Zimmerman verdict: Not Guilty.

[A Theist]

The jury found that the evidence supported the defense's contention that Zimmerman acted in self defense to prevent himself from being pummeled to death by Trayvon Martin.

Trayvon was not defending himself? After all, he was the unarmed one being stalked late at night in his own neighborhood.

Following somebody isn't a crime and it's no justification to pin someone down and start wailing away on him...

[Rahul]

If Zimmerman had been checking up on me that night, even the 17 year old me, nothing would have happened. No one would have been shot. No one would have been hit. Nothing. He would have stalked up to me, shined his flashlight in my face, and I would react like a law abiding, reasonable person.

Trayvon went off the handle. That's the only reason he's dead. Trayvon fucked up. He just didn't count on the person he went off on having a gun.

His mistake. And he suffered the consequences.

[Silver]

Following somebody isn't a crime

If stalking someone is not a crime, then why do restraining orders exist?

[cratehorus]

white people have the right to murder black people who are walking illegally in a white's only neighborhood maybe you niggers should remeber that you are not allowed in civilized neighborhoods, after all you people know you are instinctively just animals you should be lucky whites don't use you as food

[Manowar]

A restraining order exists so an abuser can't hurt the victim a second time. Doesn't apply here. Martin was hitting Zimmerman, why can't you understand that? When a person has his head smashed on the sidewalk and punched in the face Zimmerman has the right to protect himself, period.

manowar

[Creed of Heresy]

Great. I went to go and find the compilation from the police footage parts that showed Zimmerman's face when the cops came after the incident and the video has been taken down. All I can state is that the video, from what I could see, distinctly lacked Zimmerman showing any kind of abuse, and it was from that that I drew my conclusions. THAT SAID, I hadn't seen that image from CNN either, nor the ones that follow after it, and the ones that follow showing the cuts across the man's skull look much worse than what was initially implied to be the case. That said, I'm still wondering what the hell instigated this situation to begin with. This wasn't a bad part of town. Hell, the kid's gmail account has several bits of correspondence with universities from college applications. You can't honestly tell me that because he was wearing a fucking hoody and was walking around late at night with a fucking can of arizona iced tea in his hand that this fat-ass really thought that warranted him starting shit that resulted in a fucking fist fight, nor that it warranted him shooting the kid to death.

No matter what, even with the physical damage I can see, it's STILL not enough to convince me. I've been in MUCH worse fights than that, come out looking worse, and I didn't feel the need to pull a gun on the person who I was fighting with, even if they kicked the shit out of me. And, seriously, this guy had to shoot to kill? Are you serious?

Also, consider this... In this same state, only DAYS PRIOR, this happened: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-5743...ing-shots/

Yeah. So, a woman fires WARNING SHOTS at her ABUSIVE HUSBAND, and gets 20 years.

Zimmerman shoots a kid to death without firing any warning shots of his own...gets off scot-free.

I'm gonna say this again: BULLSHIT!

---

If Zimmerman had been checking up on me that night, even the 17 year old me, nothing would have happened. No one would have been shot. No one would have been hit. Nothing. He would have stalked up to me, shined his flashlight in my face, and I would react like a law abiding, reasonable person.

Trayvon went off the handle. That's the only reason he's dead. Trayvon fucked up. He just didn't count on the person he went off on having a gun.

His mistake. And he suffered the consequences.

Ahh yes, of course, it's perfectly acceptable that the punishment for over-reacting should be the termination of your life.

I sometimes think you're an idiot. This is one of those times.

[Tiberius]

Following somebody isn't a crime

If stalking someone is not a crime, then why do restraining orders exist?

Stalking =/= Following.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, stalking is defined as "a pattern of repeated and unwanted attention, harassment, contact, or any other course of conduct directed at a specific person that would cause a reasonable person to feel fear."

Source: http://www.safehorizon.org/index/get-hel...ng-71.html

Bolding is mine. Following someone is not illegal. It only becomes illegal (and "stalking") if the following is repeated over a period of time. If you witness a crime, you can follow the perpetrator and report to police about what they look like, where they went, maybe what car they got into, etc.

[Tiberius]

Great. I went to go and find the compilation from the police footage parts that showed Zimmerman's face when the cops came after the incident and the video has been taken down. All I can state is that the video, from what I could see, distinctly lacked Zimmerman showing any kind of abuse, and it was from that that I drew my conclusions. THAT SAID, I hadn't seen that image from CNN either, nor the ones that follow after it, and the ones that follow showing the cuts across the man's skull look much worse than what was initially implied to be the case.

I'm glad you accept that you didn't have all the facts right.

That said, I'm still wondering what the hell instigated this situation to begin with. This wasn't a bad part of town. Hell, the kid's gmail account has several bits of correspondence with universities from college applications. You can't honestly tell me that because he was wearing a fucking hoody and was walking around late at night with a fucking can of arizona iced tea in his hand that this fat-ass really thought that warranted him starting shit that resulted in a fucking fist fight, nor that it warranted him shooting the kid to death.

There were reported break-ins in the neighborhood, which was why Zimmerman was out patrolling in the first place. He initially reported Treyvon because the guy was out in the rain, walking around, and looking at the houses. From the police transcripts of the phone call, Zimmerman doesn't describe the guy holding ice tea, but rather holding "something", so it's unlikely he even saw it was a beverage.

No matter what, even with the physical damage I can see, it's STILL not enough to convince me. I've been in MUCH worse fights than that, come out looking worse, and I didn't feel the need to pull a gun on the person who I was fighting with, even if they kicked the shit out of me. And, seriously, this guy had to shoot to kill? Are you serious?

Firstly, it isn't about what you've been involved in. If Zimmerman felt his life was in danger (and his injuries certainly look like he was getting a good beating), then he has the right to defend himself against his attacker. Secondly, your words "shoot to kill" are unnecessary and just you putting more unneeded emotion into this discussion. There is no evidence he shot to kill. The evidence suggests he shot to defend himself against an attack.

Also, consider this... In this same state, only DAYS PRIOR, this happened: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-5743...ing-shots/

Yeah. So, a woman fires WARNING SHOTS at her ABUSIVE HUSBAND, and gets 20 years.

Zimmerman shoots a kid to death without firing any warning shots of his own...gets off scot-free.

I'm gonna say this again: BULLSHIT!

I agree with you; what happened to that woman was a travesty and should never have happened. If Zimmerman had got 20 years (or more) for murder, it would have been a travesty too.

You forget that just because I support the outcome in this case, does not mean I support the outcome in similar cases.

[Creed of Heresy]

Yeah, I wouldn't call what happened there "stalking."

Unfortunately what EXACTLY transpired beforehand, well, only two people know, and one of them is dead, and the other is the victor, and, as we all know, history is written by the victors. His side of the story is the only one we'll know.

This is just my opinion here, but honestly, if the police dispatcher tells you to NOT FOLLOW the person you're calling them about...then don't fucking follow them. Let the fucking cops handle it.

This was some guy trying to be a vigilante hero and he started getting the crap beat out of him and he shot the guy. If the dipshit had stayed in his car to begin with and just let the cops handle it, this all could've easily been avoided.

[Something completely different]

Following somebody isn't a crime and it's no justification to pin someone down and start wailing away on him...

Try following me arround in my neighbourhood during the night. You will regret it, if you are still capable of regreting things after I am finished with you.

I bet a black guy following a "suspicious white" wouldn`t be capable of defending himself in a court.


Anyway, the entire case just shows how racist the country still is when a black person with a hoody is considered to be "suspicious".