We really need a law that would protect the citizens of FL from having to go through this when they use a firearm for self defense.

YUP! Good shoot...BAD handling of the aftermath. He took polygraphs, interviews etc. He was a classic example of not shutting the fuck up when needed!

http://www.gzdefensefund.com/

I could see a conviction of manslaughter, possibly. Hard to see second degree murder charge holding. For the red highlighted, it was good advice and definitely should had been followed but as far as I know it was not unlawful. As for the blue (this statement seems awful like "she was asking for it dressed that way" but I digress) assuming Zimmerman's account is true, then Martin moved to the aggressor role with the battery upon Zimmerman. You have to look at it as two parts. The first, the events leading up to the fight. The latter the decision to shoot. Removing the former and focusing on Zimmerman's account of the latter for a moment, is having someone near the physical prime of their life beating your head into the pavement while you're lying on your back in the street a justified use of force? Assuming the same events happened to another person, this time attacked in the street without provocation, with all other aspects of the encounter being identical... would the use of force be justified? Presumably yes. So then we cycle back to the former part of the Zimmerman encounter focusing on events up to the shooting. I can see manslaughter a possibility, I can't see more.

I understand how you feel. Initially, after reading newspaper headlines and listening to the evening news, I felt the same way. And then I did a little research, and saw both sides of the problem. Seems like the consensus is GZ should have stayed in his car , or at least identified himself as part of the Neighborhood Watch. One thing for certain, he wasn't advised by police not to follow. Trayvon wasn't without his fault either. He should have just gone home, simple. He approached GZ's truck once, it isn't far fetched to believe he'd approach GZ again once he left his truck. But given the timeline of events, with TM running and how close his house was, he should have been home by the time GZ even stepped out of his truck. That wasn't the case... so who was looking for who? Two guys walking around in a neighborhood, both trying to watch the other, so how did it get physical? I don't see GZ starting the fight unless you consider questioning "what are you doing here?" fighting words. I think we've all seen the shady histories of both parties... So who is more likely to instigate? The wannabe cop, with an alleged history of shoving a cop and domestic violence... or the troubled youngster, caught with stolen jewelry, marijuana paraphernalia, and a YouTube video of running a playground fight... could be a toss up. But why would GZ start a fight knowing the cops are on the way? My guess is he wouldn't.

Please....Let's not turn this tread into the GD version. This has
been a real good thread to get news and info without wading through
150 pages of infighting.

The police asked Zimmerman if he was following Trayvon and told him they did not need him to do that. At one point in the call Trayvon was running away from Zimmerman. Maybe Trayvon was the one acting in self defense. Put yourself in Trayvon's shoes, what would you do if somebody was following you as you were walking home.

Zimmerman acted responsibly when he called the police, by continuing to follow Trayvon he crossed the line, he is not a cop, not his job. Zimmerman had ample opportunity to avoid a confrontation and by choosing to follow Trayvon he ends up killing Trayvon. I wonder if Zimmerman would have continued to follow Trayvon or even confront him at all if he was not carrying.

I've personally followed suspicious individuals in my development from a respectable distance; it is perfectly legal to do so until the sheriff arrives.

Had they doubled back on me and assaulted me I might have well needed to defend myself with deadly force.

Trayvon was not "walking home"; I'm tired of all the made up nonsense people post regarding his matter.

Lets get this straight.

#1 Z didn't call 911 . He called the non emergency phone # of the police.

#2 If someone was chasing me down and I was less than 70 yards from my front door ( which T was ). I would just go home. Why didn't T just go home to his daddy ?

#3 According to Zs story it was T that confronted Z not the other way around. There is NO evidence to prove other wise.

Follow this link if you really want to know the truth about the time line. OPed by O21

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/06/what_the_media_choose_not_to_know_about_trayvon.html

I went back and listened to the call, I beleiee my statement was more accurate on second post.

Curious, are you a lawyer ?

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not all opinions are to be taken as being of value, especially those of a individual who is promulgating false information, whether intentionally or not.

There's no "problem being T has nobody to represent his side of the story".

In a defensive shooting it is often the case that the assailant is dead and therefore, a determination of the facts of the case is made by examining the evidence and testimony of others.

Neither "side of the story" is important, only the facts as determined by the EVIDENCE and whether or not the shooting was permitted UNDER THE LAWS of our state.

If a shooting is good, as determined by the evidence, a never ending, ongoing, investigation is NOT called for under the laws of our state, and neither is a trial or even an arrest required in order to satisfy the morbid curiosity as may be displayed by uninvolved members of the public.

I'm tired of all the bullshit.