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Originally posted by blackreign2012
Everyone gets into fights .. usually noone dies unless one of the people in the fight has a gun. Shooting someone in a 1 on 1 is a cowards way out. No matter how you look at it, the shooter was a coward and so are his supporters. I have been in countless fight in school and out ... no one died because a gun wasn't present. If he can't defend himself properly without a gun, and wanted to play Kick-Ass so bad .. why didn't he learn self defense so he can stop that "Hulk" of a 17 year old. I'm all for guns ... just not shooting defenseless people.
"Tonight, I was on my way to the grocery store when I saw a male approximately 5'11" to 6'2" casually walking in the rain looking into homes," Zimmerman wrote. I pulled my vehicle over and called SPD non-emergency phone number. I told the dispatcher what I had witnessed, the dispatcher took note of my location. The suspect fled to a darkened area of the sidewalk, as the dispatcher was asking me for an exact location the suspect emerged from the darkness & circled my vehicle. I could not hear if he said anything."
Zimmerman wrote that Martin disappeared between some houses, and he got out of his car to look for a street sign to tell the dispatcher his location.
"The dispatcher told me not to follow the suspect & that an officer was in route," Zimmerman wrote. "As I headed back to my vehicle the suspect emerged from the darkness and said 'you got a problem' I said 'no' the suspect said 'you do now.'"
Zimmerman said he tried to find his cell phone to dial 911 when Martin punched him in the face.
"I fell backwards onto my back. The suspect got on top of me. I yelled 'Help' several times. The suspect told me 'shut the (expletive) up' as I tried to sit up right, the suspect grabbed my head and slammed it into the concrete sidewalk several times," Zimmerman wrote. "I continued to yell 'Help.' Each time I attempted to sit up, the suspect slammed my head into the sidewalk. My head felt like it was going to explode."
Zimmerman wrote that he tried to slide out from under Martin, but that Martin covered his mouth and nose and stopped his breathing.
"At this point I felt the suspect reach for my now exposed firearm and say 'Your [sic] gonna die tonight mother (expletive),'" Zimmerman wrote. "I unholstered my firearm in fear for my life as he had assured he was going to kill me and fired one shot into his torso. The suspect sat back allowing me to sit up and said 'you got me.'"
Zimmerman said he got on top of Martin and held his hands away from his body as a man appeared to ask if he was OK and say he was calling 911.
"I said 'I don't need you to call 911 I already called them I need you to help me restrain this guy,'" Zimmerman wrote.
At that point, an officer arrived and took Zimmerman into custody, he wrote.
"There's been a few times where I've seen a suspicious person in the neighborhood and we called the police, the non-emergency line and these guys always get away," Zimmerman says.
"What made them suspicious?" Singleton asks.
"This gentleman in particular? I had never seen him in the neighborhood, I know all the residents. It was raining out and he was leisurely walking taking his time looking at all the houses. when I drove by he stopped and looked at me," Zimmerman says
Serino also questions why Zimmerman called police to report Martin.
"It was raining, [Martin] was looking into the houses, looking behind, looking at me, he wasn’t walking quickly to get out of the rain, he didn’t look like he was trying to head home, he didn’t look like hard core athlete that wanted to train in the rain or anything, he looked out of place," Zimmerman said.
Investigators also grilled Zimmerman on why he hadn’t identified himself as a neighborhood watch volunteer. "Did it ever occur to you to go ahead and actually ask this person what he was doing out there?" Serino asked.
Zimmerman said no, and reiterated he was scared. "I didn’t want to confront him and it wasn’t my job," he said.
Originally posted by joeym1991
reply to post by GogoVicMorrow
They overreached lol ? He did murder a 17 year old kid with a pistol and the kid had skittles on him thats it, come on get real man. Should they not try him? Should he just walk a free man?
Originally posted by Trustfund
reply to post by GogoVicMorrow
And I would come after Zimmerman after he got out his car and approached me too. That is creepy as hell... Not really trying to get robbed or Jeffery Dahmered.
Originally posted by litterbaux
reply to post by kerazeesicko
I don't walk around in neighborhoods with a hoodie. Even if I did, if someone came up on me asking me for ID I would give it to them.
Problem solved. Easy, no violence.
The person that asked me wouldn't end up with a broken nose and head injuries.edit on 4-12-2012 by litterbaux because: and I wouldn't end up dead
Originally posted by Soloprotocol
Sounds to me Mr Zimmerman thought he would play superhero for the evening and saw a kid as a easy target...
unfortunately the easy target turned out to be quite handy in the boxing department, so Mr Zimmerman (in his Rage and probably feeling a tad embarrassed about a kid opening a can of whipass on him), Shot the kid dead.....
Could i be right..???
The Kid was taking a shortcut and minding his own business as far as i'm led to believe, Mr Zimmerman decided to disregard police dispatch instructions to stop following the Kid..
Zimmerman is a murderer in my opinion....Guilty!!....bailiff, take him away...
Originally posted by LadyGreenEyes
Originally posted by Trustfund
reply to post by WP4YT
You have no clue who attacked who first.
Actually, we do have a clue. More than one. There were no wounds to Martin other than the gunshot and maybe some knuckle bruising. Zimmerman had a busted nose and a bloody head. I don't think you can convince anyone that Martin somehow beat up Zimmerman after he was shot. That's a pretty good clue, right there.
Originally posted by DocHolidaze
reply to post by GogoVicMorrow
why didnt this guy just hit the kid back and chase him off? i dont know how old the guy is but you should be able to control a 17 year old. and if was that weeak that he couldnt take down a 17 year old why didnt he pull the gun and give the kid a choice to walk away or get shot in the kneecap. he had way many more options than just to kill the kid, if this guy had just used words, the kid would still be alive. and the fact e was scared of a 17 year old is lame, sorry.
Originally posted by Grimpachi
reply to post by Merinda
Actually it was when Zimmerman was out of his car on the phone trying to give an accurate location to the dispatcher i.e. street signs, it was only then that the dispatcher told him that they did not need him out of the car doing so. He was never ordered not to follow besides that a dispatcher does not have the authority to give such an order. At that point he headed back to his car and that is when Martin confronted him. Zimmerman never disobeyed the authorities and complied with their request to not follow any further.
There is so much misinformation floating around on the internet about this case especially on these forums. The dispatch tapes and the written report is available if you look on the web and if you look at or listen to the recordings it is very hard to come to the conclusion that it was anything but self-defense.
The portrayal of Zimmerman is far from accurate in my opinion. I do not know Zimmerman or have any inside information but I live very close to where the incident happened and know the area well. On the recordings Zimmerman also described at the very beginning where Martin was ducking on and off of private property beside homes which the police theorize he was looking for cover from the rain that day which also would look like someone casing homes.
Edit to add
In my opinion Zimmerman was trying to do the right thing and because the media miss portrayed this incident because it was a slow news day for ratings turned this case into something it should not have been. I blame the media for irresponsible reporting as to why this has gone as far as it has. From what I understand Zimmerman’s testimony the recordings and his written statement all lined up and he was immediately taken in for questioning for over 5 hours where he repeatedly went over the events and not once did his story change. In my book that says he is telling the truth. Zimmerman was not looking for trouble but he was doing what I would hope a good neighbor would do which is keeping an eye on the neighborhood. He actually did even better which instead of just phoning the police then driving on and saying it’s there problem now he tried to keep an eye on the situation and help the police by accurately giving a location.
The fact is he lost sight of Martin then left his vehicle while on the phone with dispatch to get accurate info on the location which is on the recordings. It was then that dispatch requested he return to his vehicle which he complied and the proof is that where the incident a cured was within 100 feet of his car. Think about this. He lost sight of Martin that mean Martin had to return back to where Zimmerman was. If martin had not decided to confront and attack Zimmerman he would be alive. Martin made the wrong choice. Zimmerman did not get attacked after he shot Martin which shows me he was not out guns blazing playing cop or anything of the type.
Had Martin been found with burglary tools then people would be calling Zimmerman a hero or great neighbor willing to care about his neighborhood. Fact is Martin was acting suspicious in Zimmerman’s neighborhood whether it was because he was actually casing homes or trying to stay dry by trespassing beside homes it wasn’t a smart move on his part. Martin was looking for trouble the second he turned around and returned to where Zimmerman was. The age does not matter to me when I was 17 I was in basic training in the Army so that is no excuse. The race card can’t be played here Zimmerman is Hispanic and has black ancestry. Soon as the media realized this it became a non-story.
I blame the media for irresponsible reporting and Martin for attacking a man.
edit on 4-12-2012 by Grimpachi because: add
Originally posted by LadyGreenEyes
Originally posted by Starchildren
He should not have followed him. Period. He assumed the role of a police officer. Zimmerman was looking for trouble. He was big man with his big gun and he wanted to shoot someone, anyone to puff himself up. If Zimmerman fears for his life, he shouldn't be out roaming the street with a gun, looking for trouble.
I don't know what the laws are in other parts of the country, but up here, you cannot just follow or pursue someone with intent to subdue them or harass them. It's considered harassment. My ex knows about that, since he went to jail for it.
Why should he not have followed? First off, the dispatcher is NOT a cop, and cannot order anyone to do, or not do, anything. Second, Mr, Zimmerman LIVED IN that neighborhood, and had every right to walk wherever he wanted, and that includes behind a visiting teen. Third, I walk in my neighborhood, and have ended up behind people quite often. None of them assumed I was a threat, or attacked me. My son and I BOTH in dark hoodies, at least one such occasion. So what? Plus, in the 911 call, Mr, Zimmerman clearly stated that he saw suspicious behavior, and didn't even know at first the race of the person he was following. So that point is totally moot.
Nor was he "looking for trouble". he was trying to watch a burglary suspect. Considering the suspicious kids that were seen in that neighborhood, that fit Martin's general description, a pretty good suspect. Don't forget, either, that martin was caught in possession of burglary tools and jewelry he admitted wasn't his. Wedding rings, etc. You think those were not stolen??
Also, Mr. Zimmerman was not "roaming the streets, looking for trouble". he was driving home from the store, when he spotted a suspicious person. He then called the police, which NO ONE actually looking for trouble would do.
Finally, there is no evidence at all that Mr. Zimmerman intended to harass or subdue Martin. He was trying, as the dispatcher seemed to suggest, to keep track of the person's whereabouts until the police arrived. When Martin, who was out of sight (also clear in the 911 call) returned and attacked, everything changed. The mistake that night was made by a punk attacking the wrong person, an armed one. If MY teen did that, and was shot, it would be his own fault.
Originally posted by DZAG Wright
Originally posted by Soloprotocol
Sounds to me Mr Zimmerman thought he would play superhero for the evening and saw a kid as a easy target...
unfortunately the easy target turned out to be quite handy in the boxing department, so Mr Zimmerman (in his Rage and probably feeling a tad embarrassed about a kid opening a can of whipass on him), Shot the kid dead.....
Could i be right..???
The Kid was taking a shortcut and minding his own business as far as i'm led to believe, Mr Zimmerman decided to disregard police dispatch instructions to stop following the Kid..
Zimmerman is a murderer in my opinion....Guilty!!....bailiff, take him away...
This is what a officer in Jacksonville told me happened, and remember George was holed up here awaiting turning himself in.
He attempted to play hero and got his arse beat by a kid and EVENTUALLY got to the point of fearing for his life, but moreso was embarrassed! Remains to be seen if he can get himself out of this.
Originally posted by Grimpachi
reply to post by buster2010
When did he go against the dispatcher? That is a false claim. Check the tapes the transcripts or even my earlier posts. The moment he was attacked stand your ground applies.
I have a CC permit I live very close to where this happened I listened to the recordings and read the report. You do not have your facts strait.