Zimmerman Charged with Murder in the 2nd Degree. Justice!

[JP78]

Only in SteveAJones land. Everywhere else American minorities know full well that some of their members have no problem hating on others. Most also know that white people aren't to blame for all of society's problems; only the ones where white racism plays a role. While we're at it, successful black Americans ignore the people who would pull them down for striving. Some of these people are black but not all of them. One thing I've learned over the years is that this "crabs in a barrel" behavior isn't unique to black Americans. Throughout the world, people who attempt to rise above their station frequently provoke unease, jealousy and even hostility.

yes, just look at that Asian exchange student who was shot and jury acquitted the guy who did it because of resentment against asians for doing well in the world.

[Anjin-san]

Only in SteveAJones land. Everywhere else American minorities know full well that some of their members have no problem hating on others. Most also know that white people aren't to blame for all of society's problems; only the ones where white racism plays a role. While we're at it, successful black Americans ignore the people who would pull them down for striving. Some of these people are black but not all of them. One thing I've learned over the years is that this "crabs in a barrel" behavior isn't unique to black Americans. Throughout the world, people who attempt to rise above their station frequently provoke unease, jealousy and even hostility.

Here we go!

[MLE]

Huge news here:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fla-police-called-george-zimmerman-20203583

Is this the same behavior that took Trayvon Martin's life? Stupid asshole.

[Disco Duck]

Huge news here:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fla-police-called-george-zimmerman-20203583

Is this the same behavior that took Trayvon Martin's life? Stupid asshole.

George Zimmerman is flailing and will go under if he's not careful. If his supporters really want to help him they should encourage him to get rid of his guns and seek professional counseling to help with whatever issues he's struggling with.

[Walter]

He's had issues with domestic stuff before this. His wife is as fucked up and trashy as he is. George allegedly punched his father-in-law in the face? Thought he was such a wimp who couldn't handle his business?

[JP78]

child molesting piece of shit .history of beating up women. scumbag.

[Disco Duck]

child molesting piece of shit .history of beating up women. scumbag.

Child molesting? When was he accused and what were the circumstances?

[JP78]

Child molesting? When was he accused and what were the circumstances?

a cousin of his . says it went on for years .

[SteveAJones]

Huge news here:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/fla-police-called-george-zimmerman-20203583

Is this the same behavior that took Trayvon Martin's life? Stupid asshole.

It's the same behavior that contributed to their confrontation, but according to the jury's verdict Martin's life was taken on account of his attacking Zimmerman.

[MLE]

It's the same behavior that contributed to their confrontation, but according to the jury's verdict Martin's life was taken on account of his attacking Zimmerman.

Of course that's right. I don't wish to rehash the old 'who's to blame' debate, though, in a civil suit, it surely wouldn't look good on behalf of his character.

I haven't been keeping up much with this story. Does the Martin family intend to file a civil suit, or has it been done already...?

[Sagittarius Rising]

It's the same behavior that contributed to their confrontation, but according to the jury's verdict Martin's life was taken on account of his attacking Zimmerman.

Wrong verdict thanks to the judge who should be brought up on charges of judicial misconduct. Anyway, Zimmerman is a piece of garbage who just cannot control himself. Unless this waste of air goes for serious counseling he will either be dead or in jail within the year, of course I may be wrong however reviewing his past history in conjunction with present activity does not bode well for scumbag, er I mean Zimmerman.

[Stryder1978]

UMMM...before you try to hang Zimmerman again, please include a few of these facts:

1) His wife plead guilty to perjury charges stemming from the shooting case.

2) She is filing for divorce - emotions on both sides fly high in that situation.

3) Since his acquittal, the only trouble Geiorge has been in was a pir of speeding tickets (oh, the horror!)

4) For some strange reason, his wife and family now refuse to file charges!

He's far from a saint, but (just like the shooting trial) let's review all the facts before you rush to judgement......

[TypeO]

Does the Martin family intend to file a civil suit, or has it been done already...?

There won't be a civil suit.

Because all Trayvon's Twitter and Facebook posts, texts and criminal history and drug use would be revealed.

The Martin's money-generating potential is a lot safer with Trayvon continuing to be remembered as the poor, innocent kid rather than being exposed as a sullen, weed-smoking, lean-swilling thug.

[JP78]

i hear O'mara has dropped Zimmerman as a client.

he has a job on CNN now.

[Sagittarius Rising]

There won't be a civil suit.

Because all Trayvon's Twitter and Facebook posts, texts and criminal history and drug use would be revealed.

The Martin's money-generating potential is a lot safer with Trayvon continuing to be remembered as the poor, innocent kid rather than being exposed as a sullen, weed-smoking, lean-swilling thug.

You have just described 90% of all teenagers in America, does not make him any less a victim. Don't know about you but I had plenty of friends in HS who fit that description to a tee and I was not far behind. At 13 I was busted for theft and then me and the same friend got busted just three months later for "other offenses." I had a much worse criminal history at 13 than Trayvon did at 17 and I dare say at 13, the group I was hanging around with would have taken apart a Trayvon Martin and friends with little to no effort, not bragging, ashamed actually. The point I am trying to make is if my life ended at 17 I guess I may have been remembered as a punk too, however like the majority of teens I grew out of it and made something of myself. Trayvon will never have that chance because of the Barney Fife wannabe that extinguished a life for no reason whatsoever except him being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What I am saying is Trayvon Martin seemed to have a pretty good and stable family life with a good possibility of a successful and happy future until Zimmerman stepped into the picture. Maybe old Georgie Boy saw Trayvon that dark, rainy night, thought "Hmm, thug, better get him before he causes trouble" and performed his own retroactive abortion. Potential snuffed out by a historically hotheaded individual with violent run ins with both the law and his spouse prior to his confrontation with Martin.

Once again evidence be damned, the guilty are made the victim and the victim becomes the guilty. So yeah, when Obama said "that could have been me" I understand 100% because you know, that could have been me too...I am originally from the Chicago area and lived in a little town called Bolingbrook during my early troubled teens. In 1980 I believe, a 15 year old boy was shot and killed by a Bolingbrook police officer for breaking into his own house because he locked himself out. You know what happened to the cops? Nothing, just doing their jobs and besides, the kid was stupid for trying to break into his own house right? After all that was the cops argument.

All I can say is thank god I am not a kid these days because heaven forbid you get busted with a roach or a dime bag, once that happens it will be open season on your ass, after all, you is a criminal now thus deserve to die for having the audacity to walk home at night. Now that I think about it, being a teenager in 1981 was not much better.

[TypeO]

You have just described 90% of all teenagers in America, does not make him any less a victim. Don't know about you but I had plenty of friends in HS who fit that description to a tee and I was not far behind. At 13 I was busted for theft and then me and the same friend got busted just three months later for "other offenses." I had a much worse criminal history at 13 than Trayvon did at 17 and I dare say at 13, the group I was hanging around with would have taken apart a Trayvon Martin and friends with little to no effort, not bragging, ashamed actually. The point I am trying to make is if my life ended at 17 I guess I may have been remembered as a punk too, however like the majority of teens I grew out of it and made something of myself. Trayvon will never have that chance because of the Barney Fife wannabe that extinguished a life for no reason whatsoever except him being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

What I am saying is Trayvon Martin seemed to have a pretty good and stable family life with a good possibility of a successful and happy future until Zimmerman stepped into the picture. Maybe old Georgie Boy saw Trayvon that dark, rainy night, thought "Hmm, thug, better get him before he causes trouble" and performed his own retroactive abortion. Potential snuffed out by a historically hotheaded individual with violent run ins with both the law and his spouse prior to his confrontation with Martin.

Once again evidence be damned, the guilty are made the victim and the victim becomes the guilty. So yeah, when Obama said "that could have been me" I understand 100% because you know, that could have been me too...I am originally from the Chicago area and lived in a little town called Bolingbrook during my early troubled teens. In 1980 I believe, a 15 year old boy was shot and killed by a Bolingbrook police officer for breaking into his own house because he locked himself out. You know what happened to the cops? Nothing, just doing their jobs and besides, the kid was stupid for trying to break into his own house right? After all that was the cops argument.

All I can say is thank god I am not a kid these days because heaven forbid you get busted with a roach or a dime bag, once that happens it will be open season on your ass, after all, you is a criminal now thus deserve to die for having the audacity to walk home at night. Now that I think about it, being a teenager in 1981 was not much better.

First, my response was why there won't be a civil suit.

Whether the Martins would win is questionable because of the things I listed.

None of those things were brought up in the trial, so he wasn't "put on trial" as many suggest.

But they are facts, nonetheless.

And they WOULD come out in a civil trial.

And if they did, and the Martins lost, they would also lose the financial ground they have gained to this point - licensing and whatnot.

That may sound harsh, but they're the ones who chose to capitalize financially on the tragedy of their son's death.

I never said he wasn't a victim.

He's dead, so that's obvious.

But he's a victim of his own choices as much as a victim of gun violence.

You can find my comments earlier in this thread regarding how - much like Obama felt Trayvon could have been him - Zimmerman could have been me.

I approach the wrong black youth and I could just as easily find myself on the wrong end of a vicious attack, fearing for my life.

I don't agree about his "good and stable family life".

He had so much trouble at his home that his mom could no longer tolerate his behavior and shipped him off to Sanford to live with his father since he'd been finally kicked out of school.

The texts, Twitter and Facebook posts all revealed his heavy use of weed and particularly Lean, which has been shown to incite violent behavior and paranoia in heavy users.

And just as the media chose to consistently use ONLY the photo of a much younger and innocent-looking Trayvon to manipulate public opinion, so they also chose to mislead regarding the facts of what Trayvon went to the store for - Arizona Iced Tea and Skittles, which seems innocent enough.

Except it wasn't Arizona Iced Tea.

It was Arizona brand, to be sure.

But it was actually Arizona Watermelon Fruit Cocktail.

Yet to this day they still say it was Iced Tea.

They intentionally misreported the facts to distract attention away from the fact that Arizona Watermelon Fruit Cocktail is the preferred flavor used - along with Skittles and codeine cough syrup - to concoct Lean.

So yeah, there's a huge perceptual difference between a 17 year-old buying candy and iced tea (snacks), and a 17 year-old buying two-thirds of the ingredients necessary to get high on.

Paranoia and hyper-aggression lend a lot more credibility to Zimmerman's account of what happened.

Finally, and for the umpteenth time (not necessarily with you, Sag), I am not particularly a Zimmerman supporter or fan.

I just realize that, while he may have been overly-nosy (although somewhat understandable as a resident who had been previously victimized by property crime), there is no evidence he was out with the intention to shoot anyone.

I believe he profiled Trayvon the way anyone profiles people, whether we want to admit it or not, and that it probably infuriated Trayvon when he saw he was being followed - also understandable.

But, Trayvon gave Zimmerman the slip.

THAT was the point when Trayvon sealed his own fate.

Instead of choosing to head on home once he had alluded Zimmerman's pursuit, he chose to go back and confront him, obviously unaware and failing to consider the possibility that Zimmerman could be armed.

The confrontation escalated into physical violence, and we know how it ended.

A couple of things to consider -

Had Zimmerman been unarmed, Trayvon would have been facing charges of, at the very least, Aggravated Assault, possibly Attempted Murder or even Murder or Manslaughter, depending on the outcome.

Instead of Zimmerman, what if it had been an off-duty cop (who would probably also be armed) who saw Trayvon and approached him to ascertain his actions?

Off-duty cops don't open up with, "OK, I'm a cop."

Trayvon circles around, approaches and same sudden violence.

MAYBE the cop is more physically capable of thwarting Trayvon's attack and doesn't have to draw his weapon, but that's questionable.

Trayvon drops the guy with a hard shot to the nose like he did with Zimmerman, and it's an instant replay - straddling him and pounding his head into the sidewalk repeatedly, until he pulls his weapon in fear for his life.

My consistent take is that this was an unfortunate incident that could play out anywhere.

Confrontations quickly spin out of control even with otherwise mature, fully grown and normally level-headed adults.

It's the nature of confrontations.

Add to that the recklessness of youth, abuse of a substance that INCREASES aggressiveness and paranoia, and a scary busybody who happens to be armed, and the results are practically guaranteed.

It's sad that Trayvon lost his life.

As a parent I have empathy.

But if Trayvon had been my son, I would eventually have to be honest with myself about his choices, and recognize the inevitability of what happened.

Just as the gang-banger who is killed in a drive-by while walking home.

He was someone's son, brother, whatever, and they are devastated.

But he was also living a particular lifestyle that greatly increased the chances of something like that happening.

Trayvon didn't DESERVE to die any more than Zimmerman deserved to die for considering that Trayvon was "up to something".

But he chose a path that exponentially increased the possibility of that happening.

Teenagers constantly make bad decisions - I certainly made more than my share.

And sometimes those decisions cost more than they ever imagined.

It's terrible, but it's reality.

Zimmerman is an average Joe who made a questionable decision.

No more, no less.

Trayvon was a relatively average teenager who did the same.

It's a tragedy, and reassigning blame is pointless.

What is unforgivable is the lengths the media went to in order to manipulate the public's perception of this tragedy.

And it has damaged race relations in this country more than substantially.

[Walter]

i hear O'mara has dropped Zimmerman as a client.

he has a job on CNN now.

He hadn't as of Monday evening.