Increasing Scrutiny Forces ‘Embattled’ FL Chief in Martin Shooting Case to ‘Step Aside’
- Posted on March 22, 2012 at 6:39pm by
Becket Adams
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Police Chief Bill Lee (Photo Source: L.A. Times)
SANFORD, Fla. (AP/The Blaze) — The police chief who has been bitterly criticized for not arresting a neighborhood watch volunteer in the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager “temporarily stepped down” Thursday, saying he had become a distraction to the investigation.
“As a former homicide investigator, a career law enforcement officer and a father, I am keenly aware of the emotions associated with this tragic death of a child. I’m also aware that my role as a leader of this agency has become a distraction from the investigation,” Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee said.
Watch Lee’s announcement via USA Today:
Lee and his officers decided not to arrest George Zimmerman after he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin to death on Feb. 26. Martin was returning from a trip to a convenience store when Zimmerman started following him, telling police dispatchers he looked suspicious. At some point, the two got into a fight and Zimmerman pulled out his gun.
Zimmerman claims the shooting was self-defense. He told police 17-year-old Trayvon Martin attacked him after he had given up on chasing the teenager and was returning to his sport utility vehicle.
The police chief has said authorities were prohibited from making an arrest based on the facts and circumstances they had at the time of the shooting. He said he continued to stand behind his agency’s investigation.
“I must temporarily remove myself from the position as police chief for the city of Sanford. I do this in the hopes of restoring some semblance of calm to a city which has been in turmoil for several weeks,” Lee said.
“It is my hope that the investigation will move forward swiftly and appropriately through the justice system and that a final determination in this case is reached,” he added.
The shooting ignited racial tensions in this Orlando suburb. Civil rights groups have held rallies in Florida and New York, saying the shooting was unjustified. Late Wednesday, city commissioners in Sanford gave the police chief a “no confidence” vote.
The Justice Department and FBI have opened a civil rights investigation, and the local prosecutor has convened a grand jury April 10 to determine whether to charge Zimmerman.
It isn’t clear how long the police chief plans to “step aside.” Some people believed the Lee should step down for good.
“If they wanted to diffuse a potential powder keg, he needed to resign,” said pastor Eugene Walton, 58, who was born and raised in Sanford. “His inaction speaks loudly to the black community.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Comments (73)
Gamaliel
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 11:38amMaybe the police couldn‘t arrest Zimmerman because he’s Latino.
Report Post »Sleazy Hippo
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 2:48pmThe kid looked like Obama’s son. Of course he was whacked.
Report Post »normbal
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 10:46amAn “eye witness” said Treyvon was sitting on Zimmerman’s chest beating him. Perfect position to draw and shoot, if that’s how it happened. Sure, he confronted the kid in the hoodie who was acting suspiciously, maybe Treyvon jumped him, sure sounds like he did as the BACK of his – Zimmerman’s – head was bloodied as well as his face. Height is power in any battle, and the kid had it over Zimmerman. Without access to the “great equalizer”, that pistol, Zimmerman very likely would be comatose, disfigured, or worse. As they say, better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6. Sounds to me to be judicious use of deadly force in the protection of life.
Report Post »charlieb58
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 10:15amThe best way for the Chief to defuse the situation as far as he & his department are concerned is to work the case & take it to the District Attorney. This puts the decision to charge or not on the DA. Especially in such a high profile case as this. From this article it doesn’t sound like this was done.
Report Post »adeleeeee
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 8:58amI see only one latino kill an black kid with a gun and there is no detail had been told. But make it a hate crime is over exaggerating! How can you prove a motivation of hate? Hate crime should be a thing that never been related. Hate is a sin not a crime. A crime should be judged by what it is. I believe that chief who took care the case. The only thing I would like to say to the protesters: get a life and move forward. Stop thinking yourself as a victim. Yes I am saying it.
Report Post »omgfolks
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 10:09amYes LATINO NOT WHITE. So all you racist who hate white people because they took the time to educate themselve can go jump off. I am so tired of hearing this ebonic crap, There are so many respectable Black Men and Women who contribute to society in a positve manner and they must be ashamed to see others within their race acting like utter morons. People cling so much to the past that they are unable to see the future or move forward in life. We are constantly being bombarded with issues from the past, Blacks with slavery, Jews with Holocost, WHY? Did I do it? Did the young men and women today do it? Why are they being punished for the sins of their ancestor whom have long since died ? GIVE IT A REST ALREADY. Yeah it happened yeah it was bad, but IT OVER. GET A LIFE.
Report Post »P2d2007
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 4:37pmAdele Zimmerman calls him a coin on the 911 calls and the police chief admits to overlooking it. Get the facts! When you call someone a coon before killing them IT IS ABOUT RACE!
Report Post »julietwalters
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 12:39am@ Baikonur
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:50pm
“I perceive all you ignorant racist as a threat. Would I have the right to shoot you in the face in a dark alley in Florida?”
You and your *******, white guilted friends can pick the time and alley. Go ahead and bring your pellet gun to a gun fight.
Report Post »omgfolks
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 10:03amWhat are you trying to say here ? I see you mentioned white people in your post. I am curious, with a statement like that who is the racist here? Why don’t yu crawl back in front of a mirror and ask yourself , ‘Am I part of the solution or part of the problem here” I think if your honest with yourself you might be suprised.
Report Post »P2d2007
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 12:26am@colt understand where the report is coming from… The only surviving witness… Zimmerman… Was Trayvon found dead by Zimmermans vehicle? No so your theory is flawed. Zimmerman stated to the operator that Martin was running AWAY and you can clearly hear him running after. Then the operator asks him is he chasing him Zimmerman says YES. The operator tells him to stop. He says ok. Why would someone run from you make a 180 turn and run towards you? Are you reading what you are writing? I am not going off of media reports but rather the words of Zimmermans own 911 call. He incriminated himself. “they always get away” he says. Zimmerman is a predator point blank. I warn my children about people like that. People looking for any reason to play God. Zimmerman killed that child! That 6‘2 high school football player was someone’s child. And he died just that. Zimmerman is 100% responsible unless it’s cool to kill Whoever you feel like whenever you feel like it. I don’t care if Martin was the worst kid in the world and gor suspended every day he gave Zimmerman no reason to pursue him in the first place. The war isn‘t over seas it’s right here in our front yards! Knocking on our doors and chasing our children.
Report Post »cmonnow
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 12:15amOne thing I know is that I wouldn’t want is some loser like Zimmerman – who can’t even finish a vocational certificate or an associates degree in seven years – to be playing Barney Fife in my neighborhood. What a complete moron. I grew up with guns in my house. My father is a hunter. He has a license to carry. I own a handgun. I know how to use a firearm. I don’t carry and I live in the hood in a big city. Just don’t feel the need. And I’d rather not be surrounded by idiots who do.
My fiancée works for a security company. Rule #1 – they don’t have the right to use force, arrest, or anything of the sort.
In my opinion, if there was an altercation in this case, and if Zimmerman did get his ass kicked by somebody 100 pounds lighter than him, it seems like he tried to detain, couldn’t handle the situation, panicked, and shot a young man to death. Completely shameful.
Seriously, this Zimmerman guy was just a liability. In the end, he erased the life of a perfectly decent young man, and ruined his own.
Report Post »P2d2007
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:54pmSome people are so ignorant that they lack the basic skills needed to reason beyond the level of a preschooler. Jesus take the wheel! The wod we live in… The system, our doctrines… Every law is flawed at its premise!
Report Post »omgfolks
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 10:13amYeah just like the sherrif who backed down because the heat in the kitchen got too hot. This Sherrif made a choice based on the information he had at the time. There is NO REASON TO BE ATTACKING HIM. But since people need to someone to focus on they chose the sherrif. I think by him stepping down he showed cowardess and indignation for his post. He should give up LEO and go home for good. And to all those who think he needs this ridicule, well STEP OFF.
Report Post »P2d2007
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:51pmYou a keep mentioning his height as some way to justify him being killed… I don’t care if he was 7 feet tall he was 17 a kid! He couldn’t enter a bar buy drinks or cigarettes because he was a kid! Zimmerman pursued him and states so on the 911 call when asked by the operator and them directed to stop. Trayvon was running away from him so in order for an altercation to happen Zimmerman woe have in fact had to have caught up with him. So under Flordia state law a person has a right to protect themselves if they perceive harm… Since Zimmerman chased Martin down we can conclude that the one acting in self defense was Martin! Come on people that’s common sense. Half the things you all are saying don’t add up in any way nor do they refute what you clearly hear Zimmerman state on that 911 call. Who the hell teaches their kids to not run from a predatory adult? Zimmerman was a grown man sitting in his vehicle watching a 17 year old boy. How the hell was Martin to know he was neighborhood watch and that Zimmerman thought he was a criminal? I mean after all Zimmerman didmt even know Martin was a member of the same neighborhood he was trying ap diligently to protect. Zimmerman is a threat to society anytime be can pursue someone that “looks suspicious” and shoot them. He is a predator who took a 6 foot 2 kids life. If Martin would have shot Zimmerman he would be in jail! What if it were u? Would Zimmerman be justified in killing you if you had done nothing to make him pursue y
Report Post »colt1860
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 12:06am“Zimmerman pursued him and states so on the 911 call when asked by the operator and them directed to stop. Trayvon was running away from him so in order for an altercation to happen Zimmerman woe have in fact had to have caught up with him.”
I agree that Zimmermann should have waited for the police. However, the reports say something else than what you’re saying. Zimmermann left his car, and then headed back. At this point, Trayvon approached Zimmermann and questioned him. Trayvon was NOT running away from him. Trayvon caught up with him. The fight took place afterwards.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:50pmI have listened to multiple 911 recordings of this incident & read a list of the many 911 calls that Zimmerman has made in the past. In at lease 2 of the 911 calls you can hear Trayvon screaming for help. Witnesses from the 911 tapes have stated that the man in the white shirt (Zimmerman) was on top of the other person & shot him. You can hear it plain as day. Zimmerman was told by the police not to follow the kid, but chose to do so anyway. Zimmerman murdered this boy & should be arrested. The choice of Chief Bill Lee to step aside till things settle down was a wise choice.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:04pm“In at lease 2 of the 911 calls you can hear Trayvon screaming for help.”
You know his voice so well!
Report Post »colt1860
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:13pmThis report says differently:
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/seminole_news/022712-man-shot-and-killed-in-neighborhood-altercation#ixzz1phFMGCu4
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:58pmI wonder which candidate the Blazers think represents America best for President.
It seems everyone here hates blacks, hispanics, liberals, feminists, gays, Europe-lovers, American Jews, anything having to do with California or New England/New York. What is left? Do you people honestly think that most Americans are cranky old Southern or Midwestern Christian conservatives?
Honestly?
Have you been outside lately?
Report Post »colt1860
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:47pm@Baikonur The best candidate? Definitely NOT Obama. My three sisters, father, and cousins, who voted for Obama in 2008, WILL NOT EVER vote for Obama or anyone like him again. In 2012, they will vote for the GOP candidate. In fact, they used to be Democrats, and have now registered Republican, and will vote for a Republican this primary season. Obama has his own agenda, and does NOT represent America in any way, shape or form. And by the way, my family is Hispanic. Ah yes, and me and my siblings were born in California. So that pretty much blows your whole notion out of the tank. Get a freaking clue. Leftists and Marxists may control the big cities, but they don’t control the REST OF AMERICA. Your kind of divisiveness and ignorant comments is what is ruining this great country. God help us all.
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:53pm@colt1860
Report Post »Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:47pm
‘And by the way, my family is Hispanic’
**************
Then be sure and stick around to hear the Blazers call your culture inferior, your language un-American, your people wetbacks. Don’t miss them praising Sheriff Arpaio, who gets off on tormenting and humilating people.
colt1860
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:12pm@Baikonur You sound uninformed and delusional. I’ve been a member of the Blaze since October 20, 2010. The most offending comments I read on here are those by the Lefties who insist that I must agree with their ideology just because of my ethnicity. My culture? You racist son of a ******. I’m American period. I speak English. Yes, I know Spanish, but what does that matter? Like I said, you ignorant Marxists are a joke. So a Sheriff upholds the Law of the Land, and he gets targeted as the bad guy? Yeah, I know how the mind of the Left works, and I’m not falling for your false, exaggerated, misrepresented, divisiveness, arrogant, self righteous attitude. The Left is pretty much everything they accuse others of being. Divide and Conquer? Nope, I don’t play that game.
Report Post »adeleeeee
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 9:04amHa ha ha ha… I would vote for anyone but ohbumpmaaaaa who is definitely the most appalling candidate and could be the worst present in the history of all human civilizations! Period.
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:54pmThis a media-generated story. The media is completely complicit in this mob-rule we are currently seeing. CNN should be taken off the air for fueling the flames. Zimmerman was bloodied, meaning there was an altercation, NOT some guy walking up to a kid and shooting him. Plus, he was not a kid, he was a 6′ 2″ football player.
Shame on the media, for creating news out of thin air.
Report Post »cmonnow
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:46pmThat’s idiotic. The police obviously did a terrible job in handling this. They did an alcohol and drug test on Martin’s body, and didn’t bother to test Zimmerman. That is public information. As for the blood on Zimmerman, did they even test it to see if it was his? I’m not convinced. He outweighed Martin by over 100 pounds. If he is such a *****, he shouldn’t have been looking for a confrontation. This is an issue of the public holding an inept and corrupt police department accountable. One of the officers on the scene was involved in the coverup of the past Sheriff‘s son’s racial violence.
Report Post »P2d2007
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:24pmWhether Martin had a baby face or was 6′2 is irrelevant. Fact is we hear Zimmerman pursuing him because he was… Running. Not from a crime because he hadn’t done anything. Zimmerman assumed he was a criminal so he followed him whatever injuries he got as a result are due to his own fault. He went looking for trouble and found it then he killed a young man. No matter how tall he was 17. A kid. Someone’s kid. And if it were any of yours kid you would not have the same attitude you do now. Ignorance is everywhere and evermore present on blog sites. Judge lest ye be judged.
Report Post »ohnomrbill
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:38pmThis site is full of hateful people they want to think this young man a thug. I don’t see any evidence of that myself. This zimmerman has a history of lots of violence. He is a grown man old enough to walk a way and leave this situation to the professionals, he made his call they were on it he didn’t have to murder this young man, so weather your a republican, democrat, christian, what ever this is about some one making a decision that was wrong and needs to be held accountable.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:39pmHave you considered that maybe the police know something that you don’t?
Report Post »GoodStuff
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:57pm@P2d2007
We’re you there? No. You haven’t the slightest idea what happened there. The media has played you like a fiddle. You believe what the media says. Stop having emotional reactions to the media’s manipulations. Think for yourself.
Report Post »MAMMY_NUNN
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:59pmBefore any insinuations should reflect on “The Police Acted Stupidly” moment.
Report Post »Release the video of the car chase of Rodney King and show what really happened.
I seen that tape but has been mysteriously been scrubbed and only the beating was shown by media
they only want you to see what they want you to see and not the real facts.
colt1860
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:40pm@MAMMY_NUNN LOL. I think that’s why the White House has declined to comment. Obama doesn’t want to look ignorant again.
As for that King video. Let‘s hope we don’t have another riot:
Los Angeles Riots 1992
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omg1dsTWa3o
Los Angeles Riots 1992, Raw video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P43WZd611WA
Don’t forget that about the same kind of riots happened in the UK, not too long ago.
Report Post »adeleeeee
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 9:12amOh so you are one of witnesses? You should go to the police station! Why do you bother to leave any message here?
Report Post »adeleeeee
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 9:14ammy message is for u@nomorebill.
Report Post »P2d2007
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:17pmMany of you who have commented have clearly not consider what you would do if your child was murdered. Yes murdered! Because in fact a young boy not yet a man lost his life. Someone ones son. Someone’s friend. He will never have children, hug his mother or have the opportunity to live his life because he was murdered! He was murdered by a man that pursued him even after advised by the operator not to. If Zimmerman acted in self defense it was due to a situation he created. You all wonder why his school record is not on display… Well he in fact did nothing wrong. He’s the dead one remember? And what does his suspension have to do with being pursued and gunned down? Zimmerman was looking for trouble and he found a “coon” (as he referred to Martin several times in his phone call) to take his anger out on. You wonder why Martin ran? What do you teach your children? Walk up to strangers staring at them from a truck and ask for candy? The comments on here are ignorant at best. Posted by people who lack the skills to reason. You wonder if Zimmerman will get a fair trial because the public has accused him already? Well what the hell do you call what he did to that kid? Where was his fair trial? Fact is Zimmerman was a wanna be and a minority just like Martin. He wanted to fit in but couldn’t. Since when do neighborhood watchmen carry guns and not recognize people from the very community they patrol? Since when did it make you a cop? Zimmerman is not justified he is a murderer!
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:37pm“You all wonder why his school record is not on display… Well he in fact did nothing wrong.”
He was on a 5 day suspension when he was killed.
Are you outraged every time the media tells you to be?
Report Post »colt1860
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:05pmWhere’s the national outrage for these very recent news stories:
Black teens set kid on fire for being ‘white boy’
http://articles.nydailynews.com/2012-03-04/news/31122324_1_white-boy-fire-tv-station
14-year-old black boy charged in Lakeland hotel rape of a white women
http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2012/mar/21/5/14-year-old-boy-charged-in-lakeland-hotel-rape-ar-383393/
O’Fallon white teen girl attacked near her home by two black girls
bnd.com/2012/03/19/2106449/ofallon-teen-attacked-near-her.html#storylink=cpy
They said ‘This is our territory white girl,”… One grabbed her by the hair, and the other one started hitting her in the face.
Young white mother killed execution style by a black man in Tallahassee
wctv.tv/home/headlines/LCSO_Investigates_a_Suspicious_Death_142184743.html
“A Tallahassee woman, Ashleigh Jacobs, was beaten and then shot several times at extremely close range in the back of the head.”
Bloodbath in Chicago: 10 dead, 40 wounded, by black and Latino gangs
suntimes.com/news/crime/11392878-418/story.html
Ah yes, but CNN can run a story about 40 times in one day, saying it was a white man that killed a black teen… And then, when they find out it was actually a Hispanic man, they say, Oh, race doesn’t matter anyways… That’s BS, and proof of an agenda driven media.
Report Post »colt1860
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:24pmBlack thugs brutally beat elderly white couple. Wife dies.
http://www.newson6.com/category/121535/video-page?autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6849789
White teen murdered by black shooter.
http://www.walb.com/story/17147174/shocking
“Brian Beasley is accused of gunning down an Albany High School student, 19-year old Robert Purvis, at a Mock Road car wash in February 2011.”
Report Post »cmonnow
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:51pmFreedomPurveyor – you are a typical right wing idiot. You call yourself a purveyor of freedom, but somehow think that because a 17 year old was on probation he deserved to die ?? So now kids who are on probation from school deserve to die when they are on probation and walk to the store to buy candy? That’s just stupid. Just say what you think – he was a scary black kid who deserved to die.
Report Post »kangaroo
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:02pmLatest news out of central florida over 5000 people at the rally, people from all walks
Report Post »ohnomrbill
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 10:45pmColt I’m outraged about any form of murder and more often then not the bad guys get caught and are tried. So to your point if these people are running around and theres no justice for the family’s well then its at shocking and un-American.
Report Post »colt1860
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:43pm@ohnomrbill I agree that there must be justice and a fair trial. What I’m totally against, and absolutely disagree with, is in the manner and way the MSM picks stories to report (while neglecting, ignoring or falsifying others) and further fabricates, distorts, exaggerates and misrepresents the facts at hand or circmstances present to further an agenda, or to forcibly influence the public to favor their Marxist ideology and corrupt policies.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:49pmWell Zimmerman will never get a fair trial now. The media and the public have made the decision that he is a cold blooded murderer. Why not just take him on out to the courthouse square and hang him. Will that make ya’ll happy. Will it make Farrakhan happy? the Blacks happy? Sharpton happy? Will there be peace if he is sacrificed?
I want ALL the evidence presented. I want Treyvon Martins background investigated. I want the TRUTH, not opinions. But it is too late now. Sharpton, Farrakahn, the masses and the media have spoken.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:05pmActually, I think the Casey Anthony trial proved that jurors can be uninfluenced by the media and public outrage. Although, after the jurors in that case got death threats…
Report Post »Dstarr55
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:13pmOhno, what? How is that not a reasonable observation and I guess if an opinion is against yours instead of debating why you feel differently you just shout out ‘shut up’. Zimmerman has masses of people screaming for his arrest AND CONVICTION! That is not justice – you have people saying they are going to ‘get’ him and will only accept an investigation if it puts him on trial and sends him to prison. You would be hard pressed to find an untainted jury since the MSM is banging the drum of this man’s guilt. Since when is America the place of mob rule?
Report Post »momrules
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:16pmOHNOMRBILL……………go to HELL.
FREEDOMPURVEROR…………..Were there literally thousands of people marching in the streets demanding she be found guilty or else? Were the feds dragged into the investigation? Were Congressmen denouncing the police? Were groups led by so called Ministers and Reverands leading marches and screaming for *justice* before all the facts were in? Was the jury allowed to hear the evidence and give a not guilty verdict without fear of a race war?
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:30pmMomrules, no, none of those things happened, but they also have to select jurors that are unaware that all of those things are happening. In a case like this, if you watch TV or have the internet, you shouldn’t be picked. We’ll just have to wait and see…
Report Post »Canyouhearus
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:33pmWhy only pictures of the boy as a much younger person? Why no info that he was 6“2” and a football player? Why no info that he was on a 5 day suspension from school? ? Why was the shooter found with his head bloodied and a witness say the boy was on top of him? As to the person yelling for help on the 911 call, the father says it wasn’t his son. Perhaps the man getting his head bloodied before he pulled the trigger? Before an arrest should be made, all witnesses statements should be checked out. Black on white crime… no uproar… White on black and every rabble rouser runs down to get their face into the paper as they ready the community to protest in the streets. Why does this happen so many of the times? Cooler heads need to rule here. Chief stepped down… now it’s up to who to settle this problem? If the man is guilty, arrest him. Let the legal system do their jobs!
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:46pmI think this is all about the media trying to pigeonhole the right into defending the “racist” side of their narrative.
Report Post »ohnomrbill
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:57pmThis is about a black young man being murdered in Florida not a known crimanel a child still in high school do you people have children, really this is crazy for you to even think that people shouldn’t be outraged
Report Post »Rob
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:33pmBlacks are winning and the whites are just rolling over… puzzies.
Report Post »kangaroo
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:31pmIt’s time for the the attorney general to step up,and get this under control after she intially swept this under the rug. Our Gov Scott should also make an apperance since he has been great so far with the state even though the libs don’t agree one little bit. Saving money and running the joint effciently is not their fortay
Report Post »Brokendrum
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:27pmThis guy was on a neighborhood crime watch – alone ? Not sure how yours work but we never go out alone.
Report Post »I got him tagged as some weirdo vigilante just because of this fact – sorry.
FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:23pmZimmerman was on his back, being punched in the face, when he shot Martin. When the police showed up, Zimmerman had a bloody nose and was bleeding from the back of his head. The media is completely disregarding these facts.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEDBqvEauYU&feature=youtu.be
Also, the pictures that you keep seeing of Martin are several years old. He was a towering 6′2″ football player, not the baby-faced child the media portrays him as.
Whether or not you think Zimmerman is guilty, you must admit that the media has been picking and choosing facts in order to perpetuate a specific narrative.
Report Post »cmonnow
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 11:56pmYou are such an incredible moron. You post on this same page, and I quote, “no, none of those things happened, but they also have to select jurors that are unaware that all of those things are happening. In a case like this, if you watch TV or have the internet, you shouldn’t be picked. We’ll just have to wait and see…”
But now you know all the facts.. Get off the BS.
Report Post »Dstarr55
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:19pmThere is a case to be made in favor of Zimmerman. He was injured and the crime scene did appear to back up his version of the events. A defense lawyer could argue Trayvon’s girlfriend told him to run and he refused. Trayvon did not call 911 and neither did his girlfriend. According to his girlfriend he confronted Zimmerman first. She said he asked Zimmerman why he was following him and then Zimmerman asked why he was there. His girlfriend said she heard an altercation and the phone went dead. If her claim of fear is correct, why didn’t she call 911?
There is a case to be made this was not racially motivated. There had been break-ins in the area committed mainly by young black men – it would not be a leap for Zimmerman seeing a young black man walking around at night in the rain as suspicious. This case has many exculpatory facts that the MSM either ignores or glosses over. They repeat the mantra of ‘how is it a fair fight between a 17 yr. old armed with skittles and ice tea and a 28 yr. old armed with a gun?’ Zimmerman did not know he was dealing with an unarmed 17 yr. old. His knowledge consisted of: it was night, it was raining, the area had several break-ins and this guy looked suspicious.
The mob cry for justice is rather ironic. The MSM and mob have already convicted this man and are stirring up racist hatred that is not helping anyone.
Report Post »FreedomPurveyor
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:25pmFacts are stubborn things. Thankfully for the media, they can simply ignore them!
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:32pmwhy did he look suspicious?
Report Post »Dstarr55
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:29pmHead, it was night – it was raining – there were prior break-ins in the area – why is it not suspicious? Zimmerman saw someone walking around the neighborhood in bad weather – he was aware of the prior break-ins – in his mind it was suspicious.
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:55pm@Steelhead
Report Post »Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:32pm
why did he look suspicious?
********
Lol, because he was breathing, walking, and daring to exist while black!
kangaroo
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:19pmEven when you have a conceal weapons permit and shoot someone they take your peice they take you to jail and then they get it sorted. In this case it didn’t happen.
Reading all the ariticles in the wsvn 7 news archives the cops didn’t want to have a black eye on the community of Sandford. Now if they had of followed the law this would just of been another blurb in the America we now live in with all the stabbings shootings fraud you name it. Well this lot has definately put themselves on the map now.
Report Post »libertytreecaretaker
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:32pmRead the frickin police report they took his gun into evidence and took him into the police station for interogation right after he was seen by emergency medical services.
Report Post »kangaroo
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:48pmFunny that that no newspaper, news station or am radio reportred that at all. Not once ever. I am in south florida and that is all they are talking about. juz sayin
Report Post »COFemale
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:02pmI question Zimmerman’s story. Frankly, my gut said he called police to create an “alibi” about this kid and killed him because he wanted too. The police told him not to follow and it sounds like this kid was scared (I’d run too) and Zimmerman followed anyway. I say he is guilty of shooting this kid and there was no threat to him. Having grown up in Orlando and visited Sanford many times as my aunt lived on the main drag, it was a small quiet town back then. However, now it is part of the Metro Orlando area and more people live in the area. I loved Sanford.
Report Post »Dstarr55
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:36pmYou need to have your gut checked as none of the facts support your theory. Zimmerman did not walk up to this guy and shoot him. Even his girlfriend admitted Trayvon asked Zimmerman first why he was following him. If Zimmerman wanted to just shoot the kid, he would have shot instead of asking what he was doing in the neighborhood. Also he was following Trayvon because it was night, it was rainy and the area had recent break-ins and he didn’t know why someone would be walking around in that kind of weather.
Zimmerman was in an altercation prior to the shot being fired – his girlfriend heard the altercation before the phone went dead but did not hear the gun shot – again going against your mad shooter theory. He had a head wound and other scraps which is why the police initially believed his story.
Zimmerman also did not know he was dealing with an unarmed 17 year old – he knew it was night, it was raining and he did not know why this young man was walking around the neighborhood. The MSM has to stop with the ‘armed with skittles’ remark.
This is not to say Zimmerman is not culpable but this mob mentality has got to stop. Let the facts come in as they investigate. The media is doing a disservice in throwing fuel to the flames as mobs are descending and demanding justice that is not justice – demanding conviction is not justice. It is a tragedy that a young man died but that does not mean Zimmerman purposely set out to kill him.
Report Post »The_Jerk
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 6:54pmIn America, no race/ethnic group murders at a higher rate than the black race. A non-black killing a black person, vociferous and organized outrage. A black killing any other non-black person, silence.
Report Post »Steelhead
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 7:19pmwhat you perceive about black folks has nothing to do with what is right or wrong in this case- the kid was shot for no apparent reason by a watchman and the cops did nothing, that in itself is a shame
Report Post »Dstarr55
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:02pmHead, You stated Trayvon was killed for no reason – under Florida law, rightly or wrongly, if Zimmerman perceived Trayvon a threat he had the right to defend himself. An investigation and perhaps a trial will be needed to show whether his perception was reasonable or not. The police believed the evidence supported Zimmerman’s claims of self-defense as he had sustained injuries. Even his girlfriend stated Trayvon confronted Zimmerman first. Her initial statement was she was on the phone with Trayvon, he told her someone was following him, she told him to run, he refused and then he asked Zimmerman why he was following him. Zimmerman than asked what was he doing in the neighborhood – she heard an altercation, the phone went dead – she did not hear the shot. Zimmerman did not know Trayvon was 17 and unarmed – those facts should not be considered in determining if Zimmerman was reasonable in his actions.
Report Post »Baikonur
Posted on March 22, 2012 at 9:50pm@Dstarr55
Report Post »Posted on March 22, 2012 at 8:02pm
‘ under Florida law, rightly or wrongly, if Zimmerman perceived Trayvon a threat he had the right to defend himself.’
*************
I perceive all you ignorant racist as a threat. Would I have the right to shoot you in the face in a dark alley in Florida?
Dstarr55
Posted on March 23, 2012 at 9:26amThat is right, Baikonur, because I look at all the facts in the case I am a racist – because I am not dragging in my emotions, which is what is needed in investigating this incident, I am a racist. Because I am not allowing the narrative of the MSM to whip me up in a frenzy of ‘get the guy’, I am a racist.
Your statement ignores most of my post, but you know that – you picked up on one line without the context of the entire post – it’s not long, some words may need to be explained to you but give it a try. I said, “An investigation and perhaps a trial will be needed to show whether his perception was reasonable or not”. The law allowed for his actions but it doesn’t mean he was right in taking those actions.
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