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LafayetteLady -> RE: The Good, the Bad, and the Money (3/28/2012 1:43:18 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Kirata
quote:
ORIGINAL: Owner59
We know he chased the kid....from the 911 tape.
We know he asked the kid who he was.....ie confronted the kid.....with a gun......from the tape.
There is nothing to suggest that Zimmerman confronted Trayvon with a gun. And ironically enough, Trayvon would likely be alive if he had. Because you don't punch a guy in the face if he's holding a gun on you. I've had the feeling from the start that bad judgment on both sides contributed to this, but it did not seem to me that Zimmerman would be able to meet the standard for a protected use of deadly force. At this point, however, I'm revising that opinion. Punching somebody out, jumping on top of them, and bashing their head into the cement is certainly sufficient to give virtually anyone a "reasonable belief" in grave bodily injury.
K.
Ordinarily, I would agree with you. However, the problem I have is that Zimmerman received NO medical care and as far as I have read, no photographs of his injuries were taken. Someone "bashing" a person's head into the cement, hard enough for it to bleed, needs medical care, if for no other reason than to make sure the person isn't suffering a concussion. Remember Natasha Richardson? A ski accident, she hit her head, wasn't even bleeding. Died from the injury. Point being that blows to the head could be serious.
Let's look at a different hypothetical situation. A man foolishly attacks a woman who happens to be well trained in self defense. In his initial attack, he hits her in the face, giving her a bloody nose, then slams her on the ground where she hits her head on the cement. She turns the tables on him and in her zealous, and rightful defense of herself, she kills the man. Police are called to the scene, where she gives her version of events.
Now, she has visible injuries. The police, in the process of fully investigating, or even simply documenting the event are going to insist the woman go to the emergency room, and take photographs of her injuries. This would be done even in a CYA type of situation. Why? Because documentation is necessary to verify her story. Not because anyone questions her story, but to make sure that everything is documented.
Why was this not done? The proper procedure for the police to have followed also dicates that Zimmerman should have been tested for both drugs and alcohol. This was not done either.
Then there is the fact that NONE of the initial reports indicated that Martin pursued Zimmerman. None of the intial reports indicated that Martin tried to take Zimmerman's gun away. I have a serious issue with that.
Typically, if someone goes through this tragic experience, when the police are interviewing them, they would make statements somewhat to the affect of, "Oh my God, I was walking behind him to make sure the police would find him when they got here, and then he turned and attacked me. As I was trying to defend myself, he tried to take my gun and it went off accidently." That isn't what we have here, though is it? We have Zimmerman calling 911, choosing to ignore the "suggestion" that he didn't need to follow Martin. Then essentially we have Zimmerman saying that Martin hit him and he shot him in self defense. As the story continues to unfold, Zimmerman's story continues to become more "detailed," seemingly in an effort to justify his actions.
Perhaps all that information is nothing more than media spin in the initial reports. However, it is stated by the police that ambulance personnel looked at Zimmerman and there was no additional medical examinations conducted. So that isn't assumption, it is fact.
Yes, it is sadly "normal" for any skeletons in Trayvon Martin's closet to be reported now that this has become a media frenzy. Yes, it is a shame that initially, Martin was pretty much portrayed as one of the most angelic high schooler's on the planet. However, it is also stated by the police (so we can accept as fact) that Martin did not have any type of weapon or "burglury" tool on his person on the night in question. So all of these past "indiscretions" really are irrelvant to the event. That would be like a hooker getting raped on her night off coming out the 7-11 and people saying she was a hooker, so it was to be expected. The only thing that matters is what Trayvon Martin was doing on the night he was killed. He wasn't "casing" houses for later break ins, there is nothing to indicate that. He wasn't on drugs (more than enough time for toxicology has passed). So even if Martin had a history of beating the shit out of his girlfriend, he wasn't engaging in that activity or any other illegal activity at the time he was shot.
IF the whole "Stand Your Ground" law is going to apply in this case, it can NOT be applied only to Zimmerman.
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