quote: And then you have focused on the skin color of the protesters.
Which apparently the eediat doesn't realize runs the entire color complexion scheme from the palest to the darkest, not just national..INTERNATIONAL!
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
Trayvon Martin Exclusive: Friend on Phone with Teen Before Death Recalls Final Moments By MATT GUTMAN and SENI TIENABESO | Good Morning America – 9 hours ago
In the final moments of his life, Trayvon Martin was being hounded by a strange man on a cellphone who ran after him, cornered him and confronted him, according to the teenage girl whose call logs show she was on the phone with the 17-year-old boy in the moments before neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman shot him dead.
Martin's death Feb. 26 has stirred national outrage and protests, partly prompting the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and the FBI to open an investigation into the case.
ABC News was there exclusively as the 16-year-old girl told Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump about the last moments of the teenager's life.
"He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man," Martin's friend said. "I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run but he said he was not going to run."
Eventually he would run, said the girl, thinking that he'd managed to escape. But suddenly the strange man was back, cornering Martin.
"Trayvon said, 'What, are you following me for,' and the man said, 'What are you doing here.' Next thing I hear is somebody pushing, and somebody pushed Trayvon because the head set just fell. I called him again and he didn't answer the phone."
The line went dead. Besides screams heard on 911 calls that night as Martin and Zimmerman scuffled, those were the last words he said.
Trayvon's phone logs, also obtained exclusively by ABC News, show the conversation occurred five minutes before police first arrived on scene. The young woman's parents asked that her name not be used, and that only an attorney could ask her questions.
Martin's father, Tracey Martin, and mother, Sybrina Fulton, listened to the call along with ABC News, ashen-faced.
"He knew he was being followed and tried to get away from the guy, and the guy still caught up with him," Tracey Martin said. "And that's the most disturbing part. He thought he had got away from the guy and the guy back-tracked for him."
The teen was killed by Zimmerman while walking back to his father's fiancés home after stepping out to buy Skittles and some iced tea during the NBA All-Star Game. After weeks of relentless pressure, the Sanford Police have decided to release emergency and non-emergency calls placed during the incident.
"These a**holes always get away," Zimmerman says in a call to a non-emergency number.
Dispatcher: "Are you following him?"
Zimmerman: "Yeah."
Dispatcher: "We don't need you to do that."
An altercation soon ensued. A few moments later a torrent of 911 calls flooded in and Martin was killed by a single bullet. Zimmerman claimed self-defense and has yet to be arrested, stoking outrage and claims of prejudice against the police department.
"When George Zimmerman is arrested, tried and convicted I will get a little rest," Tracey Martin said.
According to a statement by the Justice Department, "The department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all of the evidence and take appropriate action and the conclusion of the investigation. … The government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person acted intentionally and with the specific intent to do something which the law forbids. Negligence, recklessness, mistakes and accidents are not prosecutable under the federal criminal civil rights laws."
Nearly half a million people have signed an online petition on change.org urging law enforcement officials to step in and arrest Zimmerman. Protests have played out in the Florida town all week with a large gathering expected Thursday.
Zimmerman violated major principles of the Neighborhood Watch manual, ABC News has learned. The manual from the Neighborhood Watch program states: "It should be emphasized to members that they do not possess police powers. And they shall not carry weapons or pursue vehicles."
According to Chris Tutko, the director of the National Neighborhood Watch program, there are about 22,000 registered watch groups nationwide, and Zimmerman was not part of a registered group, which police were not aware of at the time of the incident.
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
Trayvon Martin Exclusive: Friend on Phone with Teen Before Death Recalls Final Moments By MATT GUTMAN and SENI TIENABESO | Good Morning America – 9 hours ago
In the final moments of his life, Trayvon Martin was being hounded by a strange man on a cellphone who ran after him, cornered him and confronted him, according to the teenage girl whose call logs show she was on the phone with the 17-year-old boy in the moments before neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman shot him dead.
Martin's death Feb. 26 has stirred national outrage and protests, partly prompting the U.S. Justice Department's Civil Rights Division and the FBI to open an investigation into the case.
ABC News was there exclusively as the 16-year-old girl told Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump about the last moments of the teenager's life.
"He said this man was watching him, so he put his hoodie on. He said he lost the man," Martin's friend said. "I asked Trayvon to run, and he said he was going to walk fast. I told him to run but he said he was not going to run."
Eventually he would run, said the girl, thinking that he'd managed to escape. But suddenly the strange man was back, cornering Martin.
"Trayvon said, 'What, are you following me for,' and the man said, 'What are you doing here.' Next thing I hear is somebody pushing, and somebody pushed Trayvon because the head set just fell. I called him again and he didn't answer the phone."
The line went dead. Besides screams heard on 911 calls that night as Martin and Zimmerman scuffled, those were the last words he said.
Trayvon's phone logs, also obtained exclusively by ABC News, show the conversation occurred five minutes before police first arrived on scene. The young woman's parents asked that her name not be used, and that only an attorney could ask her questions.
Martin's father, Tracey Martin, and mother, Sybrina Fulton, listened to the call along with ABC News, ashen-faced.
"He knew he was being followed and tried to get away from the guy, and the guy still caught up with him," Tracey Martin said. "And that's the most disturbing part. He thought he had got away from the guy and the guy back-tracked for him."
The teen was killed by Zimmerman while walking back to his father's fiancés home after stepping out to buy Skittles and some iced tea during the NBA All-Star Game. After weeks of relentless pressure, the Sanford Police have decided to release emergency and non-emergency calls placed during the incident.
"These a**holes always get away," Zimmerman says in a call to a non-emergency number.
Dispatcher: "Are you following him?"
Zimmerman: "Yeah."
Dispatcher: "We don't need you to do that."
An altercation soon ensued. A few moments later a torrent of 911 calls flooded in and Martin was killed by a single bullet. Zimmerman claimed self-defense and has yet to be arrested, stoking outrage and claims of prejudice against the police department.
"When George Zimmerman is arrested, tried and convicted I will get a little rest," Tracey Martin said.
According to a statement by the Justice Department, "The department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all of the evidence and take appropriate action and the conclusion of the investigation. … The government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person acted intentionally and with the specific intent to do something which the law forbids. Negligence, recklessness, mistakes and accidents are not prosecutable under the federal criminal civil rights laws."
Nearly half a million people have signed an online petition on change.org urging law enforcement officials to step in and arrest Zimmerman. Protests have played out in the Florida town all week with a large gathering expected Thursday.
Zimmerman violated major principles of the Neighborhood Watch manual, ABC News has learned. The manual from the Neighborhood Watch program states: "It should be emphasized to members that they do not possess police powers. And they shall not carry weapons or pursue vehicles."
According to Chris Tutko, the director of the National Neighborhood Watch program, there are about 22,000 registered watch groups nationwide, and Zimmerman was not part of a registered group, which police were not aware of at the time of the incident.
This is so dam painful I cannot imagine how his family feels...I have nuff respect and admiration for his family, because there is no doubt in my mind that if my teenage son had been the victim in this matter and the murderer was still walking free, I would be in handcuffs in the back of a police car and Zimmerman would be zipped in a bag waiting for the coroner....ah suh it fe guh...
-------------------- "TRUTH IS LIKE LIGHTNING WITH ITS ERRAND DONE BEFORE YOU HEAR THE THUNDER" - Gerald Massey "TRUTH IS FINAL" -Mumia Abu-Jamal Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have decided, from this point forward, I will reserve making any statements on the killing until all facts are in. Anything I said previously, take it with a grain of salt.
Posts: 816 | Registered: Oct 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
Zimmerman according to the local news had a criminal record which included violent offences such as battery of a LEO.
Posts: 8675 | From: Tukuler al~Takruri as Ardo since OCT2014 | Registered: Feb 2003
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Break-the-bull: ..... Anything I said previously, take it with a grain of salt.
Well we do that anyway, "a grain of salt" kmt um-hm if even that much...
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
quote:But law enforcement expert Rod Wheeler who listened to the tapes tells ABC News that Zimmerman, not Martin, sounded intoxicated in the police recordings of the 911 calls.
"When I listened to the 911 tape the first thing that came to my mind is this guy sounds intoxicated. Notice how he's slurring his words. We as trained law enforcement officers, we know how to listen for that right away and I think that's going to be an important element of this entire investigation," Wheeler said.
But Zimmerman was not tested.
quote: According to Sgt. David Morgenstern of the Sanford police, Zimmerman called 911 46 times since 2001.
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
how can someone with a criminal record be able to secure a gun carry permit?
quote:Originally posted by ausar: Zimmerman according to the local news had a criminal record which included violent offences such as battery of a LEO.
posted
Trayvon Martin has been referred to in many news articles as a young Black Man, but really at 17 years old, he was a Black Child..... let's not forget....
quote: Throw on your hoodies and come gather in Union Square to show your support for justice for Trayvon Martin!
A black person in a hoodie isn't automatically "suspicious". Let's put an end to racial profiling!
**WEDNESDAY, March 21st is the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
We're going to be gathering in Union Square at 6PM and marching to the UN!
"We must, individually and collectively, stamp out racism, stigma and prejudice." Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon Message for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination 2012
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
Police release more calls made by George Zimmerman Police: Zimmerman shot, killed Trayvon Martin, 17
SANFORD, Fla. -
Sanford police have released more calls made to the police by George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman who police say shot and killed a Sanford teen.
Zimmerman, 28, is accused of shooting and killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Sanford police said Zimmerman has called 911 46 times since 2001, reporting disturbances, break-ins and other incidents. On nine different occasions, Zimmerman has reported a suspicious person.
From January 2011 to February 2012 records show there were 402 calls to police from that neighborhood, five were about burglaries, but a majority of the calls were about disturbances.
Local 6 has obtained six of the calls to the non-emergency line that Zimmerman has made in the past year, all leading up to the shooting.
In one of the calls, Zimmerman tells authorities he's with neighborhood watch and has seen a man walking around the neighborhood in pajama pants walking around a resident's house.
"I’ve seen him before on trash days, going around picking up trash," Zimmerman said in the call. " I don’t know what his deal is."
In other calls, Zimmerman tells authorities someone left their garage door open or that kids are playing in the street running out in front of cars.
A couple of weeks before Zimmerman shot Martin, according to a call, Zimmerman says he didn't want to approach a suspicious person himself.
But police reports obtained by Local 6 on Monday show he has reacted differently in the past leading up to his encounter with Martin. In two separate cases, Zimmerman followed two people he found suspicious.
In one case from 2003, Zimmerman, then 20 years old, said he witnessed a theft from a retail store. So he followed the car and blocked the entrance of the thieves neighborhood until authorities arrived, according to a report.
In another case, Zimmerman, then 19, was accused of tailgating and Zimmerman accused the other drive of spitting on him. Zimmerman then called police to report he was battered and chased the suspect in his car until authorities could stop him, according to the report.
RAW AUDIO: Calls released:http://www.clickorlando.com/news/RAW-AUDIO-George-Zimmerman-police-calls/-/1637132/9563884/-/rhd7jqz/-/index.html
Zimmerman has not been arrested, in the causing public outrage. Neighbors said Zimmerman has since moved out of the complex.
Sanford police say they cannot arrest Zimmerman because he said it was self-defense, a claim supported, they say, by witness accounts and other evidence, including Zimmerman's bloody nose.
The 911 calls made in the February shooting were released Friday, shedding more light into what happened in the shooting. Zimmerman didn't elaborate in the calls what made Martin look suspicious.
Meanwhile, Florida college students angered by the case protested outside of the Seminole County criminal courts building on Monday. Rev. Al Sharpton is also planning a rally for Martin this week.
Copyright 2012 by ClickOrlando.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
quote:Originally posted by TruthAndRights: Swenet...you know that yte man who shot the yute was NOT a police officer though, right? Neighborhood watch, nothing more...
Just making sure you're aware, is all...
Yes, I know. I've been following the matter, but I don't see why I should treat this any different. In all cases we have people in uniform (figuratively speaking) who act trigger happy, and afterwards, there is a consistent, deliberate effort by the police to not arrest them/punish them according to the weight of the crime.
The general phenomenon and characteristics are all there, he just happens to not have undergone the ritual needed to go become a police officer, before committing the crime.
The way I see it, there are millions of Zimmermans in the US, some make it to be officers, which, under the right circumstances, leads to the notorious cases I mentioned earlier, and some don't.
Posts: 8785 | From: Discovery Channel's Mythbusters | Registered: Dec 2009
| IP: Logged |
Sure you can ignore race and just look at the dynamics of the event but given the U.S. sociology and the statistics to back up that sociolgy, what are the odds that the same sequence of events would have happened if the killed youth were actually white, or at least "non-black"?
Posts: 5492 | Registered: Nov 2004
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by TruthAndRights: Swenet...you know that yte man who shot the yute was NOT a police officer though, right? Neighborhood watch, nothing more...
Just making sure you're aware, is all...
Yes, I know. I've been following the matter, but I don't see why I should treat this any different. *No you should not. In all cases we have people in uniform (figuratively speaking) who act trigger happy, and afterwards, there is a consistent, deliberate effort by the police to not arrest them/punish them according to the weight of the crime.
The general phenomenon and characteristics are all there, he just happens to not have undergone the ritual needed to go become a police officer, before committing the crime.
The way I see it, there are millions of Zimmermans in the US, some make it to be officers, which, under the right circumstances, leads to the notorious cases I mentioned earlier, and some don't.
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
Dr. Drew|Added on March 20, 2012A psychiatrist examines the history of vigilantism and paranoia surrounding the man who shot and killed an unarmed teen.
posted
911 calls paint picture of chaos after Florida teen is shot
The death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed teen who was shot while walking in his neighborhood in Sanford, Florida, has sparked allegations of racial profiling and calls for the gunman to be charged.
Federal prosecutors and the FBI will investigate the incident.
George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who has acknowledged shooting Martin, has not been charged and says it was self-defense.
Martin, 17, was killed while walking to his father's fiancee's house in Sanford from a nearby convenience store.
Zimmerman first called police at 7:09 p.m. ET with concerns about a suspicious teen in the area, according to 911 tapes released by the Seminole County Sheriff's Department.
A 16-year-old girl who was on the phone with Martin most of the day last spoke to him around the time the incident allegedly began and lasted until 7:16 p.m. ET, when the call dropped. Almost immediately, 911 calls began coming in. Police arrived on the scene at 7:17 p.m.
Several witnesses called 911 at 7:16, 7:17, 7:18 and 7:19 p.m. ET.
Below are the transcripts of the calls as Zimmerman and witnesses describe what they saw and heard that night:
7:09 p.m. ET
Dispatcher: "Do you need police, fire or medical?"
Zimmerman: "We had some break-ins in our neighborhood ... and there is a real suspicious guy. ... This guy looks like he's up to no good, he's on drugs or something. It's raining, and he's walking around looking about. "
Dispatcher: "Is this guy white, black, Hispanic?"
Zimmerman: "He looks black."
Dispatcher: "Did you see what he's wearing?"
Zimmerman: "A dark hoodie, grey hoodie, jeans or sweatpants or white shoes. He's walking around staring at the houses. Now he's just staring at me."
Dispatcher: "Location?"
Zimmerman: "He's near the clubhouse right now. Now he's coming towards me. He has his hands in his waistband. He is a black male. Something's wrong with him. Yep. He's coming to check me out. He's got something in his hands. I don't know what his deal is. Send officers over here."
Dispatcher: "Let me know if he does anything else."
Zimmerman: "These a**holes, they always get away. When you come in go straight to the left ... when you pass the clubhouse ..."
Dispatcher: "Clubhouse?"
Zimmerman: "Go straight in. Oh, s***. He's running ... down towards the other entrance of neighborhood."
Dispatcher: "He's running? Which way is he running?"
Zimmerman: "Down towards the other entrance to the neighborhood."
Dispatcher: "Which entrance is that, that he is running towards?
Zimmerman: "The back entrance."
[inaudible]
Dispatcher: "Are you following him?"
Zimmerman: "Yeah."
Dispatcher: "OK. We don't need you to do that. What's your name?"
Zimmerman: "George. Zimmerman."
Dispatcher: "Do you want to meet with the officer ..."
Zimmerman: "Tell them to come past the clubhouse and make a left then past mailboxes and they will see my truck ..."
Dispatcher: "What's your apartment number?"
Zimmerman: "It's a home. ... I don't want to give that out. I don't know who this kid is."
Dispatcher: "I will let them know where to meet you."
Zimmerman: "Have them call me, and I will let you know where I'm at."
------
During part of this time, Martin is on the phone with a 16-year-old girl. Below is an account of the phone call as relayed to In Session's Sunny Hostin by a lawyer for the Martin family:
Martin told the girl someone was following him, and she advised him to run. Martin said he isn't going to run but will walk quickly. Zimmerman caught up with him, and Martin asked Zimmerman why he was following him. Zimmerman then asked Martin his name and why he was there. The girl on the phone says she heard Zimmerman push Martin, and then the call drops. She tried to call Martin back, but he didn't respond.
------
7:16 p.m. ET
Dispatcher: "Do you need police, fire or medical?"
Caller: "Maybe both. I'm not sure. There's just someone screaming outside."
Dispatcher: "Is it a male or female?"
Caller: "It sounds like a male."
Dispatcher: "You don't know why?"
Caller: "I don't know why. I think they are yelling 'help,' but I don't know. Just end someone quick, please."
Dispatcher: "Does he look hurt to you?"
Caller: "I can't see him. I don't want to go out there. I don't know what's going on."
Dispatcher: "So you think he's yelling help?"
Caller: "Yes. There's gunshots."
Dispatcher: "How many?"
Caller: "Just one."
[inaudible]
Dispatcher: "Is he right outside?"
Caller: "Yes. Pretty much out the back, yes."
Dispatcher: "Is he in front of it or behind it?"
Caller: "He's behind my house."
Dispatcher: "I don't hear him yelling anymore. Do you hear anything?"
Caller: "No, I don't because I'm hiding upstairs. The gunshot was outside our house. You sent somebody, right?"
Dispatcher: "Do you hear any vehicles leaving or anything else?
Caller: "There's people yelling down there, but I don't want to go down there."
Dispatcher: "People are yelling now?"
Caller: "Yeah."
Dispatcher: "We do have officers on the way. Call us back if you see any vehicles leaving or anything."
------
7:16 p.m. ET
Dispatcher: "Police, fire or medical?"
Caller: "There's someone screaming outside."
Dispatcher: "Is that at where you are at?"
Caller: "Oh, my God, there is a gunshot, hurry up."
[inaudible]
Dispatcher: "Do you see anybody? I don't need you to go outside."
Caller: "There is someone screaming. I just heard a gunshot."
Dispatcher: "Do you see anything? I don't need you to go outside. Do you hear screaming or anything?"
Caller: "Hurry up, they are right outside my house."
Dispatcher: "OK, we [have] police and emergency, OK. Are you in Sanford?"
Caller: "I see police now."
Dispatcher: "You see the officer?"
Caller: "Yeah, but like it's behind the house. There is a dead body there. It's not the front entrance. Oh, my God."
Dispatcher: "Please tell me so I can tell them."
Caller: "If you are looking at my house, it's behind by my back porch."
Dispatcher: "Coming from behind your house?"
Caller: "Yes, the back porch."
Dispatcher: "Stay on the line and update me."
Caller: "I just heard screaming and a gunshot."
Dispatcher: "We have an officer there. Did you hear any more gunshots?"
Caller: "No, I don't hear. Hurry up, hurry up."
Dispatcher: "OK, we have officers out there, OK? If anything changes, give us a call back, but we do have officers there. One officer is there."
Caller: "OK, did he see anything?"
Dispatcher: "I'm not sure, ma'am, I just know he is there, and two other officers are on their way, OK? If anything changes or anything more, call us back. As far as you know, it's coming from behind your house near your back-porch area? When you hear screaming, was it screaming of female or male?"
Caller: "Male."
Dispatcher: "So, when you heard screaming, it was a male screaming?"
Caller: "Yes. And the guy on top had a white t-shirt."
Dispatcher: "What do you mean guy on top? Did you see a fight?"
Caller: "I don't know, I just looked out my window, and there was a guy on top wearing a white t-shirt."
Dispatcher: "A white t-shirt. Did you see what kind of pants? He was on top of what?"
Caller: "I couldn't see the person he was on."
Dispatcher: "But he was on top of a person?"
Caller: "Yes."
Dispatcher: "The guy with the white t-shirt, did he get up and run?"
Caller: "I don't know. Went to the phone to call you
Dispatcher: "White, black or Hispanic?"
Caller: "I couldn't tell, it was completely dark."
Dispatcher: "We have several units en route."
Caller: "Thank you."
7:17 p.m. ET
Dispatcher: "Do you need police, fire or medical?"
Caller: "I’m looking out my deck, and someone is screaming 'help,' and I don’t know. … I heard a bang. I’m looking out my window, out my backyard, and someone is yelling and screaming 'help.' "
Dispatcher: "You are not the only person calling. We have more than one officer on the scene and another on the way."
Caller: "Oh, my God. I see the person now. I see him walking. There’s a man coming out and people coming out with flashlights. Oh, my God. I don’t know what he did to this person. I can see there is a man walking out with a flashlight right now."
Dispatcher: "Was it a male or female voice?"
Caller: "The man is up right now. Someone is coming over. I’m glad other people called."
Dispatcher: "We should be out there right now."
Caller: "I can open my window and hear it."
Dispatcher: "You can still hear it?"
Caller: "I don’t know what is happening. Someone is laying on the ground."
Dispatcher: "What’s happening? Someone is on the ground? Someone has been shot? Calm down, stay on the line with me. Like I said, we have an officer on the scene, and we have other officers on the line."
Caller: "Oh, my God. They better hurry up. Someone is on the ground. Oh, my God! I see out my back window, sidewalk, grass, something is really bad. There is a man out here with a flashlight."
Dispatcher: "Is this person laying down in the street?"
Caller: "No, it's from my back window."
Dispatcher: "So is the person laying down in the street or in the grass?"
Caller: "The grass. Oh, my God! I think there is another gentleman with a flashlight. ... I think police. Oh, my God! He shot, he shot the person.He says he shot the person. He said he shot the person."
Dispatcher: "Who saying they shot who?"
Caller: "The people out there, a guy is raising his hands up, he's saying he shot a person. I think it's a police officer that's with him right now. arrest - uh - oh, my God, why - why (inaudible)"
Dispatcher: "Our officer is there, he has somebody at gunpoint. They're going to handle the situation from here."
Caller: "Oh! Oh, my God, somebody would be shot!"
Dispatcher: "It's probably going to be best if you stay inside your home for the time being, OK?"
Caller:" I know. I can't believe somebody's killed. He was saying help. Why didn't someone come out and help him?"
Dispatcher: "Listen, we don't know if they been killed ..."
Caller: "Yes, the person is dead, laying on the ground."
Dispatcher: "Just because he's laying on the ground don't mean he's passed. We have an ambulance on the way, and we are probably going to pick him up and take him to the hospital."
Caller: "I didn't see cause it was too dark, and I just heard people screaming 'help me, help me.' And this person shot him! He was like wrestling with him, you know what I mean, on the ground, from what I can see it was very dark. The man didn't try to run away or anything. I don't want to be a witness or anything. I'm scared. Oh, my god, a young boy, I can't imagine, I haven't seen anyone killed. This is a nice neighborhood. Oh, my God, I'm too scared to live here."
Dispatcher: "You don't have to worry right now. We have many officers on the way. Two officers on scene right now, we are on scene, OK?"
-----
7:17 p.m. ET
Dispatcher: "Do you need police, fire or medical?"
Caller: "Police. I just heard a shot behind my house. They are wrestling outside the back of my porch."
Dispatcher: "You just heard one shot go off?""
Caller: "It was either that or a rock at the window or something else. The guy's yelling 'help,' and I'm not going to help."
Dispatcher: "So you can hear someone yelling for help?"
Caller: "I'm pretty sure the guy is dead out here. Holy s***"
Dispatcher: "OK, we have several people calling in. Anything else that you heard?"
Caller: "A guy yelling, 'help.' Oh, my God! There is a guy with a flashlight in the backyard now. I think there's flashlights and a guy. ... I don't know if that's a cop. "
Dispatcher: "OK, we have several calls. Are you sure when you heard voices it was one person yelling, right?"
Caller: "There were two guys in the yard with flashlights, and there is a black guy down like he's been shot, and he's dead."
Dispatcher: "I have several officers going out there."
----–
7:17 p.m. ET
Dispatcher: "Do you need police, fire or medical?"
Caller: "Medical. I think someone has been shot."
Dispatcher: "Why do you think someone has been shot?"
Caller: "Because they are laying in the backyard and a gunshot and they said 'call 911.' Now there are people coming with flashlights ..."
Dispatcher: "And it's in the backyard?"
Caller: "Yes."
Dispatcher: "And someone is laying in the backyard?"
Caller: "Yes, there are people around him now."
Dispatcher: "You there with kids?"
Caller: "Yes, my daughter. He is a black guy."
Dispatcher: "We have units on the way. What do you mean it's a black guy?"
Caller: "There is a black male standing over him."
Dispatcher: "Can you tell me what he's wearing?"
Caller: "I think someone else called 911."
Dispatcher: "You do see officers out there?"
Caller: "Yeah, I think that's the flashlights that we see."
-----–
7:18 p.m. ET
Dispatcher: "Do you need police, fire or medical?"
Caller: "This is 911, correct? Police or medical. Someone is yelling two doors down from me, screaming, hollering 'help, help, help.' There is an elderly man that lives down there. I don't know. I heard a gunshot. I don't know if it would be ambulance."
Dispatcher: "How many shots did you hear?"
Caller: "One."
Dispatcher: "How long ago?"
Caller: "As soon as I heard that I picked up the phone and called."
Dispatcher: "Before calling 911?"
Caller: "Yes. There is somebody out by my back porch. ... There is someone walking around with a flashlight. The police may already be here. I don't know. Someone is out there with a flashlight, but I did hear something."
Dispatcher: "We do have units there."
Caller: "Oh, my God."
Dispatcher: "And the screaming, was it a male or female you heard?"
Caller: "It sounded to me like a male, and from what I know and I've been here four years, there is an elderly man that lives like four doors down, um, north of me, and I'm inside."
Dispatcher: "Do you think it's coming from your area?"
Caller: "I don't know, ma'am, I'm standing at my back sliding glass door. I don't see anything but a flashlight shining around, but I did hear someone yelling 'help, help, help' or 'oh, my gosh' and something, then moaning and a boom, and I picked up the phone and called."
Dispatcher: "Did you see or hear anything else like a vehicle pulling away?"
Caller: "No, ma'am, because I'm in the back, and in the back there is just a walkway. It could have been someone in the front with a car, I don't know, but I was in the back. It was scary. There is someone still back there with flashlights walking around."
Dispatcher: "There should be someone on the scene ..."
-----–
7:19 p.m. ET
Dispatcher: "Do you need police, fire or medical?"
Caller: "My brother said someone got shot behind our house."
Dispatcher: "Is your brother out there right now?"
Dispatcher: "You didn't see or hear anything else? Did you hear the shot?"
Caller: "I heard something, and my brother ran in the house."
Dispatcher: "My brother saw it."
Dispatcher: "What did you see?"
Caller: "I saw a man laying on the ground screaming who needed help. I was going to go over there to try and help him, but my dog got off the leash, and I ran and got him, and I hurried around and down, and the screaming stopped."
Dispatcher: "Did you see the person get shot?"
Caller: "No."
Dispatcher: Did you know the person who got shot, or did you see the person with the gun?"
Caller: "No, I just heard a shot, and the screaming stopped."
-----–
Officers arrived on the scene at 7:17 p.m. ET, according to a police report.
Officers Timothy Smith and Ricardo Alayo said they noted a black male in a gray hooded sweatshirt lying face-down in the grass, as well as a white male in the area.
"Zimmerman stated that he had shot the subject and was still armed," Smith wrote in a police report.
Smith said he asked Zimmerman to hand over the weapon, a Kel Tec 9 mm, and handcuffed him.
"While I was in such close contact with Zimmerman, I could observe that his back appeared to be wet and he was covered in grass, as if he was laying on his back on the ground," Smith wrote in the police report. "Zimmerman was also bleeding from the nose and the back of the head."
The officers also made several attempts to revive Martin.
When police put Zimmerman in the back of the cruiser, he said, "I was yelling for someone to help me, but no one would help me," according to the police report.
Sure you can ignore race and just look at the dynamics of the event but given the U.S. sociology and the statistics to back up that sociolgy, what are the odds that the same sequence of events would have happened if the killed youth were actually white, or at least "non-black"?
If Trayvon Martin was the son of a well known wealthy Black person then Zimmerman would be in jail. Its not so simple to say it is just "race". There is also the reaction of Trayvon to consider. It is still possible that because he was Black his reaction to Zimmerman was more negative and aggressive than if he was White. Trayvon may have been offended by being approached and questioned thinking that it was because he was Black. This is most likely true and as a result it is more likely that he reacted in a way that escalated things.
It is still the same issue: Zimmerman had no right to approach, harass, obstruct, question, or delay Trayvon in anyway. His actions directly resulted in an altercation. He should be held accountable for poor judgement. Frankly, I think he needs a mental evaluation so there is far more than just race here.
Posts: 4028 | From: NW USA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
^Martin pretended to be armed by going to his waistband. 1st mistake. Zimmerman interpreted his gesture as a dangerous person. Martin put his hoodie on when he became aware that Zimmerman was watching him. 2nd. mistake. He pretended to be the typical hiphop rap video menacing thug. Now, I am sure Martin did that with intentions to ward off any possible threat from Zimmerman. See the disconnect? Both parties viewed each other as a threat, a recipe for disaster. Body language and clothing are very important social cues, and I wish to God! Blacks would realize this. Hiphop has totally hijacked Black America. Sad.
Posts: 816 | Registered: Oct 2011
| IP: Logged |
Lawrence O'Donnell On Trayvon Martin: 'Evidence Of A Police Cover-Up' (VIDEO)
Lawrence O'Donnell forcefully criticized the police handling of the Trayvon Martin case during his Tuesday show.
The killing of Martin — an unarmed teenager who was shot dead by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Florida — has become a major national news story. In a web video after his show, O'Donnell admitted that he "couldn't care less" about the Illinois primary taking place at the same time. "I just wanted to do Trayvon Martin for the whole show," he said.
O'Donnell spent three segments of the show on the Martin case. In one, he spoke to Rep. Corrine Brown and to Jasmine Rand, one of the attorneys for the Martin family.
O'Donnell zeroed in on what is quickly becoming one of the more controversial aspects of the case: a portion of the 911 tape where shooter George Zimmerman can be heard muttering something many say sounds like "f-ing coons," a racial slur. On Wednesday night, investigators in Florida told ABC News that they had "missed" this portion of the tape.
Rand said that she also heard Zimmerman say the slur. Later in the show, though, she said that her law office had analyzed the tape it had been given by the police and could not find that portion there.
"I heard what you heard, and I heard it repeatedly," O'Donnell said. "Legally, those two words ... it seems to me constitute obvious evidence of hateful intent. This is a racial slur that you're hearing him say minutes, seconds possibly, before he shoots a black teenager to death for doing nothing."
He then went on to make an even more serious charge against the police.
"I've studied police cover-ups in the past," he said. "...I believe that what we have here is evidence of a police cover-up...that local police department never wanted anyone to hear those two words."
Report: Lead officer at scene of Martin incident had several complaints, was involved in controversial 2010 case.
A few days ago, WFTV in Orlando reported that Anthony Raimondo, the first officer in charge of the scene the night Trayvon Martin was killed, had three validated complaints during his career and another pending complaint.
He was also involved in another local controversy two years ago. In 2010, Justin Collison, the son of a local police officer, sucker punched a homeless man and broke his nose. Raimondo declined to arrest Collison, and no charges were pressed until WFTV picked up the YouTube video of the incident. Collison, who is white, is the son of a local police lieutenant and the grandson of a former Florida judge. Collison was later ordered to pay the man's medical bills and to donate money to several nonprofit groups.
With regard to the words 'f*cking coons' well....CNN played the recording UNedited for people to hear and judge for themSelves; however, they did so WITHOUT telling anyone the words to listen for because they wanted to leave it up to people to decide on what they hear...they played it repeatedly, again, without telling anyone exactly what to listen for...and I know this because I was watching it...anyway, yeah, it's what that yte jancro said....
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
quote:Martin pretended to be armed by going to his waistband. 1st mistake. Zimmerman interpreted his gesture as a dangerous person. Martin put his hoodie on when he became aware that Zimmerman was watching him. 2nd. mistake. He pretended to be the typical hiphop rap video menacing thug. Now, I am sure Martin did that with intentions to ward off any possible threat from Zimmerman. See the disconnect? Both parties viewed each other as a threat, a recipe for disaster. Body language and clothing are very important social cues, and I wish to God! Blacks would realize this. Hiphop has totally hijacked Black America. Sad.
posted
You are missing the bigger picture. Incidents like this will continue to occur if you do not deal with the heart of the problem - Hiphop. Society's perception of young black men is molded by Hiphop and we need to change this.
quote:Originally posted by Brada-Anansi: Afrolunatic
quote:Martin pretended to be armed by going to his waistband. 1st mistake. Zimmerman interpreted his gesture as a dangerous person. Martin put his hoodie on when he became aware that Zimmerman was watching him. 2nd. mistake. He pretended to be the typical hiphop rap video menacing thug. Now, I am sure Martin did that with intentions to ward off any possible threat from Zimmerman. See the disconnect? Both parties viewed each other as a threat, a recipe for disaster. Body language and clothing are very important social cues, and I wish to God! Blacks would realize this. Hiphop has totally hijacked Black America. Sad.
Tukuler
multidisciplinary Black Scholar
Member # 19944
posted
SANFORD, Fla. -- At a hastily called press conference Thursday afternoon, Sanford City Manager Norton Bonaparte Jr. announced that beleaguered police Chief Bill Lee Jr. is stepping down temporarily amidst growing anger over his handling of the investigation into the killing of Trayvon Martin. Bonaparte told reporters that he hoped the move would "restore calm to the city of Sanford" and help speed the case through the legal process. He said that the city has not yet appointed an interim chief.
"I am aware that my role as the head of the department has become a distraction," said Lee at the press conference. "I have come to the decision to temporarily remove myself."
Lee's resignation comes just hours before a massive rally, scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday night in a local park and led by Rev. Al Sharpton. Thousands are expected to attend as the wave of resentment and anger has spilled from this city of just over 50,000 to as far away as New York City. Discontent over the handling of the case has also gone viral online, with almost 1 million people signing an online petition, and celebrities like Spike Lee and Gabriel Union taking to Twitter to speak out for justice.
Turner Clayton, head of the local NAACP, said he'd been meeting with city officials for more than a week, pushing for Lee's firing or resignation. He said that while Lee's temporary resignation is a good start, ultimately the community wants his permanent removal.
"I'm elated that the chief decided to step aside and allow the city to heal," Clayton said, "But it will be a whole lot better if he just goes ahead and resigns permanently. This is just a temporary fix for right now, of course, we're looking for a permanent fix."
In dragging his feet, Clayton said, Bonaparte is putting his own political career in Sanford in jeopardy. While the police chief serves at the pleasure of the city manager, the manager serves at the pleasure of the city commission. "His stubbornness could cost him his job," Clayton said.
Ben Jealous, president of the NAACP, stated that "There's been a whole lot of progress in just a few days. While the wheels of justice are turning more slowly than the nation wants, than this city wants, the reality is we can see them beginning to turn. They are beginning to turn because, frankly, this city is coming together in ways that some people have said just weren't possible, and people in this town are actually raising their voices and saying, 'This is our city, and it will accountable to us.'"
Jealous reiterated the call for Zimmerman's arrest, and said, "We've got to get Mr. Zimmerman behind bars. He has got to be locked up. People need to know if their son or daughter is stalked and killed in cold blood, that their killer will be put behind bars."
The move comes a day after city commissioners voted "no confidence" in Lee during a meeting Wednesday evening. Shortly before Lee's announcement, Mayor Jeff Triplett told HuffPost that he thought the chief's time had come. Asked whether or not the quickly called press conference would announce a shake-up in the police department or a change in leadership, Triplett responded "I hope," and stated that "the commission has spoken," referring to its earlier vote of no confidence.He said it would be in the best interest of the city and the department for Lee to "step aside so the investigation is over, at minimum."
Lee has come under increasing fire over his department's investigation into the killing of Martin, who was shot on Feb. 26 by George Zimmerman, who told police he shot the teen in self-defense, moments after calling 911 to report a suspicious person.
The Justice Department, the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement all agreed in the last week to join the investigation. During that time, local officials have been pressuring Bonaparte to fire Lee. Bonaparte told Huffington Post Black Voices last week that he was weighing all of his options, and said last night that he wanted to postpone a decision until those outside investigations into the killing and the department's handling of the case were resolved.
Local residents and community leaders, particularly in the black community, have said they have absolutely no faith in the Sanford police or Lee, who came into office less than a year ago after another scandal brought down the previous chief of police.
Chief Lee's predecessor, Brian Tooley, was forced from office last year amid a scandal involving a lieutenant's son who was captured on video attacking a homeless black man. As the homeless man lay bleeding on the ground, police officers reportedly drove his attacker from the scene. The lieutenant's son, Justin Collison, 21, was not arrested at the time. A month later he turned himself in after video surfaced on Youtube.
For years the local NAACP and others have claimed that the police protected their own and routinely harassed and embarrassed blacks. And in the last few years, some Sanford officers have displayed questionable behavior: a couple have been arrested for taking bribes and kickbacks, and one was fired last summer for falsely accusing a suspect of attempted murder. In one case, the NAACP said that an officer had refused to investigate the rape of a black woman until the organization put pressure on the department.
At a town hall meeting on Wednesday, dozens of citizens told stories of humiliation or hurt they say was done by Sanford Police. Some told of lackluster murder investigations, of being physically assaulted or of being stopped and profiled because of their race. Jealous referred to the Sanford Police Department as an agency that "has gone a bit rogue."
"This really speaks to why we need DOJ here. What we've heard from citizen after citizen is that there are serious problems that go way beyond this case," Jealous said. "We need justice for Trayvon Martin, but we also need justice to work here in Sanford."
Jealous said that the NAACP plans to hold more hearings in the coming weeks to gather such stories. The statements will then be compiled in a report and delivered to federal investigators.
In the year since Chief Lee took over the department, some in the community said things were just beginning to change.
Lee told the Orlando Sentinel in June that "I hope to focus on developing partnerships with the community and continuing what they've started in their efforts of community policing: working in areas that will enable an officer to get to know the community he's working in; who in that community is not supposed to be there; work together with the community to identify problems."
The department has been criticized for several aspects of the Martin investigation.
Martin, 17, was headed back to the home of his father's girlfriend shortly after 6 p.m. on Feb. 26 after a trip to the convenience store. George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old neighborhood watch member, reported Martin to the police and told the 911 dispatcher that the teenager looked "suspicious." Zimmerman was told by the dispatcher not to follow Martin, but a few minutes after the police call, Martin lay dead from a gunshot to the chest. Zimmerman admitted to police that he shot Martin, but claimed he acted in self-defense; he has not been arrested or charged.
Officers initially told Martin’s parents that Zimmerman had a squeaky clean-record. He was arrested for violence and battery against a police officer in 2005. Martin was tested for drugs and alcohol after his death, but Zimmerman was not. Police failed to check cellphone records for Martin and Zimmerman after the shooting, according to a lawyer for Martin's family. And witnesses have said police did not return phone calls, attempted to manipulate them during questioning and have twisted their statements to fit Zimmerman's self-defense claim.
The case has garnered national attention, with protests and rallies around the country calling for the shooting to be investigated and for Zimmerman to be prosecuted.
quote:Originally posted by Afrolunacy revealed: ^Martin pretended to be armed by going to his waistband. 1st mistake. Zimmerman interpreted his gesture as a dangerous person. Martin put his hoodie on when he became aware that Zimmerman was watching him. 2nd. mistake. He pretended to be the typical hiphop rap video menacing thug. Now, I am sure Martin did that with intentions to ward off any possible threat from Zimmerman. See the disconnect? Both parties viewed each other as a threat, a recipe for disaster. Body language and clothing are very important social cues, and I wish to God! Blacks would realize this. Hiphop has totally hijacked Black America. Sad.
So we should forget about constitutional rights and use cultural values and conformity to that culture to determine who has rights and who doesn't? Even when said cultural arises out of a value system that brought about the greatest document ever written by man (technically much of the Bible is not written by man just copied)? The American Constitution is by far the greatest single document ever written besides the Bible or the Quran (not comparing the two. Bible is certainly superior over the Quran).
No, we should follow our ideals that every man is created equal and endowed we certain rights. Some of those rights are freedom to assembly, the right to bare arms, and the right against unreasonable search and seizure. But most importantly, the right to express (freedom of speach) and the pursuit of happiness. What makes our American culture is its lofty ideals and we have yet to fully embrace.
For it is the feeble minded fools with their corrupted perception and an undaunting willingness to remain childish and primitive like. A World as big and as diverse as ours and we cannot see the truth as if it was like the proverbial tree in the forest (can you not see the forest through the trees).
Trayvon was exercising his God given rights of an American Citizen. He had know idea why he was being followed and had every reason to try to protect himself. I think he tried to stand his ground and was mowed down. I find it unbelievable that this type of tragedy would be an issue of race in this day and age. But I have seen it happen over and over again.
AC/DC, Motley Crew, Iron Maiden, and the list goes on. Acid Rock and Heavy Metal, music of a anti-social and degenerate people that have hijacked the NW European people. From the Meth culture and various perversions, it is amazing that the ancestors of the Druids ever learned as much as they have from the Hebrew peoples that once ruled over them. Only from the Hebrew people to these people today enjoy such concepts as the constitution which was heavily influenced by one of many Hebrew texts. Basically, don't play that look down your nose at people crap with me.
Posts: 4028 | From: NW USA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
edited so as not to get off topic of this thread...new thread to be created....
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
Editor's note: Sherrilyn A. Ifill is a professor at the University of Maryland School of Law and the chairwoman of the U.S. Programs Board of the Open Society Foundations. She is the author of "On the Courthouse Lawn: Confronting the Legacy of Lynching in the Twenty-first Century."
(CNN) -- The hardest part of listening to Trayvon Martin's mother speak about her son's death is hearing the tone of her voice. It bears a heaviness that speaks not just of grief but of resignation.
Sybrina Fulton is living the nightmare that every black mother carries in the back of her mind every day. Her son has been senselessly killed by someone who didn't see her son -- a normal American teenager -- but saw just a black boy and felt threatened. The police know the killer but have not arrested him.
All of the known facts support the likelihood that Martin was pursued and killed by a zealous neighborhood watch captain. But Martin is black, his assailant, George Zimmerman, is white (Hispanic), and the events took place in Florida, which has a strong self-defense law. So rather than quietly grieve, comforted by the assurance that this terrible wrong will be forcefully addressed, Fulton must do what many black mothers have had to do for decades. She must lead the charge to bring the killer to justice. She must hire a lawyer, although her son broke no law. She must appear at rallies and on the radio to keep public pressure on local police who have refused to arrest Zimmerman.
In the early 20th century, the consequences for the kind of relentless determination displayed by Fulton could be deadly. Of the several dozen black women who were lynched in our nation's history, most were killed in retaliation for demanding the arrest of those who murdered their sons or husbands.
We've come a long way since those days. But Fulton still feels the pain of having to defend the honor of her son and justify the significance of his life.
She does not say this. But in her voice we hear the sound of a burden decades old and almost too heavy to bear. In a way, she is walking the rugged path forged so courageously and publicly by Mamie Mae Till more than 50 years ago, who never rested in her search for justice for her slain son, Emmitt.
The fear of Fulton's terrible journey is what motivates so many black mothers to harangue their sons with demands that they call home when they're out, that they take a friend with them and that they watch their backs. We imagine what could happen and try to do our best to keep the nightmare at bay. Our hearts break when we hear the recount of Martin's call to a friend in the minutes before he was killed. He knew Zimmerman was following him. His fear was mixed with a young man's pride: "I'm not gonna run."
Yes, we know about those parents who don't parent, who let their children run wild without supervision. But we also know the truth. And the truth is that most black mothers parent with determination, authority and fear. Especially those mothers who have sons.
The teenage rites of passage that thrill our white counterpoints send fear down a black mother's spine. When your child is old enough to walk to a friend's house in the neighborhood, it can mean the first of many stop-and-frisk encounters with the police. When they turn 18, they can now be arrested and charged as an adult for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. A new driver's license and car opens the door to driving-while-black stops. Just having a flat tire in the road can end with a senseless murder, like the death of Camille and Bill Cosby's son Ennis on the Los Angeles freeway in 1997.
Without question, white mothers lose their sons to murder too, and black mothers who lose their sons and daughters to murder do so more often at the hands of other black men or boys. There is no comfort for any of these mothers; there is just the hope of justice. But when a white neighborhood watch captain with a record of run-ins with the law follows, shoots and kills a black unarmed teenager and no arrest is made, even the cold comfort of justice is denied.
There are too many weeping, grieving mothers in our gun-soaked, violent nation. All that Sybrina Fulton asks for are answers and justice. Every mother of every race should stand with her.
posted
Who would like to read the Zimmerman offense report in this matter? The offense description in this case was Homicide, Negligent Manslaughter, Unnecessary Killing to Prevent Unlawful Act.
Although, I knew about this earlier today after seeing this on CNN news...despite the offense listed, after interviewing him they kept his gun and allowed him to leave...
782.11 Unnecessary killing to prevent unlawful act.—Whoever shall unnecessarily kill another, either while resisting an attempt by such other person to commit any felony, or to do any other unlawful act, or after such attempt shall have failed, shall be deemed guilty of manslaughter, a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. History.—s. 13, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2388; GS 3213; RGS 5043; CGL 7145; s. 719, ch. 71-136.
"In other words, if you don’t fall into the exceptions in the latter section, you’re guilty of the crime in the previous section."
Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
(Reuters) – On June 5, 2006, not long after Florida enacted the first “Stand Your Ground” law in the United States, unarmed Jason Rosenbloom was shot in the stomach and chest by his next-door neighbor after a shouting match over trash.
Exactly what happened that day in Clearwater, Florida, is still open to dispute. Kenneth Allen, a retired police officer, said he shot Rosenbloom because he was trying to storm into his house.
Rosenbloom told Reuters in a telephone interview this week he never tried to enter the house and was in Allen’s yard, about 10 feet (3 meters) from his front door, when he was shot moments after he put his hands up.
Now living in Hawaii, Rosenbloom said he had been unaware of the growing outrage over last month’s shooting in Sanford, Florida, of an unarmed black teenager by a neighborhood watch captain.
Trayvon Martin, 17, was shot by George Zimmerman on February 26 while walking back to the house where he was staying with his father in a gated community. Sanford police have not arrested Zimmerman, largely because Stand Your Ground requires them, without clear evidence of malice and in the absence of eyewitness testimony to the contrary, to accept Zimmerman’s argument he was acting in self-defense.
Allen was not arrested in the shooting of Rosenbloom. Sergeant Tom Nestor of the Pinella’s County Sheriff’s Office said Allen was found to have acted in self-defense when he pumped two rounds into Rosenbloom with his 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
“He meant for me to be dead and he never called 911,” said Rosenbloom, 36, adding that Allen, now 65, bent over him and using an expletive, warned him not to tangle “with an ex-cop” as he lay bleeding on the ground.
“The police closed it on his words alone,” said Rosenbloom, explaining how the case that began with a complaint about him leaving eight trash bags on the curb instead of the regulation six, was closed after what he described as only a summary investigation.
“They made me the bad guy,” he added.
Allen, contacted by phone in rural Georgia, said on Thursday he had “no regrets” about shooting Rosenbloom, describing him as a “little punk” who was “lucky to be alive.”
He denied using profanity after shooting his neighbor, who he claimed had forced his way into the house and threatened to “beat my ass.”
WIDE LATITUDE IN CASE OF SELF-DEFENSE
Police say Florida’s Stand Your Ground law, which loosened formerly restrictive rules for using deadly force and gives people wide latitude to employ it in self-defense, was never officially cited in the Rosenbloom case.
But Rosenbloom considers himself one of the first victims of the new law in Florida and one of the few who has lived to give a first-hand account of how he said it can be used to shoot to kill with impunity.
The law, which extended the “castle doctrine” allowing residents to shoot would-be burglars or intruders entering their homes, gives legal protection to anyone, anywhere, to use deadly force in a case where a person is attacked and believes his life or safety is in danger.
One of the law’s legislative sponsors said it was partly motivated by a rash of looting and theft after a series of hurricanes hit Florida in 2005.
Dubbed the “Shoot First, Ask Questions Later” law by critics, the statute extends even beyond self-defense and is seen by some as encouraging vigilante justice.
“A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity … has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony,” the law says.
“I think it’s a very foolish law meant to turn a blind eye,” Rosenbloom said, referring to how Stand Your Ground has been criticized in the past for protecting people who might formerly have been prosecuted for assault or murder.
‘CONSISTENTLY AWFUL’
The law, approved under former Governor Jeb Bush after a big push by pro-gun advocates led by the National Rifle Association, was passed over numerous objections from the Florida Prosecuting Attorneys Association and state law enforcement officials. Florida’s Republican governor, Rick Scott, announced the formation of a task force on Thursday to “thoroughly review” the law in the wake of the Martin shooting.
“Basically it’s a law that fixed something that wasn’t broken, and then it created a lot of problems,” said William “Willie” Meggs, veteran state attorney for the 2nd Judicial Circuit in Tallahassee, the Florida capital.
“I have been an outspoken critic of the law since it came into existence and I would suspect we may be doing something about it after all the interest we’re seeing in it now,” he said.
According to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, at least 23 states have passed laws similar to Florida’s since 2005.
Florida does not keep comprehensive records to gauge the impact of Stand Your Ground. But the St. Petersburg Times found that in the first five years after the law was enacted, “justifiable homicides” in Florida more than tripled, to more than 100 in 2010 from just over 30. The Stand Your Ground law was invoked in at least 93 cases over that time period, involving 65 deaths.
Despite assertions from supporters of the law that it has worked as a deterrent of violent crime, Dennis Henigan, a lawyer and veteran vice president of the Brady Campaign, said the state was still saddled with a “tragic record” on violent crime.
“It’s quite remarkable how consistently awful Florida’s record has been,” Henigan said. “It takes some work to finish in the top five in violent crime among all the states every single year for the last 30 years.”
‘NOT A ‘LICENSE TO KILL’
Supporters of Stand Your Ground say it has worked well, while arguing it should not be applied in the Zimmerman case.
“It’s not a 007 license to kill,” said Sean Caranna, who heads a gun rights group called Florida Carry.
Republican State Representative Dennis Baxley, one of the authors of the Stand Your Ground law, said it did not protect people who pursued and confronted their victims, as occurred in Sanford, according to lawyers for the parents of the dead teenager.
“That’s where he (Zimmerman) stepped out on thin ice away from protection of this statute,” he said.
Defending Stand Your Ground, Baxley said that while errors may occur, such as the death of Martin, it was important that the law err on the side of those who fear they are facing “a perceived” threat.
“That’s good public policy. I think we have a good statute and I would hate to lose anything in it that protects people from harm. It saves lives,” Baxley added.
Rosenbloom still has health problems stemming from his injuries and a bullet remains lodged in his right hip.
“Now I live as far away from Florida in America as you can freaking get,” he said, explaining his recent move to Hawaii was aimed at leaving a lot of bad memories behind in what he now calls the “Gunshine State,” a play on Florida’s nickname, “the Sunshine State.”
His family was struck by a second tragedy only three days after he was shot by Allen. Rosenbloom said his younger brother Joshua was shot and killed by police after threatening to commit suicide by disemboweling himself with a sword.
Twenty-year-old Joshua Rosenbloom, a manic depressive, was acting out after hearing his brother was in intensive care in a Tampa hospital, recovering from his gunshot wounds, Rosenbloom said. He was shot three times in his bedroom when police approached while he was still holding the sword in his hands, his older brother said.
-------------------- "TRUTH IS LIKE LIGHTNING WITH ITS ERRAND DONE BEFORE YOU HEAR THE THUNDER" - Gerald Massey "TRUTH IS FINAL" -Mumia Abu-Jamal Posts: 3446 | From: U.S. by way of JA by way of Africa | Registered: Jan 2010
| IP: Logged |
posted
its em damn hoodies. if only blacks would listen to geraldo and take off em damn hoodies.
Posts: 4254 | From: dasein | Registered: Jun 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
Defend the constitution and prosecute before this happens to another precious life. I don't care what culture or race, stand for American ideals.
Females get raped because they are walking alone at night in a dark park. Should women not be able to walk in a park at night? Should we not prosecute rapists who rape women walking in a park at night? Don't we want a society where citizens are protected regardless of their class, race, or sex.
We are all Trayvons! For we are of citizens and have certain inalienable rights that is worth fighting for.
-------------------- Across the sea of time, there can only be one of you. Make you the best one you can be. Posts: 4028 | From: NW USA | Registered: May 2005
| IP: Logged |
posted
^A white kid was doused with lighter fluid and set alight by black kids and taunted with racial slurs three months ago. Where was your outcry? fucking hypocrite.
Posts: 816 | Registered: Oct 2011
| IP: Logged |
quote:Did blacks not tell their children not to wear certain colors when crossing certain 'hoods in Compton? Did you forget that? Geraldo is right.
I suppose women deserve to be raped for dressing a certain way now too? No. The boy didn't deserve to be killed for how he chose to dress anymore than a girl deserves to be raped. If this were a young white girl that got raped by several black men over the way she dressed Lunacy--er I'm sorry Cassi would be all over it.
quote:[QUOTE]Originally posted by Afrolunacy revealed: ^A white kid was doused with lighter fluid and set alight by black kids and taunted with racial slurs three months ago. Where was your outcry? fucking hypocrite.
Many are questioning if this is even a legitimate event as it is not yet. There are no names no individuals in your link just a circumstance from what many have dubbed a questionable website. Trayvon is a face, a name with school and community outcry with major news outlets covering it. People feel this story is credible so blame the news first, the people second.
But let's put this into perspective. Generally speaking how often do white people have to go out fearful of law enforcement and/or how the the majority of America will treat them? Many blacks have deemed the waving of this case to be "cherry picking" by using a case that doesn't reflect the everyday "struggle" of being white as the bastion of "black on white racism" To an event that reflects the everyday occurrence of profiling. How many whites are worried about being lit on fire and how many blacks are worried about being pulled, shot, killed or poorly handled in the legal system for being black? I thought so. Some people aren't gonna say it but they don't feel it deserves the same amount of attention cause the reason Trayvon's getting this attention is because of how prevalent this problem is in the black community. To put it on the same level is to suggest whites have a similar problem going on just as much. Oh and no one i know that is white is talking about Zimmerman. Everyone I know of whose talking about it is black.
Posts: 2508 | From: . | Registered: Nov 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
Zimmerman's lawyer: 'Stand your ground' doesn't apply in Trayvon Martin case
For more on the investigation into the Florida teen's shooting death, watch "Trayvon Martin Killing" at 7 ET Saturday night on CNN.
Sanford, Florida (CNN) -- A lawyer for the man at the center of the Trayvon Martin death investigation said Florida's "stand your ground" law doesn't apply to the shooting that killed the unarmed teen.
"In my legal opinion, that's not really applicable to this case. The statute on 'stand your ground' is primarily when you're in your house," said Craig Sonner, attorney for George Zimmerman. "This is self-defense, and that's been around for forever -- that you have a right to defend yourself. So the next issue (that) is going to come up is, was he justified in using the amount of force he did?"
Trayvon Martin, 17, was killed February 26. Police say he was shot by a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Florida, who said he was acting in self-defense. Martin was unarmed, carrying a bag of Skittles candy and an iced tea, according to police.
Although a grand jury is scheduled to convene April 10 to look into the case, authorities have declined to arrest Zimmerman, sparking a national debate over the "stand your ground" deadly force law and concerns about racial profiling.
The family of Zimmerman, a white Hispanic, said he has been wrongly described as a racist. Zimmerman's attorney said he doesn't see anything that indicates his client is a racist.
Sonner said Zimmerman and his wife served as mentors to two teenage children of an African-American woman. Though funding was cut for the program, the couple continued their efforts on their own, taking the 13-year-old girl and 14-year-old boy on outings to a mall, a science center and a basketball game. They also helped in a fundraiser for a predominantly African-American church, the lawyer said.
"I do not believe that's the indication of a person who's a racist," Sonner said.
President Barack Obama praised Florida Gov. Rick Scott's decision to create a task force to review the "stand your ground" law and said that it would be important to "examine the laws and the context for what happened as well as the specifics of the incident."
The president also obliquely addressed the racial component of the case, saying it struck home for him because, "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."
The teenager's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, said in a statement that it was "humbling" that Obama had talked about their son. "The president's personal comments touch us deeply and made us wonder: If his son looked like Trayvon and wore a hoodie, would he be suspicious, too?"
Martin was wearing a hooded sweatshirt the day he was killed.
The case unfolded when Zimmerman, who was patrolling his gated community, saw Martin walking in the neighborhood. Zimmerman called 911 and reported what he described as a suspicious person. Moments later, several neighbors called 911 to report a commotion outside.
Police arrived to find Martin dead of a gunshot wound.
Authorities say they have not charged Zimmerman because they have no evidence to contradict his story that he shot in self-defense.
Zimmerman's attorney said his client was injured on the night of the killing.
"I believe that his nose was broken; he sustained injury to his nose and on the back of his head he sustained a cut that was serious enough, it probably should have had stitches," he said.
Sonner said the injuries "were from Trayvon Martin, I assume."
The lawyer said he and Zimmerman had not discussed what happened the night Martin was shot, though he said that Zimmerman has talked with authorities -- unaccompanied by counsel -- whenever they have asked him to do so.
The case has prompted a Justice Department investigation, which is in the fact-finding stage. Sonner said he has advised his client to keep a low profile, as "I believe his life is in danger."
"This case is spinning out of control," he said. "I hope there's a way to rein things in so it doesn't become an issue of a racial battle. I hope that things come back so that there can be a time for justice and for healing and not for just skipping the whole judicial process and going straight to sentencing."
Police have taken the gun used in the shooting and are holding it as evidence, he said.
"Whatever transpired that night, it's unfortunate that there's a young man in the prime of his life that was left dead," Sonner added.
Heated debate has erupted over whether Zimmerman used a racial slur during the 911 call, which was released this week.
A top CNN audio engineer enhanced the sound of the 911 call, and several members of CNN's editorial staff repeatedly reviewed the tape but could reach no consensus.
Whether Zimmerman used such language before shooting Martin is key, according to CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin.
"It's extremely, extremely significant, because the federal government is not allowed to prosecute just your ordinary, everyday murder," he said. "Two people fighting on the street is not a federal crime. However, if one person shoots another based on racial hostility, racial animus, that does become a federal crime."
A special prosecutor appointed by the governor, Angela Corey, said Friday that her office can charge Zimmerman, clear him or send the case to the grand jury.
Rallies and protests took place across the country Friday.
Congressional staffers rallied in an event dubbed "Hoodies on the Hill" organized by several staff organizations, while students walked out of classes at six Miami-area high schools to protest police handling of the case and demand changes in Florida's law.
Miami-Dade County Public Schools issued a statement saying Martin's mother asked students to focus instead on signing petitions, attending rallies and praying.
More demonstrations are planned for this weekend in New York, South Carolina and Virginia, as well as for Monday in Sanford and Atlanta.
Amid the protests and calls for reform, some Florida lawmakers said it was time to revisit the 2005 "stand your ground" law that eliminated a long-standing provision requiring people facing danger outside of their homes to first attempt to retreat before meeting a threat with force.
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who signed "state your ground" into law in 2005, said the statute doesn't pertain to the case surrounding Martin's death, according to The Dallas Morning News.
"This law does not apply to this particular circumstance," Bush said after an event at the University of Texas at Arlington, according to the newspaper. "Stand your ground means stand your ground means stand your ground. It doesn't mean chase after somebody who's turned their back."
Since the law's adoption, the number of justifiable homicide rulings in Florida has nearly tripled, according to the state Department of Law Enforcement.
"We foretold that this would happen while we debated this law, and a lot of us voted against it," Florida state Rep. Christopher Smith said Friday. "They turned a blind eye to it. But now that America's looking at Florida, now people are starting to react and starting to really recognize what we were saying back in 2005 in the Florida House."
But a co-sponsor of the law, Sen. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, said the law was not at fault. He credited the statute for a "serious decrease" in violent crime.
Baxley said it is up to the grand jury to decide whether any laws were broken, but left no doubt where he stands.
"Quite frankly, anyone who steps out in a pursuit in a confrontational mode with a firearm? That's not a self-protection act. You've initiated something."
The incident has damaged relations between the Sanford Police Department and the city's African-American residents, City Manager Norton Bonaparte said Friday.
"We have to start from ground zero," he said.
The depths to which community relations had sunk was underscored by the arrest Friday of a 68-year-old Melbourne Beach white man for allegedly threatening to harm Bill Lee, who stepped down "temporarily" on Thursday as Sanford's police chief. "You and your family deserve to be hunted down and shot like a dog, just like Trayvon Martin," says the e-mail that led to the arrest. "Your entire police department is nothing more than a collection of incompetent, bigoted, unprofessional a**holes."
posted
He was told not to follow the kid for a reason. 911 dispatchers are trained professionals; the intelligent thing to have done was to follow their advice. Now Zimmerman will pay for his lack of intelligence.
Posts: 4254 | From: dasein | Registered: Jun 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
He did not follow the kid after he was told not to. This will all come out soon. It has been revealed that the reason why Zimmerman got out of his vehicle was because the dispatcher had asked him where he was located. He got out to see the name of the street. This was an unfortunate timing because Trayvon was not too far away on his cell speaking to his gf, telling her he was being watched. After Zimmerman read off the street to the dispatcher, he proceeded to return to his car, only to be pounced on by Trayvon; this is when the fight ensues.
quote:Originally posted by anguishofbeing: He was told not to follow the kid for a reason. 911 dispatchers are trained professionals; the intelligent thing to have done was to follow their advice. Now Zimmerman will pay for his lack of intelligence.
posted
At frame 2:17 you can hear the wind pick up as Zimmerman begins his chase. When he is advised to stop pursuit, the wind starts to die down and comes to a complete stop within 15-20 seconds. This indicates that he stops walking --stopped pursuit. He then proceeds to tell the dispatcher locations.
quote:He did not follow the kid after he was told not to.
I guess that explains how he caught up with Trayvon, who was running/walking fast, away from Zimmerman, according to all accounts, including that of Zimmerman.
Posts: 8785 | From: Discovery Channel's Mythbusters | Registered: Dec 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
What do you mean no evidence? You can easily tell he stops pursuing Trayvon. What did you expect? A smoking gun or something? This is circumstantial evidence, asswhipe.
quote:Originally posted by anguishofbeing: are you fuking kidding?!
hahahahahahah
just as i thought, no fuking evidence for your shyt.
posted
He did follow but when told to stand down stopped. Trayvon caught up to him when after initially running away saw Zimmerman walk back to his vehicle, seized the moment to attack from behind.
quote:Originally posted by Swenet: I guess that explains how he caught up with Trayvon, who was running/walking fast, away from Zimmerman, according to all accounts, including Zimmerman's.
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Just making sure you're aware, is all... 
Printer-friendly view of this topic