What have we/I learned from the Zimmerman Case?

[blueboss]

Personally what I've taken away from what the media has given us regarding the incident and through the trial coverage is if you are walking along talking on the phone and you feel someone is following you, don't duck around the the next corner and hide behind a bush and then jump out and ambush the guy by knocking him to the ground and then begin beating him about the head and face while banging thier head against the concrete sidewalk.... they might have a gun and you could get shot.

It doesn't really matter what color you or the guy following you happens to be or what they or you are wearing whether it be a hoodie or a dinner jacket, if you feel threatened by being followed hang up from the conversation with whomever you're talking to and call the police and express your concerns. You might even stop turn around and ask if you can help them, or is there something they need, but under no circumstances knock them down and start beating them about the head and face while banging their head against the concrete sidewalk...they might have a gun and you could get shot.

Since you're walking through a neighborhood with a pretty good concentration of nearby homes and it's not unusually late at night and you are feeling threatened by someone following you after hanging up from whomever you were talking to and you called the police and expressed your concerns, after hanging up from the police perhaps try knocking on a door and express your concerns about feeling threatened and ask them too to call the police, but again don't knock them down and start beating him about the head and face while banging his head against a concrete sidewalk....they might have a gun and you could get shot

...in short if no one no matter what color you or they happen be or what you or they happen to be wearing and you have not had an attempt to be personally assaulted or actually been or being assaulted, don't knock them down and begin beating them about the head and face while banging their head against a concrete sidewalk...they might have a gun and you could get shot. Or another way to put it if you knock anybody down anywhere at anytime and begin beating them about the head and face while banging their head against a concrete sidewalk... you very well could get shot.

[dan_bgblue]

I learned that a middle aged Hispanic man will be referenced as a White man when it suits the purposes of the media.

[BigBlueBrock]

If you see someone being suspicious and another person isn't being harmed...

​CALL THE POLICE

[bigsky]

If you see someone being suspicious and another person isn't being harmed...

​CALL THE POLICE

Who will respond if there isn't something more important.

Neighborhood watch groups exist because beat cops are a luxury few towns can afford.

[Darrell KSR]

I don't know if this was learned from the Zimmerman case, but I heard a Shelby County Sheriff's deputy instruct a citizen handgun class once. He said, "if you have the right to shoot them once, you have the right to shoot them six times."

[suncat05]

I don't know if this was learned from the Zimmerman case, but I heard a Shelby County Sheriff's deputy instruct a citizen handgun class once. He said, "if you have the right to shoot them once, you have the right to shoot them six times."

Or at least until the threat no longer exists.

[UKHistory]

That is a heck of an "IF". But I agree with the sentiment.

Things I have learned:

1) Be very careful what you believe from the media. Video footage, audio tapes, still photographs all can be spliced and then analyzed in a way that is intended to persuade the viewer on a certain point of view. Not only is objective journalism rare. So too is competent journalism in today's instant knowledge. The internet and twitter allow far more misinformation from all sources (including the government) for a variety of reasons: a) rush to be first b) pranks c) manipulate the people.

2) From the Rodney King police trail to OJ to Kacey Anthony, to that woman who killed her boyfriend to George Zimmerman--it seems difficult to convict people in high profile cases. We send people to jail in record numbers in this country but high profile media circuses seem to support defendants. Why? I am not sure but maybe there is a real presumption of innocent until proven guilty in the country.

While the LA cops who beat King were guilty in my mind as was OJ and the Anthony woman, innocent until guilty is a good starting point in t he law.

3) Race matters in this country and kind of back to #1 the media will push a position out of ignorance. George Zimmerman's name sounds white. He is not white. This is not a white/black issue. It could be a "everyone is scared of big black guys" issue but I think it is just a "I am scared of everyone issue".

If I am being followed walking alone away from home, I am scared regardless of what color my "walking buddy" is. Racism comes in all colors but white racists are not going to think any better of George Zimmerman than Trayvon based on complexion.

4) Liberty is under attack. I think Trayvon's liberty was attacked and denied because of Zimmerman. But I think now the Obama administration and the anti-gun folks are using this tragedy to attack the second amendment and self defense laws. Stand Your Ground has the misfortune of having a catchy name that makes for a soundbite. It played no role in the Zimmerman defense and it is an issue in this case? No sense.

We all should have the right to a gun. We all should have the right to protect ourselves. We all should have the right to walk down any public street we damn well please. We all should have the right to be left the Hell alone when we walk down that damn street.




I don't know if this was learned from the Zimmerman case, but I heard a Shelby County Sheriff's deputy instruct a citizen handgun class once. He said, "if you have the right to shoot them once, you have the right to shoot them six times."

[kritikalcat]

That is a heck of an "IF". But I agree with the sentiment.

2) From the Rodney King police trail to OJ to Kacey Anthony, to that woman who killed her boyfriend to George Zimmerman--it seems difficult to convict people in high profile cases. We send people to jail in record numbers in this country but high profile media circuses seem to support defendants. Why? I am not sure but maybe there is a real presumption of innocent until proven guilty in the country.



No defendant in a high profile case has a public defender for an attorney.

[MickintheHam]

In watching the ABC overnight news anchors discuss the case aftermath, the male anchor (it's always a male and female it's never about getting the best qualified) said, "I learned the judicial process is not about finding the truth. Instead it's about what facts you can prove." :sCo_huhsign:

[kritikalcat]

Actually I understand that statement. The judicial system is an adversarial process not a neutral truth seeking process. Ideally, strong advocacy by both sides should result in the truth, or justice or something...

[MickintheHam]

Actually I understand that statement. The judicial system is an adversarial process not a neutral truth seeking process. Ideally, strong advocacy by both sides should result in the truth, or justice or something...

You may have missed the intended sarcasm. It's always been about what you can prove. Superman was the only one who went after "truth, justice and the American way."

I found it interesting that a very well credentialed individual could be misguided if he expected some truth process. Our judicial system was created to be adversarial. It's always been one side v. the other. There's usually a winner and loser. It's all about the preponderance of what you can get a jury to believe the facts of the case to be. But that isn't necessarily "truth".

The defense lawyer's job is to get his client off the hook and the way it is done is to battle the prosecution. In most cases it's by whatever means possible. I've always believed the judicial process has been more about money and drama than it is about truth. Having your day in court is to get your perspective in front of the jury. It's not about truth. I'm just surprised a highly educated person would believe that it was.

The issue many advocates for Trevon are missing is it is whether the laws are just or unjust. Lawmakers establish the basis for which justice in our society is determined.

[CattyWampus]

4) Liberty is under attack. I think Trayvon's liberty was attacked and denied because of Zimmerman.

That's a crock. How was Trayvon's liberty attacked? How was his liberty denied? He wasn't stopped. He wasn't confronted. He was cutting through a neighborhood which has a neighborhood watch. He was at one point walking behind the houses rather than walking on the street. The neighborhood had been the victim of a number of burglaries, so yes, a stranger in the neighborhood was being watched.