When the Obama Administration sent in a team to investigate civil rights violations in the 2012 shooting death of Trayvon Martin, some of us expressed doubt over the basis for such a charge as well as the timing of the federal move into the case. Indeed, I was highly skeptical of how the case was charged and prosecuted. Now the Washington Post is reporting that, after two years of investigation, Justice officials do not believe that they have sufficient evidence to bring federal charges.
George Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in a state trial in Sanford, Fla., last year. Various community and political leaders demanded that Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. bring a federal civil rights case against him. The protests led to considerable pressure for the Obama Administration to act and the investigation by the Civil Rights Section helped quell some of the discontent over the verdict. However, the case remained weak for both a second-degree murder case as well as a civil rights charge. While many read racist motivations behind Zimmerman motives, Zimmerman succeeded in establishing that he was acting in self-defense.
The Administration has also taken the same quick response to the shooting in Ferguson, though that investigation is centering on the police department as a whole.
Source: Washington Post
mespo727272
Dredd:
I coached Russell; know his family; my oldest son played on his little league and AAU baseball teams for 6 years; I’ve donated to his fb camps; been to his house and he to mine. That article he wrote is pure BS. Russell went to the most elite private school in Richmond. He’s from a strong family of professionals including lawyers and college presidents. Any incident like the ones he described would have dealt with harshly and swiftly. Russell was/is a good, polite, supportive kid who related to every kid on the team. He is far from perfect but a bully? No way.
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When professionals disagree the jury decides.
Interesting case.
Elain M
That first video is not fair…
… Bush could do all that because he’s white!
Squeeky, As I said, what was presented at trial wasn’t any where near the whole story.
“Well, unless there is something to indicate that Trayvon didn’t punch Zimmerman in the nose, and then didn’t bang his head against the sidewalk, then what does it matter whether or not Zimmerman is a liar??? IIRC, there was a witness or two about Trayvon being on top of Zimmerman. GZ had a broken nose, and a bloody head. ‘Nuff said, IMO.”
GZ didn’t have a broken nose (see report from NP he saw the next day). All the blood was from the two pin pricks on the end of his nose, pin pricks that match the sight on his gun. My theory is that his one handed shot recoiled and hit his nosey-wosey. His head wasn’t banged on the sidewalk. The scrapes were totally inconsistent with a head banging. More likely they were from the grass while wrestling and maybe with a bump on one of the sprinklers. The witness who “saw” him on the sidewalk and being beaten up is the one who should have been called by the defense, not the prosecution, and his testimony could have been impeached by prior statements.
Like I said, if you believe GZ’s story and the crap that passed as a prosecution, you won’t know what really happened.
on 1, October 3, 2014 at 5:08 pmswarthmoremom
You have to remember that I spent too many years in Texas where Squeeky’s views are too often the norm.
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Maybe they should be encouraged to secede.
Nick, From the beginning, what made Zimmerman an a-hole?
I said from the beginning, Zimmerman is an a-hole. That’s not the issue.
Squeeky, They love black people in the abstract. I have continually asked for people here to tell me their personal experiences, friends, family, etc. They live in nice, upper middle class white neighborhoods. I knew this thread would devolve. Race ones here always do. Black people are MUCH more aware and honest about the problems w/ crime, drugs, fatherless homes, than he white guilters here. They get their race info from MSNBC, HuffPo, etc.
I think poor old George Zimmerman is going through some PTSD (Post Trayvon Shooting Disorder???) from all the pressure put on him by the howling, insane, bloodthirsty, liberal lynch mob. That kind of stuff can adversely affect an otherwise normal person. MSNBC and others ought to be paying for him a therapist to work through his issues after what they put him through.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Mike Appleton, And Zimmerman’s current status has nothing to do with the question of law or facts presented at the trial. But you already know that too. 🙂
Jack:
Suit yourself. I am quite familiar with the case and with the trial. FYI, Mr. Zimmerman is still around, and still having encounters with the law, most recently over a road rage incident. He’s a walking time bomb and he will explode in due course. I only hope he doesn’t take anyone else with him.
@NickS
It looks to me like their egos are all wrapped up in the Trayvon nonsense. They gots to have them some racism sooo bad, that they will make it up as they go. It is what they are doing with the Ferguson stuff, too. The alternative, that Trayvon was just an unlucky thug who jumped the wrong dude, is a reality that guts them to the core. I mean how could such intelligent and progressive folks ever justify their guilt and their fantasies and their smarmy sermonizing if Trayvon was kind of asking for it??? Sooo, they will just poke their noses in the air, say la de da , and carry on, oblivious to reality.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
I can’t believe we’re discussing this trial again. Bettykath may have to make her THIRD dramatic exit.
@bettykath
Well, unless there is something to indicate that Trayvon didn’t punch Zimmerman in the nose, and then didn’t bang his head against the sidewalk, then what does it matter whether or not Zimmerman is a liar??? IIRC, there was a witness or two about Trayvon being on top of Zimmerman. GZ had a broken nose, and a bloody head. ‘Nuff said, IMO.
Would that 1/2 of the energy spent trying to spin this into a racial incident had been spent trying to get the rap crap off the airwaves.
Squeeky Fromm
Girl Reporter
Mike Appleton,
I’m sorry, but when a guy writes an article, post-trial, and that article contains such errors as:
“Mr. Martin had a duty to justify himself to Mr. Zimmerman.”
No he did not, and nobody has claimed that he did.
“The jury was told that Mr. Martin had a responsibility to explain himself.”
No. They were not told that. (Did you watch/listen to the trial?)
“Yet Mr. Zimmerman was somehow clothed with quasi-official status.”
Once again, another claim that lacks any foundation or relevance to the trial or the charges.
“Mr. Zimmerman created the conditions which directly led to Mr. Martin’s death.”
No. Mr. Martin created the conditions which led to his death. He did so when he attacked a man who was lawfully walking through the neighborhood. In fact, Martin probably did so because he thought Zimmerman was a homosexual looking for an encounter. (Or is that another detail put out by Ms. Dee Dee that you chose to ignore or were completely unaware of?)
“First, he unilaterally determined that Mr. Martin was likely preparing to engage in criminal activity.”
So? As a private individual he has the right to do so.
“Mr. Zimmerman continued to follow Mr. Martin after being told by a sheriff’s dispatcher that he should relent until the police arrived.”
Wrong again! Zimmerman was on the phone with the local police department’s non-emergency dispatch…Not the sheriff’s dept. Further, there is absolutely no evidence that Zimmerman continued to follow Martin.
“Third, Mr. Zimmerman was armed, a blatant violation of the rules under which bona-fide neighborhood watch volunteers are supposed to operate.”
Zimmerman’s relationship with the Neighborhood Watch is/was totally irrelevant. He was not on patrol as a member of the Neighborhood Watch. He was just a regular old citizen who was on his way to the store. (Do you see something in the Neighborhood Watch rules that prohibits its members from carrying a concealed weapon when not on official patrol? I didn’t think so.)
I could continue but I have sufficiently demonstrated both your ignorance and your bias. If we take what you had to say, ex post facto would just be your new way of dealing with crackers who interfere with your method of shameful social engineering.
Dredd:
I coached Russell; know his family; my oldest son played on his little league and AAU baseball teams for 6 years; I’ve donated to his fb camps; been to his house and he to mine. That article he wrote is pure BS. Russell went to the most elite private school in Richmond. He’s from a strong family of professionals including lawyers and college presidents. Any incident like the ones he described would have dealt with harshly and swiftly. Russell was/is a good, polite, supportive kid who related to every kid on the team. He is far from perfect but a bully? No way.
The person I hear use “white guilt” more than just about anyone is the guy who plays white liberals like a cheap banjo.
Squeeky, The mere mention of Ann Coulter convened Turley Grammar School. Seems like those “good ol’ days” have returned for a couple hours. The old timers needed a morale boost. God bless ’em.
MikeA. I use “white guilt” all the time and believe strongly in racial and ethnic equality. So, unless you think me a liar or delusional. Unless you think all of the good friends I have who are black are stupid, then you need not make that assertion any longer. Mark this day on your calendar.
LaserD,
Is it your position that I am not permitted to exit my home or vehicle if a young black man is walking through my neighborhood? Is there any record of your attempt to make such an exclusion part of the municipal code? Or do you just want to create law for George Zimmerman?
Since I’m sure you are fully up to speed with the details of the Zimmerman case, I must also ask how Trayvon Martin was able to distinguish Zimmerman from just some contractor who is looking at exterior walls/façade on various condominiums in the complex?
The above questions are relevant as they go to Trayvon’s ability to inflict injury upon Zimmerman without consequence.
1. I believe that most people fail to understand Ms. Coulter’s role. She is not, and does not pretend to be, a policy analyst or a political philosopher. Her role is that of a polemicist, and her comments are intended to appeal strictly to the emotions of both her fans and her opponents. It has the advantage of providing a very healthy income without the necessity of engaging in the serious work of public discourse. I used to frequent a nearby Border’s and found that I could digest the contents of Ms. Coulter’s latest offering in ten or fifteen minutes without buying it. Besides, I much prefer the red meat of a good Porterhouse, and it is far more nutritious.
2. I have never heard the term “white guilt” employed by those who believe in racial equality. It is instead a catch phrase spit out contemptuously by those who perceive that their position in life is somehow compromised or threatened by things like affirmative action policies or Sunday voting.