superintelligentone
Cadet
I think the jury got the correct verdict. 17 year old Trayvon Martin was pounding George Zimmerman's head on the pavement. Zimmerman's head was bleeding from abrasions as he was interviewed on the scene.
There was mistakes made on both Martin and Zimmerman's part.
Zimmerman was a neighbourhood watch officer/security guard. I wouldn't find it unusual for such a person to consider it his duty to report on the suspect. His neighbours and fellow guard(s) supported him as doing the right thing.
If Trayvon Martin did a better job in cooperating with Zimmerman, he wouldn't have gotten shot.
Zimmerman was wearing his security guard uniform during the encounter. Martin was wearing his hoodie.
SPECULATION
I can imagine the confrontation going something like:
"Excuse me young man, I'm Officer/Neighborhood Watchman Zimmerman. Can you tell me why you're in this area?
- "It's a free country, I can go where ever I want to. And I don't have to even talk with you. You're not the police."
"We've had some problems in the neighbourhood from outsiders. I don't seem to recognize you as living here."
Escalating words leads to shoving/wrestling/punching by both people.
Zimmerman has a bloody head on the back and dampness on his back as if on his back on wet ground. Martin doesn't seem to have fighting wounds but he has kneeling marks like when on top of an opponent. Zimmerman claims that Martin was smashing his head against the pavement and couldn't get him off.
A voice is heard desperately calling for help over several seconds on the police recording. Zimmerman's mother says it's her son. Martin's mom says that it's her son. Martin's father says that it is not his son's voice.
Assuming that you are about to be knocked out from repeated blows to the head, is it reasonable to shoot the attacker?
- A security guard would wonder if he will be killed once knocked unconscious from a perceived bad-guy.
- A civilian being beaten to near unconsciousness by a security guard wouldn't think that he'll be killed once he passes out.
I'd rule Justifiable shooting by the security guard.
There was mistakes made on both Martin and Zimmerman's part.
Zimmerman was a neighbourhood watch officer/security guard. I wouldn't find it unusual for such a person to consider it his duty to report on the suspect. His neighbours and fellow guard(s) supported him as doing the right thing.
If Trayvon Martin did a better job in cooperating with Zimmerman, he wouldn't have gotten shot.
Zimmerman was wearing his security guard uniform during the encounter. Martin was wearing his hoodie.
SPECULATION
I can imagine the confrontation going something like:
"Excuse me young man, I'm Officer/Neighborhood Watchman Zimmerman. Can you tell me why you're in this area?
- "It's a free country, I can go where ever I want to. And I don't have to even talk with you. You're not the police."
"We've had some problems in the neighbourhood from outsiders. I don't seem to recognize you as living here."
Escalating words leads to shoving/wrestling/punching by both people.
Zimmerman has a bloody head on the back and dampness on his back as if on his back on wet ground. Martin doesn't seem to have fighting wounds but he has kneeling marks like when on top of an opponent. Zimmerman claims that Martin was smashing his head against the pavement and couldn't get him off.
A voice is heard desperately calling for help over several seconds on the police recording. Zimmerman's mother says it's her son. Martin's mom says that it's her son. Martin's father says that it is not his son's voice.
Assuming that you are about to be knocked out from repeated blows to the head, is it reasonable to shoot the attacker?
- A security guard would wonder if he will be killed once knocked unconscious from a perceived bad-guy.
- A civilian being beaten to near unconsciousness by a security guard wouldn't think that he'll be killed once he passes out.
I'd rule Justifiable shooting by the security guard.
