Trayvon Martin case: After police chief steps aside, state prosecutor recuses himself

[Dennis S]

Zimmerman has a friend, Frank Taaffe, who came to his defense:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/22...73659.html

Wait! A little research on Zimmerman's defender, Frank Taffe, brings this up:

http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/Florida/...aaffe.html

http://mugshots.com/US-Counties/Florida/...e/details/

[August West]

You CANNOT REHABILITATE the hoodie!!!!!!!!

[$tevie]

Dennis S wrote: Wait! A little research on Zimmerman's defender, Frank Taffe, brings this up:

What does

Charges: VIOLATE INJUNCTION FOR PROTECTION AGAINST DOM VIO

mean? I have no idea if this is even relevant.

[$tevie]

beagledave wrote:
The problem is people of color wearing hoodies.

Stop that sartorial choice and problem solved.

The sad thing about being Black in too many parts of this country is that you do have to accommodate the bigots in order to avoid injury or death.

"A Mom's Advice To Her Young, Black Sons"
http://www.npr.org/2012/03/22/149126015/...black-sons
This is the stuff that white people don't think about. I know I never have.

But it IS wrong to blame the victim. Obviously, I don't think murdering someone because their hoodie made you nervous should be allowed.

[cbelt3]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/23/justice/fl...?hpt=hp_t1
"Obama said Trayvon Martin's death particularly resonated with him as an African-American parent.

"If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon," Obama said in brief remarks outside the White House."
- - -

Damn right. The culture of guilty of being black is still pervasive in America. It's a bad thing.

Historically it takes one or more horribly cases on injustice for a sea change in American thinking. Hopefully Trayvon has not died in vain, and his murder will resonate throughout our collective consciousness and prevent other prejudices from taking place.

Ed... a personal note. I've been hassled by criminalistic types several time, and the amount of melanin in their skin has varied. So personal experience tells me a hood is a hood.

But.. I'll still confess to finding myself reacting with stress to young black men more than young white men. I don't understand why... I don't think I'm prejudiced on a racial basis, but there was definitely a strong neighborhood cultural programming growing up in the Missouri in the 60's. My parents were both highly educated and would happily talk to anyone... Dad was a university professor, mom substitute-taught English in inner-city schools where a majority of her students were black.

Such soul searching is necessary on a national level.

[Dennis S]

$tevie wrote:
[quote=Dennis S]Wait! A little research on Zimmerman's defender, Frank Taffe, brings this up:

What does

Charges: VIOLATE INJUNCTION FOR PROTECTION AGAINST DOM VIO

mean? I have no idea if this is even relevant.
Maybe he violated a restraining order. Maybe a court of law with the accused murderer on trial would determine if it was relevant. Oh, wait.

[OWC Jamie]

Lux Interior wrote:
[quote=Spock]Those that opposed this law when it was proposed predicted these dreadful scenarios but I doubt they will get much comfort from saying "I told you so".

I don't think the law would have changed anything that happened before he was shot. This guy was going to shoot someone eventually, regardless.

It's what happened after the shooting.

Zimmerman:" My lawyer told me to say: "I shot him in self-defense." "

Police: " ( :censor: lawyers, Well, okay then. You're free to go! Have a nice evening, sir!"

[Ca Bob]

I have not read the Florida law, but if Zimmerman was chasing Martin, this is obviously different from standing his ground. The intent of the law presumably was that a law abiding person does not have to attempt to escape from a violent offender first, and only then use force to protect himself. In some way this makes sense -- why should the rest of us have to give up our own rights (like being in a public place without bothering anyone else) to accomodate violent criminals? But the law should not be written as carte blanche to shoot anybody you don't like, particularly if that dislike stems from a generalized racial fear.

As I said, I have not read the florida statute, so if it is written in a way that allows for murder, it ought to be scrapped immediately. But if there is any sense to it at all, and if the prosecution can show that Zimmerman chased down Martin, precipitated a physical fight (there is evidence that the two made contact) and then shot him, it comes pretty close to premeditated murder.

The recusal by the local DA is proper because the entire local law enforcement mechanism has come under public scrutiny. The DA is the highest law enforcement official in the county, so he or she is also tainted as of now. The replacement by the state's attorney for the district is the next step and seems proper to me.

In other words, if the "stand your ground" issue is made moot in this specific case by a court ruling, then the jury's choice would seem to be between first and second degree murder. Alternatively, a criminal prosecution could be brought in which the jury is asked to determine whether the facts are consistent with the "stand your ground" principle, in which case they would have a choice between acquittal and the murder charges.

[Dennis S]

Let's see how easy a black guy gets off when he tells the cops, "Oh, I shot that white kid in self-defense."

[$tevie]

Oh, there's no question in my mind that the races of the parties involved is a major factor in how this was handled by the police. Although Zimmerman's "race" is open to interpretation, he is un-black, just to clarify my first sentence.