The sensationalizing by the media is disgusting. However, a quick look at the facts do elicit some questions that must be answered.
The facts:
- Trayvon Martin got in trouble at school in Miami and was suspended for 10 days.
- His dad made him go to Sanford with him for the week so that he would not sit around the house enjoying his suspension.
- Martin was at the house while his dad and the fiance went out for dinner.
- He called his dad and asked if he could please walk up to the store to get some snacks because he was going stir crazy in the house. (my words)
- It was extremely dark and was lightly raining.
- Martin walked up to the store.
- Martin was walking back to the house with snacks.
- Martin was wearing a hoodie in the rain.
- Zimmerman was leaving to go to the store to get his lunch for work the next day.
- He saw Martin and called 911
- Zimmerman followed Martin
- Zimmerman lost Martin
- Zimmerman went looking for him.
- Zimmerman's flashlight wasn't working
- Zimmerman suddenly came upon Martin
- A fight ensued
- Zimmerman got his butt handed to him
- Zimmerman shot Martin.
In my opinion, the entire case rests on a few variables:
- The nature of the fight / who attacked who
- Can you resort to deadly force if you are in a fight and begin losing?
- If yes, does it matter if you started the fight?
If you step back and look at it from Martin's side. What would you have done in the same situation? I can only say that, at 17, I would have jumped on someone following me and chasing me in the dark. I would have done my best to whoop their butt as well.
This is a tough one and, while Martin wasn't an angel, at this point I think Zimmerman screwed up bad and deserves to go to jail for manslaughter. I may change that as the evidence unfolds though.
I dunno. I think it boils down to who initiated the actual violence. If the kid jumped him and sucker punched him, and started pounding his head into the sidewalk... That's grounds for deadly force.
I wasn't there and I don't know, so it really boils down to who has the best story.
