The Case of Trayvon Martin

[QuantumX]

U.S. Department of Justice, FBI and FDLE to probe Trayvon Martin killing
By Frances Robles The Miami Herald
Mounting pressure in Trayvon Martin case succeeds in prompting a federal probe.


The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the FBI will investigate the killing of Miami Gardens teenager Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch volunteer, the department announced late Monday.
The announcement coincided with a statement from Florida Gov. Rick Scott asking the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to offer “appropriate resources” in the case.
The federal and state agencies are intervening in what attorneys call a botched investigation into the killing of the Michael Krop Senior High School student, who was killed Feb. 26 in Sanford, a town of 55,000 just north of Orlando. Trayvon, 17, on suspension from school, was staying at his father’s girlfriend’s house when he walked to a nearby a 7-Eleven store to buy candy and iced tea.
George Zimmerman, 28, a neighborhood watch volunteer with a long history of calling in everything from open garage doors to “suspicious characters,” called police to say he had spotted someone who looked drugged, was walking too slowly in the rain, and appeared to be looking at people’s houses. Zimmerman sounded alarmed because the stranger had his hand in his waistband and held something in his other hand.
The unarmed teen was carrying Skittles and a can of Arizona iced tea.
Zimmerman said he had stepped out of his truck to check the name of the street he was on when Trayvon attacked him from behind as he walked back to his truck, police said. He said he feared for his life and fired the semiautomatic handgun he was licensed to carry because he feared for his life.
“The department will conduct a thorough and independent review of all of the evidence and take appropriate action at the conclusion of the investigation,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “The department also is providing assistance to and cooperating with the state officials in their investigation into the incident. With all federal civil rights crimes, the government must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that a person acted intentionally and with the specific intent to do something which the law forbids — the highest level of intent in criminal law.
“Negligence, recklessness, mistakes and accidents are not prosecutable under the federal criminal civil rights laws.”
From the start, Trayvon’s family accused Sanford police of molding the investigation to fit Zimmerman’s account. Several witnesses said they heard cries that sounded like a boy wailing — howling silenced by the crack of gunfire — and were shocked to hear police later portray the cries as Zimmerman’s. One witness said police ignored her repeated phone calls.
The police chief was accused of telling lies big and small in ways that shielded Zimmerman. The family hired attorneys who helped devise a national campaign to demand a federal investigation.
Members of Congress and prominent black clergy members joined the chorus for a federal probe. At a rally outside the Sanford courthouse Monday, students called for Zimmerman’s arrest.
Police Chief Bill Lee told The Miami Herald that he was comfortable that his investigators were fair and thorough.
“I can say very confidently we would welcome any outside entity that wants to come look at what we did,” Lee said last week. “They are welcome to come here and look at it. We have not done anything but conduct a fair and complete investigation.”
He dismissed accusations of irregularities and insisted that investigators found no probable cause to arrest Zimmerman because there was no evidence to disprove his version of events.
The U.S. Community Relations Service will be in Sanford this week to meet with civil rights leaders, community leaders and local law enforcement officials to address tension in the community, the Justice Department announcement said.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/1...#storylink=cpy

[Cal_Escapee]

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the FBI will investigate the killing of Miami Gardens teenager Trayvon Martin by a neighborhood watch volunteer, the department announced late Monday.

Thank goodness. It seems clear that Seminole County just "doesn't get it" with respect to this case.

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by Cal_Escapee

Thank goodness. It seems clear that Seminole County just "doesn't get it" with respect to this case.

Well, I'm glad there is going to be an indepedent investigation by a number of different law enforcement agencies. I have my own idea about how I would go about part of it, but I can't mention it here because it could get back to Zimmerman and friends who would make themselves ready for it.

[Bobdreamz]

The problem with Zimmerman is that his call to the police prior to the altercation is that the 911 operator told him not to follow Martin yet he did anyways. He was in the safety of his car & could have driven away but he followed this kid, got out of his car and persued him.
The ensuing 911 tapes that have been released debunk Zimmerman's assertion that this was a case of "self defense". I wonder how threatened he felt by a teen who was half his weight. I personally think Zimmerman killed the teen in cold blood and should have been arrested for murder. If the tables were turned and Zimmerman was black & Martin was white he would be sitting in jail!

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by Bobdreamz

The problem with Zimmerman is that his call to the police prior to the altercation is that the 911 operator told him not to follow Martin yet he did anyways. He was in the safety of his car & could have driven away but he followed this kid, got out of his car and persued him.
The ensuing 911 tapes that have been released debunk Zimmerman's assertion that this was a case of "self defense". I wonder how threatened he felt by a teen who was half his weight. I personally think Zimmerman killed the teen in cold blood and should have been arrested for murder. If the tables were turned and Zimmerman was black & Martin was white he would be sitting in jail!

"Several witnesses said they heard cries that sounded like a boy wailing — howling silenced by the crack of gunfire — and were shocked to hear police later portray the cries as Zimmerman’s."

Yup, it was the guy with the gun terrified for his life making those howling noises and calling for help.

[WeatherChannel]

Police said Zimmerman made more than 40 911 calls last year for various things.

[I-275westcoastfl]

This guy is just another one of the many nutcases in Florida, lock him up.

[FLAWDA-FELLA]

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/20...-shooting-case

[Hia-leah JDM]

There were marches last night in New York and Miami.

[QuantumX]

Wow! This is really heating up. The feds had better act quickly or we could have riots on our hands.

[Hia-leah JDM]

There were more than 25K last night at the rally in Sanford and this morning there were more walk outs in a dozen Miami Dade high schools.

This is getting ridiculous, Zimmerman should've been arrested the day he murdered Trayvon. It's unfathomable that he was able to go home and keep his gun that same day, Sanford PD screwed up big time. They have the phone calls, they have eye witnesses, and instead they go with the shooters improbable story.

[skyscraperhighrise]

Originally Posted by QuantumX

Wow! This is really heating up. The feds had better act quickly or we could have riots on our hands.

and believe me I Agree with you on this.

[xerxesjc28]

I can't help but think that if there was no record of those phone calls that this guy would have got away with no controversy at all!!

[JustinB]

Off topic, but I would not allow 1772 to post in this thread. Just say'n.

[JustinB]

This is what happens when you have fringe Republicans writing laws. Florida's "Stand your ground" law pretty much made killing people legal as long they plead self-defence. Of course this only applies if it's a white person doing the doing killing.

[I-275westcoastfl]

Originally Posted by QuantumX

Wow! This is really heating up. The feds had better act quickly or we could have riots on our hands.

I agree this is ridiculous!

[600West218]

Why are civilians going around patrolling with guns? Is there really that much crime that they have to take such extreme measures?

I can see that community patrols make sense. We have one in the Inwood section of Manhattan where I live. But what they do is go around and watch things and if they see something that looks bad they call the police. In other words, they are simply extra eyes and ears for police.

Why is it different there? It seems if he thought there was truly a problem he should have called the police.

Also, are the civilians doing this at all vetted. A well organized community patrol sounds like a decent idea. Armed vigilantes just going around on their own sounds like a tragedy waiting to happen.

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by JustinB

Off topic, but I would not allow 1772 to post in this thread. Just say'n.

He can post here if he wants to. It's up to me to address it however I see fit.

[manrush]

Originally Posted by QuantumX

He can post here if he wants to. It's up to me to address it however I see fit.

Am I allowed to roll my eyes/mock him when he does post in here?

[QuantumX]

Originally Posted by manrush

Am I allowed to roll my eyes/mock him when he does post in here?

You can roll your eyes, but not mock him.