Executed for being black?

[sp1814]

This is a big news story in the States, which raises the question - dos being a young black man in a hoodie immediately suggest that you're probably up to no good, and can therefore expect to be executed at any point?

I've put the question in overly emotional term, because the Zimmerman case SHOULD stir strong emotions.

17 year old kid, Trayvon Martin goes to a convenience store.

On the way back, self-appointed Neighbourhood Watch leader George Zimmerman spots him, and calls the police because the kid is acting suspiciously (ie. he keeps looking round at the car which Zimmerman is driving very slowly behind him - who wouldn't!)

Whilst on the phone to the police, he is clearly told NOT to follow the kid, and is thanked for calling in.

He continues to follow muttering about f**king c00ns.

Tray on Martin's girlfriend tells him that he'd better run, because God only knows why he's being followed and she's afraid for him.

He breaks into a run, Zimmerman follows, jumps out, there's 'an altercation' and Trayvon is shot dead.

Bu t get this - the police didn't check Zimmerman had been drinking or taking drugs, they didn't arrest him, and they didn't do a background check.

They simply believed his version of events, leaving him free to go home.

Trayvon Martin was 'armed' with a packet of Skittles and a can of iced tea.

I feel almost no sympathy for kids who are murdered in gang 'turf wars' - if you run with the pack...etc...etc....

But this case is horrific because this wasn't some gang member. It was just an ordinary kid.

If Zimmerman had been black and the kid was a white college student walking through a predominantly black area, would he have been treated so leniently?

http://abcnews.go.com...e-timeline-of-events/

[sp1814]

And for some balance:

http://www.guardian.c...onclusive-expert-says

and

http://www.dailymail....-teen-think-kids.html

[NOX]

I've been following this and if it hadn't happened in America I would never have believed it tbh. I think Barack Obama has his own worst nightmare on his hands, because he strenuously tries to avoid any mention of race for fear of the issues it will churn up and now he has been obligated to make a statement endorsing the black community's perspective of this appalling killing. America is still unfortunately a very biased country where your race is important in the way that law enforcement and other agancies do with you. Freedom was not won in the 1960's, it was started- I think this underlines exactly how far it has to go to be fully achieved.

[anotheoldgit]

Although this is a shocking and horrific happening, but it happened in America where lots of strange things happen.

Can we say for certain that the police have not gone about things in the correct way, just because the victim was black?

This could be the American version of the Stephen Lawrence case, had the victim had been a white youth and the police had acted in a similar lackadaisical way, would crowds of white citizens had took to the streets, would it had created the interest of the President, and would it have become worldwide news?

[sp1814]

If the victim were white, it would've made the news, but for slightly different reasons. The story of the two British tourists shot in (I think) Florida became a big story over here and over in the US (I first heard about it whilst being bored out of my skull in a conference in LA).

However, the thrust of that story was the pointlessness of their murder and the dangers that tourist face when travelling around.

I also think the danger is the perception that killing a black kid somehow leads to people giving a metaphorical 'shrug'.

[EDDIE51]

What are the odds that if the teenager had been white and the shooter black the outcome of this case would have been very diffrent ?
This IS very clearly a racial issue no matter what various American politicians are trying to say.

[sp1814]

Sorry - to clarify - the reason for the protest isn't down to the killing itself. It's the (in)actions of the police.

It wouldn't have resulted in the outrage that people now feel, if the police hadn't automatically believed his story without taking any steps to corroborate it.

Imagine - this scenario...you shoot someone and when the police turn up, you say, "He looked like trouble", and the police respond with, "No worries mate - drive carefully now".

Wouldn't you think "Wow - my lucky day!"

[tamborine]

We were warned not to enter 'down town' areas in our hired car for fear of being mugged.

USA law allow guns in some states and locals are best aware of the dangers. I heard the hooded youth trespassed a gated housing estate & the shooter was acting in self defence. Am unable to comment on USA laws but both these males knew their 'rights'.

[ummmm]

Well according to jno he was visiting his father...

http://www.theanswerb.../Question1117746.html

[anneasquith]

i have also been following this case in the media, but where is zimmerman at the moment ?

[anotheoldgit]

Is there more to this case than we know about?

http://www.dailymail....say-teen-violent.html

[ummmm]

I read the headline AOG.....I'm not going to bother reading the rest. The Daily Mail excusing the murder of an innocent black teenager,no doubt!

[cathfromsaron]

it is shocking that in this day and age, that old institution, 'the colour bar' still prevails in the US!

cath x

[sp1814]

AOG

That seems extremely dubious.

Man jumps out of car and confronts unarmed teenager - would that teenager REALLY attack a man who obviously had a weight advantage - and a gun?

All Zimmerman had to do was produce the gun. End of story.

If this 'attack' continued, a shot in the air would've been enough to scare him off.

...and referring to Trayvon as a 'f**king c00n' would suggest that there was some degree of premeditation involved.

[ummmm]

Yes, Zimmerman didn't want a hooded c0on is his gated community.

That's how it reads to me.

[rov1100]

Its all in their genes!

[jackthehat]

Care to expand on that, rov?

[modeller]

This is a shocking case but what is not clear is why would any innocent person whatever their colour climb into an up market gated estate ? They showed pictures of the gates and they were huge so how did he get inside .
I can't find any reference to him visiting his father there where did you find that jno ?

Zimmerman should be tried and have to prove it was self defence. He was told not to follow the lad which he disregarded so that in itself indicates he was looking for trouble.

[karloff]

The man who killed this kid is a member of the KKK. Here in America,we still have our racial divides. Some fear another civil war one day. If this hadn't gotten the attention of the media,this murderer would not be in trouble. Racisim will always be a problem here,and it's a shame. But i'm sure you folks in England have similar problem. (An Americans veiw).

[modeller]

I'm totally against Zimmerman for what he did and for the behaviour of the police .But I've now read many reports and there is something wrong in this whole story Assuming the teenager was visiting his father there, which doesn't seem very likely as the estate is almost exclusively for whites and very expensive, so why would a young 17 year old black man dressed as a hoodie be wandering around the estate where there are big warning signs saying it is dangerous to do so. They say he had popped out to a shop to buy sweets as if he was a child. They are also showing pictures of teddy bears being left at the site. 17 year old's are not children they are men and are fully aware of what they are doing.,and you don't just pop out of a gated community at night in Florida where are cameras and high security including patrols . Yet he and Zimmerman were alone and there were no witnesses. It is reported to have happened at night. What time of the night did this all take place ? Would anyone just pop out at night to buy sweets. ?

[puddle-duck]

That is shocking. I can't believe the police just took Zimmerman's word for it & let him go home. He should be arrested for murder IMO.