The Case for Martin - Stand your Ground.

[DearAbby]

At the club house. You have a guy watching you from his car...you "circle" the car to give the guy notice "Hey I see you watching me" ..Zimmerman could have rolled down his window to say "I am with the neighborhood watch, I am not familiar with you in the area" Zimmerman had rolled up his windows. Martin continues his walk towards home. Telling Jeantal about the creepy cracker. walks around the curve, still observing the parked vehicle Martin turns into the path between houses. then turns again corner at the "T" heading for his Father's house.

Zimmerman loses visual on Martin, tells the dispatcher. Zimmerman moves his vehicle to where he had lost sight of Martin, the headlights shone down the path, he would have taken. In pitch darkness Martin is going to see the lights from the vehicle light up the immediate area behind him..the point where he says "Oh Shit" he steps off the walkway onto the grass. Zimmerman walks by to get the address from the other side, approaches the "T" Looks down and does not see Martin...Martin watches him walk by. Over the phone to Jeantal, they discuss plans of escape. Should Martin Run, and so on.

On his way back to the vehicle Zimmerman is confronted with a very frightened Martin. "Hey man, do you have a problem with me?" Again Zimmerman could have answered, "I am with the neighborhood watch, I am not familiar with you in the area" instead he said "no Problem" Which is a bold face lie. Of course Zimmerman has a problem, he was actively following Martin...At this moment Zimmerman became a threat to Martin. Martin feared for his life.

Under Florida law, if you feel your life is in danger, you can use whatever force necessary to save your life.

Edit: I find it ironic, the defense is trying to claim Zimmerman's injuries may have been slight, but his fear was very real..Martin had no injuries whatsoever when he felt his life was in danger. and he had reason to fear, unfortunately. Martin in my view had equal right to Stand his Ground

[vaberella]

1. The circling thing blows my mind.

Martin was killed less than a block from his house. Based on Zimmerman's testimony about Martin entered the complex, then Martin walked for a while. I also don't see a teen who is going to watch a basketball game circling back when he thinks he's being followed. You'd sooner get home. He might have confronted...maybe...but then I see that being verbal confrontation. Just weird stuff with the comments. That kid was not looking for a fight or circling anything when he would have been home in 45 seconds.

[DearAbby]

3. I doubt the circling part as well...

But giving Zimmerman the benefit of the doubt. He started this chain of events. He could have defused the situation at least two different occasions. Instead he chose to lie to Martin, telling him he had no problem, when it was obvious he did. He was still in active pursuit. Martin at that point feared for his life, or serious bodily harm.

[Escargot]

2. Why would Martin go out of his way to confront Zimmerman . . .

if he was so frightened that he feared for his life? Who did he think Zimmerman was on the phone with?

[DearAbby]

4. Who did Zimmerman think Martin was on the phone with?

[Escargot]

5. He didn't know that Martin was on the phone

Martin was talking on a headset underneath his hoodie.

[DearAbby]

6. And Zimmerman was left handed.

Martin would not have heard Zimmerman talking on the phone, with the phone placed on ear facing away from him. Remember Zimmerman said it was windy. It was also raining. If Zimmerman could not hear Martin while he was talking on his phone...what makes you think Martin could hear Zimmerman?

Does Martin under Florida law have the same right to stand his ground if threatened?

[Escargot]

8. Not heard -- SAW.

SAW Zimmerman on his phone.

[DearAbby]

9. Nice dodge of the question

Does Martin under Florida law have the right to Stand his Ground?

[DearAbby]

7. You also answered your own question...Martin was wearing a head set

and would be unable to hear Zimmerman talking on his phone.

[DearAbby]

12. It cuts both ways

Martin first observes Zimmerman following him in his vehicle, then he parks are watches Martin from within his car. Zimmerman would appear suspicious to Martin. When he followed Martin on foot, he became a person up to NO good...If it had happened to me, I would be thinking sexual pervert. Martin being a 17 yr old had to been told about STRANGER DANGER. He was unarmed, and faced with a possible sexual assault and death. Did he need to be raped or killed before he could throw his first punch?

[Llewlladdwr]

10. So you interpret the words "no problem" to be a threat?

Isn't it possible it could be an attempt to defuse the situation? No problem, no reason for any trouble.

Oh, and under Florida law it's whether or not a *reasonable* person would be in fear for their life, not any particular defendant. You might be scared as hell but if the jury decides your fear was not reasonable then you were not acting in self-defense.

It's possible that had Martin survived he might indeed have a SYG defense for his actions, whatever they were. Martin is not on trial here however, so the point is really moot.

[DearAbby]

11. Yes, Martin knew it was a lie.

Why would someone who doesn't mean you any harm lie to you? Remember he was just 17 and alone. He only had the voice of his friend. Remember what Jeantal testified. These teens were not chatting about the latest record, or what happened in school. They were discussing the Creepy cracker who was following him in his car, then on foot.

Again, Zimmerman being the adult had no reason to lie, why didnt he just say, I am with the homeowners Neighborhood watch? It would have defused the whole situation, and both people would today be leading normal lives.