Neighborhood watch captain kills black teen - doesn't get arrested

[TheCount]

Apparently Sanford City is now saying they couldn't arrest him at the time and can't now because of the law and the reports taken at the moment.

"Zimmerman provided a statement claiming he acted in self defense, which at the time was supported by physical evidence and testimony," Sanford City Manager Norton Bonaparte Jr. wrote in a letter released publicly Wednesday evening. "By Florida Statute, law enforcement was PROHIBITED from making an arrest based on the facts and circumstances they had at the time."

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout...-were-barred-arresting-trayvon-134007644.html

They are essentially saying Zimmerman has broken no laws, so he couldn't be arrested at the scene and because they didn't get any evidence to the contrary at the scene, they can't arrest him now?

 

[The30YardSlant]

I think race has a lot to do with it on both Zimmerman's side and the Police.

From the article listed by JonJon



They said Zimmerman made a racial slur to the 911 operator and the above proves racial scandals isn't anything new for either of them.

The police thing seems to have more to do with his buddies in high places and his CHL than the race of the kid. I mean, they didnt even DETAIN him. Even a racist police force would try and save face by doing that.

 

[VietCowboy]

I think race has a lot to do with it on both Zimmerman's side and the Police.

From the article listed by JonJon



They said Zimmerman made a racial slur to the 911 operator and the above proves racial scandals isn't anything new for either of them.

Yeah, one of that racial scandal was a black kid shot in the back and the two assailants successfully claimed self-defense because they claimed he was trying to run them over, yet somehow he died of a bullet wound through his back.

 

[YosemiteSam]

The police thing seems to have more to do with his buddies in high places and his CHL than the race of the kid. I mean, they didnt even DETAIN him. Even a racist police force would try and save face by doing that.

He knows some of the police? They are drinking buddies or something?

 

[The30YardSlant]

Apparently Sanford City is now saying they couldn't arrest him at the time and can't now because of the law and the reports taken at the moment.



http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout...-were-barred-arresting-trayvon-134007644.html

They are essentially saying Zimmerman has broken no laws, so he couldn't be arrested at the scene and because they didn't get any evidence to the contrary at the scene, they can't arrest him now?

Again, it doesnt make sense. A police officer can detain ANYONE for ANY reason they see fit. They didnt have to arrest him, and people are always at least detained for questioning in situations like this.

 

[The30YardSlant]

He knows some of the police? They are drinking buddies or something?

I'm pretty sure I've read that he has friends high up in the department.

 

[YosemiteSam]

Again, it doesnt make sense. A police officer can detain ANYONE for ANY reason they see fit. They didnt have to arrest him, and people are always at least detained for questioning in situations like this.

Yep, for at least 72 hours. The guy shot and killed an unarmed man that *HE* was following and whom he was much larger than. If that isn't reasonable cause I don't know what is.

 

[TheCount]

Racism exist it will always exist sadly enough. There will always be those who will judge a person by their skin than who they are as a person. As for murder I don't care the reason I expect the same punishment regardless of skin color or how you were dressed.

In Texas people got upset because the men who killed James Byrd were not charged with a hate crime. Fact is these men were found guilty of capital murder and were put to death. The penalty does not get any harsher.

They weren't all put to death. They were all convicted, but the DRIVER of the truck got life, not death.

 

[JonJon]

Again, it doesnt make sense. A police officer can detain ANYONE for ANY reason they see fit. They didnt have to arrest him, and people are always at least detained for questioning in situations like this.

That is a good point and even more reason why this is so befuddling.

 

[The30YardSlant]

They weren't all put to death. They were all convicted, but the DRIVER of the truck got life, not death.

This was because he never left the truck at any point. Personally I'd have given him death, but then again the kind of people who support the concept of hate crimes are also more likely to NOT support the death penalty...so by that token he got the worst punishment they would see fit to give.

 

[zrinkill]

been victims of it

I have ...... but I do not look for it in every situation.

And whether a guy shoots me for being a halfbreed ...... for having tattoos, or for the money in my pocket. Its still the same crime.

 

[zrinkill]

Yep, for at least 72 hours. The guy shot and killed an unarmed man that *HE* was following and whom he was much larger than. If that isn't reasonable cause I don't know what is.

I agree with this.

 

[TheCount]

This was because he never left the truck at any point. Personally I'd have given him death, but then again the kind of people who support the concept of hate crimes are also more likely to NOT support the death penalty...so by that token he got the worst punishment they would see fit to give.

I don't want to get into "kinds of people", but we were talking about the significance of hate crime law. If they had been able to get a hate crime charge, he would be on death row with the other two. Without it, he got life, besides the fact that he was the one driving the truck with a human being tied to it.

 

[The30YardSlant]

Yep, for at least 72 hours. The guy shot and killed an unarmed man that *HE* was following and whom he was much larger than. If that isn't reasonable cause I don't know what is.

Even from the start when I was giving him the benefit of the doubt I didn't understand why he wasnt detained. If I killed someone in self-defense I would EXPECT to be detained.

 

[zrinkill]

he was the one driving the truck with a human being tied to it.

Yup ... he was the guy in control of the murder weapon ...... never understood why he was not given death row.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

I have ...... but I do not look for it in every situation.

And whether a guy shoots me for being a halfbreed ...... for having tattoos, or for the money in my pocket. Its still the same crime.

But if he would not have shot you because you were not any of those things...then no crime would have been committed.

Just like the recent news story about the guy getting back to back life sentences because he and his buddy went looking for black people and first beat one up and then ran over and killed the guy. If he was not black, he would still be alive.

Acting as if race does not play a role in some situations is silly. Acting like a crime is a crime in all cases is being flippant to the victims of the crimes because they may never have been a victim if not for the way they looked.

 

[The30YardSlant]

I don't want to get into "kinds of people", but we were talking about the significance of hate crime law. If they had been able to get a hate crime charge, he would be on death row with the other two. Without it, he got life, besides the fact that he was the one driving the truck with a human being tied to it.

But like I said, half this country doesnt support the death penalty. Life in prison with no possibility of parole is as bad as it legally gets in some states and in many people's opinions.

Either way, the person's "life" is over. Spending 50 years in a cell 23 hours a day isnt a life. In that sense I have no problem with it not being called a hate crime and am happy it wasnt, because they got what they deserved WITHOUT making their crime special or worse than other cold-blooded killings.

Of course, this is ignoring the fact that his lawyer argued a difference of intent. If I recall correctly the driver was younger, never left the truck and had to be seriously "convinced" to drive away. This was why he was the only one who showed remorse. He was certainly guilty and deserved what he got but the circumstances and intent were different.

 

[joseephuss]

Race matters if it played a part in the incident. If we assume Zimmerman is racist and his actions were racially motivated then it impacts what happened because without that then the incident may have played out differently. If we assume he is not racist or motivated by race, then race does not matter and there are other reasons why it escalated to the point of someone being dead.

Race doesn't matter in the sense that someone is dead and whatever the factors that caused it are insignificant to the fact that someone is dead.

Racism exists, but not every incident is about race. It still comes down to a case by case basis. I have only partly followed this story. I could see where race could be a factor. Mostly what I see is a guy who is a want-a-be cop. Seems his quest for power and to be an authority figure played more a part than anything else.

 

[zrinkill]

Acting as if race does not play a role in some situations is silly.

Never said that.

Acting like a crime is a crime in all cases is being flippant to the victims of the crimes because they may never have been a victim if not for the way they looked

Unfortunately we do not trial and punish on feelings...... at least that is what they say.

If we start that ..... It opens a can of worms on many potential "HATE" crimes.

 

[Big D]

It's funny that really want to give this guy zimmerman the benefit of the doubt and play devils advocate on his behalf. This guy is clearly a nut. He was not a cop. He was not a neighborhood watchman. He had no reason to follow the kid and was even instructed NOT TO DO SO! The kid had every right to turn around and kick this guys arse but he ran away. Zimmerman chased him down and then shot him.