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Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by law

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Hatuey

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Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by law enforcement | NJ.com

"What you hear on that tape is shocking. It's riveting," Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Trayvon's family, said after the group emerged from their meeting with police late Friday.
Police had previously refused to release the calls. The shooter, 28-year-old George Zimmerman, has not been arrested and is not charged with a crime. He claimed the Feb. 26 shooting was in self defense.

....

"It's a shame that he's (Trayvon) not getting any justice. We're not, as a family, getting any closure," the elder Martin said. "I feel betrayed by the Sanford Police Department and there's no way that I can still trust them in investigating this crime."
Crump said that he may file a complaint against Sanford police for witness intimidation, tampering and obstruction of justice. Crump asserted that the police have taken shooter George Zimmerman's side in the investigation, only releasing information that would be beneficial to Zimmerman and attempting to discredit witnesses who have come forward in Trayvon's defence.

Here is part of the backstory:

Under ‘suspicion’: The killing of Trayvon Martin - PostPartisan - The Washington Post


By all accounts, Trayvon was a good kid. He helped his father coach Little League. He had dreams of becoming a pilot. He was good at math.
The Orlando Sentinel said that Trayvon’s English teacherdescribed him “as an A and B student who majored in cheerfulness.”

“Yes,” Zimmerman says. The officer on the phone tells him, “We don’t need you to do that.” But he did. In another 911 call, you can hear screaming for help and the fatal gunshot. Zimmerman brought a 9 mm handgun to the altercation. A scuffle ensued. Trayvon was fatally shot in the chest. His mother told the Associated Press yesterday, “(Zimmerman) was chasing him, he was following him, and my son was afraid. He didn’t know who this stranger was.”

What is suspicious about a kid walking down the street?
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Seems like a race bait article. I'd rather read it from a more objective source before making a decision.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Well racism doesn't exist in this country so it couldn't of been because he was a black teen.....
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Seems like a race bait article. I'd rather read it from a more objective source before making a decision.

What... is a race bait article? Is there anything in the second article which is untrue? Is there anything which is not based on the facts?
 
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Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Seems like a race bait article. I'd rather read it from a more objective source before making a decision.
An article that mentions race is not "race-bait".
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by


If what is reported is accurate, then it would sound like to me that this was a murder. The kid didn't seem to present a danger at any point and even begged for his life before being shot. There was likely plenty of time for the shooter to not shoot. But then again, I wasn't there. There does seem to be enough of a question to warrant an actual investigation though, and from the sounds of the article it seems that maybe that didn't happen?
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Well racism doesn't exist in this country so it couldn't of been because he was a black teen.....
No ****, racism ended after Barack Obama was elected president.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

An article that mentions race is not "race-bait".
An article created to say "black kid unlawfully killed by evil white man" is race bait in my opinion.
What... is a race bait article? Is there anything in the second article which is untrue? Is there anything which is not based on the facts?

Sharing only part of a story is being deceitful. The only point of view I see (or any facts reported really) is that this kid was walking down the street and then gunned down by a white guy because he was "suspicious." I'll believe it if it's true and acknowledge it's a case of race based killing if it is one, but I'm not going to make that judgement based on the information given by an opinion piece clearly trying to paint one point of view.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

If what is reported is accurate, then it would sound like to me that this was a murder. The kid didn't seem to present a danger at any point and even begged for his life before being shot. There was likely plenty of time for the shooter to not shoot. But then again, I wasn't there. There does seem to be enough of a question to warrant an actual investigation though, and from the sounds of the article it seems that maybe that didn't happen?

This is actually the issue. The parents are asking the FBI to step in. Apparently the shooter was from an affluent neighbourhood. Treyvon Martin was visiting some relatives. There is an issue of witness intimidation and the sociocultural differences between the shooter and victim.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

I've heard about this story a lot recently and it's pretty clear to me that this was murder, particularly given what was one the tapes. Zimmerman was not being attacked or approached. On the contrary, he chose to approach a kid walking down the street after he was told not to do so. That makes him the aggressor which also makes any actions Trayvon took to against him defense. You can also hear Trayvon scream help before he is shot which further proves that he is not even close to the aggressor.

Zimmerman should be arrested and charged with murder. And I do think that race was likely a factor in addition to whatever cowboy mentality Zimmerman has.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Seems like a race bait article. I'd rather read it from a more objective source before making a decision.

That's basically what I've heard about it via ABC news and other news sources. Also Capeheart is by no means a "race baiter".
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

An article created to say "black kid unlawfully killed by evil white man" is race bait in my opinion.
So you think it's race-bait article because you put what the article actually said into a hyperbole translator? And to add on to what others have said, the topic of race has come up in every report I've heard of this story, so good luck finding something different.

Sometimes race really is a factor.
 
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Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Sharing only part of a story is being deceitful.

Unless they have some ****ing crystal ball that taps into police archives, all anybody will possibly get as of right now is part of the story.

The only point of view I see (or any facts reported really) is that this kid was walking down the street and then gunned down by a white guy because he was "suspicious."

Yes. This is a fact.

I'll believe it if it's true and acknowledge it's a case of race based killing if it is one, but I'm not going to make that judgement based on the information given by an opinion piece clearly trying to paint one point of view.

Trayvon Martin Family Seeks FBI Investigation of Killing - ABC News

:) Have fun reading.
 
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Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

This is actually the issue. The parents are asking the FBI to step in. Apparently the shooter was from an affluent neighbourhood. Treyvon Martin was visiting some relatives. There is an issue of witness intimidation and the sociocultural differences between the shooter and victim.

If there hasn't been an investigation, that is a true failing on the police. They need to look into this because it seems there’s enough discrepancy to reasonably doubt “self-defense”. I’m all for people carrying guns and being able to defend themselves, even with deadly force if necessary. But you are responsible for the consequences of your actions, and if you act out inappropriately, aggressively, or recklessly and cause harm or death to another; then you are responsible for that.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Unless they have some ****ing crystal ball that taps into police archives, all anybody will possibly get as of right now is part of the story.



Yes. This is a fact.



Trayvon Martin Family Seeks FBI Investigation of Killing - ABC News

:) Have fun reading.

Thanks. I don't have a problem believing this was race based murder and support the investigation in order to seek justice for this kid since that appears to be the case.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

If there hasn't been an investigation, that is a true failing on the police. They need to look into this because it seems there’s enough discrepancy to reasonably doubt “self-defense”. I’m all for people carrying guns and being able to defend themselves, even with deadly force if necessary. But you are responsible for the consequences of your actions, and if you act out inappropriately, aggressively, or recklessly and cause harm or death to another; then you are responsible for that.

What I find shameful* is the 'nothing to see here' attitude of the police. It is a FACT that the police told this man NOT to follow the kid. It is a FACT that this kid wasn't a criminal or a negative element. So what could have justified his murder? Under what circumstances is it okay to shoot somebody because you find them threatening.
 
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Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

I dont know if this was a racially motivated killing. There are some questions I just dont have answers to (maybe some of you do).

How was he acting suspiciously?

How far did the shooter actually follow or chase him?

Was the shooter or anyone else's life in danger or reasonably beleived to be in danger?
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

What I find shameless is the 'nothing to see here' attitude of the police. It is a FACT that the police told this man NOT to follow the kid. It is a FACT that this kid wasn't a criminal or a negative element. So what could have justified his murder? Under what circumstances is it okay to shoot somebody because you find them threatening.

Well an investigation could certainly reveal that. In general, if someone offers a true threat you may respond. But if the kid is not on your property and running off and never was seen on your property trying to do something; I don't see why one would have recourse to chase the kid down the street and shoot the kid dead. If the article is accurate, there does seem to be some extreme concern for this incident and how it went down. I would think that most people in this case would certainly be under arrest at this point.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

I dont know if this was a racially motivated killing. There are some questions I just dont have answers to (maybe some of you do).

How was he acting suspiciously?

How far did the shooter actually follow or chase him?

Was the shooter or anyone else's life in danger or reasonably beleived to be in danger?

Sure those questions should definately be answered. The biggest question is...WHY AREN'T THEY BEING ASKED? Someone shoots a kid with skittles and a big gulp and his hand it's not investigated? That's the biggest problem with this whole story.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Reading more about all this, it seems this kid was killed by an overreacting paranoid wanna be cop. It doesnt sound like the kid was shot for being black. This guy had 50+ 911 calls in the last year, most of them false alarms (many involving white people who he didn't recognize) in his neighborhood because he appointed himself the protector after he failed to become a cop. (sounds like dwight schrute honestly).

This guy is a danger to society and should be held accountable for gunning this kid down unless there is something that I haven't heard that made this man believe his life was in danger. And since he was following the kid, I don't think that's the case. Also as much as the police are being critisized over this, if there was something to make this sound like lives were in danger, i am pretty sure they would have released it.

If this guy is let free on this, we will be telling him that it is ok to shoot strangers for being in your neighborhood. That will make for a very dangerous precedent.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Seems like a race bait article. I'd rather read it from a more objective source before making a decision.

That's a pretty ****ty thing to assume. You obviously have no knowledge of this case.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

The shooter is Hispanic and comes from a multi-racial family. To jump to conclusions that it was a race-based shooting is preposterous.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

The shooter is Hispanic and comes from a multi-racial family. To jump to conclusions that it was a race-based shooting is preposterous.

Just because the guy is hispanic doesn't mean he isn't racist. You don't have to be white to be a racist.

I don't think this was racially motivated, but your logic here if very flawed.
 
Re: Family of Florida teen killed by neighborhood watch volunteer feel 'betrayed' by

Eevrything in the article points to a murder or manslaughter. Yet he has not been arrested. There has got to be a lot more to this story.
 
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