https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...trayvon-martins-death/?utm_term=.612b6a71cf4b

Had Zimmerman been minding his own business his life would not have been in jeopardy (if indeed it was) --- Legal sanctioning of vigilantism (including 'bounty hunting', other manifestations of 'citizens arrest', etc...) in a (so called) modern, first-world nation is as embarrassing as it is appalling! -- Is civilization to prevail - law enforcement must remain wholly in the public sector and hence ultimately answerable to the public! -- psychotics, social misfits, 'AWA types' and other 'species' of thuggery need not apply!

Best regards
HP

 

Had Zimmerman been minding his own business his life would not have been in jeopardy

I love your sentiments.
Travon also died from a gun, and he also didn't bring one.

 

Had Zimmerman been minding his own business his life would not have been in jeopardy (if indeed it was) --- Legal sanctioning of vigilantism (including 'bounty hunting', other manifestations of 'citizens arrest', etc...) in a (so called) modern, first-world nation is as embarrassing as it is appalling! -- Is civilization to prevail - law enforcement must remain wholly in the public sector and hence ultimately answerable to the public! -- psychotics, social misfits, 'AWA types' and other 'species' of thuggery need not apply!

Best regards
HP

"law enforcement must remain wholly in the public sector"

Zimmerman should not be the standard for private citizens protecting their lives and property from criminals. Psychotics, social misfits, 'AWA types' and other 'species' of thuggery have never needed the color of law to commit crimes and I won't be dialing 911 first if one kicks down my front door. Private police/armed security forces are common and world-wide.

 

So it is your consensus that Zimmerman went hunting.

 

So it is your consensus that Zimmerman went hunting.

My personal opinion, is that he went out looking for trouble, and found it... And in his twisted mind he was doing society a favor...

 

That could be. I think he is the exception and not the norm. I haven't read the trial transcripts.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trayvon_Martin

Unfortunately that night, there were no cameras or witnesses that have surfaced.

One thing in that wiki link is a professor cautioning that one's online persona may not reflect reality ... Especially in kids.

I tend to disagree with that assessment.

 

So it is your consensus that Zimmerman went hunting.

Even if he were, what's wrong with that, if there jury found him not guilty?

Unless there is a law that crimilanizes following a black teen, Zimmerman is well within his right to do what he did, as that jury rightfully confirmed.

Whether that IS smart is totally different.

 

So it is your consensus that Zimmerman went hunting.

Exactly. And when he was getting his a$$ kicked he shot. Martin was closer to his(dads) house than Zimmerman was to his. And I suppose you guys will say no one including Zimmerman lies in court. And he is such a great guy that never causes trouble -
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/cri...ging-killing-trayvon-martin-article-1.2739089
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/george-zimmerman-used-racial-slur-in-bar-police-say/
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articl...arents-they-didn-t-raise-their-son-right.html

 

@nsaspook . From your second attachment "The law also changed the standard instructions to jurors in homicide cases, so that the judge said that Zimmerman had no duty to retreat and could stand his ground if he felt threatened."
Like I asked joe, since he went after Martin, didn't Martin have that same right?

 

@nsaspook . From your second attachment "The law also changed the standard instructions to jurors in homicide cases, so that the judge said that Zimmerman had no duty to retreat and could stand his ground if he felt threatened."
Like I asked joe, since he went after Martin, didn't Martin have that same right?

(This is from a sea lawyer) The default and defacto right (before a specific law was written codifying that right) is to stand your ground unless there is a law saying you don't have that right within the realm of self defense within that legal jurisdiction. (I'm not saying this is a smart thing to do) So sure Martin had that right but he lost in a fight between fists and bullets. IMO the prosecution lost this case mainly by overcharging him and that's on them, not Zimmerman or SYG. Was he innocent of manslaughter? We will never know.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/07/14/us/zimmerman-why-this-verdict/

 

Is following someone, or both walking in the same direction on the side of the road ... Going after someone? Yes, everyone has the right of self defense. Sometimes you need to evaluate the situation. Didn't Michael Brown choose to go after the cop's weapon? I don't think that was a wise choice.

 

Zimmerman should not be the standard for private citizens protecting their lives and property from criminals.

I apologize that I was unclear -- I see no objection whatever to protection of one's own property self or family in the face of emergent criminality - nor, for that matter, coming to the aid of a victim of active violence (albeit Re: the latter, one wants to be very, very certain of the situation prior to such 'intervention' lest they find themselves on the wrong side of the law)...

Best regards
HP

 

The news today about the War on Police Misconduct is more philosophical than usual.
It's an examination of how cop-think leads to highly aggressive, military quality attacks on people who have no idea why anybody brought a gun.

http://www.copblock.org/169807/cops-vulnerable-hallucinations/

 

Private police/armed security forces are common and world-wide.

So is homicide... That doesn't make it just -- AFAIK the US is the sole 'Western' nation wherein any random 'John' or 'Jane' may legally take up 'hunting' fugitives sans standardized training and licensure -- I know as a fact that such activity is strictly regulated in the UK and 'Commonwealth' / former 'commonwealth' nations...

So it is your consensus that Zimmerman went hunting.

I believe he was exercising police power but was not a trained, authorized police officer -- As far as I'm concerned his personal motives are both irrelevant and unknowable to anyone save himself...

That could be. I think he is the exception and not the norm.

My point is that civilized societies are policed by carefully vetted and trained civil servants! -- Even then - as this thread attests, there will be problems!

Even if he were, what's wrong with that, if there jury found him not guilty?

Please tell me you're joking?

Unless there is a law that crimilanizes following a black teen...

Well... In these United States 'dogging' anyone (without regard to demographics) is prohibited by, depending upon 'specifics', harassment, felony harassment (AKA 'stalking') and/or privacy legislation --- Unless, of course, your use of 'following' describes merely 'happening to be headed on the same course' as another

Is following someone, or both walking in the same direction on the side of the road ... Going after someone?

IMO Following: yes ' headed on the same course': no --- That said, I feel Zimmerman's course of conduct leaves little room for grant of 'the benefit of the doubt'...

Best regards
HP

PS -- By way of contrast, I genuinely feel Bernhard Goetz's actions were justified

 

The news today about the War on Police Misconduct is more philosophical than usual.
It's an examination of how cop-think leads to highly aggressive, military quality attacks on people who have no idea why anybody brought a gun.

http://www.copblock.org/169807/cops-vulnerable-hallucinations/

Good article... I followed one of its links, advertising this t-shirt:

​

It makes me feel thankful we live in a society that respects and condones freedom of speech.

 

So is homicide... That doesn't make it just -- AFAIK the US is the sole 'Western' nation wherein any random 'John' or 'Jane' may legally take up 'hunting' fugitives sans standardized training and licensure -- I know as a fact that such activity is strictly regulated in the UK and 'Commonwealth' / former 'commonwealth' nations...

That's because we are citizens in the US not subjects under rule. Vive la différence.

 

I feel Zimmerman's course of conduct leaves little room for grant of 'the benefit of the doubt'...

Yes. +100?
One doesn't just by accident, coincidentally, overtake someone and engage in a physical altercation after the completely coincidental, non-target, who just happened to be walking in the same direction, spooks and starts running, unless that was the intent in the first place.

 

That's because we are citizens in the US not subjects under rule.

I believe there is room to discuss that, but I don't have the time to do that right now.

 

The news today about the War on Police Misconduct is more philosophical than usual.
It's an examination of how cop-think leads to highly aggressive, military quality attacks on people who have no idea why anybody brought a gun.

http://www.copblock.org/169807/cops-vulnerable-hallucinations/

That's very truthful. You must live at least partially in an imaginary short term future world to stay ahead of events because if you strictly stick to the present you will likely be killed in the rare event of a deadly force action.

 

It makes me feel thankful we live in a society that respects and condones freedom of speech.

You must be talking about Mexico because you haven't seen post #3380 in the Voting Thread.
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/t...thout-voting-for-someone-else.127958/page-169