17y/o Killed By Neighborhood Watch/CHL

[pbwalker]

Oh boy...really? Is this personal observation, or has this been addressed on the web / in the media? I don't want to be a pusher of false information.

[jmra]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but I love how the media is using a picture from 5 years ago to paint the kid as this sweet, innocent angel. I'm not saying we've never posed for stupid pictures in the past, or that it makes it ok to be shot, but the media is really doing a bang up job on this.

**Attaching photo instead of linking it directly. The kid is flipping the bird, so be warned**

The one in the picture on the right is not the same dead Trayvon Martin.

This is Trayvon Martin. Looks like it could be the same guy to me. Not enough detail in the smaller pic to be certain.

[Beiruty]

One was living in Florida and other in Kentucky. 2 different persons I guess.

Trayvon "Slimmy" Martin: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1353307542" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[philip964]

New Black Panther Party, the group who has called for the Houston protest on Monday to support justice for Trayvon by turning your lights on and by wearing a hoodie, has also put a $10,000 bounty on the head of Zimmerman.

http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/03 ... er-bounty/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So how is the New Black Panther Party different from the old one?

[philip964]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but I love how the media is using a picture from 5 years ago to paint the kid as this sweet, innocent angel. I'm not saying we've never posed for stupid pictures in the past, or that it makes it ok to be shot, but the media is really doing a bang up job on this.

**Attaching photo instead of linking it directly. The kid is flipping the bird, so be warned**

The one in the picture on the right is not the same dead Trayvon Martin.

This is Trayvon Martin. Looks like it could be the same guy to me. Not enough detail in the smaller pic to be certain.

This photo looks 'shopped.

(My opinion just from looking at it at normal resolution and I am not an expert)

[A-R]

New Black Panther Party, the group who has called for the Houston protest on Monday to support justice for Trayvon by turning your lights on and by wearing a hoodie, has also put a $10,000 bounty on the head of Zimmerman.

http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/03 ... er-bounty/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So how is the New Black Panther Party different from the old one?

For that matter, how is it different from a lynch mob?

[jmra]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but I love how the media is using a picture from 5 years ago to paint the kid as this sweet, innocent angel. I'm not saying we've never posed for stupid pictures in the past, or that it makes it ok to be shot, but the media is really doing a bang up job on this.

**Attaching photo instead of linking it directly. The kid is flipping the bird, so be warned**

The one in the picture on the right is not the same dead Trayvon Martin.

This is Trayvon Martin. Looks like it could be the same guy to me. Not enough detail in the smaller pic to be certain.

This photo looks 'shopped.

(My opinion just from looking at it at normal resolution and I am not an expert)

Could be but that his his face which is what I was trying to show.

[Lambda Force]

I keep hoping something good will come out of this tragedy. For example, if a dozen of the new black panthers get shot dead while attempting their premeditated aggravated kidnapping, for a brief shining moment, the world would be a better place.

[The Annoyed Man]

I keep hoping something good will come out of this tragedy. For example, if a dozen of the new black panthers get shot dead while attempting their premeditated aggravated kidnapping, for a brief shining moment, the world would be a better place.

It's not entirely clear in my mind who is the tragic figure here. If Zimmerman is truly innocent, then Martin is not a tragic figure.....Zimmerman is. If Martin is innocent, then he is the tragic figure. We don't really know yet.

[drjoker]

This case is getting murkier by the minute. Those screams sound like they are coming from a kid, but there's a witness saying he saw Trayvon beat Zimmerman. However, Zimmerman was stalking Trayvon. Did Trayvon think that he was a kidnapper or child molester? Or did Trayvon become enraged that he was racially profiled? Or did Zimmerman say something inflammatory to cause the whole episode? With the public forming a lynch mob and the facts being so murky, I doubt that Zimmerman will get a fair trial. The fact is that nobody knows for sure if Zimmerman is guilty or not because this case is so murky.

Here is a list of all stuff pointing to it both being self defense and murder, highlighting the murkiness in this case:
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/0 ... ?mobile=nc

P.S. Here's an interesting fact: Trayvon was suspended from school for "being in an unauthorized area" when this happened. Did he simply pay a prank or was this PC speak for he's a burglar?

Unfortunately, Trayvon did not survive to tell his side of the story.

I remember from another forum there was a dude that said, even if justified, shooting an unarmed man will get you in hot water. I can't remember one case where an unarmed man was shot that did not land someone in hot water. Even Joe Horn, although no billed by the grand jury, had to move because people were marching in front of his house and giving him death threats. Folks, carry pepper spray, and try your best NOT to use your gun. According to another forum member, although he was no billed by the grand jury, at the end of the day, he spent almost $20,000. Do you have $20,000 in spare change? I know I don't. Be careful out there....

[bayouhazard]

New Black Panther Party, the group who has called for the Houston protest on Monday to support justice for Trayvon by turning your lights on and by wearing a hoodie, has also put a $10,000 bounty on the head of Zimmerman.

http://blog.chron.com/newswatch/2012/03 ... er-bounty/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

So how is the New Black Panther Party different from the old one?

For that matter, how is it different from a lynch mob?

Not much We call them the "Black Klan" in the Houston area. They hate European-Americans and Jews the same way the KKK hates African-Americans and Jews. Hispanics too, it looks like.

[VoiceofReason]

My concern is that this case will worsen race relations. I have close friends that are African-American and Hispanic. I don’t want this to happen. I detest bigots and racism from any quarter.

[baldeagle]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but I love how the media is using a picture from 5 years ago to paint the kid as this sweet, innocent angel. I'm not saying we've never posed for stupid pictures in the past, or that it makes it ok to be shot, but the media is really doing a bang up job on this.

**Attaching photo instead of linking it directly. The kid is flipping the bird, so be warned**

Yep! Looks like a thug to me! Shirtless, double bird flipping, pants sagging thug! Has nothing to do with skin color - everything to do with poor parenting and a general disrespect for others.

So much for the whole size debate. 6'2" 170 lb 10% body fat (if that) beats 5'2" 250 lb pillsberry doughboy everyday of the week.

The police report puts Trayvon at 6'0" and 160lb and Zimmerman at 5'9" but no weight specified. It's hard to sort through all the baloney to get to the facts.

[baldeagle]

I believe this is the section of the Florida Crimes Code that would apply to this situation.

776.041 Use of force by aggressor.—The justification described in the preceding sections of this chapter is not available to a person who:
(1) Is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony; or
(2) Initially provokes the use of force against himself or herself, unless:
(a) Such force is so great that the person reasonably believes that he or she is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that he or she has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant; or
(b) In good faith, the person withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to the assailant that he or she desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force.
History.—s. 13, ch. 74-383; s. 1190, ch. 97-102.

Given this, I think the trial, if there is one, would be difficult. It would hinge on the arguments of the attorneys as well as the opinions of the jurors.
The Texas corollary is Texas Penal Code 9.31

§ 9.31. SELF-DEFENSE. (a) Except as provided in
Subsection (b), a person is justified in using force against
another when and to the degree he reasonably believes the force is
immediately necessary to protect himself against the other's use or
attempted use of unlawful force.
(b) The use of force against another is not justified:
(1) in response to verbal provocation alone;
(2) to resist an arrest or search that the actor knows
is being made by a peace officer, or by a person acting in a peace
officer's presence and at his direction, even though the arrest or
search is unlawful, unless the resistance is justified under
Subsection (c);
(3) if the actor consented to the exact force used or
attempted by the other;
(4) if the actor provoked the other's use or attempted
use of unlawful force, unless:
(A) the actor abandons the encounter, or clearly
communicates to the other his intent to do so reasonably believing
he cannot safely abandon the encounter; and
(B) the other nevertheless continues or attempts
to use unlawful force against the actor; or
(5) if the actor sought an explanation from or
discussion with the other person concerning the actor's differences
with the other person while the actor was:
(A) carrying a weapon in violation of Section
46.02; or
(B) possessing or transporting a weapon in
violation of Section 46.05.
(c) The use of force to resist an arrest or search is
justified:
(1) if, before the actor offers any resistance, the
peace officer (or person acting at his direction) uses or attempts
to use greater force than necessary to make the arrest or search;
and
(2) when and to the degree the actor reasonably
believes the force is immediately necessary to protect himself
against the peace officer's (or other person's) use or attempted use
of greater force than necessary.
(d) The use of deadly force is not justified under this
subchapter except as provided in Sections 9.32, 9.33, and 9.34.

[jmra]

Not sure if this has been posted already, but I love how the media is using a picture from 5 years ago to paint the kid as this sweet, innocent angel. I'm not saying we've never posed for stupid pictures in the past, or that it makes it ok to be shot, but the media is really doing a bang up job on this.

**Attaching photo instead of linking it directly. The kid is flipping the bird, so be warned**

Yep! Looks like a thug to me! Shirtless, double bird flipping, pants sagging thug! Has nothing to do with skin color - everything to do with poor parenting and a general disrespect for others.

So much for the whole size debate. 6'2" 170 lb 10% body fat (if that) beats 5'2" 250 lb pillsberry doughboy everyday of the week.

The police report puts Trayvon at 6'0" and 160lb and Zimmerman at 5'9" but no weight specified. It's hard to sort through all the baloney to get to the facts.

Do you have a link to the actual report?