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None of this would have happened if he had listened to the police.
He confronted someone he had no right to confront.
Originally posted by hanyak69
reply to post by phishyblankwaters
Martin had a choice, he could have talked instead of beaten down Zimmerman. Any reasonable person that is not doing anything wrong would say hi and start a civilized conversation. Not put his hands in his pants and walk up and start a confrontation. Zimmerman was just trying to get information for the police, on someone that looked suspicious to him which is the purpose of having a watch. He was doing what he thought he was supposed to do.
I regret that someone lost their life but.............
Originally posted by phishyblankwaters
The police TOLD Zimmerman not to follow him, he did, which is threatening.
Originally posted by samkent
Originally posted by NewerBeing
Ever since KONY and Zimmerman, I am convinced that the MSM is playing games with people. I honestly believe they are testing our stupidity. They want to see how fast things can get around, and it's proven that it gets around really fast.
It's a rating game with the media. You will watch the news channel that gives the wildest one line preview. Simply saying "black youth shot", won't draw viewers.
But as soon as you hear "Black child killed walking home with candy." you will tune in.
It's your fault as viewers.
But there is still one point that keeps being overlooked by the 'hang em high' crowd.
This hooded youth was walking around in the rain, in a gated comunity, where he didn't live. He must have hopped a fence to enter. Was it really 'on his way home'? Why shouldn't Zimmerman follow this suspisious person in his own neighborhood?
How often do the police stop a mugging 'in progress'?
How often do the police stop a burglary 'in progress'?
Wouldn't you feel safer knowing someone in your neighborhood is always walking around? Assume you know nothing about them carrying a gun.
Originally posted by RealSpoke
reply to post by MikeNice81
If you followed someone all day it would be illegal, its called stalking/harassment
edit on 21-4-2012 by RealSpoke because: (no reason given)
Originally posted by MikeNice81
reply to post by AGWskeptic
I know exactly how much authority they have. I work for a PD. The dispatcher has no authority unless the cop responding to the event "deputizes" them to act on their behalf. I have never known that to happen. I highly doubt it happened in this instance.
A dispatcher is a civilian with no authority to make legal demands on others.
"He has no protection under my law," former Sen. Durell Peaden
It is the fact that Zimmerman ignored the 911 operator's advice not to follow Martin that former Sen. Peaden says disqualifies him from claiming self-defense under the law.
"The guy lost his defense right then," Peaden told the Miami Herald. "When he said 'I'm following him,' he lost his defense."
Rep. Dennis Baxley, Peaden's co-sponsor in the Florida House, agrees with his former colleague, telling the newspaper that the law does not license neighborhood watch or others who feel "like they have the authority to pursue and confront people. That is aggravating an incident right there."
Originally posted by bknapple32
i have to agree, you lose the self defense argument when you are on record telling the dispatcher youre going to follow him against advice
Originally posted by bknapple32
i have to agree, you lose the self defense argument when you are on record telling the dispatcher youre going to follow him against advice