Zimmerman Medical Report Shows Broken Nose, Lacerations After Trayvon Martin Shooting

[B_J 2,752]

Apparently! I need to start mastering this whole 'judging a book by its cover' thing. People here are already professionals and I'm falling behind.

You know, you're doing pretty good. You've already assumed that everybody is racist and stereotyping Martin if they disagree with you. Some of us think this was an avoidable tragedy.....if only Martin hadn't attacked Zimmerman.

[Obama 2012 1,714]

That's assuming that Martin did not feel his life threatened, because if he did, he had just as much a right as you believe Zimmerman had in defending his life. Determining that will have profound effect on whether jurors convict Zimmerman or not.

Unless Zimmerman approached Martin with his gun drawn or tooks swings at him, then that defense does not work for Martin.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Following someone suspicious in your neighborhood doesn't mean you're racist. It means you're being cautious. If you had the same M.O. for robberies seen in a short period of time, you'd take note of someone you've never seen before walking around your neighborhood.

If I'm following someone simply because they're black and wearing a hoodie (which is all Zimmerman knew of Martin at first glance) then yes.

I hope I never get to this point. I hope I never become suspicious of anyone due to their clothing or the color of their skin. I hope I never lump an entire group of people together due to the actions of a few.

You know, you're doing pretty good. You've already assumed that everybody is racist and stereotyping Martin if they disagree with you. Some of us think this was an avoidable tragedy.....if only Martin hadn't attacked Zimmerman.

Where did I say everybody was racist? I don't mind people disagreeing with me. I mind people acting as if wearing a hoodie is reason enough to follow someone down a street for being suspicious.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Apparently! I need to start mastering this whole 'judging a book by its cover' thing. People here are already professionals and I'm falling behind.

Here's what you need to do. Have yourself a movie marathon of Charles Bronson, Chuck Norris and Dirty Harry movies. Then buy a gun and get real paranoid. Then appoint yourself neighborhood watchman and patrol your neighborhood while packing, keeping a close eye out for thugs. And most of all, remember, "They deserve to die!"

[B_J 2,752]

That's assuming that Martin did not feel his life threatened, because if he did, he had just as much a right as you believe Zimmerman had in defending his life. Determining that will have profound effect on whether jurors convict Zimmerman or not.

This is one of the few trials I'm actually interested in. I don't see how Zimmerman can be found guilty; based on what I've seen so far.

Do you really think the prosecutors can use that argument? Martin was afraid for his life so he attacked? With a bag of skittles and iced tea? It's going to be tough.

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Well, naturally, that must mean that's what Trayvon Martin was doing that night. Thanks for cracking that case. Glad Zimmerman got him off the streets.

The amount of racism and stereotyping here moggles my mind. I was never raised to find people suspicious due to their choice of clothing or the color of their skin. I guess I don't belong here.

And people profiting on it and laughing about it? Ugh. I can't even put the disgust into words.

I think I moved to the wrong country.

1) 17 burglaries committed by black males in that gated community in less than a year.

2) Zimmerman was part of the neighborhood watch and had already thwarted at least one burglary.

3) When burglaries go awry there's a very good chance the home owners end up beaten and/or dead

4) Nobody here was born yesterday and the ones of us here with half a brain wouldn't hesitate to prevent an 18th burglary even if that meant questioning someone.

5) Martin had a cell phone on him at the time and could have very easily called 911 instead of attacking Zimmerman to the point that he broke his nose and gave him lacerations that required sutures.

Edited May 16, 2012 by Why_Me

[Obama 2012 1,714]

If I'm following someone simply because they're black and wearing a hoodie (which is all Zimmerman knew of Martin at first glance) then yes.

I hope I never get to this point. I hope I never become suspicious of anyone due to their clothing or the color of their skin. I hope I never lump an entire group of people together due to the actions of a few.

Zimmerman only saw the hoodie. He didn't know for sure if he was black or not. He even said to the 911 operator (who was the one who asked about race) - "I think he's black." - He couldn't tell for sure.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

You know, you're doing pretty good. You've already assumed that everybody is racist and stereotyping Martin if they disagree with you. Some of us think this was an avoidable tragedy.....if only Martin hadn't attacked Zimmerman.

Not everyone is a racist, but there's a lot of bigotry and presumption of guilt based on Martin being a young black male here. If you don't see, go back and read some of the posts. Second, you keep saying Martin attacked Zimmerman, which assumes he did NOT act out of fear for his life.

Edited May 16, 2012 by Mister Fancypants

[Penny Lane 8,159]

Zimmerman only saw the hoodie. He didn't know for sure if he was black or not. He even said to the 911 operator (who was the one who asked about race) - "I think he's black." - He couldn't tell for sure.

He also told 911 that Martin was a punk ... I guess a hoodie means you're a punk as well. I didn't know a piece of clothing held such meaning.

Anyway. Considering you mentioned buying those hoodie targets (even if you were joking), I'm not sure you're someone I'd like to continue to debate with anyway. I know a 17 year old's death is HILARIOUS and all, but I'm gonna bow out.

Edited May 16, 2012 by Coconuts

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Not everyone is a racist, but there's a lot of bigotry and presumption of guilt based on Martin being a young black male here. If you don't see, go back and read some of the posts. Second, you keep saying Martin attacked Zimmerman, which assumes he did NOT act out of fear for his life.

17 burglaries committed in that GATED COMMUNITY BY BLACK MALES IN LESS THAN A YEARS TIME.

So ####### was Zimmerman thinking when he had already thwarted one burglary by a young black male?

Seriously are you for real?

[Obama 2012 1,714]

Not everyone is a racist, but there's a lot of bigotry and presumption of guilt based on Martin being a young black male here. If you don't see, go back and read some of the posts. Second, you keep saying Martin attacked Zimmerman, which assumes he did NOT act out of fear for his life.

If he feared his life, he would have ran. Not gone back and confronted him. He also would have called 911 on that phone of his he had... I don't know about you, but I don't go running back to trouble if not necessary.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

This is one of the few trials I'm actually interested in. I don't see how Zimmerman can be found guilty; based on what I've seen so far.

Do you really think the prosecutors can use that argument? Martin was afraid for his life so he attacked? With a bag of skittles and iced tea? It's going to be tough.

My hunch is that the prosecution will show all the inconsistencies of Zimmerman's statements about the sequence of events. Two in particular are disturbing - his claim that he was going back to his vehicle when Martin confronted him. His vehicle was parked on the other side of one of the condos, out of sight from where Martin's body was found by police. The other is that he claimed he yelled for help, but two independent voice analysts have ruled out the one screaming for help was Zimmerman. The shot can be heard AFTER those screams. If that wasn't Zimmerman screaming for help, and the gun shot happened afterward, that would convince most jurors that Martin was in fear of his life. That's pretty damning evidence.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Again a STRANGER you've never seen before walking through your neighborhood. Think real hard about that.

Why? I have visitors at my house fairly frequently. Some black, some white, some old, some young. What they all have in common is that they're strangers in my neighborhood. Should they have to be concerned when going for a walk unaccompanied by myself or my wife who are residents here? Really? Is that what America has become? A place where you have to worry about going for a walk in a residential neighborhood where your family members live but where you do not reside? That's a sad state of affairs.

[B_J 2,752]

Not everyone is a racist, but there's a lot of bigotry and presumption of guilt based on Martin being a young black male here. If you don't see, go back and read some of the posts. Second, you keep saying Martin attacked Zimmerman, which assumes he did NOT act out of fear for his life.

I say that Martin attacked Zimmerman because of the evidence of a beating on Zimmerman's face.

[B_J 2,752]

My hunch is that the prosecution will show all the inconsistencies of Zimmerman's statements about the sequence of events. Two in particular are disturbing - his claim that he was going back to his vehicle when Martin confronted him. His vehicle was parked on the other side of one of the condos, out of sight from where Martin's body was found by police. The other is that he claimed he yelled for help, but two independent voice analysts have ruled out the one screaming for help was Zimmerman. The shot can be heard AFTER those screams. If that wasn't Zimmerman screaming for help, and the gun shot happened afterward, that would convince most jurors that Martin was in fear of his life. That's pretty damning evidence.

I hope that the jurors come to the correct conclusion. And I hope things don't get ugly when it's over.