Here is what he will be tried against: Q. When can I use my handgun to protect myself? A. Florida law justifies use of deadly force when you are: Trying to protect yourself or another person from death or serious bodily harm; Trying to prevent a forcible felony, such as rape, robbery, burglary or kidnapping. Using or displaying a handgun in any other circumstances could result in your conviction for crimes such as improper exhibition of a firearm, manslaughter, or worse. Example of the kind of attack that will not justify defending yourself with deadly force: Two neighbors got into a fight, and one of them tried to hit the other by swinging a garden hose. The neighbor who was being attacked with the hose shot the other in the chest. The court upheld his conviction for aggravated battery with a firearm, because an attack with a garden hose is not the kind of violent assault that justifies responding with deadly force. http://licgweb.doacs.state.fl.us/weapons/self_defense.html
Guessing your not aware that there are minimum standards that have to be met before you can legally make a citizens' arrest. Walking down the street and someone interpreting that as suspicious probably is not going to meet the standard of "probable cause" or "being in the presence" requirement for making a citizens' arrest.
Florida law does not have any specific statutes on citizen's arrest. This is because all relevant information on citizen's arrest law is placed under the concept of a police officer arresting someone outside of his jurisdiction. Under Florida law, this is the same as a "citizen's arrest." In the Florida Court of Appeals case "Ripley v. The State of Florida" (2005), it was made clear that the content of citizen's arrest law is identical to an officer arresting someone outside of their normal jurisdiction. Read more: Florida Citizen's Arrest Laws | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/list_7258531_florida-citizen_s-arrest-laws.html#ixzz1qFOvfOxK
Just heard that another witness has come forward. He is saying he's willing to make written testimony that Zimmerman followed T. from a distance, and at some point, dropped off the chase, went back to his car. T. then came flying over and sucker punched him. Zimmerman fell to the ground and T. began raining punches down, to which Zimmerman began calling for help. http://miami.cbslocal.com/2012/03/2...new-details-of-zimmermans-self-defense-claim/ And: Trayvon Martin case: Martin was the aggressor, police sources say http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/la-na-nn-trayvon-martin-case-20120326,0,5662656.story It isn't illegal for Zimmerman to "follow" Martin, and to keep him under "surveillance" if you want to call it that. From these reports, it sounds like Martin didn't appreciate the gesture very much, came back and sucker punched Zimmerman.
Nope, never covered it before. I figured since they gave me a gun I just shot anyone who showed up on company property without a properly displayed company ID.
If, at night, I were walking down a street, doing nothing wrong and a suspicious vehicle followed me..... and I took the time to go a direction that the car couldn't go... and then the driver got out of the vehicle and began running in pursuit of me, you bet your ass I'd turn around and start swinging, if I weren't armed. So yes, based on the reports provided it sounds like maybe Zimmerman did shoot Travyon in self defense, but it also sounds like his "fear for his life moment" happened after he did something that created the physical altercation in the first place. Sadly, we'll probably never know the whole, true story.
I personally have begun to form the opinion that Zimmerman was a good guy who has been smeared in all of this. According to the facts, this neighborhood was getting burglarized all the time. Zimmerman had previously stopped burglaries in progress, coordinating those efforts with police. Zimmerman did not put the program (Community Watch) together, the HOA in his area did. Zimmerman was not "self appointed" as ABC News falsely reported here; he was selected by his HOA Zimmerman made himself aware of the law, including attending a 4 month course on the subject. One must also consider that Zimmerman was not the vigilante he is being made out to be. It was a legitimate Neighborhood Watch program put together with the assistance and ongoing guidance of the Sanford Police Department, and he wasn't an racist idiot, but an informed citizen with 4 months of basic education on the topic and an otherwise sterling record, including the interruption of other crimes.
It's amazing that so many people here seem to know exactly what happened. Now we have Martin taking evasive procedures and Zimmerman chasing him down at a run. Funny, none of the reports have mentioned those details. In fact, they have Zimmerman heading back to his car when he was attacked.
Along with the fact that he is part Hispanic. The MSM has continually attempted to make this out to be a white on black crime in order to further evoke emotional outlash. It is rare to see an article mention his true ethnicity. Jesse Jackson is going so far as to compare this to the 1955 Emmett Till murder.
When I saw first saw that comparison I could not believe my eyes. Comparing this to Emmett Till is a complete slap in the face to that poor kid (Emmett). CNN is sure running with the comparison though. In fact, CNN is the most blatant source of misinformation of this case IMO. Check out their website. They can't get enough of this.
I disagree with how you stated this - I'm not saying I know what happened. What I posted was to show another side to the story. I do agree with you that I wasn't there, so I don't know what what happened to start the altercation. But if he was in his car following the guy, then got out of his car and followed on foot (just leisurely following to see where the guy went .... not even pursuing) in the other persons position, the fight or flight response would immediately go up. If someone followed me in a car then got out on foot to follow me.... I am at the point where I am in fear for my safety and if I felt I could not out run them... I can absolutely empathize with that kind of situation escalating and see how Trayvon Martin may have come out of the gate with both fists flying.
