George Zimmerman on the Peoria.com Forums

Zimmerman will be charged with 2nd Degree Murder, and is in custody, according to the AP

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/11/prosecutor-to-a

Hopefully, that will calm down the lynch mobs.

Yep!! What a dope. What a total circus. His Attorneys, who never met him, who took his case sight unseen (Hmmm, looking for notoriety, ya think?) dropped him because he stopped responding to their phone calls, messages, etc, yet, from his place in hiding, he has built and is updating a website asking for money for his legal defense,.... all before he was legally charged with a crime...


This while thing is stupid and kid is dead

I hope so too. Guilty until proven innocent.

This is the outcome that should have happened six weeks ago. Let the system work. A person is dead, and another killed him. If there is a question, it should go to the courts to resolve. Race and class should not play a part in it.

I know, that's idealistic at best, but it is our system and if it is allowed to work as intended, it's still one of the best systems in the world. Not perfect, but better than most.

The system worked. The police, with the evidence they had that night, did not have probable cause to arrest Zimmerman, under Florida's stand your ground law.

Personally, I believe he will be acquitted, and there will be outrage, like with OJ and Casey Anthony, by people who are reacting emotionally, and not thinking about the law.

Agreed

I'm all for standing your ground, but he was stalking this kid and was told not to follow. Zimmerman was clearly the aggressor. Being aggressive and defensive is a typical response if you are strolling down the street and you notice you are being stalked. The kid was probably spooked, hell if I walked down the street and noticed someone following me at night I'd be a little spooked too and I'll be damned if I am questioned by a neighbor.

What kinda logic is that, in FL you can walk up to someone, start ****, shoot them and be OK under "stand your ground".

Sad part is the kid is dead and this man is probably ruined for life.

Isn't it sad that this has to be on the "Politics" forum? (not criticizing Lukes decision to put it there!

What I have a hard time reconciling is why Zimmerman was following him, especially when he was told not to. Last I checked it wasn't illegal to walk down the street.

But, I agree that the legal system should be left alone to work, and I don't see how the facts could come to light without an arrest.

Maybe, maybe not. Florida's law provides an exception that the stand your ground defense is not valid if the person using the deadly force "initially provokes the use of force against himself or herself."

That very issue is at the heart of this matter, and it seems a question of fact proper for a jury to decide.

Either way, it will certainly be enlightening to find out exactly what evidence has come to light in the superseding six weeks that gives rise to probable cause for an arrest now, if in fact that PC did not exist on the night of the incident.

If you listen to Zimmerman's side of the story, there's a few things to point out.

1.) The dispatcher said "You don't need to do that" in response to Zimmerman following Martin. It's semantics, but you don't need to do that, and don't do that are different.

2.) As ZImmerman says, when the dispatcher told him he didn't need to follow Martin, he was walking back to his SUV, and was attacked from behind by Martin. During the ensuing struggle, Martin reached for Zimmerman's gun, which is when Zimmerman shot him.

Everyone has jumped to conclusions abotu what happened. The fact of the matter is, only Zimmerman knows what he was feeling at that moment, if he felt his life was in danger. Remember, he had no way of knowing if the kid had a knife, gun or other weapon on him at that time.

The case is a tragedy, no doubt about it. But, there's two sides to any story. And remember, in criminal proceedings, it's up to the prosecution to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the person is guilty.

Nobody knows what evidence the prosecution has, all that will eventually come out. As of now, as I said earlier, I think he will be acquitted.

Civially, however, could be a different story.

lol if we listened to the murder's side of the story, we'd never have any murder convictions.


Question Luke. If you were walking at night, by yourself and you noticed someone following you.. what would you do?

We have no idea what Martin was feeling at that moment, if he felt his life was in danger. Remember, he had no way of knowing if the the guy following him had a knife, gun or other weapon on him at that time. What if he was "Standing" his ground against the aggressor that night (Zimmerman was the stalker)

Is it any surprise that the kid might of acted aggressive or hostile under those conditions, I'll speak for myself, I sure in the hell would of.

Two people know the truth and only one can talk, anything else is hearsay. The Fed. involvement isn't about Martin or Zimmerman, its focus is GUNS in general. Had Z stabbed or beat Martin to a vegetable this wouldn't be an issue.

None the less, Zimmerman will be exonerated.

I think the worst he'll get is a reduced charge to involuntary manslaughter. I think the fact he was on the phone with 911 bolsters his case that he was concerned about safety and the fact that there is no victim that can testify against him. Basically, he's the only witness

You'll find no bigger supporter of Gun rights and conceal carry than myself.

I don't consider this a "guns" rights issue. More-so, a can you walk down the street without being stalked and then killed by your stalker for resisting, right. If this kid had been breaking into Zimmerman's house, or even on his property, but come on, just because you can own a gun, and carry a gun and stand your ground against an attack, doesn't mean you go looking for a fight, and then gun down people for pushing back.

Zimmerman followed an civilian on a public street, started an altercation that left that civilian dead. If anyone should of been standing their ground, it should of been that kid.


How many of you on this forum, would tolerate being followed at night in Peoria? Lets see a show of hands.

During the tussle with 3 unarmed thugs one of them takes your weapon from you and hopefully run off.... Or one of them kills you with your weapon and all of them say you shot yourself by mistake?

Also reference a murder in Peoria where self defense justified the killers actions.