The Pyrrhic Victory of George Zimmerman

I try to avoid being controversial, but for those who don’t know me, seldom will I back away from something because it’s too sensitive an issue. Some things just irritate me to the point where I have to write about them.

In April of 2009, I published an article titled, Casey Anthony Must Die! Six months later, the presiding judge, Stan Strickland, called me to the bench to compliment my work for being fair to both sides; the prosecution and defense. Nearly a year after my article appeared, Casey’s defense team filed a motion demanding that the judge step down. They accused me of being pro-prosecution and based it on that post. Therefore, the judge was biased, but there’s no proof the judge had even read it. And had the defense team taken the time to actually read it, they would have known the title had little to do with Ms. Anthony’s demise. In fact, I thought it preposterous that 2,000 years ago, Romans crucified Christians for no other reason than their own pleasure, and here it was, 2,000 years later, that God-fearing Christians, of which there were many, wanted Casey’s head on a silver platter with no trial at all. It was the hypocrisy that riled me. Today, the hair is standing up on the back of my head. Again.

Teenagers are willing to take risks. It’s the nature of the beast. We need look no further than college campuses to see how far they are willing to go to have fun. Even high school kids do things we wouldn’t fathom as adults, but how quickly we forget that we were young once, too. Sometimes, kids break into their parents’ liquor cabinets and drive drunk. Sometimes, they just take risks for the thrill of it, like driving 100 miles-per-hour to find out how well they can take a sharp curve in the road. Who doesn’t think they have a full life ahead of them when they’re 17-years-old? Foolishness comes with the territory, and Trayvon Martin was a boy, not a man.

I have spoken to adults about real-life incidents like the above examples. When a thrill-seeking teenage boy slams his vehicle into an oak tree, killing him and a few of his best friends, I have been told that, while being a terrible shame, those kids, especially the driver, got what they deserved for being so selfish, silly, stupid and sinful. They should spend the rest of eternity in Hell; all based on one fatal mistake made at a time in life when the brain is far from being fully developed. Who cares what they could have grown up to be?

Take Trayvon Martin. He was suspended from school for 10 days for having a plastic baggy in his possession that contained trace amounts of marijuana. Sure, he was wrong, but so are many other people dating back as far as I can remember, and at pushing 60, I can tell you a lot about the Hippie days of my youth. Did he deserve to die because of it? Absolutely not, but you wouldn’t know it by the remarks made by many people on various blogs, forums and other places where venting is allowed regarding the tragedy that took Trayvon’s young life and what led up to it. As a matter of fact, one such person wrote that it was bad parenting that caused the boy’s death. He should have known better than to walk outside in a world filled with hoodlums. In fact, he was one of them. Of course, the fact that Trayvon walked all the way to a 7-Eleven store and back unscathed had no bearing whatsoever on George Zimmerman’s act of holding up the fort of his own gated community, according to that commenter. To serve and to protect. Oh wait… you have to be a cop to say that, and it’s bad enough for Trayvon’s parents right now without laying another guilt trip on them. It was their fault. Imagine that!

Today, this unfortunate event has spurred all sorts of non-violent social and political unrest, although it has calmed since Zimmerman’s arrest. It’s pitted whites against blacks and blacks against whites in something that needn’t be racial at all except for the perception by some that the Sanford Police Department swept it under the rug for that very reason. I don’t know about that, but I can certainly understand why civil rights leaders attached themselves to this case and how it never would have gotten this far had it not been for the dedication of attorney Ben Crump and others who were willing to keep pressing. This is not just about one boy. It is about the fear of every parent of color living in a predominantly white society. Sadly, it’s also split conservative and liberal values and reaved Republicans and Democrats when this should be nothing more than an issue of justice — plain and simple; and justice comes from a courtroom and nowhere else.

Until this plays out in court, we will continue to argue over truths, half-truths and lies. Factual information will become so distorted that we end up knowing nothing. I saw firsthand how convoluted the facts became throughout the Anthony case, from the beginning to the end. People fought like cats and dogs over a family they didn’t even know. Friendships were lost, smear campaigns took hold, and in the end, nothing was gained. Not even a conviction.

Here we are again. Another tragedy and so much at stake. Tell me, will I lose your friendship today? I hope not, and for the sake of argument, I will readdress a timeline I published one week ago. According to Trayvon’s father, Tracy Martin, and from what investigators told him, George Zimmerman said that he began following the boy and in no time, Trayvon walked over to his truck.

“Why are you following me?” Trayvon asked.

“I’m not following you,” Zimmerman responded after rolling down his window.

Here’s where it falls apart:

7:04 PM:  Trayvon received a phone call from his girlfriend.

7:08 PM:  Trayvon’s phone call with his girlfriend ended.

7:09 PM:  Zimmerman spotted Trayvon while sitting in his truck and called the non-emergency police number. Log records showed the incoming call was received at 7:09:34 PM.

7:10:35 PM: Zimmerman told the dispatcher that Martin was coming toward him.

At no time during this period did Zimmerman say anything to the dispatcher about a verbal exchange between the two, while seated in his truck, nor is there any record of it on the phone call. As a matter of fact, Zimmerman said the boy was running away. This may have had something to do with why a charge was filed. Almost simultaneously, Trayvon was walking toward him and running away, and no verbal exchange took place.

7:11:48 PM: Dispatcher asked Zimmerman which way Martin was running. This is when he exits his truck.

7:12 PM:  Trayvon’s girlfriend called him back.

7:13 PM:  Zimmerman said his truck was parked at a cut-through. 15 seconds later, he lost sight of Trayvon.

It’s very important to note that Zimmerman was in his vehicle until he got out and chased after Trayvon. The dispatcher warned him against doing so upon hearing wind resistance from the cell phone.

7:13:41 PM: Zimmerman ended his call to the dispatcher.

Meanwhile, Trayvon was still on the phone with his girlfriend.

7:15 - 7:16 PM: Trayvon told his girlfriend he thinks he lost the guy. She then heard voices:

Trayvon: Why are you following me?

Zimmerman: What are you doing here?”

Trayvon’s phone cut out at 7:16 (approximate.) His girlfriend said it sounded like the phone was dropped. Who hit who first is a big issue, but it does seem Trayvon got the upper hand.

7:16:11 PM: First of seven 9-1-1 calls came in. A high-pitched male voice is heard screaming for help, and then…

7:16:56 PM: A GUNSHOT IS HEARD.

According to the initial police report, officers Ricardo Ayala and Timothy Smith arrived on the scene at 7:17 PM, seconds after the fatal shot.

When interviewed by the police, Zimmerman was unaware that Martin was on the phone with someone who would offer up a different account. So were the investigators.

What is so sad about this is that people are making up their own facts to suit their versions of events. Of course, the events are mostly based on what we’ve learned from the media and each side’s support group made up of friends and relatives, plus some eye and earwitness accounts. In truth, Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman did not exchange words early on or it would have been recorded. By his own admission to the dispatcher, he reported seeing this boy walking, looking strange and on drugs or something before there was any interaction, and no confrontation while in his truck occurred as he described to the police, if Tracy Martin’s account from investigators rings true.

As far as I’m concerned, all I want is the truth, so help me God. Just give me some truth. Whatever transpired leading up to Trayvon’s death, it had to have happened within the final minute after his cell phone fell silent and that’s all there is to it. One person’s account of events is not adding up.

Aside from a tragic death and the family devastated by it, this will be no picnic for George Zimmerman. For lack of a better way of expressing it in words, he may have won the battle that fateful night of February 26, but the war is far from over. The heavy cost of winning that battle was astronomical, and the horrible consequences now following George are destroying him from within. He will never have a reason to celebrate, even if he beats the second-degree murder charge in court. There will be no sense of achievement, and that, my friends, describes a Pyyrhic victory to a tee. Ad victorem spolias. Just ask the Romans.

I strongly encourage you to read Trayvon Martin: Before the world heard the cries by Daniel Trotta.

Comments

[jd]

LOCATION OF TRAYVON'S BODY PROVES GZ IS LYING

Trayvon's body was found south of the east-to-west cut thru path GZ claims he was walking on to return to his truck. GZ had to close the gap between the two by leaving the route to his truck. His story is that he exited his vehicle NOT to follow Trayvon but instead to "look for a street sign," which is hard enough to swallow, but the proof he's lying exists in the fact that both people were found by officer Timothy Smith between the back to back townhouses, where there are no street signs / house numbers and OFF the path to Zimmerman's vehicle. Zimmerman had no good reason to go in that space unless it was to confront the youth. One person had to divert his path. Trayvon's path was towards his home. GZ's path was to intercept this progress. He was the aggressor.

I suspect Trayvon was waiting out of sight from his car-bound pursuer, having answered his phone that rang just about the time he rounded the corner of the townhouse into it's "backyard/ alley/ dogwalk" area, where he was shot two minutes later. He spent the "missing" time chatting his girlfriend, shaded by patio enclosures and darkness more or less in the same spot where he died, and thus GZ walked past him to the next street on the cut thru, Zimmerman facing east and talking on his phone to the operator. GZ is hesitant to give his address out at this time, for knows this is where he last saw the running youth. Shortly, GZ ends his call by telling the operator for the police NOT to meet him at his car - why then was he "Returning to his vehicle?" Then he walks WEST back towards his truck yes, but also to the path he now knows Trayvon took, having eliminated the idea that he went to Retreat View. Walking west, he spots Trayvon to the south and closes the gap between them by leaving the path and heading south to where the body was found. Each step south he took between the townhouses is in contradiction to his alibi.

We also heard at the bail hearing that there is a witness who saw a TWO PERSON foot chase in the "alley" between and in back of the townhouses where the two were found, one dead, and the other holding a smoking gun in his pants. Even if we are to believe somehow that Trayvon was chasing (the armed) Zimmerman, this is not the story that GZ told the police. His tale involves a short verbal exchange and then a "sucker punch" that puts him on the ground. NO FOOT CHASE.

Zimmerman inserted many exculpatory details into his story, but they don't add up and evidence and witnesses contradict them. He's lying about where he was going and why. That casts doubt on his whole tale.

[Karen C.]

Here's a link to some interesting back info on GZ (and why he may have possessed the mindset he had on that particular night):

http://news.yahoo.com/george-zimmerman-prelude-shooting-194235114.html

[BMan]

JD that is an excellent post and answers a lot of question i had unanswered. Although i have an opinion on the case i dont read every artice but play off what i hear.

in addition to Daves blog there are times i will view other notable sites including a blog by a local florida defense attorney; who is very respectable and provides a very good legal opinion. He started his blog as the Casey/Caylee Marie Anthony case was heating up and has been silent for a while until this case was presented and made mainstream.

He argues the legalities and for the most part he is right on however his most recent post discusses the legalities but only from the point of the last man standing. The difficulty of this case is that there is only one person who was witness to the days events. Sure there are a few witnesses but to what would/will they testify too? A foot chase? Screams?

I disagreed with this bloggers point of view stating that one thing not taken into consideration is the human element. This will go to trial and one thing not anticipated is how the jury will perceive the evidence presented. As i relayed to the blogger: how do you explain the verdict of the KC Anthony Case? My opinion posted to him was similarly structured as yours is/was however I made him Zimmerman and me Martin and asked him to formulate an opinion from that perspective and see if a 2nd degree murder charge would not be substantiated. I think that once Zimmerman was released the chances for conviction under 2nd degree is somewhat deminished so i was/am thinking manslaughter but hope the 2nd.

Either way like you, however i did not realize where Trayvon was found and what Zimmerman was alluding to I simply inferred the "flight or fight' mentality of men. Trayvon may, or may not have, instituted fight rather than flight and there is no shame in that nor is their anything wrong with that.

In the end this attorney blogger does not believe Mr. Zimmerman will be sentenced as there is nothing that can be argued to contridict what Zimmerman says other than the physical evidence, the witness statements, the phone calls--see the facetiousness? ha-ha-ha

In my opinion, as well as possibly yours, Mr. Zimmerman lost his right to self defense/stand your ground once he exited his vehicle and approached, scratch that, persued Martin.

[CherokeeNative]

Zimmerman's attorney appeared on the Anderson Cooper show today and announced that his client has acquired $204,000.00 in donations through his web site in support of his defense. The web site was set up by Zimmerman 14 days ago and included a PayPal button where supporters could donate towards his defense and living expenses while awaiting trial. O'Mara is back peddling and claiming to know nothing about the funds until today. O'Mara represented to the Court at Zimmerman's bail hearing through testimony of Zimmerman's mother, father and wife, that Zimmerman was indigent and could not afford a high bail. When questioned about the website account at the hearing, it seems the only one with information was Zimmerman's brother, who was conveniently not present and O'Mara claimed to be ignorant as well. I ask you - when has an attorney ever forgot to inquire about a little thing such as MONEY?

How is the Martin family going to feel about this? Moreover, the elephant in the room is how is the black community going to look at this? How can anyone possibly look the black community in the eye and convince them that this isn't about racism and expect them to believe that?

A teenage boy is shot down while walking home for nothing more than looking suspicious to a wanna-be-cop and the citizens of the US donate $200k in 14 days during the worst economic times since the depression in order to defend the creep that pulled the trigger? This is an outrage. Something is wrong with our country. I don't care if these donators through ignorance think that by defending GZ they are somehow going to protect their gun rights or save the SYG law -- That's not what it looks like to the black community. If anything, this donation of funds to defend a murderer will set the civil rights movement back 30 years. The best thing GZ could do is donate the money to the civil rights movement because when and if he is ever set free, he will never be able to walk the streets again. But that is the least of my concerns, I feel for the Martins and the black community as a whole on how this looks. In fact, I am disgusted.

[BMan]

Well CherokeeNative: I am reminded of a line in Shawshank Redemption when Tim Robbins character states to the new guy when asked "what you do?" and in response "well, didnt you know, I'm innocent, the lawyer screwed me" The reason it reminds me of this is that for $200K you can conjur or go to the ends of the eath to find a truth that fits your crime. See, if Trayvon was implicated with a gun or a knife or a bat I could see the need to try and get some money for your defense but everything points to a lack of innocence.

See before I could see an "unfortunate accident" and he coming out and saying that while walking Trayvon jumped from the bushes and as a reaction pulled his weapon and fired...twice. I think a reasonable person would view this objectionably and in the end simply accept that this was a tragic accident that involved a death.

However, Zimmerman was following Trayvon in his vehicle. Zimmerman pursued him on foot. Zimmerman pulled a gun. Zimmerman shot Trayvon...twice. Martin has an iced tea and a bag of skittles. Zimmerman now has to formulate a scenario.

The initial post on this page, or perhaps page 2, suggests that according toooooo....someone the injuries on his head were vertical (I think it was George himself) and when the video was released they were horizontal?

Whether or not somone witnessed the incident one would have to know the type of injury sustained which, since i like to play the odds I will BS this part, what if the wounds were self inflicted? Was there any blood on scene belonging to Zimmerman? If his wounds were indeed vertical what could've caused such a wound? Edge of an iced tea can? but they'd be kinda circular...hmmm...well I go nothing...if the argument is that he got it from the edge of the sidewalk i would argue the lack of abrassions often seen with sidewalk type injuries...sidewalks are course and would cause "other" injuries I would suspect?

Either way, with Zimmerman raising money for his defense seems to be excessive when you are innocent but everything he's done to this point is contrived at best?

[Laurali]

I am days late but I may have a question or two. During Z's 911 call you can hear the air when he gets out and follows T. What confuses me is this 7:13:41 PM: Zimmerman ended his call to the dispatcher. At this point he is supposed to be back at his vehicle. However 2 minutes later 7:15 - 7:16 PM: Trayvon told his girlfriend he thinks he lost the guy. She then heard voices:

Here is where I get confused 7:16:11 PM: First of seven 9-1-1 calls came in. A high-pitched male voice is heard screaming for help, and then… You can clearly hear the screams for help. They are in the backyard/sideyard or some kind of yard. No where near the truck. How did that happen IF T jumped Z? Z said he stopped following, there seems to be enough time for him to get back to his truck.

BUT how do they get back in the yard area if he jumped him near his vehicle? Because if you go by the calls they have from that night around 7:15 T ask why are you following me so now are we to believe they fight all the way down the road and up into the grassy area in less than 1 minute because 911 calls start rolling in 45 seconds before he is shot.

I am sure there is a question in here somewhere. LOL Snoopy from my perspective the apology in court Never has any meaning. Most Judges require an apology. Granted this one did not but normally in court an apology is just standard. The apology I received meant nothing. Just azz kissing for the Judge, imo. Again I know I blow in leave a comment and leave but I am trying to do and get better so work with me and know I appreciate all the thoughts and comments about the case. I do not get to keep up with it in the news, I get everything from everyone here. Again Thanks! I do hope you understand my confusion on the time line.

[SnoopySleuth]

Laura, you have mail....

[Laser Haas]

Here's another case of a bad faith shooting by a quick trigger'd Make MY Day Law abide;

29 yr old Daniel Adkins Jr had the mental capicity of a 13 year old.
He was walking with his pet Lab (named Lady) to the Taco Bell
when a person almost hit him and his dog at the Drive Thru cross over
words were exchanged. Daniel waved his arms as his dog was still in front of the truck.

The guy claimed he had no choice but to shoot and kill Daniel
Stating he had a steel pipe or baseball bat - attacking the vehicle.
There was no bat or steel pipe found.

Here is the petition

http://www.change.org/petitions/justice-for-daniel-adkins

Here is my article on the case with some good links

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/05/06/1089165/-SYG-Claims-Mentally-Challenged-Man-at-AZ-Taco-Bell-RIP-Daniel-Adkins-Jr-

[SnoopySleuth]

Laser Haas.... clickable links

Petition

Haas' article and links on Adkins case