walking while black - Trayvon Martin

[Duchess]

I'm lovin' the academic offer to attend "colored college" instead of a racially integrated institution.

No shit! I didn't know that.

[ZEROSPHERES]

That's a wonderful opportunity for Rachel and I hope she takes that gentleman up on his offer.

Duchess, I think I know her answer.



She could get the Peter Seller's roll in a remake of 'Being There'.

[Duchess]

Robert Zimmerman has told Fox News that he & his family haven't talked to George since the verdict because they fear President Obama's administration has tapped their phones.

[Carsman]

Robert Zimmerman has told Fox News that he & his family haven't talked to George since the verdict because they fear President Obama's administration has tapped their phones.

He could be tapping into here as well, so . . . .

[HairOfTheDog]

We know B37 didn't know George Zimmerman personally before trial.

The prosecution gave her the words of George Zimmerman. The defense and its witnesses (plus prosecution witness Detective Serino) convinced her that Zimmerman's words were those of a helpful diligent neighbor who had his "heart in the right place". A man who was put in mortal fear by an unarmed skinny kid in a matter of minutes (despite the lack of serious injuries). A man who she believes shouldn't have followed a teen and put himself in a situation to get himself attacked by the teen, but has learned his lesson and will now be "the most responsible gun owner on the planet". A man who she'd have as a watch person in her neighborhood.

Her personal opinion of George Zimmerman is very favorable (in the extreme, under the circumstances), imo. I think that the other jurors want to be sure it isn't attributed to them. I don't blame them.

Doesn't appear that the other jurors are disputing the facts that B37 communicated: the split vote, the process of considering the evidence and then the law, and the unanimous decision to acquit based on their belief that George was in fear for his life. I hope we get to hear directly from them at some point as well.

I don't think it's unusual for there to be frustrated jurors who want to throw in the towel before reaching a verdict and are convinced by others to stay and keep deliberating, heard that before from trial jurors. But, I haven't looked up specific cases, so just IIRC.

What I've taken away from B37's interview is that the funds that went towards the jury selection consultant were monies well spent on Zimmerman's behalf. Can't imagine a more favorable juror for the defense in this case.

[Duchess]

I never questioned George's fear in those few moments. I knew for a long time he was a pussy who was probably scared of his own shadow. That's why I always said his gun gave him balls & confidence.

After listening to the juror I was so surprised to discover that all the things that meant something to me weren't even a consideration for her. Not one damn thing.

[ramseycat]

Roaming? It was 7:10 in the evening, he was returning home from the store.

His sixteen year old ass should have been grounded!

This "kid" was unsupervised . . . period.

He went to the store for a drink and skittles for I think it was his dad's GF's son. I wouldn't say he was roaming. If he had been out hanging with his friends, then I would agree with you.

[BlueTiki]

. . . I think it was his dad's GF's son. I wouldn't say he was roaming. If he had been out hanging with his friends, then I would agree with you.

Not at his Mom's.

Not at his Dad's.

But at his dad's girlfriend's house.

Alone. Unsupervised. Suspended from school.

No parents or adult supervision . . . the parents couldn't be bothered.

Hell . . . look how long it took his father to figure out he wasn't at his whore's house.

Yup. The epitome of concerned parent behavior.

This "kid" called the shots and his folks took the easy way out and gave in.

[Cynical Ninja]

Yeah it was his parents fault he died.

Not the fact he was profiled and stalked by a fat lying pussy with a gun who thought he was Charlie Bronson.

“They” always fucking get away!”

Not this time georgie huh? Not this time.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

George was just the end of the chain. No one wants to take responsibility for their kids. Where was the parental concerns when this kid was running around with his thug friends smoking dope, buying guns? Where were they when he was running around fighting? Where were they when he got suspended? This kid was off the chain there is no doubt. He Chose to head down a certain path. Kids think they invented everything, thats why they don't listen to us older folks. The path he took is a well worn one and it has a very predictable end, choices, choices, choices.
At the end of that long path of bad decisions guess what he found?
Another guy that had headed down the same path and had made just as many bad decisions, no idea where Z's parents were.
So yea, if Z hadn't shot him he wouldn't be dead, thanks for pointing out that obscure fact.
He would also still be around if his parents had taught him better than to do what he was doing. He would still be around if he hadn't gotten expelled.. He would still be alive had his parents taken the responsibility of at a minimum of grounding his ass for getting expelled.
Don't blame this shit all on Z, he had many many accomplices along the way.

[ramseycat]

None if that has any bearing on what happened Six. T was a kid walking home from the store. G didn't know anything about his past. The story starts when G spotted T and started following him. G ASSUMED T was a thug. His assumption started this whole thing in motion

I still maintain G pulled the gun to scare T off of him and he accidentally pulled the trigger during the fight. If G had waited for the police as he was told, none of this would have happened. The authorities would have questioned T and discovered what he was about and made sure he got home. And G could have gone back to his "watch."

[Maggot]

The truth hurts and nobody wants to admit it. When 2 idiots collide.

[Cynical Ninja]

Sorry Ramsey.

The “hood rat” has got to be at least 50% to blame for a paranoid pussy wannabe vigilante shooting him in the chest.

Apparently.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

None if that has any bearing on what happened Six. T was a kid walking home from the store. G didn't know anything about his past. The story starts when G spotted T and started following him. G ASSUMED T was a thug. His assumption started this whole thing in motion

I still maintain G pulled the gun to scare T off of him and he accidentally pulled the trigger during the fight. If G had waited for the police as he was told, none of this would have happened. The authorities would have questioned T and discovered what he was about and made sure he got home. And G could have gone back to his "watch."

Your partly correct and just plain ignoring the rest.
Yes, at that moment T was just a kid walking back to the store and Z didn't "Know" a damn thing. Z Assumed T was a thug.
What happened next? T acted like a thug and ran, he had Zero reason to do that. Running is what confirmed him as a target to Z.
I also doubt that Z pulled his gun to scare T, and I sure as hell doubt he accidentally shot T. I think when he pulled the trigger he did it consciously and with intent and had (for hime) already gone through the checklist before shooting.
2 Idiots get together and it rarely works out well.

[ramseycat]

You have a point Six. T should have just asked G what he wanted instead of running. I don't believe G ever intended to kill T and I really don't believe he went through any "check list." We will never know the whole truth. Only G's truth as he sees it. The bottom line is he had a fair trial and was acquitted. We have to accept that and move on.

[HairOfTheDog]

If my teen was being followed by a grown man in the dark, I'd hope that he/she would run and try to lose the guy rather than wait to be... who knows what?

As a teen male, I can see Trayvon being scared, perturbed, and at the same time not wanting to overreact. He had no idea what was going on; he couldn't have.

Zimmerman has never claimed that he thought Trayvon was a "thug". Not once. That's being introduced by people commenting, it's not part of the story.

Zimmerman only says he found Trayvon "suspicious" in light of burglaries in the area. Zimmerman profiled Trayvon as "suspicious" on first sight, not because he ran.

I agree that "thugs" would likely run when they see the police or someone in authority watching them. Zimmerman was neither and he never identified himself as NW or someone who'd called the police - by choice - in his own words. He chose to keep Trayvon in the dark, in more ways than one. That is a fact.

I disagree that only "thugs" run when being followed by strangers in the dark. It makes no sense. People run to avoid "thugs" and strangers who could be thugs, pervs...following them in the dark too.

[Duchess]

T acted like a thug and ran, he had Zero reason to do that. Running is what confirmed him as a target to Z.

You don't consider that he could have ran because there was a strange man hot on his heels? Trayvon didn't have a clue who George was, he only knew he was being pursued by a stranger for no reason.

If I run from a stranger who is pursuing me will I be a target too?

[BlueTiki]

No one wants to take responsibility for their kids.

Let it be.

The naysayers of irresponsibility fail to acknowledge that this "child" ran the show.

Sixteen and inked.

Smoking weed at least two times a week (it was probably a sugar jones after a fatty that had him strolling to the store).

Suspended from school and allowed to roam.

Yeah . . . great parenting.

These are the type of parents who fail to put their kid in a car seat and when a drunk driver hits them and their kid is killed it's all the drunk driver's fault.

For the narrow minded, bleeding hearts who actually believe that pointing out irresponsible parenting is a justification for a kid being shot and killed . . . Al Sharpton is calling . . . pick up!

Or maybe this subject is uncomfortable as it is a reflection of your own negligent parenting?

[HairOfTheDog]

You have a point Six. T should have just asked G what he wanted instead of running.

Really?

You'd advise the Things that if a grown man is following them at night and they find the guy creepy that they should confront the guy and ask him what he wants rather than trying to elude the situation?

Btw, after running, George kept "heading in the same direction as" Trayvon. When they did come face to face, the ear witness says that Trayvon asked George why he was following him. George's statement is that Trayvon asked him if he had a problem? George says he chose not to tell Trayvon why he was following him, in order to "avoid a confrontation". Makes no sense to me; would more likely have diffused a confrontation.

Anyway, by following your advice, Trayvon may simply have been killed a couple of minutes earlier. First, he tried to lose the grown man. Then he asked the grown man what the problem was. I don't think Travyon is dead because he ran and running under the circumstances certainly doesn't make one a thug.

[ramseycat]

I totally see your point Tiki. And yes if T had been home, he would be alive. But the bottom line is he was a kid walking home and G completely overreacted and assumed T was a criminal and went off the rails. There are a lot of if only's here. If only T had stated home. If only G had listened to the 911 operator. If only G had waited for police during the fight. He knew they were coming.

My feeling is that no matter how much of a brat T was. At that moment he was doing nothing wrong but he ended up dead. That is on G.