Was zimmerman justified?

18 Comments

So I'm sure a majority of Americans have heard this story, but I'll recap: a man, Zimmerman, followed a 17-year-old boy, Martin, as he was walking through a gated community. He was wearing a black hoody, carrying skittles. Zimmerman was a volunteer with, but not a member of, the neighborhood watch. He was carrying a pistol, & was in a car. At some point he ended up on foot following Martin, on the phone w/ 911 (you can find clips online.)

Now, Martin's father lived in the community, but Martin usually stayed with his mother. There had also been some break-ins, which is why Zimmerman was following him. The dispatcher told Zimmerman that police were on their way, & he didn't have to follow the boy.

At this point is the mystery. According to Zimmerman, he was getting into his car when Martin punched him, & started beating him. Then as Martin gave him a moment, Zimmerman shot him.

However, the bullet wound was in Martin's back. Also, video of Zimmerman shows him walking into a police station under his own power. Furthermore, why would Zimmerman let Martin, of whom he was obviously suspicious, come so close? Plus, he had been warned not to carry while on watch, AND gun safety would tell you to always maintain enough distance. So if Martin approached him, should he not identify himself as neighborhood watch, and that he was armed?

Please, share your opinions & additional information (valid, confirmable info, not conjectures please.) I'm curious as to the general public's view.

Zimmerman was irresponsible & stupid but was justified to shoot. 10
Zimmerman instigated the situation. He should be charged. 10
Zimmerman should be arrested for manslaughter. 8
Zimmerman should be arrested for murder. 16
It was justified, Zimmerman is totally in the right. 10
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Comments ( 18 )
  • Jweezee
    12 years ago

    I live in Fl and agree with our "stand your ground law" but it was probably abused in this case. But like you said, there's a lot of mixed info. If Zimmerman was truly being beaten senseless, he was justified in his actions. If he thought being a rent-a-cop entitled him to act like dirty harry and shoot someone in the back, he should be charged.

    What pisses me off is that blacks turn this into a racially divisive issue. First of all, zimmerman is hispanic not white. There was a case where this controversial law made someone immune to prosecution, but the victim was white. A guy(civilian) was following someone because they were weaving in their lane and suspected of drunk driving. The guy swerving was wondering why someone was following him and pulled over and approached the car. The guy following him shot his ass while he was approaching the car, claiming he was in fear for his life. He was not charged, citing the stand your ground law. That seems just as unneccesary as the martin shooting. But blacks didn't give a shit because the victim was white. Where were the protests and marches for that? But in the martin case, it's because he's black that zimmerman wasn't charged, bullshit!

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    • NeuroNeptunian
      12 years ago

      I used to live in Florida. I now live in California. Whenever I talk to someone that has been in Florida, they always turn the conversation to how nasty the black people are there. Yes, even the black people that I talk to about Florida.

      I don't know shit about the case but Florida sucks. Black on white racism is the deal there, and it's gone more from racial equality to racial sympathy.

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      • Jweezee
        12 years ago

        Yeah, it's the dirty south. This is a fucked up case. Not exactly what we need in an already racially tense state, a wedge further dividing us. The "new black panther party" put a $10,000 bounty on zimmerman's head. It's a damn circus. Your last sentence nailed it.

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  • myownopinions
    12 years ago

    I personally think Zimmerman was wrong and should be charged, but because of the Stand Your Ground law and the fact that there was no reliable witness who saw what happened, it is impossible to tell if Zimmerman really was protecting himself.

    Even though it seems like he should be charged, I also think that people are making this info into way more than it should be. It's suddenly become some big hate crime where "blacks" feel like they should have justice against the "whites" instead of looking at it like two individuals invovled in a fight. I mean, this is the 21st century, blacks are no longer slaves and all this talk about "justice" is just stupid. This probably wouldn't make big news if it was the opposite way around.

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    • wonderboy34
      11 years ago

      So true! I am so sick of the blacks in this country playing the victim role, with Jesse Jackson and the Rev.Sharpton inciting them to violence. They are helping ruin this country with that prick in the 'White' House leading the way' Smh!

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  • anti-hero
    12 years ago

    Total murderer, I hope that he is raped and murdered in front of his family.

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    • wonderboy34
      11 years ago

      @Parrish-you're obviously a racist dumbass!

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      • anti-hero
        11 years ago

        How does that make me racist? I said nothing about his race, I said he was a murder. You freaking trolls on this site, I swear you get lamer every day. Find something better to do than send me replys that are off topic.

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  • Jweezee
    12 years ago

    Hey. Did you hear zimmerman was indicted?

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      12 years ago

      Yes I did, this morning. Second-degree murder, correct?

      So I can add to the question, any thoughts on how the trial will go?

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      • Jweezee
        12 years ago

        Yeah, 2nd degree.

        Like you, i've heard a lot of different shit on how it went down. But if he was arrested to appease the black community without sufficient evidence, he'll probably be aquitted. Either way one thing is certain, it'll be a media circus.

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        • [Old Memory]
          12 years ago

          These things are always a media circus. What I never understand is why is "equality" such a massive buzzword today in society when the way these tragic circumstances are handled by being put in the spotlight and dissected over and over again has completely the opposite effect of what these "equality" believers constantly push in everyone's face.

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          • Jweezee
            12 years ago

            Exactly. It's definitely counter productive. Like you said, it overshadows the unfortunate loss of life and perpetuates racial disharmony.

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          • Anonymous Post Author
            12 years ago

            It is really difficult. It's hard to know the line there. Unfortunately I think there will always be people who call racism, just like there will always be racists. And with sexism. That's why I tried to ask the question objectively, because the racial factor of it all is just conjecture. No one really knows (he has after all been in hiding).

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  • Glass
    12 years ago

    There's really just not enough information for me to make a solid conclusion, but if Zimmerman had just followed instructions, none of this would of happened.

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  • Frosties
    12 years ago

    I don't know anything about this case other than what you wrote. It sounds like manslaughter but I'm sure it'll all come out in the trial.

    Radical thought: If guns were illegal, Martin would still be alive.

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    • Jweezee
      12 years ago

      If guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns.

      We can't act as though if guns are illegal they cease to exist.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      12 years ago

      It happened in Florida. Lots of press about it, but its so confusing bc of the mixed info. For example, one news producer was fired bc he cut-and-pasted the 911 recording so it sounded like Z. was following Martin bc hes black. The whole thing is really messed up.

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