Someone asked whether I was watching the George Zimmerman Trayvon Martin trial.
And that has been the problem since the nation learned that a neighborhood watch captain chased an innocent 17 year old and shot him to death because These assholes always get away.
It is a shame that the defendant and victim have both been on trial. It is a shame that a jury heard neither testify.
Related Jury in George Zimmerman trial may consider lesser charge
But Zimmerman didnt have to testify. His attorneys cannot erase the final moments of Martins life and the beginning of Zimmermans hell when he chased a boy because he was black.
This guy looks like hes up to no good or hes on drugs or something Zimmerman told a the 911 dispatcher whom he called after seeing Martin walking back to his fathers home from a store.
Hes just staring looking at all the houses. Now hes coming toward me. Hes got his hand in his waistband. Somethings wrong with him.
Zimmerman followed Martin who was talking on his cell phone.
Hes coming to check me out. Hes got something in his hands. I dont know what his deal is. Can we get an officer over here
Then Zimmerman decides to become hunter.
These assholes always get away Zimmerman said to the dispatcher. Shit hes running.
Are you following him asked the dispatcher.
Yes Zimmerman said.
We dont need you to do that the dispatcher said.
Zimmerman didnt listen. Instead he went after Martin who was not the aggressor but a frightened teen trying to get away. And that is where he made his mistake.
Its called Neighborhood Watch not Neighborhood Stalk and Kill.
The trial was not about whether George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin. He confessed.
Its not about whether there was a crime. Martin died.
The trial is about whether George Zimmerman had the right to commit murder.
His attorneys offered two defenses. First theres Floridas Stand Your Ground law which gave Zimmerman the right to protect his property and himself.
Problem was Zimmermans ground kept moving. He decided that Stand Your Ground meant Chase Your Ground even as he later tried to convince police officers that he feared Martin.
And Zimmermans attorneys interviewed a combat expert who said Zimmerman picked a fight he couldnt win. Since he was losing he felt entitled to shoot Martin in self defense. Yes that expert said it with a straight face for $125 an hour. Martin was stronger bigger and was beating him.
And that is what is most important about this case If George Zimmerman is found not guilty of killing someone he was losing a fight to does that open the floodgates for similar cases
Second when the police tell you not to do something is it optional Should the police officers have said emphatically Do not follow him Would that have worked with Zimmerman who was already on a mission
Trayvon Martin was in the fight of his life last March confronted by a stranger because he was a black teen and the neighborhood had had problems with black teens before.
Trayvon Martin lost. He didnt get to see his 18th birthday. His last conversation was with a friend who apparently didnt even think of calling the police or his family. But how could she have known that Zimmerman was hunting Martin
Now George Zimmerman is in the fight of his life. Six women must decide whether an inept neighborhood watch volunteer should get away with killing a kid.
No matter what the verdict is yelling screaming being overwrought will not bring Martin back.
We dont need to march. We need to improve laws anywhere that allow murder.
This is the system we have the one we sometimes curse sometimes cheer sometimes change out of necessity. Any minute over the next few days or weeks we will learn whether the system works.
If the nation can rally and millions of people put on hoodies as people did in honor of a kid who didnt have to die then those same people should rally to ensure that all laws are of all people by all people for all people.
We cannot look back at this case. We dont have time to argue the details of that night all speculation because Zimmerman was caught in several lies.
Whatever happens to Zimmerman his life will never be the same. He will always be that guy in Florida who killed a kid. It will haunt him mark him. He may as well put it on his rsum.
But what of Trayvon Martin Its time to separate the teen from George Zimmerman and make a heartbreaking death mean more than sending a racist to jail.
We have to protect the next Trayvon Martin.
When we make the laws better make life better for the rest of the Trayvon Martins then we will make a difference.
There was an Amber before there was an Amber Alert.
There was a Megan before there was a Megans Law.
It is time to lift up Trayvon Martin as more than a victim.
Even in his death he can save more lives.
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