Newsgathering

[Crazy Puny Man]

I guess Trayvon ambushed Zimmerman (if he did such a thing at all... ) in self-defense, i.e. in the middle of the chase Trayvon turned on Zimmerman and jumped him and...

But I'm reaaaaaaaaaaaaally skeptical about that...

[PacificGoldenPlover]

What I hate about the Zimmerman trial is that the media doesn't give you enough information. I don't really follow the news, because I usually find it depressing, but I *thought* I learned the whole story last year, when I had to do a report on it. My teacher showed us a videoand and article and they were the whole "Zimmerman thought the guy was being suspicious, and when he thought he was reaching for a gun, which was actually Skittles, and killed him" story. Later I hear that previously, Trayvon ambushed the guy?! And it's not like I found this out long after this was assigned. No. I heard it on the same day or the day after from my mum.

Bottom line: the killing happened on a dark night with virtually no witnesses, so it's hard to say exactly what happened.

[geminicross]

Trayvon didn't ambush Zimmerman
Where did you hear that?

And Cedavis, that sounds like the Amadou Diallo shooting.

[PacificGoldenPlover]

Zimmerman claims he did, but I think most people figure he's lying.

[Cedavis6]

Trayvon didn't ambush Zimmerman
Where did you hear that?

And Cedavis, that sounds like the Amadou Diallo shooting.

My mum.

From my view of the case, I think Zimmerman was too anxious/possibly prejudiced when he shot him, because he had no way of knowing Trayvon could see him, and, IMO, there is no way that pulling Skittles out of a jacket/hoodie pocket would look suspicious.

I also wish people would stop bringing race into this... *If* Zimmerman was prejudiced about anything, *I* think it was his outfit, because it is possible for someone to hide a gun in a hoodie, and he (Trayvon) had his hood up, so you couldn't see his facial expression. Also, not knowing how far apart the two were, it's entirely possible that Zimmerman could not tell Trayvon's race. (I may be wrong about that, though.) I'd also like to note that I am not prejudiced against hoodies/"gangster" outfits, if I gave anyone that impression. (I love hoodies...)

[geminicross]

Zimmerman did identify Trayvon as "black or hispanic" and though I personally don't think Zimmerman is racist, I think he profiled Trayvon.

You still can't dispute that the race discussion NEEDS to happen (regardless of whether the media should have painted Zimmerman as a racist). Cause this has only shown that many racists still exist (when you see people comment on the trial)

[Cedavis6]

I think it was all caused by a rash desicion.

[geminicross]

It was, but that doesn't mean that Trayvon (like so many) wasn't profiled.

[Cedavis6]

SyFy's Sharknado...
I sense a meme coming.

[PacificGoldenPlover]

I think too much leeway was given to Zimmerman as a result the Stand Your Ground laws. All he had to show was that somewhere in the scuffle, he had reason to fear for his life, and he would have a winning case.

Did anyone watch President Obama's speech on the subject? From what I heard of it, it was pretty insightful.