Great interview with Charles Barkley regarding the Zimmerman verdict.

[zme]

Stand your Ground may have weaknesses but that is not relevant here since that is not the defense Zimmerman used.

You are right that this incident was more the tragic outcome of collective stupidity than racism. Zimmerman was an idiot for getting out of his vehicle when he should have just reported and left. And Travyon was an idiot for not just heading straight home when he realized he was being followed. According to the evidence he had 4 minutes when Zimmerman lost track of him and he could have reached home in minutes. For some reason he decided to stay and unfortunately there is no proof of specifically who started what though there is pretty good proof that Zimmerman was getting the worst of it till he used his firearm.

If there were laws against stupidity they would both be in jail if Travyon was still alive. Legally there is no proof of who started the fight and that is why Zimmerman got off. If Travyon shot Zimmerman instead he would have got of free for exactly the same reason, he could show he was in fear of his life and no one would be able to prove otherwise.

[StinkyFingers]

It is entirely possible that TM simply did not have a way to get home during that 4 minute period because if he moved from where he was hiding, than Zimmerman would immediately spot him. He may have simply been waiting in a safe hiding spot for Zimmerman to leave the scene. Remember, TM was being followed by Zimmerman. So, that BS is just more of the victimization of the victim.

If Zimmerman had just stayed in his car as instructed, none of this would have happened.

[StinkyFingers]

The scary thing about a law like Stand Your Ground is this: The shooter is the one who defines that they feared for their life. It can easily be abused. Start a fight, take a couple of punches, shoot to kill, then claim you feared for your life.

[imabout2]

Dead men tell no tails...

[Tulsa3612]

I appreciate Barclay's comments and agree completely.

It should be elaborated on that Barkley said "some “racial profiling” probably did occur the night Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin."

It was not as much racial but behavioural. Had little "Tray", been dressed like, and carried himself in the fashion of say a Will Smith, or Tiger Woods, there would be no holes in him.

[datyking]

Originally Posted by StinkyFingers

The scary thing about a law like Stand Your Ground is this: The shooter is the one who defines that they feared for their life. It can easily be abused. Start a fight, take a couple of punches, shoot to kill, then claim you feared for your life.

I guess its a good idea to go ahead and " stand your ground" and shoot when someone is pounding your head in the ground. I think that defines it quite well.

[Don T. Lukbak]

Originally Posted by datyking

I guess its a good idea to go ahead and " stand your ground" and shoot when someone is pounding your head in the ground. I think that defines it quite well.

Who knew Zimmerman was BlackBelt in Rope-A-Dope! The lengths that little fat White HighSpanic grown man went to: assault Martin's fist with his schnoz and pound the cement with his own personal skull just to give him the excuse he needed to make his bones!

Which, according to some, must have been his burning ambition. Helluva plan. It takes a dedicated assassin to pull something like that off. Stone cold killer. Who knew?

[BatteriesNotIncluded]

I'll play dumb. I presume Texas has a Stand your Ground rule? I'd be shocked if we didn't. I read basic facts on CNN. Did Trayvon have family or friends in that gated neighborhood? If not he was taking an immense risk.

[chicagoboy]

Originally Posted by BatteriesNotIncluded

Did Trayvon have family or friends in that gated neighborhood? If not he was taking an immense risk.

TM was staying in that neighborhood, in the place rented by his father's fiancée.

Wikipedia - Shooting of Trayvon Martin

Excellent article in today's WSJ by Shelby Steele:

The Decline of the Civil-Rights Establishment

[imabout2]

Originally Posted by BatteriesNotIncluded

I'll play dumb. I presume Texas has a Stand your Ground rule? I'd be shocked if we didn't. I read basic facts on CNN. Did Trayvon have family or friends in that gated neighborhood? If not he was taking an immense risk.

Castle Doctrine

Texas has a self-defense law based on the castle doctrine. The law has a “stand your ground” clause, meaning the person using physical or deadly force against an attacker does not have a duty to retreat. Deadly force is permissible under the law when a person is attempting to defend himself from deadly force of an attacker in his home, vehicle or place of employment, or against attackers who are committing crimes of kidnapping, murder, sexual assault or robbery.

The law provides civil immunity to persons who use authorized deadly force against attackers.

[BatteriesNotIncluded]

Originally Posted by chicagoboy

TM was staying in that neighborhood, in the place rented by his father's fiancée.

Wikipedia - Shooting of Trayvon Martin

Excellent article in today's WSJ by Shelby Steele:

The Decline of the Civil-Rights Establishment

Thanks guys. His Dad being in that neighborhood makes it a really tough call. Glad I was not on that jury. All women? Interesting...

[StinkyFingers]

Originally Posted by imabout2

Castle Doctrine

Texas has a self-defense law based on the castle doctrine. The law has a “stand your ground” clause, meaning the person using physical or deadly force against an attacker does not have a duty to retreat. Deadly force is permissible under the law when a person is attempting to defend himself from deadly force of an attacker in his home, vehicle or place of employment, or against attackers who are committing crimes of kidnapping, murder, sexual assault or robbery.

The law provides civil immunity to persons who use authorized deadly force against attackers.

And, they were in a public place, not on anyone's private property, in Zimmerman's car, at his place of employment, nor was TM committing a crime, nor was TM armed with any weapon.

So, tell me again why the Castle Doctrine applies here?

You mean to tell me that you think deadly force is justified just cause someone You were stalking is afraid of you and punches you in the nose?

[StinkyFingers]

Originally Posted by Don T. Lukbak

Who knew Zimmerman was BlackBelt in Rope-A-Dope! The lengths that little fat White HighSpanic grown man went to: assault Martin's fist with his schnoz and pound the cement with his own personal skull just to give him the excuse he needed to make his bones!

Which, according to some, must have been his burning ambition. Helluva plan. It takes a dedicated assassin to pull something like that off. Stone cold killer. Who knew?

How about just an idiot wanna be cop who can't fight with a concealed weapon?

[StinkyFingers]

Originally Posted by 3602houston

I appreciate Barclay's comments and agree completely.

It should be elaborated on that Barkley said "some “racial profiling” probably did occur the night Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin."

It was not as much racial but behavioural. Had little "Tray", been dressed like, and carried himself in the fashion of say a Will Smith, or Tiger Woods, there would be no holes in him.

Sad, but true. Kids don't think about how the way they dress can cause them to appear threatening. They should all burn those friggin hoodies.

[oilfieldscum]

Originally Posted by StinkyFingers

And, they were in a public place, not on anyone's private property, in Zimmerman's car, at his place of employment, nor was TM committing a crime, nor was TM armed with any weapon.

So, tell me again why the Castle Doctrine applies here?

You mean to tell me that you think deadly force is justified just cause someone You were stalking is afraid of you and punches you in the nose?

He's talking about stand your ground in Texas not Florida.