The Murder of Trayvon Martin

[Senusret I]

WOW. Good info.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by DaemonSeid

If that's the case then we are done.

Wait and see when the trial comes about because regardless of how we circle around it, you nor I have definitive proof nor evidence, if we did, we would be in Florida right now. And for even the speculations we are debating right now, it may not even come up in court.

Perhaps you are done but I am not.

Regardless of a pending trial or anything else, I find it interesting that "he was warning others about Black people in the area," with and without the use of "allegedly," is being used to imply (non-law enforcement) racial profiling and therefore a hate crime. How that is being interpreted says a great deal regarding racial and ethnic relations regardless of whether it is brought up in court and regardless of the outcome of this case.

[SOM]

What the State and Federal groups have to sort through-how much evidence was really collected and is it in a form that can be brought to trail?
Trayvon Martin Case Spotlights Florida Town's History Of 'Sloppy' Police Work

SANFORD, Fla. -- In the summer of 2010, a masked man gunned down Ikeem Ruffin, 17, in an apartment complex on this city's north side. When police arrived, they found Ruffin dead and another teenager beside the body calling for an ambulance. The next day, police charged the teen with robbery and murder.
Prosecutors dropped the murder charge last August and said another man, still unidentified, pulled the trigger. Teresa Ruffin, the victim's mother, said the police overlooked important evidence -- including a witness who pointed to another suspect -- and allowed her son's killer to go free.
"They didn't do their job," Ruffin said of the police.
Ruffin, who is black, said she sees parallels between how Sanford police officers handled her son’s murder and how they investigated the killing of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed teenager shot to death Feb. 26 by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer who told police he acted in self-defense.
Police said they couldn't refute Zimmerman's claim and haven't arrested him, unleashing withering criticism over perceived missteps and favoritism.
"All this with Trayvon is just bringing the light on the Sanford Police Department," Ruffin said. "This happened for a reason."
Martin's killing has sparked national outrage. But it is not the first criminal investigation to upset Sanford's black community, whose leaders say police have repeatedly failed to properly investigate crimes involving black victims.
A string of recent scandals involving department personnel has added to community anger. In the past three years, officers have been caught demanding bribes from motorists, fabricating evidence and drawing weapons unlawfully.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1409277.html

[PiKA2001]

Originally Posted by SOM

And on another note: There maybe reason(s) to wonder why Mr. Zimmerman was still even permitted to carry the gun that he used to kill Mr. Martin.
Mr. Zimmerman carried a loaded firearm on his person as he was “acting” as a neighborhood watch “Captain“. That is in direct violation of ALL neighborhood watch rules and regulations. Had Mr. Zimmerman obeyed the neighborhood watch rules and regulations, Mr. Martin would be alive today.

Mr. Zimmerman had a permit to carry a firearm. Mr. Zimmerman should never have been allowed to have a permit to carry based on Florida law for domestic abuse restraining orders:
DISQUALIFYING CRIMES: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• If you have been convicted of a domestic crime of violence, you will be deemed ineligible unless you can
show proof of one of the following three conditions:
a) that you have received relief from federal firearms disabilities;
b) that you have received a presidential pardon; or,
c) that a court has sealed or expunged the record.
• If you have had adjudication of guilt withheld or imposition of sentence suspended on any misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you will be INELIGIBLE for licensure UNLESS THREE YEARS HAVE ELAPSED SINCE PROBATION OR ANY OTHER COURT-IMPOSED CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED (or the record has been sealed or expunged).
This is the one that pertains to Mr. Zimmerman:
If you have been issued an injunction that is currently in force that restrains you from committing acts of
domestic violence or acts of repeat violence, you will be disqualified from eligibility until that injunction is
no longer in force.
Mr. Zimmerman had a charge of domestic violence and his ex-fiance took out a restraining order against him.
Had this rule of law been adhered to as it would have been for me or you, Mr. Martin would still be alive today.
http://theobamacrat.com/2012/04/11/t...rge-zimmerman/

I don't know about this. As I know it, Zimmerman was merely ACCUSED of domestic violence, never did he face charges or was convicted for domestic violence.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by SOM

And on another note: There maybe reason(s) to wonder why Mr. Zimmerman was still even permitted to carry the gun that he used to kill Mr. Martin.
Mr. Zimmerman carried a loaded firearm on his person as he was “acting” as a neighborhood watch “Captain“. That is in direct violation of ALL neighborhood watch rules and regulations. Had Mr. Zimmerman obeyed the neighborhood watch rules and regulations, Mr. Martin would be alive today.

Mr. Zimmerman had a permit to carry a firearm. Mr. Zimmerman should never have been allowed to have a permit to carry based on Florida law for domestic abuse restraining orders:
DISQUALIFYING CRIMES: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
• If you have been convicted of a domestic crime of violence, you will be deemed ineligible unless you can
show proof of one of the following three conditions:
a) that you have received relief from federal firearms disabilities;
b) that you have received a presidential pardon; or,
c) that a court has sealed or expunged the record.
• If you have had adjudication of guilt withheld or imposition of sentence suspended on any misdemeanor crime of domestic violence, you will be INELIGIBLE for licensure UNLESS THREE YEARS HAVE ELAPSED SINCE PROBATION OR ANY OTHER COURT-IMPOSED CONDITIONS HAVE BEEN FULFILLED (or the record has been sealed or expunged).
This is the one that pertains to Mr. Zimmerman:
If you have been issued an injunction that is currently in force that restrains you from committing acts of
domestic violence or acts of repeat violence, you will be disqualified from eligibility until that injunction is
no longer in force.
Mr. Zimmerman had a charge of domestic violence and his ex-fiance took out a restraining order against him.
Had this rule of law been adhered to as it would have been for me or you, Mr. Martin would still be alive today.
http://theobamacrat.com/2012/04/11/t...rge-zimmerman/

I read that Zimmerman and his ex both filed restraining orders against each other, citing domestic violence, but neither was charged.

ETA: PiKA2001 types faster than I do.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I don't know about this. As I know it, Zimmerman was merely ACCUSED of domestic violence, never did he face charges or was convicted for domestic violence.

Sounds like Oklahoma. If someone files a protective order case, the only real way to file for your own alternative relief is to file another protective order case.

[SOM]

Originally Posted by PiKA2001

I don't know about this. As I know it, Zimmerman was merely ACCUSED of domestic violence, never did he face charges or was convicted for domestic violence.

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

I read that Zimmerman and his ex both filed restraining orders against each other, citing domestic violence, but neither was charged.

ETA: PiKA2001 types faster than I do.

"This is the one that pertains to Mr. Zimmerman:
If you have been issued an injunction that is currently in force that restrains you from committing acts of
domestic violence or acts of repeat violence, you will be disqualified from eligibility until that injunction is
no longer in force.
Mr. Zimmerman had a charge of domestic violence and his ex-fiance took out a restraining order against him."
Had this rule of law been adhered to as it would have been for me or you, Mr. Martin would still be alive today.

[knight_shadow]

Originally Posted by SOM

"This is the one that pertains to Mr. Zimmerman:
If you have been issued an injunction that is currently in force that restrains you from committing acts of
domestic violence or acts of repeat violence, you will be disqualified from eligibility until that injunction is
no longer in force.
Mr. Zimmerman had a charge of domestic violence and his ex-fiance took out a restraining order against him."
Had this rule of law been adhered to as it would have been for me or you, Mr. Martin would still be alive today.

We were addressing the bold.

[SOM]

Originally Posted by knight_shadow

We were addressing the bold.

"If you have been issued an injunction that is currently in force that restrains you from committing acts of
domestic violence or acts of repeat violence, you will be disqualified from eligibility until that injunction is
no longer in force."....."
and his ex-fiancé took out a restraining order against him."
Let the legal eagles figure it all out ;>)

[SOM]

Some interesting details and links within story:
Zimmerman Won't Walk Free Today
In a court appearance that lasted all of three minutes, George Zimmerman had his arraignment and bail hearing scheduled for May 29, and will stay in custody until then. According to the Associated Press, "Zimmerman stood up straight and wore a gray prison jumpsuit. He spoke only to answer "Yes, sir," after he was asked basic questions about the charge against him and his attorney. He entered no plea.
Zimmerman's attorney asked the judge to seal the documents in the case, but Judge Mark Herr reportedly said he would leave some parts of the files public, CBS Miami's Gio Benitez tweets. But they'll be sealed going forward, as ABC points out: "Zimmerman's attorney asked for future court files to be sealed. Both sides agreed. Think Progress tweeted that that decision was "likely to be challenged by news media."
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/natio...e-today/51072/

[DeltaBetaBaby]

In addition to the specific case, is there movement afoot to reconsider the "Stand Your Ground" law?

[SOM]

Originally Posted by DeltaBetaBaby

In addition to the specific case, is there movement afoot to reconsider the "Stand Your Ground" law?

Yes-There is. At several levels and places. Even the FL state politicians who passed the law are saying that there are problems with it.
And matters goes all the way up to the NRA and The American Legislative Exchange Council, A/K/A: ALEC

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by SOM

"If you have been issued an injunction that is currently in force that restrains you from committing acts of
domestic violence or acts of repeat violence, you will be disqualified from eligibility until that injunction is
no longer in force."....."
and his ex-fiancé took out a restraining order against him."
Let the legal eagles figure it all out ;>)

There isn't anything to "figure out" ...

Was the injunction currently in force? It seems like this would be plastered all over everywhere, if this were the case. Since it likely wasn't, he's allowed by law to carry his gun (as allowed by the permit).

He may have had a temporary restraining order against him as part of the original charge, but it's VERY unlikely he had anything stay attached after charges were dropped.

You keep cutting/pasting, but ignoring the key: currently in force.

[Kevin]

Also, those restraining orders don't really prove anything. He took one out against his ex as well. Does that mean she's automatically violent? Those things are often misused to do things like temporarily displace the other side to gain sole access to the house/apartment during a messy cohabitation breakup.

Only in cases where there is evidence presented and a finding found that one party should give up their guns does such a thing happen. Besides that, with all the folks out there wanting to crucify Zimmerman, as RC said, that'd be all over the place right now.

[SOM]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

There isn't anything to "figure out" ...

Was the injunction currently in force? It seems like this would be plastered all over everywhere, if this were the case. Since it likely wasn't, he's allowed by law to carry his gun (as allowed by the permit).

He may have had a temporary restraining order against him as part of the original charge, but it's VERY unlikely he had anything stay attached after charges were dropped.

You keep cutting/pasting, but ignoring the key: currently in force.

As far as I know and understand it, it is still in force. But as I said, as well, let those who truly know and understand the law sort it all out. I originally posted it as something of interest, not a pure matter of law.