ThatOtherFan Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I saw coverage of this in passing yesterday, I believe. I had my "feelings" on the topic, and reading this only breaks my heart even more.... ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Witnesses in Trayvon Martin death heard cries before shot Witnesses say they believe Trayvon Martin cried for help just before he was shot by a watch captain BY FRANCES ROBLES FROBLES@MIAMIHERALD.COM SANFORD -- They heard the desperate wail of a child, a gunshot, and then silence. Trayvon Martin, 17, died Feb. 26 in a dark pathway some 20 minutes after a neighborhood watch volunteer called police saying he thought a young stranger looked suspicious. It was raining, and the volunteer thought the kid in the hoodie walked too slow and peeked in windows. Three witnesses contacted by The Miami Herald say they saw or heard the moments before and after the Miami Gardens teenager’s killing. All three said they heard the last howl for help from a despondent boy, and believe the sequence of sounds shatters the notion that Trayvon was killed in self-defense. Police have not moved from their official statement of the shooting. But as the controversy grows, so does the number of voices disputing the official version that watch captain George Zimmerman gave to police: that the six-foot, three-inch, 140-pound teen assaulted him when Zimmerman, 28, tried to question him. In fear for his life, he pulled Kel Tek 9mm handgun from his waistband and shot. From Facebook to Twitter and online petitions, local police and prosecutors are getting tens of thousands of demands for criminal charges as the national media shines a spotlight on a small, racially diverse central Florida town with a history of police tension. There are now more and more calls for the U.S. Department of Justice to intervene and try to answer: What really happened to Trayvon Martin? “I heard someone crying — not boo-hoo crying, but scared or terrified or hurt maybe,” said Mary Cutcher, 31, who lives in the Retreat at Twin Lakes townhome community where the shooting occurred. “To me, it was a child.” Zimmerman said he tailed Trayvon in a mission to find out if the teen was up to no good. Zimmerman was out to put a stop to recent burglaries. He dialed police — his 46th call in the past 14 months to report shady people, reckless drivers and other disturbances around his neighborhood. He offered to follow his suspect, but the dispatcher told him: “We don’t need you to do that.” Some minutes later, Trayvon was killed with a gun the watch volunteer was licensed to carry. “This was not self-defense,” Cutcher said. “We heard no fighting, no wrestling, no punching. We heard a boy crying. As soon as the shot went off, it stopped, which tells me it was the child crying. If it had been Zimmerman crying, it wouldn’t have stopped. If you’re hurting, you’re hurting.” She and her friend say they heard the sounds from a few steps away, where they were inside beside an open window. Seconds later, they dashed out to find a boy face down on the ground and a man standing over him, a foot on each side of the body on the ground, with his hands pinning the shooting victim down. “I asked him, ‘What’s happening here? What’s going on?’ ” said Cutcher’s friend, Selma Mora Lamilla. “The third time, I was indignant, and he said, ‘just call the police.’ Then I saw him with his hands over his head in the universal sign of: ‘Oh man, I messed up.’ ” The women, who were the first on the scene, said they saw Zimmerman pacing back and forth. “I know what I heard. I heard a cry and a shot,” Mora said. “If there was a fight, it did not happen here where the boy was shot. I would have heard it, as this all happened right outside my open window.” The women think there may well have been a physical altercation between the two, but it must have taken place in a different spot, where Zimmerman perhaps had a chance to compose himself and draw his weapon. Cutcher was one of eight or nine 911 callers that night but she said investigators dismissed her, and a detective failed to follow up with her. Both women said police seemed very blasé. “Mr. Zimmerman’s claim is that the confrontation was initiated by Trayvon,” Police Chief Bill Lee said in an interview. “I am not going into specifics of what led to the violent physical encounter witnessed by residents. All the physical evidence and testimony we have independent of what Mr. Zimmerman provides corroborates this claim to self-defense.” To claim self-defense, someone has to show there was danger of great bodily harm or death, Lee said. “Zimmerman had injuries consistent with his story,” Lee said. Zimmerman had a damp shirt, grass stains, a bloody nose and was bleeding from a wound in back of his head, according to police reports. “If someone asks you, ‘Hey do you live here?’ is it OK for you to jump on them and beat the crap out of somebody?” Lee said. “It’s not.” A neighborhood eighth-grader out walking his dog said his family also called 911. “I saw someone lying on the ground, and I heard screaming,” said Austin, 13, whose mother asked that his last name not be published. “I don’t know that it was the person on the [ground] who was screaming, but to me it sounded like a kid who was crying. It was a yell for help, and I think it was Trayvon.” Austin wasn’t sure if the person was in a fight or had slipped and gotten hurt. Austin’s boxer puppy got off the leash so the boy went chasing after the dog and lost sight of the scene for a moment. Then, he heard a gun go off. He ran home and told his sister to call the police. The boy, who is black, has been rattled ever since. He feels angry and disconcerted, and wonders whether he’s at risk too. “That people can stereotype like that makes you scared,” he said. Austin’s mom said he’s been acting out in school and seems mad all the time. “My son has a terrible feeling of guilt, because he did not do anything to help. He’s angry,” said Austin’s mother, Cheryl Brown. “They are saying that Trayvon looked suspicious, because he was walking slow. So I guess I have to tell my son: make sure you always run fast.” Lee released a statement Thursday disputing Cutcher’s account, saying it differed from what she originally told police, which she angrily denies. Cutcher originally gave police a statement that matched Zimmerman’s account, said police spokesman Sgt. David Morgenstern. Sanford’s Police Chief Lee is “asking the public and the media to give the system the opportunity to work, in the interest of safety of the community,” Morgenstern said. Zimmerman, whose whereabouts are unknown, was not charged, and the case is now under review by the Brevard Seminole state attorney’s office. Local and national black leaders have rallied around the incident as the latest example of a double standard of justice in what they consider a case of racial profiling. On Thursday, Zimmerman’s father hand-delivered a letter to the Orlando Sentinel, disputing widely repeated version of events, saying his Spanish-speaking son is not a racist. “The media reports of the events are imaginary at best. At no time did George follow or confront Mr. Martin,” Robert Zimmerman wrote. “When the true details of the event become public, and I hope that will be soon, everyone should be outraged by the treatment of George Zimmerman in the media.” A rally is planned for the Sanford City Council meeting March 26. Leaders are asking people to show up carrying Skittles, the candy Trayvon carried in his pocket when he died. The witnesses say they are coming forward now because they were shocked when no arrest was made. “They are protecting Zimmerman for some reason,” Trayvon’s mother Sybrina Fulton said in Miami. “They are protecting him and we feel that Trayvon is the victim.” Lee said the matter needs to be taken to a grand jury as soon as possible. “If the roles were reversed, our investigation would be exactly the same,” he said. “Our investigation is color blind and based on the facts and circumstances, not color. I know I can say that until I am blue in the face, but as a white man in a uniform, I know it doesn’t mean anything to anybody.” Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/15/v-fullstory/2696446/trayvon-martin-case.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bu. Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 Trayvon Martin Is Dead & We Don't Give A F*ck! Read more: http://globalgrind.com/node/828217#ixzz1pIRAQSNw An overzealous cop wannabe shot and killed a 17-year-old black kid from Miami, FL and now the powers that be are trying to sweep the incident under the rug. Trayvon Martin, a black high-school junior from Miami, was visiting his family at their gated community home in Sanford, FL, on February 26th. He was shot to death when he encountered George Michael Zimmerman, captain of the neighborhood-crime-watch group. When Trayvon returned home from a trip to a local convenience store in their Sanford, Florida neighborhood, he and Zimmerman got into an altercation and Trayvon ended up dead. Family and supporters of Trayvon’s case are demanding justice; there are still many questions people in the community want answered, namely: why an unarmed 17-year-old who simply went to a nearby 7-Eleven for a bag of Skittles never made it home alive? Facebook pages and Tweets have been created so everyone can express their feelings about what they believe was a racially motivated killing. Before the shooting, Zimmerman had already called the cops to report a "suspicious person" in the neighborhood and according to him, the shooting was in self-defense. Strapped with his 9mm handgun, because all neighborhood watch captains carry around assault weapons, Zimmerman confronted Trayvon, shooting him in the chest and killing him 70 feet away from his father’s home. The thing is, the police dispatcher advised Zimmerman not to engage the youth and to wait for police to arrive, he didn’t and Trayvon ended up dead. The Sanford Police Department concluded their investigation of the shooting, clearing Zimmerman of any wrong-doing. But what has many in the community angry is the sensibility of the Sanford Police's handling of the case. For instance, the department has refused to release the 911 tapes, which prompted the Martin family to hire an attorney and file a public records lawsuit to get the recordings. The case has been turned over to the State’s Attorney, who must now decide whether to charge 28-year-old Zimmerman with a crime. It will likely take several weeks to review the evidence and conduct a more thorough investigation. Trayvon's family, attorneys and supporters say he is the victim of racial profiling and demand that Zimmerman be charged with murder. Zimmerman claims he acted in self-defense, and police never considered the case as anything but possible manslaughter. Zimmerman’s past suggests that he wanted to be, at one time, a law enforcement official as he attended the University of Central Florida while studying criminal justice. He had a concealed-weapons permit to carry and patrolled his neighborhood while carrying his 9mm handgun. Zimmerman is an ideal candidate to identify with “Hero Syndrome,” an affliction related to people who seek heroism or recognition. It’s a syndrome associated with people who have a yearning for self-worth. Once a criminal justice student and now captain of the neighborhood watch, Zimmerman wanted to be a hero of sorts. His over analyzation of Trayvon rolling through his neighborhood must have triggered the common stereotype that he was selling narcotics, up to no good and wanted to start trouble. It’s sad and Trayvon’s killing, I believe, was racially motivated. Looking "suspicious" is no excuse for killing an innocent young man. -S.G. Read more: http://globalgrind.com/node/828217#ixzz1pISmuuFB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evil. Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Oh hell no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reyna ♔ Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 State of the world today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 CNN and Headline News have been all over this story. That neighborhood watch captain better get what he deserves..Sorry motherfucker. And it was so heartbreaking to see his mom and dad talk about the situation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrietta. Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I heard/read (can't remember) it earlier this week. He doesn't have that damn hero syndrome crap. That's basically a fancy excuse to keep his racist ass from getting locked up. And the investigators should receive punishment too. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shawn1814 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 I saw the press conference online this morning and you should see how "some" people are blaming the Liberal media for a lynching on this dude... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 I saw the press conference online this morning and you should see how "some" people are blaming the Liberal media for a lynching on this dude... Doesn't surprise me even slightly...I read some of the comments on one of the articles I posted. I was disgusted to say the least... It's like things are getting progressively worse (if that's even possible) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*~WhitePicketDreams~* Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 SMH....that's all i can say about it. Doesn't surprise me even slightly...I read some of the comments on one of the articles I posted. I was disgusted to say the least... It's like things are getting progressively worse (if that's even possible) Chile NEVER look in the yahoo comment section when it comes to race articles. Those are the WORST. People are really sick. Some anyway. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted March 16, 2012 Author Share Posted March 16, 2012 SMH....that's all i can say about it. Chile NEVER look in the yahoo comment section when it comes to race articles. Those are the WORST. People are really sick. Some anyway. It wasn't Yahoo, but the comments were just as disgusting. You're right though, I shouldn't have looked. I knew the comments were going to be like that, and it's just sad..the whole situation has been on my mind all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downeaznboi Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 how is it self defense when he actively went out to pursue the kid? how do we know he didn't attain those injuries by initiating the altercation? he is no fucking hero. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotboy06 Posted March 16, 2012 Share Posted March 16, 2012 Chile NEVER look in the yahoo comment section when it comes to race articles. Those are the WORST. People are really sick. Some anyway. Yahoo! be having me in fucking tears sometimes though. :lmao: And CNN be going in as well..I GAG @ some of the sarcastic and negative comments. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrietta. Posted March 17, 2012 Share Posted March 17, 2012 Any online site have racist comments when comcomtopic comes to race because they can get away with it Bh being anonymous. Hell even this board has racist comments and cheerleaders for the ones that made those comments when it came to Game, myself and others dating outside our race. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EphraimAdamz Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 George Michael Zimmerman 28 yrs old Lives with Parents Robert & Gladys Zimmerman 1874 VALLEY WOOD WAY LAKE MARY, FL 32746 - 6278 407-804-0348 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EphraimAdamz Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 An you 28 living with your parents Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 George Michael Zimmerman 28 yrs old Lives with Parents Robert & Gladys Zimmerman 1874 VALLEY WOOD WAY LAKE MARY, FL 32746 - 6278 407-804-0348 The fact that he hasn't been arrested yet... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EphraimAdamz Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 The fact that he hasn't been arrested yet... "The number you are trying to reach has been disconnected" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 "The number you are trying to reach has been disconnected" It took me a sec to figure out what you were referring to. lol You actually called the number...normally I would be like leave them alone and let the law handle the situation, but in light of the current circumstances Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I can't ignore race in this one. It really pisses me off. Did anybody see the video where Trayvon's mother is being interviewed and one of the newscasters asks her if her son liked to eat chicken? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrietta. Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I can't ignore race in this one. It really pisses me off. Did anybody see the video where Tray'von's mother is being interviewed and one of the newscasters asks her if her son liked to eat chicken? WTF?! Are you serious? I swear I fuckin' hate people sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 WTF?! Are you serious? I swear I fuckin' hate people sometimes. Retraction: I guess it was supposedly taking out of context, but I'm looking for the full video. I could barely listen to the 911 call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThatOtherFan Posted March 20, 2012 Author Share Posted March 20, 2012 I can't ignore race in this one. It really pisses me off. Did anybody see the video where Trayvon's mother is being interviewed and one of the newscasters asks her if her son liked to eat chicken? I can't ignore it either, because it is BLATANT! I haven't watched, but I heard about it...which is the reason I couldn't watch it. I'm already angry, hurt, and frustrated enough over the whole situation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henrietta. Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 Retraction: I guess it was supposedly taking out of context, but I'm looking for the full video. I could barely listen to the 911 call. I wouldn't be shocked if it's not. I haven't heard that yet. I just see it all on the news. I know his Math teacher (and probably others now) are saying they don't believe he would have started anything. And his parents are supposedly trying to get the FBI involved in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angela Posted March 20, 2012 Share Posted March 20, 2012 I can't ignore it either, because it is BLATANT! I haven't watched, but I heard about it...which is the reason I couldn't watch it. I'm already angry, hurt, and frustrated enough over the whole situation... I finally got myself to listen to it, and I can't lie... tears welled up a bit, and I'm enraged. You can clearly hear him yell "No!" multiple times before he is shot. I turned it off after that, because you can't hear him anymore. I wouldn't be shocked if it's not. I haven't heard that yet. I just see it all on the news. I know his Math teacher (and probably others now) are saying they don't believe he would have started anything. And his parents are supposedly trying to get the FBI involved in it. I don't understand what the hell he could have been starting with some iced tea and Skittles It will always bother me when someone so young dies with so much more life to live. I hope the FBI investigates. The man HAS a record, and yet they did nothing and took his account as face value. And now they're only considering manslaughter charges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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