I prefer this one.
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I prefer this one.
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Just-ice
Sanford Police Department reopens after Trayvon Martin protest
Arrest of George Zimmerman sought in fatal Sanford shooting
VIDEO:
Students block police entrance in Trayvon Martin protest
SANFORD, Fla. - A group of students protesting the Trayvon Martin shooting on Monday blocked the entrance to the Sanford Police Department by kneeling in front of the doors, forcing the department to close. It has since been reopened.
No arrests were made in the protest, which came a day after the students, who call themselves the Dream Defenders, completed a 40-mile, three-day march from Daytona Beach to Sanford, where Martin, 17, was shot and killed by neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman in late February.
[READ: No grand jury in case | Racial slur on road sign | LISTEN: 911 calls]
Here are blacks calling for the race war.
http://therealgeorgezimmerman.com/
The Real George Zimmerman
I am the real George Zimmerman,
On Sunday February 26th, I was involved in a life altering event which led me to become the subject of intense media coverage. As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life. This website's sole purpose is to ensure my supporters they are receiving my full attention without any intermediaries.
It has come to my attention that some persons and/or entities have been collecting funds, thinly veiled as my “Defense Fund” or "Legal Fund". I cannot attest to the validity of these other websites as I have not received any funds collected, intended to support my family and I through this trying, tragic time.
I have created a Paypal account solely linked on this website as I would like to provide an avenue to thank my supporters personally and ensure that any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defense, in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment. I will also personally, maintain accountability of all funds received. I reassure you, every donation is appreciated.
Sincerely,
George Zimmerman
The site is getting hammered. It's really slow.
I was number 120.. lol
The 120th person to visit the site according to the counter. Exactly number 120.
It was announced on FNC (the site name) and I was on it... looked at the counter and then captured what I posted, and left the site. Counter said "00120".
Just thinking about this for a bit this morning. I'm a little slow sometimes when it comes to the actual meaning of events in our shattered culture. It may be time to dissect the entire Trayvon Martin issue from the day after the altercation occurred until now, or even project into the future until… say November. It seems that events, reactions, occurrences, media responses are all being manipulated not just in a shoot-from-the-hip improvisation but in a calculated, planned series of events over time. The goal? Always to further the position of the Left and the current administration. At the same time, permanent damage is done to the cause of the conservative. Rule of Law is further eroded along with actual human rights. And… our country takes another step toward global socialism. Can anyone hear the jaws creaking shut?
Right... let's do that disassembly....
1. Martin is followed by Zimmerman.
2. Zimmerman calls 911
3. Zimmerman shoots Martin
4. NBC edits the 911 tape to make Zimmerman look like a White Racist.
5. Media calls him a "Self Appointed Watchman"
6. Media stirs the pot
7. Blacks start being violent and screaming for justice
8. Several whites have now been killed. Including an OLD lady (80+) who was raped then murdered.
Well, I just went to the site and I'm number 3.
Man Tells Police Group Yelled ‘Trayvon,' Then Beat Him
Quote:
April 9, 2012
Police are investigating the “racially motivated” beating of a 27-year-old man who was walking home from midtown bars early Saturday when he said he was jumped by five to eight men who shouted “Trayvon” before the attack.
The exclamation was an apparent reference to Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old from Miami who was shot and killed in February walking back to his father’s girlfriend’s house in Sanford.
His shooter, George Zimmerman, has not been charged.
The case of Martin, an unarmed black teenager who was killed by Zimmerman, a Hispanic crime-watch volunteer, has stirred conversations across the country about race, crime and profiling.
Investigators believe that case was the catalyst for the beating Saturday in Gainesville.
“We do believe that the crime was racially motivated,” Gainesville Police Department spokeswoman Cpl. Angelina Valuri said.
The assailants were black, while the victim is white, Valuri said.
She said the victim had been drinking and could not provide a description of the attackers or their vehicle, only that it was a mid-size vehicle.
But Valuri said his injuries were consistent with being jumped by a group.
During what he told police was a five-minute beating, he sustained injuries to the left eye, abrasions to his palms and a cut on his right kneecap, and Valuri said he would likely have “permanent disfigurement to the left side of his face.”
He was taken to Shands at the University of Florida for treatment.
The attack occurred at about 2:45 a.m. in the 3200 block of Southwest 23rd Terrace.
The victim told police that a vehicle was coming east on Southwest 32nd Place when it stopped at 23rd Terrace.
A group of men got out and told him he was walking too slowly, the victim told police.
They then yelled “Trayvon,” according to a GPD report, and proceeded to beat him.
Wow... that's pretty weird Mal... wonder if someone is resetting it on purpose?
Attorney: Zimmerman defense fund website is real
By MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press – 2 hours ago
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — An attorney for George Zimmerman on Tuesday confirmed the authenticity of a new website that allows supporters to donate money for the neighborhood watch volunteer who has admitted to fatally shooting an unarmed black teen in Florida.
All the money raised from the site, therealgeorgezimmerman.com, will go to Zimmerman, said attorney Craig Sonner.
Zimmerman is at the center of an investigation over the shooting of Trayvon Martin, 17. Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense after following him in a gated community in Sanford on Feb. 26.
Martin, who was unarmed, was black. Zimmerman's father is white and his mother is Hispanic. The lack of an arrest has inspired nationwide protests and some claims of racial profiling, which Zimmerman's supporters deny.
"I am the real George Zimmerman," the website said. "As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life. This website's sole purpose is to ensure my supporters they are receiving my full attention without any intermediaries."
The website described the shooting as "a life altering event" and said that any money raised will be used to pay for Zimmerman's living expenses and lawyers. A page on the site allows visitors to leave comments and make donations through Paypal or major credit cards.
A spokesman for Martin's parents said he considered it troubling that Zimmerman referred to the shooting as "a life altering event."
"For Trayvon Martin and his family, this was a 'life-ending event' that wiped out a bright future and a world of opportunity," said spokesman Ryan Julison.
The site adds that Zimmerman is unable to talk about the case in detail for now so that the investigation can move forward "unhindered."
Special prosecutor Angela Corey is investigating the fatal shooting. The Jacksonville prosecutor announced Monday that she wouldn't present the case to a grand jury, leaving any decision about whether Zimmerman will be charged solely up to her. That decision also eliminated the possibility that Zimmerman could be charged with first-degree murder since Florida law requires all first-degree murder cases to go before a grand jury.
Corey was appointed to investigate the case by Gov. Rick Scott after the prosecutor who normally handles cases out of Sanford recused himself.
"I am grateful to my friends that have come to my aid, whether publicly or personally, never questioning my integrity or actions," Zimmerman said on the site. "Once again, I thank you for your patience and I assure you, the facts will come to light."
A registry shows that the website was created last weekend.
Should George Zimmerman be prosecuted?
By Eugene O'Donnell, Special to CNN
updated 7:49 AM EDT, Tue April 10, 2012
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/ass...-story-top.jpg
Trayvon Martin supporters gather for a rally in his honor in Miami, Florida, on April 1.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Eugene O'Donnell: Prosecutor needs to see if Zimmerman can be proven guilty
- O'Donnell: No American should ever be prosecuted for a crime because of demands of crowds
- He says prosecutors should vigorously pursue cases when justice demands it
- O'Donnell: Major challenge for prosecution would be disproving Zimmerman's story
Editor's note: Eugene O'Donnell, a former New York City police officer and prosecutor, is a professor of law and police studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
(CNN) -- George Zimmerman should only be prosecuted if, after an exhaustive investigation and an honest assessment of Florida's "stand your ground" law, special prosecutor Angela Corey concludes that there is a strong possibility of proving his guilt at trial for the killing of Trayvon Martin.
No American should ever be prosecuted for any crime as a consequence of the demands of a crowd, however large or vocal. This core principle of justice should stand regardless of the facts of a case or the radioactivity of a defendant. The justice system, fragile at best, is imperiled when prosecutorial decisions are tied to politics.
That said, good prosecutors should vigorously pursue cases when justice demands, even and maybe especially, when there are legal impediments. To do less, especially in a homicide case, is to create one of society's greatest miscarriages: the failure to hold accountable someone who acted culpably to take the life of another. The victim's life must be vindicated. Unfortunately, some prosecutors find themselves legally paralyzed by complex cases or shrink from pursuing matters that are not air tight.
http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/ass...left-tease.jpg Eugene O'Donnell
Unless there are clear legal red lights at the outset, successful prosecution frequently means stretching existing laws to achieve just ends. This means arguing at trial, and on appeal, that someone like Zimmerman can be brought to justice notwithstanding Florida's strong self defense law, or that the law should be construed less favorably to those who resort to deadly force.
In many self defense cases, the defendant can and does argue that the case should revolve around the uncertain moments of terror faced when he was confronted by an assailant, and that everyone in the court room is after-the-fact quarterbacking. The outcome of cases is determined by comparing the defendant's actions against state law. In no part of the country is a person threatened with death or serious physical injury required to suffer the first blow. A person can be found to have acted justifiably and reasonably for killing an unarmed person depending on the circumstances.
Opinion: Without protests, justice for Trayvon Martin can't be served
Florida authorizes deadly force "if the danger could be avoided only" by using it, but does not require a threatened person to try first to flee. In states with more restrictive self defense rules, deadly force is only an option if someone subjected to an attack can't escape with complete safety. In Florida and elsewhere, however, even if someone is an aggressor, he can regain the right to use self defense if he withdraws from the confrontation that he initiated.
Thus, a major challenge for the prosecution team in the Martin case may be the version of events that Zimmerman offers. In his account, the first face-to-face encounter with Trayvon Martin was occasioned when the teenager approached him and said, "You got a problem?" as Zimmerman was walking away.
It is imperative for the state to emphasize evidence that the defendant is not justified in his killing and discredit or explain all contradictory evidence. Witness statements will have to be parsed with great care, especially where they appear to support Zimmerman's version of events. The prosecution should also make sure that the defendant cannot introduce into the minds of the jurors something that is so off-putting that it gives rise to doubt about the propriety of the defendant's intentions and actions.
Even though the state has a lode of evidence, including vitally important 911 tapes that can offer a unique window into the motives of Zimmerman on that fateful night, it needs to be mindful of the narrative of fear that will be told by the defense counsel. (The Florida gated community has seen a number of crimes, Zimmerman was acting as a good citizen by being a neighborhood watch member, Martin is a powerfully built teenager, etc.) The defense will no doubt also exploit any lack of thoroughness in the police and forensic investigation as a bungled rush to judgment that can unsettle the minds of jurors who might otherwise be horrified by the shooting.
To convict Zimmerman, a jury would have to find that there is no reasonable view of the evidence that would justify his lethal actions. Of course, the state's star witness, Trayvon Martin, is unavailable to them.
Zimmerman Kin Accuses A.G. Holder of Racism
Tuesday, 10 Apr 2012 12:10 PM
By Martin Gould
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Attorney General Eric Holder has been accused of failing to charge members of a radical African American group that placed a $10,000 bounty on the head of Trayvon Martin’s shooter because of his race.
A letter sent from a member of George Zimmerman’s family to Holder — who is black — said, “I would surmise that, based on your own definition of a hate crime, you have chosen not to arrest these individuals based solely on your race. There is no other explanation.”
The letter was posted on Scribd.com but the author — who signed him or herself “A Concerned Zimmerman Family Member,” was not identified. The Daily Caller said it knew the identity but was not releasing it “out of concern for the family’s safety.”
The letter, dated Monday, claimed that “many in the black community have formed what many are calling a ‘lynch mob’ against George Zimmerman. The rhetoric from the black community has ranged from benign to incredibly violent.”
Martin, 17, was shot dead on Feb. 26 in the Orlando suburb of Sanford, Fla. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain, has admitted he pulled the trigger but said it was because Martin attacked him, a claim Martin’s family has contested.
Special prosecutor Angela Corey has yet to decide whether Zimmerman, 28, should face charges.
In the letter, Zimmerman’s family member tells Holder, “There is the appearance of racism in every way this has been handled and it is not coming from the supporters of George Zimmerman."
The writer asks why Holder’s Department of Justice “is not arresting the New Black Panthers for hate crimes?” In the wake of Martin’s death the group’s leader Mikhail Muhammed offered a $10,000 bounty for Zimmerman’s capture. Posters put out by the group say “Child killer of Trayvon Martin wanted Dead or Alive.”
The letter writer tells Holder, “The Zimmerman family is in hiding because of the threats that have been made against us, yet the DOJ has maintained an eerie silence on this matter.”
“These threats are very public. If you haven’t been paying attention just do a Google search and you will find plenty. Since when can a group of people in the United States put a bounty on someone’s head, circulate Wanted posters publicly, and still be walking the streets?”
The writer then claims the reason is down to racism. “Again, we are not talking about racism on the side of George Zimmerman.”
The writer says that even if Zimmerman is not found guilty, he will never be able to live a normal life again. “He will live his life looking over his shoulder wondering when he will be attacked by the lynch mob.
“Based solely upon your office’s definition of a hate crime, which states, ‘Others may become frustrated and angry if they believe the local government and other groups in the community will not protect them’ is exactly the way we feel now.”
The writer says “the tragedy” of Martin’s death had no racial component, adding, many are using it as a way to make money and further their agenda. "The chasm between blacks and whites deepens every time these groups show up to further their own cause.
“Strangely enough this case has a lot of parallels to those of Harper Lee’s ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ George Zimmerman has been treated much like Tom Robinson was, chastised for not being the right [or wrong[ color and found guilty based on race factors.”
The letter then asks Holder to act like the book’s hero Atticus Finch and do the right thing, adding that Holder’s boss, President Barack Obama would “refer to this as a ‘teachable moment.’"
http://thinkprogress.org/justice/201...oops-military/
George Zimmerman Had More Legal Authority To Shoot And Kill Than Our Troops Do At War
By Guest Blogger on Apr 10, 2012 at 9:30 am
Our guest blogger is Jon Soltz, founder and chairman of VoteVets.org.
http://thinkprogress.org/wp-content/...2/04/rules.jpgThe Trayvon Martin case has gripped the nation, and forced the country to re-examine our gun laws. But the horrible affair has struck me in another way, because of my two tours in Iraq. One fact stands out in my mind: The “Stand Your Ground” law in Florida, which may let George Zimmerman off the hook for the killing of Martin, gives more leeway to shooters than our own military gives to soldiers in war.
VoteVets.org has more than 105,000 members who take a wide array of views on gun control and the 2nd Amendment, but the Trayvon Martin case is less about the right to bear arms than it is the “use of force.” It’s impossible to ignore the legal protection George Zimmerman enjoys in suburban Florida vs. the Rules of Engagement that outline when one of our troops can shoot while in combat in Iraq or Afghanistan.
The U.S. military issues Rules of Engagement (ROE) for every conflict to guide servicemembers’ ability to protect themselves from deadly threats while responding only with the necessary and proportionate level of force in a dangerous situation. The Rules of Engagement for Operation Iraqi Freedom laid out a clear set of steps that U.S. forces must take, up to and including deadly force if necessary, when responding to a threat or hostile act.
A key component of the ROE used during the height of violence in Iraq in 2007 was the requirement to use “Graduated Force” when time and circumstances permit. Section 3.G.(1) states that if an individual “commit[s] a hostile act or demonstrat[es] hostile intent” — meaning he or she attacks U.S. or designated allied forces, nationals, or property, or threatens the imminent use of force against any of them — U.S. Force “may use force, up to and including deadly force, to eliminate the threat.” However, the rule also explicitly instructs forces, “when time and circumstances permit,” to use the following “graduated measures of force” when responding to hostile act or hostile intent:3.G.(1)(A) (U) Shout verbal warnings to halt;This rule laid out a code of conduct that troops in Iraq adopted and employed in high-risk hostile situations. We were trained to respond to a threat by quickly assessing its level and urgency and, where time and circumstances permit, to “Shout – Show – Shove – Shoot.” As the shorthand makes clear, we approached threats with a clear set of steps to take before firing a weapon. The bottom line goal was always to minimize unnecessary deaths.
3.G.(1)(B) (U) Show your weapon and demonstrate intent to use it;
3.G.(1)(C) (U) Physically restrain, block access, or detain;
3.G.(1)(D) (U) Fire a warning shot (if authorized);
3.G.(1)(E) (U) Shoot to eliminate the threat.
These rules are enforced: using deadly force after failing to follow this procedure leads you open to charges of manslaughter and a court-martial.
In fact, Richard Allen Smith, the vice chairman of VoteVets.org, recently told me a story he had heard during his time in Afghanistan, which illustrates this point.
The Scout Platoon leader for Richard’s Battalion was in a situation in 2007 where they detained someone, but he managed to get out of their truck and flee. While he was running away, the Platoon Leader fired at him and caught him in the thigh. They called for a medevac, but he bled out before the bird could get there.
Under military law and rules of engagement, the Platoon Leader was clearly in the wrong: he pursued an unarmed guy who wasn’t posing a threat to U.S. Forces and shot him to death. He was charged (although he was never tried because he was injured a few days later when his truck was hit by an IED and he was deemed mentally incompetent to stand trial).
Of course, comparing the Trayvon Martin case to a war situation is neither fair nor clean, and we still don’t know all of the facts surrounding Trayvon’s death. But insofar as what I’ve read about the case, it sounds to me that if Trayvon had been an Iraqi soldier, and George Zimmerman had been a U.S. Soldier, there would have been an immediate investigation, and most likely a manslaughter charge, and victim’s family financially compensated for wrongful death.
But Zimmerman is a civilian in Florida where, as the country now knows, a shooter is often immune from criminal prosecution and civil liability if he believed he had been threatened with deadly force. One of the striking components of Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law — or, more appropriately, “Shoot First” law — is that it eliminated the “duty to retreat” embedded in centuries of common law about self-defense. Traditionally, a person had the duty to retreat from dangerous situations if they could, and the use of deadly force was justifiable self-defense only if a person could not have otherwise safely gotten away.
In this way, the common law shared the underlying values of the Rules of Engagement: it is always preferable to de-escalate potentially violent situations before someone is killed. Florida’s “Shoot First” law — and the 24 other states that passed similar laws since 2005 — abandons that core de-escalation principle and allows an individual not only to “shoot first,” but to shoot faster than a member of the U.S. military would in a war zone.
If a soldier or marine faces an imminent threat, he or she must take the procedural steps of employing Graduated Force, and if they don’t, they may be criminally liable. By eliminating both the duty to retreat and by providing blanket immunity for a shooter who claims he felt reasonably threatened, Florida’s “Shoot First” law seems to me to be exponentially more lax than the law that guides our troops in a war.
In a war zone, troops are surrounded by potential threats, and it’s easy to misread a situation or jump to conclusions. But the military doesn’t let one of our troops just say, “I thought someone was threatening,” as an excuse for shooting someone to death outside of a firefight. The presumption remains that, if time and circumstances allowed, they should have taken preliminary steps to avoid a deadly confrontation. A deadly shooting still calls for an investigation, and if the evidence suggests that the shooter did not employ Graduated Force and that a reasonable person would not have resulted to deadly force, the shooter will be taken to a court martial. Even the presence of a weapon in many cases since AK47s are readily available isn’t enough alone to justify deadly force without the intent to use the weapon with hostile intent.
Even in a war zone, Americans operate according to rules that seek to minimize deadly violence, and Americans who seem to deviate from those rules are subject to fact-finding and accountability in our military justice system. Our troops are trained on the escalation of force but our contractors weren’t validated by our military training, causing huge legal issues for our country with the Iraqi government.
I was shocked to learn what goes for the military and half the states in America is no longer the case in Florida and the two dozen other states with new “Shoot First” laws. Zimmerman has so far avoided arrest by simply claiming that he felt threatened by Trayvon, regardless of whether that was an objectively reasonable response to the situation or if he took steps to avoid a deadly confrontation.
As an Iraq veteran watching this national story unfold, I am finding it hard not to conclude that Florida’s law gives people much more leeway to shoot someone than our own military gives to our troops in war. That is something worth thinking about as this case moves forward.
Shots fired at Sanford police car; Zimmerman seeks support on website
Sanford — Sanford police said shots were fired into an empty police cruiser on Tuesday morning in the neighborhood where George Zimmerman used to live and where Trayvon Martin was shot and killed. That news comes after sources told WFTV that Zimmerman could be arrested or turn himself in to police sometime this week.
Sanford police told WFTV shots were fired at a police cruiser on Retreat View Circle in The Retreat Twin Lakes subdivision.
A witness said she heard six gunshots ring out.
No one was in the cruiser at the time, according to police. The vehicle was taken to Sanford police headquarters. Officers are still investigating.
Meanwhile, WFTV also found out that Zimmerman is using a new website to talk about how 17-year-old Martin's killing has changed his life.
Zimmerman has been in hiding because of threats after he shot and killed Martin.
If Zimmerman is arrested or turns himself in, he will need money for his legal defense and he's asking for donations on his website. So many people have visited the site that it has crashed several times.
On the website,TheRealGeorgeZimmerman.com, he says "On Sunday February 26th I was involved in a life-altering event, which led me to become the subject of intense media coverage. As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life. This website's sole purpose is to ensure my supporters they are receiving my full attention without any intermediaries. "
Zimmerman said he shot the unarmed 17-year-old in self-defense. His attorneys plan to use Florida's controversial 'Stand Your Ground' law as his defense in what is sure to be a long and expensive legal battle.
Meanwhile, the special prosecutor in charge of the case has canceled Tuesday's Grand Jury. Instead, Jacksonville State Attorney Angela Corey will decide whether to charge Zimmerman herself.
Governor Rick Scott put Corey in charge of the case late last month amid concerns that State Attorney Norm Wolflinger wouldn't do a thorough and fair investigation.
"You've got to make sure justice prevails. I'm comfortable that the State Attorney Angela Corey will make that happen," Scott said.
In Florida, first-degree murder cases must be heard by a grand jury, which means Corey can only charge Zimmerman with third-degree murder, second-degree murder or manslaughter.
However, because Zimmerman fired his gun and Martin died, Zimmerman could still face life in prison without parole, WFTV found out.
Martin's family and its legal team are not getting their hopes up.
"We've thought from day one, we've always believed there was enough evidence there to simply arrest George Zimmerman. We are not asking that he be convicted, but just a simple arrest," said Martin's family attorney Benjamin Crump.
Natalie Jackson is one of the attorneys representing Martin's family and told WFTV she wasn't surprised by Corey's decision.
"We believe justice dictates that he will be charged," said Jackson. "If justice and the procedures were followed, then yes, all of this could've been avoided."
In a statement to WFTV, Corey said that her decision "should not be considered a factor in the final determination of the case. At this time, the investigation continues."
Corey's office wouldn't confirm if she's about to issue an arrest warrant.
Meanwhile, lawyers for Zimmerman said if he is not charged, he will speak out.
Both of Zimmerman's lawyers, Hal Uhrig and Craig Sooner, were on a national morning talk show on Monday.
The attorneys said they know and recognize the Martin family is going through a lot of pain and grief. Uhrig said both Sanford and state officials followed proper procedure on Florida's self-defense laws.
The attorneys said if Zimmerman is charged, he will remain quiet until everything is over.
The Sanford Police Department will be open to the public again on Tuesday after Martin supporters forced the interim chief to shut the building down.
The group "Dream Defenders" formed a human wall in front of the police department's door on Monday.
The acting chief and Sanford city manager met with the group. They agreed to hold a public forum next week to talk about making changes in the community.
The building opened back up Monday afternoon.
"I came here to shine light on a dark area within our justice system," said protester Justin Campbell.
The protesters want Police Chief Bill Lee and City Manager Norton Bonaparte to be fired.
Chief Lee has already temporarily stepped aside.