The Zimmerman/Martin Incident

[dracphelan]

Many people have commented on this, and now I will too. If you have not heard about this incident, go look it up on a news search. Here are the things I think people should take away from this:

1. Zimmerman screwed up. Yes, he had the right to follow Martin around. However, it was not smart. Once this was reported to the police, he should have backed

Comments

[jordan179]

Once this was reported to the police, he should have backed off.

He apparently had "backed off" when he was attacked.

And, we have the President and US Attorney General promising to go after him on a federal level.

... while not going after the Black Panthers who have committed Federal crimes. I think Obama and Holder's racism is now beyond dispute.

3.If the case does not make it to trial, or he is found not guilty, I’m almost certain there will be riots.

If so, I hope that as many rioters as possible are killed or maimed for life, for each such event will spare the lives of many future victims of these evil criminals.

[weaselpants]

""He apparently had "backed off" when he was attacked."

From the evidence presented so far it's evident he claimed to have backed off. No witnesses corroborated that, and one witness contradicted it. It's not evidence Zimmerman's guilt by any means, but it's not as clearly evidence of his innocence in his favor. (Normal caveat's that we are probably not getting the full picture from the press, as they have an interest in conflict over information

[jordan179]

"... while not going after the Black Panthers who have committed Federal crimes. I think Obama and Holder's racism is now beyond dispute."

That's a major stretch IMO. he didn't go after the multitude of Tea Party supporters who committed the same crime as the Black Panthers, ...

Tea Party supporters put bounties out to be paid upon the kidnapping of people?

... and several members of the last administration.

Members of the Bush Administration, acting as individuals rather than as agents of the US Government, put out bounties on various people? (Note that it is perfectly-legal for the US Government to put out bounties on military enemies or criminals).

[weaselpants]

"Tea Party supporters put bounties out to be paid upon the kidnapping of people

[jordan179]

What I take away from this is that our right to self-defense is now wholly dependent on the whim of a would-be tyrant.

[chaotic_nipple]

our right to start fights, kill the other guy when you start to lose, and then claim self-defense is now wholly dependent on the whim of a the judgement of a jury of one's peers.

FTFY.

[chaotic_nipple]

he should have backed off. He placed himself in a situation that increased his probability that he would need to pull his gun.

And in most jurisdictions, that would invalidate any self-defense claim he made.

I doubt Zimmerman will be able to get a fair trial. The jury pool has been tainted nationwide.

Like so many things in life that are intuitively, "obviously" true, there is no real proof that pre-trial publicity has an effect on trial outcome. What statistical analysis has been done shows no link .

And, we have the President and US Attorney General promising to go after him on a federal level.

"There will be a thorough investigation and if charges are warranted they will be filed" is hardly the most despotic pronouncement ever made.

If the case does not make it to trial, or he is found not guilty, I’m almost certain there will be riots.

Betcha a dollar there won't. People have gotten the immediate outrage over it out of their systems by now, and by the time the trial comes around, it will be old news.

There have already