This is not a fact, this is an assumption.

A correct assumption.

Zimmerman gets the benefit of the doubt that his actions that night were noble. The hypothetical black male will not get that benefit of the doubt.

This reads like a who's on first routine...third base?

This could very well be the case. Sad fact.

However, should George Zimmerman be punished for it? Maybe we can shoot him in the balls and solve racism?

You and others are trying to turn an individual case in an individual place with facts unto itself into an amorphous vehicle with which to prove a larger social point, which is bullshit.

It's gotta start somewhere.

It will start with a wider consideration and revision of laws. It starts with your vote. It should not start with the outsize, political persecution of one man.

So here's the timeline from the thread, to my knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong.

1. Zimmerman follows Martin through his neighborhood by vehicle.
2. Zimmerman exits vehicle and runs through neighborhood to keep following Martin, while on the phone with police.
3. Police tell Zimmerman there is no need for him to follow.
4. 4-5 minutes go by, with Zimmerman not returning to his vehicle for some reason.
5. Martin confronts Zimmerman and the altercation begins.
6. Seconds? Minutes? of the fight go by, in which Martin is on top of Zimmerman, beating him up.
7. With Martin on top of him, somehow Zimmerman removes his gun from his holster and then shoots Martin from close? range.

Good luck with that.

Sounds right.

Zimmerman is almost surely guilty of being overzealous in his busybody neighborhood-watch vigilance, but Martin was beating him to a pulp, he felt a legitimate fear for his life, and he used his gun to defend himself.

It's not.

You could argue that if Zimmerman were black the police would have still followed their initial belief that no crime had taken place, that the nation wouldn't have reacted as they did, and this case would have been closed a year ago.

An interesting video:

Side note, Martin was about a 15 second jog from his home, and made a choice not to go there.

6:24:18 PM — As shown by a store CCTV, Martin purchases a bag of Skittles and an AriZona Watermelon Fruit Juice Cocktail (often described in media and at protests as AriZona iced tea.)
6:54 - 7:12 — Martin has an 18-minute cell phone call with a girl reported to be his girlfriend. The call gets disconnected.
7:09:34 - 7:13:41 — George Zimmerman calls the Sanford Police Department (SPD) from his truck; total time of the call is 4 minutes 7 seconds.
7:11:33 — Zimmerman tells the police dispatcher that Trayvon Martin is running.
7:11:59 — In reply to the dispatcher's question, "Are you following him?" Zimmerman responds with, "Yes." Dispatcher: "OK, we don't need you to do that." Zimmerman: "OK."
7:12:00 - 7:12:59 — The girl calls Martin again at some point during this minute.
7:13:10 — Zimmerman says he does not know Martin's location.
7:13:41 — The end of Zimmerman's call to Sanford police.
7:16:00 - 7:16:59 — Martin's call from the girl goes dead during this minute.
7:16:11 — First 911 call from witness about a fight, calls for help heard.
7:16:55 — Gunshot heard on 911 call.

So I'm assuming the fight started during the 7:16:00 - 7:16:59 mark? Would that be correct?

And in less than a minute Zimmerman was afraid for his life?

You could bust Chip's nose and slam his head against the pavement for at least five minutes before he would say, "My, this is a bit unpleasant."

I never said a minute wasn't a long time in a fight. I asked a simple question. I've seen UFC fights that have ended in 15 seconds.

Also, one minute seems like a very short amount of time to decide if you need to shoot someone.

Zimmerman was scared, had previously seen Martin walk by his car with his hand in his waist, and said he was holding something. He thought Martin was a robber, not a kid carrying skittles. He was then jumped, beaten, and thought Martin was reaching for his gun.

You don't get a lot of time to make a split second decision.

That timeline is not correct. Had the fight started when Martin's call went dead at 7:16:00? If not, and the 911 call about a fight occurred at 7:16:11, that's awfully fast.

Also, why would Zimmerman think Martin was a robber? Because he was black?

Remember when I said you were ignorant regarding this case? This is why, there is so much your not aware of. There has been a string of robberies in the neighborhood, it's why he was playing watchman, why he called the cops, and why he misinterpreted the situation.

I do believe Martin being black played a role, it goes back to my comment on stereotypes earlier.

Timeline was from Wikipedia.

Then make me aware. From everything I've read, I've yet to be convinced that Zimmerman wasn't in the wrong in some way.

To me, the issue isn't the verdict. Based on the evidence it is a clear case of innocent until proven guilty. That's the way the law works and should work in a liberal society.

To me, the issue is rather or not black people would receive the same luxury. I don't think they would. It's just an assumption, but to me that is the true injustice in our society, not the Zimmerman was aquitted.

So because there was a "string of robberies", instead of waiting for the police, Zimmerman decided to act and take the law into his own hands. As someone who has studied law, he should have known what he was doing was not wise, and he was putting himself in a potentially dangerous situation.

Like if a gorilla escaped from the zoo, and I started following the gorilla around, eventually the gorilla is gonna get tired of me doing that and attack. If I shoot and kill the gorilla, would I get arrested?

At its core Chip, all that matters was Martin started the fight, Zimmerman feared for his life and acted in self defense. The rest is all part of the narrative. No evidence was presented that shows beyond a reasonable doubt that Zimmerman acted with any intent or malice.

That's the law.

As DIB mentions, there are many other issues at play here, issues worthy of discussion. I'm sure this saga will continue into a civil trial, where I'd expect Zimmerman will be found guilty (burden is much lower) and much like OJ, taken for every penny he has.

You can't just look at it at its core.

You HAVE to take everything else into account.

God I spent hours debating with a Emotional man who can't go past emotions over this.

I am sorry people need to understand law is not about emotions but proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

The intent that Zimmerman went after Martin to kill him was not proven.
It was not proven that Zimmerman attacked Martin first or was actually winning the fight against Martin.
Martin beat Zimmerman and Zimmerman acted with a weapon which was a gun.

Emotionally Zimmerman should go to jail for manslaughter, however there is not even close to being beyond a reasonable doubt for 2nd degree murder.

If the Federal Govt brings federal charges they are just throwing fire on a bonfire while knowing they will guarantee lose the case.

This is just a sad case but twising the entire system to just get Zimmerman is quite hypocritical.

It's not "emotional" to think that Zimmerman should be guilty of manslaughter.

What a ridiculously emotional assumption.

I agree Emotionally and even legally that Zimmerman is gulity of manslaugter.

However only a person arguing on emotions can saw Zimmerman conducted 2nd degree murder.

Anyways I think the Media is being silly, not everyone is outraged over the case.
Talked to less "attention grabbing friends" and they all mostly think it was not murder.
Just because the usual suspects go on facebook and twitter does not mean everyone thinks this is an outrage...