What Everyone Needs To Know About The Smear Campaign Against Trayvon Martin (1995-2012)

[Tx4obama]

What Everyone Needs To Know About The Smear Campaign Against Trayvon Martin (1995-2012)

Over the last 48 hours, there has been a sustained effort to smear Trayvon Martin, the 17-year old African-American who was shot dead by George Zimmerman a month ago. Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, said, “They killed my son, now they’re trying to kill his reputation.”

Thus far these attacks have fallen into two categories: false and irrelevant. Much of this leaked information seems intended to play into stereotypes about young African-American males. Here’s what everyone should know:

1. Prominent conservative websites published fake photos of Martin. Twitchy, a new website run by prominent conservative blogger Michelle Malkin, promoted a photo — purportedly from Martin’s Facebook page — that shows Martin in saggy pants and flipping the bird. The photo, which spread quickly on conservative websites and Twitter, is intended to paint Martin as a thug. As Twitchy later acknowledged, it is not a photo of Trayvon Martin. (Examiner)

2. The Sanford Police selectively leaked irrelevant, negative information about Martin. The authorities told the Orlando Sentinel this morning that Trayvon was suspended from school for ten days “after being found with an empty marijuana baggie.” There is no evidence that Martin was under the influence of drugs at the time of his death, nor would prior possession of marijuana be a reason for killing him. It’s unclear what the relevance of the leak was, other than to smear Martin. (Orlando Sentinel)

<SNIP

Rest of article/list here: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/03/26/452310/what-everyone-needs-to-know-about-the-smear-campaign-against-trayvon-martin-1995-2012/

[AzDar]

1. K & R

[GopperStopper2680]

2. DU Rec

I've given you a recommend. Thanks for posting this. This vicious smear campaign against the innocent victim of a cold blooded murder is yet another outrage following on the wings of the first. Thank you for doing your part to help tear it down.

[Tx4obama]

10. You're welcome :) n/t

[Blue_Roses]

3. K&R

[JDPriestly]

4. Zimmerman probably won't take the stand.

His 911 call will be his evidence.

Usually the prosecution has the initial burden of proof and then the defendant has to prove his defenses -- like defense of self or others.

I would be interested in learning how the shifting of these burdens works under the new Florida law. Anyone know?

[CAPHAVOC]

21. He will

Claim he was retreating. This means the state will have the burden of proving he attacked Martin and was not retreating. His claim is that Martin attacked him. The state will have to prove this claim to be false. Now. I want to know who the state can call as a witness against Zimmerman. In court. Not on TV or on the internet.
They say a good prosecutor can indict a Ham Sandwich with a Grand Jury. We will see.

[saras]

38. He got out of the car and confronted Martin. That gave Martin the right to kill Zimmerman

NOT the other way round.

[tabatha]

39. Yes, you are correct.

Martin was the one who could justify "stand your ground".

[JDPriestly]

42. Outside the grand jury, where the evidence will

be ambiguous enough to permit an indictment depending on the jury, Zimmerman can't claim he was retreating unless he testifies.

So he won't claim he was retreating if I am correct about the fact that he won't testify.

Why do I say the evidence was ambiguous enough? Because Trayvon was legally within the housing development, because there were lots of witnesses, because of the lack of forensic evidence, because Trayvon was clearly headed toward the house where he was staying, because Zimmerman's call to 911 describes Trayvon as running toward that very house.

And Zimmerman can't afford to testify. Remember the OJ case? He did not testify either.

The jury simply analyzed the evidence, and decided that there was not enough evidence to convict. That could happen here, but as with OJ, that kind of resolution to the case will not rehabilitate Zimmerman's reputation.

And, if Zimmerman is a gun-happy guy with an uncontrolled temper, he will, like OJ, get into trouble again. Zimmerman will not be able to live his life in peace, sheltered from scrutiny, not unless he testifies and proves that he really was acting in self-defense.

I think that is going to be hard to do -- prove that he really was acting in self-defense.

What happened was really quite commonplace. A mature man and a 17-year-old boy who could be taken for a man are walking down a street alone. But this time, something unusual happened. The mature man started to follow the boy, and the boy ran (from Zimmerman's phone call).

At this point, we do not really know what happened. Zimmerman is reported to have claimed that Trayvon turned and attacked him. Why would Trayvon do that? Let's say that Zimmerman testifies to that effect. Then the question will be, why would Trayvon turn and attack? Did Trayvon feel threatened? If so, why? Was it something Zimmerman did or said? Was Zimmerman following Trayvon in a way that frightened Trayvon? This is the crucial moment. Zimmerman will hem and haw, and if he doesn't and tells a story exonerating himself, not even he will believe it. Because at that crucial moment, something happened between Zimmerman and Trayvon that Zimmerman may not even be willing to remember, much less testify about.

Remember, if Zimmerman testifies, he faces cross-examination.

One thing that makes it unlikely that Trayvon turned and fought is the fact that Zimmerman was Hispanic/white and Trayvon was a young, African-American. Trayvon was old enough to know that the benefit of the doubt would not be his birthright if he turned and picked a fight. The story attributed to Zimmerman does not makes sense.

But more important, we see in this example why this stand your ground law cannot work in a case in which two individuals are both where they are supposed to be, but one mistakenly thinks the other is dangerous. Any mother knows how hard it is to decide which kid started the fight once both kids are in the midst of it. And each kid will say the other started. It's the job of the jury to try to make sense of that kind of chaos in murder cases, not the one who happens to make it out alive.

What would have happened if both Zimmerman and Trayvon had been legally in the housing development, Zimmerman had been unarmed and had followed Trayvon. What if under these facts, Trayvon had been the one with the gun and Trayvon had shot Zimmerman. Do you realize that Trayvon, under this crazy law, would not have stood trial? The law would have given the benefit of the doubt to Trayvon. With this law, the one with the gun pretty much always survives, while the unarmed, under-aged kid . . ., or imagine a mom with a stroller or an elderly man out for an evening stroll . . . . .

[xxqqqzme]

59. How is Martin allegedly beating

up zimmerman and talking on the phone to his girlfriend at the same time?

[JDPriestly]

84. Good question, but that seems to be Zimmerman's claim.

I still wonder where Trayvon's headphones are if he really had them on.

[CAPHAVOC]

77. Valid points

But in my opinion the Central Florida Prosecutors are Gun Shy. HLN and the usual Media Reptiles are already on the case. They fear another Casey Anthony extravaganza. All that is needed is for him to hire Jose Baez as his lawyer. I can see it now. It has everything. Latino v Black racism. Dueling expert witnesses. The whole 9 yards. Media lawyers distorting the evidence. Amazing.

[magical thyme]

79. except for a couple of points

"A mature man and a 17-year-old boy who could be taken for a man are walking down a street alone. But this time, something unusual happened. The mature man started to follow the boy, and the boy ran (from Zimmerman's phone call)."

This was not 2 people walking down the street alone. Zimmerman was initially in his car and followed Trayvon, then got out of his car. He needs to answer why he followed him in the car and why he got out of his car and followed him on foot.

Following him in his car, and then exiting the car and following him on foot are, in themselves, threatening to anybody who *has* been followed by a stranger. (I know I had somebody follow me in their car when I had walked to a corner store in the small city I used to live in. He was clearly after me, repeatedly passed me from one direction and then the next, yelling something at me each time he drove by. And then as I was approaching the street I lived on that ended in the complex I lived in he pulled into a parking lot, watching me and yelling something at me. I was *terrified.* Absolutely *terrified.* Under Florida law, I could have continued home and if he continued to follow me, shot him. And believe me, had I been armed I would have.)


"we see in this example why this stand your ground law cannot work in a case in which two individuals are both where they are supposed to be,"

I don't believe Zimmerman was where he was supposed to be. Did he live on that particular street?

[riderinthestorm]

86. It seems as though Trayvon decided to cut through someone's backyard

I presume that's why Zimmerman got out of his car - to follow him.

Zimmerman was acting as the neighborhood watch captain so it makes sense he would be all over that neighborhood, and not necessarily on his own street.

Disclaimer: I'm not defending Zimmerman at all, just answering magical thyme's questions. Zimmerman needs to be taken into jail immediately for murder imho.

[magical thyme]

91. then we have 2 people who were not where they were supposed to be

One who was running away from a stranger who was chasing him in his car.
The second chasing a stranger.

I have been followed by a stranger in a car when I walked to a nearby convenience store one afternoon. It is an incredibly panic-stricken experience because you know you are running for your life. I was prepared to run into a nearby apartment building to hopefully hide from him but chose a different course of action.

I also chased some kids on foot once. They were grabbing onto rear bumpers at a stop sign to be dragged down the street in snow for fun. The slow kid that I was able to keep up with cut through a *lot* of people's back yards before I knocked on his door, caught up with him in his own kitchen and had a conversation with his parents.

[JDPriestly]

88. I'm not sure how it works in criminal law as to burden shifting.

There is no question that Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin, at least no question that I am aware of. Wouldn't self-defense be Zimmerman's defense? Wouldn't the burden of proving his defense, all elements in his defense, fall on Zimmerman? Therefore, wouldn't Zimmerman have to prove that his killing of Trayvon was self-defense? Doesn't that mean that Zimmerman would have to show that his belief that Trayvon was a danger to him was reasonable?

[CAPHAVOC]

89. I do not know.

I do know that the media trial is a different animal than a real trial. I am waiting to find out. Some cases are just hard to figure. Like this one. And Casey Anthony. And OJ. And Duke LaCross.

[yardwork]

29. It's not clear that Zimmerman will ever be charged with anything. That's the purpose of all this.

Zimmerman's family is spending a great deal of money to make this go away. They almost succeeded once, as the local police department was persuaded (easily, it seems) to decide that this was self-defense. The Sanford police department was not going to press charges against Zimmerman.

But Trayvon's family wasn't that easily pushed around. They hired an attorney, held press conferences, and this got picked up by the national media. Now a grand jury will be seated and the state of Florida and FBI are investigating. So now Zimmerman's family has gone on the offense again, attempting to change the narrative and make sure that this goes away again.

[Thinkingabout]

5. Would be interesting to see Zimmerman's record and a hair folicle test

Maybe we should have test on the police at the scene also.

[Chemisse]

6. I'm watching Chris Matthews and he is interviewing a "friend" of Zimmerman

Who happens to be well-spoken, intelligent, and a strong defender of Zimmerman. He also happens to be (happily for Zimmerman) black.

I smell a rat. I wonder if the legal team rented a "friend".

[PA Democrat]

23. I think the friend lost a lot of people when he made the ridiculous comment about

Zimmerman using the word "goon" to describe Martin. He said that his teenage daughter said it was a term of endearment.

[csziggy]

24. Joe Oliver, former CNN anchor?

Check out this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002475727

Oliver's Zimmerman's new friend for this week. I wonder who they'll trot out next week to prove Zimmerman is multi-cultural?

[K Gardner]

36. I was SHOCKED that Matthews let the "goon is endearment" statement go

unquestioned. Disgusting.

[nineteen50]

7. Why does this remind me of Terri Schiavo?

[Cali_Democrat]

8. Thank for the post, Tx

I'm so close to losing my mind over this it's not even funny.

I think I need a break.

[Tx4obama]

11. We all need a little break from time to time :)

[Iliyah]

9. ALEC and NRA "Self-Defense Law"

needs protection. Trash Trayvon any means necessary. Lie, distort, water down, cover up, etc.

The Sanford Police Department are the ones allowing bits and pieces of information coming out, i.e. to the corporate media and news papers.

[mzmolly]

12. Empty marijuana baggie?

Last I checked, one could not tell a sandwich baggie, from a marijuana baggie. *Sigh

[snooper2]

34. I can LOL

First of all, smell, unless you are smoking that shit rag weed..

Second, the crinkles from rolling it up tight so it stays fresh..

Third, the crystals left on the inside, again if you get the good shit


I usually roll them up into a small ball and hit the plastic with my lighter for a sec, all good for disposal then

[mzmolly]

71. I don't recall

wrinkles on bags, or crystals in the unlaced pot I came across in my youth.

I think the claim is absolutely ridiculous.

[snooper2]

80. "unlaced pot" LOL, you must have been smoking the rag weed

I'm sorry

You'll know it's good when it sticks to your fingers

[mzmolly]

82. I had access to a variety, actually.

I guess it helps when you live in an area surrounded by drug dealers?

Regardless, the hairs in your photo would not leave evidence in a baggy, sans the use of a microscope. As you stated, the hairs are sticky (when fresh). They stick to fingers and surrounding plant. Not plastic bags.

This was popular when I was young, and doing foolish things to my lungs and brain.



It's not rag weed, and it's not loaded with anything I'd define as a crystal.

[riderinthestorm]

87. I can speak to the empty baggie and how the cops knew it was MJ at school....

The school brings in drug sniffing dogs who just go down the row of lockers. The dogs "alert" on a locker that has weed or weed residue. That locker is then opened and searched, the kid is brought into the principal's office for questioning. I presume that's what happened to Trayvon. Its pretty SOP in most schools. My daughter's been going through a rough time with drugs in the past year and the dog "alerted" on her school locker last year so I know the protocol (fwiw, I was called by the school as soon as the dog hit on her locker, even before they pulled her out of class for a search and questioning).

My daughter had no paraphernalia or drugs, or even empty pot baggies (but she could have) THAT day so she was let off but that just means the teachers, admin and police liaison know who to keep tabs on at the school for potential drug trouble.

I suspect Trayvon had been caught with other paraphernalia or even drugs in the past, and was suspended because he came up with suspicious MJ items (again?). A 10 day suspension is pretty serious stuff so this wasn't a first offense imho.

[mzmolly]

92. Eh. More speculation.

I was suspended seven days for saying "damn" in school. I'm not convinced that a serious infraction occurred. Regardless, it's irrelevant.

[RufusTFirefly]

13. Guess what? The propaganda's working

Keep your eye on the ball, folks.

An armed man who was following a candy-carrying kid (and was expressly told not to by the 911 operator) shot and killed him and has not even been apprehended! A shooter is at large! WTF?

[lunasun]

74. It not only the outrage at the justice system But

for real this Zimmerman guy is messed up - what if he goes on a rampage in Fl rather that going in jail in the end - this is a threat to all of society to leave a mentally unevaluated shooter like this out on the street. let him prove his innocence in court(after trial evaluation). He does not fall under protection of the act's wording

[Ken Burch]

14. There was also a claim that Trayvon had been suspended for assaulting a school bus driver.

Again...even if that HAD been true, Zimmerman wouldn't have known of it and it wouldn't have justified Zimmerman pursuing Trayvon AGAINST specific instructions from the 911.

[barbtries]

15. the lawyer for the woman who killed my daughter

did an interview trashing my daughter which ran in the local paper. i nearly had a stroke. i feel for Trayvon's family and can hardly believe that anyone is buying this bullshit. it's just more proof that racism is alive and well in the USA. in the 21st century.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

16. Heartbreaking!!!

Some people have no sense of decency...
I admire you so much for everything you're doing to bring this to light!

[barbtries]

65. thank you.

i'm not doing much, just paying attention.

[yardwork]

31. I am so sorry for your loss. That is terrible.

Thank you for posting about your experience. It makes a difference when people hear how these tactics affect people.

[barbtries]

64. thank you.

i find it revolting (that's not the word i'm trying to find but it will do in a pinch) that the police are spreading bullshit, the media is repeating bullshit, and right wing pundits are making up and disseminating still more bullshit to deflect the issue away from the crime of murder as they badmouth a 17-year-old UNARMED person who can no longer speak for himself.

[yardwork]

72. I agree with you.

[etherealtruth]

60. I am so sorry

I truly wish I had more to offer you; of course there isn't, but I am so sorry

[barbtries]

62. thank you.

it's been a lot of years now. seeing what they're trying to do to Trayvon reminded me

[ellisonz]

17. K & R

[Major Hogwash]

18. When the truth comes out about what happened, the Sanford Police are going . . .

. . to have to get a whole new department of managers. The leaked information is not only illegal, it is more proof of a civil rights crime and a cover up.

[RitchieRich]

49. great point

[DLevine]

19. I think this will backfire.

Too much light is being shed on these cockroaches.

[Cooley Hurd]

20. Everyone should watch this video to see how the Sanford PD is using local media...

...to forward their smear. The Orlando Sentinel should FIRE this reporter TODAY for allowing herself to be such a willing participant to this smear. Watch how she refuses to answer LO's question about the source to her story and launches into a verbatim missive of events as per the Sandford PD/Zimmerman's lawyers:

[KurtNYC]

26. it's like Roger Waters' evil half twin got a job

with the Orlando Sentinal

[Blue_Tires]

33. shameful...

But I knew when that Sanford chief had to step down out of embarrassment, the gloves would come off and they'd start the scorched earth tactics...

[JDPriestly]

43. She is a reporter. She has a right to protect her source.

It is her source who may have a problem -- but it depends. It may be that no one is in trouble on this.

[truedelphi]

57. That is a good point. A reporter does have the right to protect

The source.

[Cooley Hurd]

73. It has nothing to do with her source. It has everything to do with her willingness to slant...

...her story to retain access to that source.

[spicegal]

22. Once again, it shows just how incredibly despicable the right wing has become.

A child is dead because some policeman wannabe stalked him with a gun, shot him, and was charged with NOTHING. This is what they're defending. I don't know Zimmerman's true motive or precisely what happened, but clearly, the PD did not investigate. The question is why? By now, valuable forensic evidence has been lost.

[CanonRay]

25. This is a goodindication of how far the right will go to achieve their ends

smear a dead 17 year old kid...nice.

[just1voice]

27. Just as hideous are CNN, AP, Reuters and every other MSM propaganda firm

They will say absolutely anything at any time regardless of legitimacy, reality or even sanity.

[auburngrad82]

28. Isn't it against the law to disclose information about a minor?

i.e. the school suspension? If so, then the Sanford PD has some serious questions to answer.

[JDPriestly]

44. Depends on Florida law.

[yardwork]

30. Thank you for this OP. The least we can do is keep pushing for the truth. K&R

[GoCubsGo]

32. Defame and distract. It's what they do.

It's the Sandra Fluke-"blame the victim" tactic all over again. People in my town are STILL whining about Bill Maher and Ed Schultz, when it was Rush Limbaugh who spent three days smearing and lying about this woman in the most vile ways imaginable. Now, it's all about hoodies and empty "pot baggies". Same shit, different day.

[meforprez]

56. huh?

How exactly is Sandra Fluke a victim?

[GoCubsGo]

66. I take you slept throught the past few weeks?

Missed Limbaugh going on for THREE days, calling her a slut and other nasty vile names, lying about her, and stating that he wanted her to post videos on the Internet of herself having sex, did you?

[GoCubsGo]

67. Furthermore...

My point is not that Sandara Fluke is a "victim", although she IS a victim of Limbaugh's filthy lies and attacks. My point was that the right has been trying to make that whole episode about one petty comment Bill Maher made about Sarah Palin, rather than the three days of invective Limbaugh was spewing at Ms. Fluke.

[truedelphi]

58. I hear you. the Masters of Spin, propped up by the

Murdoch's of the world, go on with their vile portrayals.

And there are far too many Zimmerman's in Florida. Which makes the job of putting together smear tactics all that much easier.

[AtheistCrusader]

35. The only 'revelation' of any interest is the witness that claims

he attacked Zimmerman. All this bullshit with the alleged empty pot baggie, etc, all character assassination.

The only thing of relevance is how the events unfolded that day, that led to the shooting.

[wildeyed]

37. It was bound to happen.

Blame the victim. He deserved to be killed because he was uppity to a white man? WTF is wrong with these people? What decade do they think we are living in? At my work place, we suspect white teenagers of marijuana use occasionally. It never occurred to me that my suspicions gave me the right to murder them. Mostly I warn the parents of my suspicions and if that doesn't effect a change, I ban them from the premises. I did much, much worse when I was a teenager, but being a white and from an educated background, it was seen as amusing and wild behavior, not something punishable by death. These people are INSANE.

[Blue_Tires]

40. We've had enough trolls now that I can nail down a pretty distinct pattern

Troll memes (be aware also of any news story that has them):

"There has been speculation on BOTH sides"

"The story may not be how it was first reported"

"Zimmerman had a 'broken nose' and 'smashed head'"

"Zimmerman was blindsided as he returned to his truck" (or any variation of the 'Martin attacks' meme, i.e., Martin tried to grab the gun, etc.)

"Zimmerman has gotten death threats/is depressed-sad-remorseful/has cried for days/can't come forward and tell his story because of the 'bounty'"

"Race had nothing to do with the shooting because Zimmerman is latino and had black friends, relatives, etc."

"There isn't enough evidence to charge Zimmerman"

"The media has been led by emotion/too sensationalist/run with too much hearsay/incited mob mentality/worsened racial harmony and the story will change when all the facts (bullshit, yet-to-be-made-up-memes) come to light"

"Zimmerman made the neighborhood safer, and was only on the lookout because of a rash of burglaries done by person or persons unknown who fit Martin's description"

"There's nothing wrong with following someone 'suspicious looking'"

"The media is being unfair and trying to sway opinion by showing the "younger" Martin photo and the Zimmerman mugshot"

"Certain people are using this case to meet a political end"

And anyone trying to make this "just" an issue or arguement over who attacked who first while disregarding everything that led up to that moment, as it the entire case hinges on that determination...

Feel free to add some more...They're getting churned out pretty regularly now...

[Hatchling]

41. This needs a thread of it's own. nt

[metalbot]

46. So basically, you define trolling as "wanting us to make arrests based on actual evidence"?

While I agree that most of your quotes are totally irrelevant to Zimmerman's guilt, there are four that stand out:

1. "Zimmerman had a 'broken nose' and 'smashed head'"

If Zimmerman sustained injuries, then it bolsters his claim to self defense, which is literally the key point on whether a prosecution of Zimmerman could be successful.

2. "There isn't enough evidence to charge Zimmerman"

There's not. If there were, he'd be charged. A district attorney could make a name for himself by prosecuting and winning this case. Now, the police may have royally screwed up the investigation, but that doesn't change the fact that we as a society would prefer to indict people based on actual evidence.

3. "There's nothing wrong with following someone 'suspicious looking'"

It's dead stupid to follow someone around for looking suspicious, especially after 911 tells you not to. However, doing something stupid does not necessarily forfeit your right to claim self defense. I could go wandering into some bad neighborhoods tonight. That would be remarkably stupid. However, it wouldn't mean that I had no right to defend myself.

4. "And anyone trying to make this "just" an issue or arguement over who attacked who first while disregarding everything that led up to that moment, as it the entire case hinges on that determination... "

Sorry, but from a legal perspective, the entire case really might hinge on that. If this was not self defense, then it was murder. Whether or not this case was self defense from a legal perspective is primarily going to come down to which party assaulted the other first. Now, it's also very possible that Martin thought that HE was acting in self defense by punching the guy who was following him. Unfortunately, he can't tell that side of the story, but even if he could, Zimmerman could still argue self defense.


I think it's fair to have a discussion about "justice" in this case, but it has to be done on two levels. Zimmerman has a right to all of the legal protections that the law offers him. We offer those legal protections to everyone whether they are "guilty" or "innocent" in the eyes of some higher power that has the ability to make that judgement before a trial. That's one form of justice. Martin's family has a right to some answers. That's another form of justice. Both of those have to operate within our legal framework, rather than in the framework of public opinion.

[Blue_Tires]

48. yes, but

1. The validity of Zimmerman's injuries are easily determined...There will be a record of treating a broken nose, and a "smashed head" would, uh, pretty much have killed him (remember these are the meme terms everyone is parroting)

2. I was listing that more as a universal denial versus a botched/covered up/complicit police investigation

3+4. I've said from the start that Zimmerman made himself the aggressor and put Martin on defense by following him in his truck (it's not like he had the brains to be subtle about it), and Zimmerman is nothing but a strange weirdo as far as Martin is concerned...By the time Zimmerman gets out the truck to accost Martin (for god knows what reason), Martin's psyche is already in 'fight or flee' mode (as would any normal person's)...Now, I don't know if that is enough to settle the legal arguement based on Florida law, OR if what Zimmerman did can be legally considered as harassment/intimidation, but it can NOT be simply disregarded as people are trying to do..

[noiretextatique]

51. when you beg for a confrontation, then claim self-defense

you've lost all credibility. if zimmerman was the aggressor, and from the 911 tapes, it seems that he was, then he has no claim to self-defense. and the only person who keeps saying Martin was the aggressor, besides the corrupt Sanford PD, local news, the rw noise machine...is zimmerman. and frankly, he is story is not believable, and he is not credible. he has a history of violence, he had a gun, and he did not stand down after the dispatcher repeatedly told him to do so. and he had no business following martin in the first place, since he wasn't a part of any official neighborhood watch program. he was an armed vigilante looking for trouble. unfortunately, Trayvon was unlucky be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

[CAPHAVOC]

78. This is a media trial

Rules of evidence and the burden of proof are irrelevant. I even saw an MSNBC Anchor say he should be arrested without any charges filed yesterday in the AM. The Media Jury has already reached a verdict. The trial is just to force square speculations in to the round holes of actual admissible evidence in an actual criminal court. If evidence does not fit you must not acquit. Any exculpatory evidence will not be allowed to interfere with the verdict.

[got root]

85. wrong on many counts

there should've been an arrest (as the lead homicide detective wanted) on day one, and then a fair investigation leading up to his fair trial.

but there has plainly been a travesty of justice, thus far... lets hope our collective voices will wake some SOBs up in authority, and have them Do the right thing.

[noiretextatique]

52. "why do they keep showing pictures of him when he was 9 years old?"

there is a picture being spread around that is not Trayvon, but some idiots are convinced it is him. freepers keep claiming there is a liberal media conspiracy to show the worst photos of zimmerman, while showing pictures of Trayvon when he was younger sometimes i think we should just them have a couple of states, and let them have their racist theocracy.

[Starry Messenger]

55. No shit. We need a bingo card.

We can just call out the numbers.

[morningfog]

69. Nothing like a race muder to bring the racists out of the woodwork.

[2ndAmForComputers]

70. You forgot one:

"Someone sent me this, is it true?"

Some here know what I mean.

[obamanut2012]

81. +1

[Uncle Joe]

45. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Tx4obama.

[sonias]

47. K&R

Like his parents have said

“They killed my son, now they’re trying to kill his reputation.”

This young man does not deserve to die again. Do not let the media and the right wing kill this young man again.

[myrna minx]

50. K&R

This is unconscionable.

[robinlynne]

53. This simply makes us all even angrier, and say louder "no justice, no peace".

[Tx4obama]

54. Also, here's a link to a DIFFERENT list regarding 'the case'

27 item list: What Everyone Should Know About Trayvon Martin (about the case)
Article / List here: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/03/18/446768/what-everyone-should-know-about-about-trayvon-martin-1995-2012/

p.s. This is a different LIST, not the same one that is in the OP up above.

[WillyT]

61. HUGE K & R !!! - Thank You !!!

[fascisthunter]

63. here in Boston Leaflets are being Passed out at a Train Station

to counter the right wing propaganda. Wow... you should see the public reactions.

Just want to post some good news... people are finding out the truth.

[McCamy Taylor]

68. Are they allowed to release info about a juvenile?

And can the family sue the people who posted a fake picture for defamation?

[rocktivity]

75. Did they also leak the irrelevant information

that Zimmerman's father is a retired judge? Or that he has three "closed" arrests, one of which involved assaulting an officer?


rocktivity

[alp227]

76. MALKIN runs twitchy??? I did NOT know that.

That must be why the site promoted right wing twitter messages. I discovered that site thru google search.

[drynberg]

83. RW LIES, HIDING THE SAD FACT OF MURDER

Shame on their lying asses, but I believe, just as in the GOP this year, they ain't got nothin' and they are going down in the courts of Justice. Oh yeah, believe it.

[redgreenandblue]

90. A classic smear campaign. Somehow puts me in mind of the Gaza flotilla raid.

Withholding evidence. Selective leaking of negative information. Professional apologists on TV trying to establish that at the very least "both sides were at fault".

Another somewhat similar case would be the response to the "collateral murder" video.

[Better Believe It]

93. Kick