back, or waited for Zimmerman, and confronted him verbally. All very reasonable IMO. It's equally reasonable that Zimmerman, as a neighborhood watch guy, would be following a person that fit the description of those that committed a string of burglaries in the neighborhood. Perhaps not smart, but not illegal, and reasonable to do so at some distance and report his position to the police. It's very possible that had Z seen M walk into an occupied house and seen him welcomed there, that he would have realized he belonged in the neighborhood and it would have ended. What we don't know is how exactly the verbal confrontation started, who initiated the physical confrontation (threw the first punch) and if Z reasonably was in fear for his life.
Exactly what happened...is up to a jury to decide now.
1) 28 is not middle aged
2) This man is not overweight which shows he lost weight from that 1st picture that was terribly released meaning he probably works out. Wouldn't you think?
Glad to know that at least the process will play out. Where it goes who knows but keep in mind this is FL and all know how well Prosecutors in Florida handle high profile murder cases (Casey Anthony). IMO they went for too much with 2nd degree murder and will lose because of that.
Exactly, which is why I said "My theory (and it's only that)". It's purely speculation. The balance of my post was why your speculation didn't make a lot of sense given what we know of the case. Can you point out what part of my theory doesn't make sense, given what we know?
My post did not make sense? I can understand if you disagree with any speculation, but not making sense? That was quite a poor choice of words.
no, when you pull your gun out, then you are prepared to shoot. anyone that ccw knows that. at that distance it is too easy for the attacker to push the barrel away.
Well, people keep saying that but I see it as an excuse to shoot to kill in all situations- an EXCUSE. Shooting does not necessarily mean killing. It could mean firing a warning shot, aiming for leg, or simply holding an unarmed person at gunpoint until LE arrived. Every situation is unique and calls for a mature, experienced gun handler who does not have an overarching agenda other than legal game hunting and self protection as a last resort. Remember the old saw, "guns don't kill, people do", well, yep, exactly right.
IMO If you are not a mature, safe, sane, practiced firearms handler, you have no business carrying a gun around. There are too many yayhoos out there who are armed, scared, emotionally motivated, and trigger happy. This is about the mental health and stability of people carrying guns- from the scorned wife, to the gangbanger, to the wannabe cop, to the armed robber, to the multiple victim shooter going "postal".
I already know the defensive responses I will get, so yes, people have a right to own guns according to the laws, but that doesn't mean that every single person has any business doing so. Unfortunately, those same people have no objective way to view their own qualifications and attitudes realistically.
There are strict laws and consequences to drunk driving, reckless driving, speeding etc. because you are operating a potentially deadly weapon. I think there are also a lot of "drunk" or otherwise (mentally, emotionally, chemically) impaired gun toters out there. So be it. We all live with the consequences.
BS : this is standard practice for anyone that ccw's
I know quite a few with CCW permits and the only thing they practice is lifting another cold one up!
How easy is it to draw and fire with someone on your chest? Do you practice that?
depending on what state you live, ccw requirements differs. but those that ccw are not allowed to drink and carry. you are clueless or the ones you know that ccw are not licensed.
since you asked me directly, then i will respond directly, my kids and i practice tactical training with LEO and military servicemen. no, we don't live in an underground bunker waiting for doomsday. instead of playing video games, we like to have fun doing weekly war games and tactical scenarios with a group of like minded people.
as for how easy it is to draw and fire with someone on your chest, it's very easy. just twist your body from your hip and the firearm will be accessible. it's a natural body reaction to being pinned down. one does not lay still and allow further injuries to themselves. we don't practice armchair tactics we use applied knowledge.
in GA, we have a castle doctrine that allows killing unarmed home invaders. there was an event where i thought someone broke into my basement, but i didn't go down with my weapon pointed and finger on the trigger, my weapon was on my side facing down with finger off the trigger while i had a flashlight ready on strobe mode. what i feared most was taking the life of someone who was not dangerous, but at that time, i was ready to kill.
This is exactly what I meant by a qualified, sane, responsible gun owner in my response to your other post. That would be you in the situation as you describe it above! Kudos!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
