Whether its right or wrong, surely its their Law to keep or change. Assuming most here are UK based, would you object to US influence in changing the laws of this country to suit their values and culture?
I agree with the sentiment that where a Law is wrong it should be questioned, but that decision and action should be by the people subject to it.

would you object to US influence in changing the laws of this a country (with oil) to suit their values and culture?

That certainly doesn’t sound like something the US would do… 😀

well the good old US of A does have a bit of prevous in interfering in other countries affairs, specially anywhere that has the right kind of natural resources

– the 911 dispatcher told Zimmerman not to follow him.

I heard that, the dispatcher said ‘don’t do that’ however it sounded like he was already moving at that point and didn’t necessarily hear the comment

– the 911 recordings have “distance crying and pleading for help. A gunshot is heard, and then silence.”

I will re-listen to the tape, but I seem to remember the caller saying argument and not pleading (and if she did say ‘pleading’ I can’t see how Zimmerman wouldn’t already be arrested). The pleading story is an early one which I believe has been discredited as it mentioned two shots (one warning one fatal) where in actual fact only a single fatal shot was fired.

Also that doesn’t tie up with the newer information which relates to the conversation with his girlfriend where she hears an confrontation and then fight/altercation and then the phone is dropped then shortly after he dropped the phone he was shot. Which doesn’t leave very long for the ‘pleading’ and fits in with the argument discussion.

regardless none of us were there (obviously!), and all we have to go on is the press trying to sell papers and activists and politicians trying to gain points and sponsors

he pleading story is an early one which I believe has been discredited …. doesn’t tie up with the newer information

Hmmm.. from the Miami Herald, posted yesterday:

“Three witnesses contacted by The Miami Herald say they saw or heard the moments before and after the Miami Gardens teenager’s killing. All three said they heard the last howl for help from a despondent boy..

“I heard someone crying — not boo-hoo crying, but scared or terrified or hurt maybe,” said Mary Cutcher, 31, who lives in the Retreat at Twin Lakes townhome community where the shooting occurred. “To me, it was a child.”

“This was not self-defense,” Cutcher said. “We heard no fighting, no wrestling, no punching. We heard a boy crying. As soon as the shot went off, it stopped, which tells me it was the child crying. If it had been Zimmerman crying, it wouldn’t have stopped. If you’re hurting, you’re hurting.”

She and her friend say they heard the sounds from a few steps away, where they were inside beside an open window. Seconds later, they dashed out to find a boy face down on the ground and a man standing over him, a foot on each side of the body on the ground, with his hands pinning the shooting victim down.

— http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/15/2696446/trayvon-martin-case.html

🙁

Zimmerman has apparently claimed that Trayvon came at him from behind (how?) and that it was his crying for help that can be heard on the tapes. 😯

regardless none of us were there (obviously!), and all we have to go on is the press trying to sell papers and activists and politicians trying to gain points and sponsors

Agreed. The facts are difficult to judge. But the law and its enforcement certainly repulses my (British) sense of justice.

True, shit like this makes you very glad not to be in the US ….

I find the whole thing desperately upsetting TBH.
Horrible occurrence, unless someone can prove the boy was armed; I will not buy the self defence story.
The race of either person doesn’t matter to me at all. An adult shot an unarmed child dead.

Whether its right or wrong, surely its their Law to keep or change. Assuming most here are UK based, would you object to US influence in changing the laws of this country to suit their values and culture?
I agree with the sentiment that where a Law is wrong it should be questioned, but that decision and action should be by the people subject to it.

aaaah yes of course.. sometimes I forget how far reaching and powerful the insane ramblings of a bunch of discontented middle aged mountain bikers can be.. 🙄

unless someone can prove the boy was armed

Even the shooter doesn’t claim the boy was armed, but as richc points out, that doesn’t matter according to Florida law. Mental.

It also appears that there was a fight at somepoint between Zimmerman and Trayvon, as Zimmerman had the following injuries when the Police interviewed him at the scene:

Zimmerman had a damp shirt, grass stains, a bloody nose and was bleeding from a wound in back of his head, according to police reports.

So like most things in life, there was more going on than was initially reported. The kid didn’t deserve to get shot, and he didn’t just take the confrontation without raising his fists/hands to Zimmerman, which I guess is Zimmerman’s defence.

If I were being followed by some creepy chap, you can be sure that he’d be getting challenged in a robust manner. Poor kid was probably scared witless and tried to have a go after being cornered.
Children don’t pick fights with adults; particularly not when alone and definitely not against potentially armed young, fit and well built ones like Zimmerman.

Where’s that from rich?

Apparently Zimmerman might be heard saying “f____g c__ns” on the 911 tapes.

Interestingly the lawmakers who devised the “Stand Your Ground” law are apparently now saying Zimmerman should not be protected by it.

Perhaps a convenient ploy to prevent their law being torn down?

page two of your link:
http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/15/2696446/trayvon-martin-case.html

I agree he was a kid, but surely at 17 you are no longer classified as a child? Hence the injuries to Zimmerman, at 17 my little brother was 6’5″ and around 200lbs and to call him a child would have been ridiculous.

Just looked it up Trayvon Martin was 6’2″ tall and weighed 184 pounds (13 and a bit stone) and was a keen sports player (American Football) the posted photo is quite old apparently

Just looked it up Trayvon Martin was 6’2″ tall and weighed 184 pounds (13 and a bit stone) and was a keen sports player (American Football) the posted photo is quite old apparently

Didn’t have a gun though, did he?
Due to this vital piece of information and the fact that the soon-to-be accused followed him for no reason at all, it’s murder pure and simple.
6″2 and 13stone is a pretty skinny kid.

How about this?

So I guess you do get talib mentality there.

Daily News …

Holy, thread resurrection:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hCdykoIjmPMAgLTFzxHVIydZIECQ?docId=3f268f957ba44ecdba44ed43b71e48e1