Where did the process not follow its due course? Do people really think that the police ignored compelling evidence? Do people think the district attorney ignored compelling evidence? Anytime an individual dies the police and district attorney's in every jurisdiction in this country know that the deceased's surviving relatives can bring a wrongful death claim in civil court that creates a discovery context to have access to all the evidence. If the police or district attorney failed to act on compelling evidence their career's are over aren't they? So the police and district attorney failed to act on compelling evidence to protect Zimmerman while putting their careers on the line and their ability to practice law?

"And finally, If the process had been allowed to follow its due course, this would have been swept under the rug already, the media attention is the only thing that might allow a fair consideration of evidence."

Can't say I agree with the apparent general sentiment in this thread on the matter, but I do agree with this sentence 100%. Any time there's a warm gun and a cold body, there needs to be a public trial. What pains me is that incidents far more obviously criminal than this go on every week, but the perpetrator(s) gets away without a peep from the media because he's wearing a badge.

"Do people really think that the police ignored compelling evidence?"

YES!!! They didn't even contact the girlfriend who can be proved to be on the phone with the victim until the media found out days later. Can you explain that? How can you possiblyrespect the initial investigation knowing that fact?

"but I do agree with this sentence 100%"

Sure you do.

The number of bad cops versus everyday decent cops is decidedly in the good cops favor. But the "brotherhood", like the "old money/old boy's club" in business, is unfortunately all to alive and well. If cops would stop worrying about the brotherhood and take their vow to protect and serve more seriously to include turning in their fellow cops when they see them act out of order, then we could reduce the bad cop count even further.

Since there are five threads discussing this topic, I'll just post here.

I admit, I haven't followed this case. I'm busy with a myriad of things right now, and following the current big media (non-)trial is not on my to-do list. I've picked up a lot of the details by reading/skimming these threads, but I wonder if anyone can answer for me, why this case? Why was this particular mismanagement of justice picked up and not another case?

@Santa - Until the media reported it, they didn't know she was on the phone. Sure, it cpuld be proven, but they would have had to check the phone to see he had been on a call as it all went down and probably didn't think about it. If the cops are guilty of anything, it's shoddy investigative work and taking Zimmerman at his word instead of digging deeper. Of course, that is bad enough. They should have done things like check the call log on the phone.

To answer Draug and dubs questions simultaneously. The thing that stood out in thi case is that a black kid, doing nothing wrong was shot dead in a gated community by a white guy, and police, instead of doing their jobs and investigating, took the shooters word and did little else until a media shit storn rained on their heads. There are two perceived levels of racial injustice here, on the part of the shooter and on the part of police, and a dead body on top of that.

and gun laws to boot

How many senseless goddam gun deaths do we have to put up with before these things are banned. How many? Ohio has the same stand your ground law as Florida. That scares the shit out of me.

Is the girlfriend's testimony about what she says that Trayvon said to hear compelling evidence? Does it meet the same standard as a recorded 911 call? Does it meet the same standard as physical evidence collected at the scene? Does it meet the same standard as autopsy information. The girlfriend's testimoy is 3rd party is evidence, but compelling evidence? As for the media creating a fair examination of the evidence. Trayvon's parents are learning what a double-edged inconsiderate role the media plays. The media reports innuendo as if it were absolute facts at times. The legal process needs to run its course. The parent's ability to bring a wrongful death lawsuit is part of the process that is vastly superior to endless media sensationalism that serves no purpose in the justice system.

Thank you Santa. Offhand (having read very little about the case), it sounds like the kid was trespassing (gated community that he doesn't live in? Hello?!). That certainly doesn't justify everything else in the story but I think it's worth including the detail in one's analysis.

Now, can anyone tell me why this /particular/ case of injustice and not another one? This kind of thing happens every day. There are dozens of events to choose from that are going unreported. Why now? Why /this/ case?

It seems that tragic firearm violence does not outweight the desire to protect oneself and property from crime in the United States.

"Offhand (having read very little about the case), it sounds like the kid was trespassing (gated community that he doesn't live in? Hello?!). That certainly doesn't justify everything else in the story but I think it's worth including the detail in one's analysis."

A fascinating detail that I hadn't heard before. I am on the HOA board of a gated community in a bad neighborhood. People report their car burglaries and other victimizations to us at just about every (monthly) meeting and expect us to do something, because the police certainly don't (their 'response' to crime reports is to send a car through on Wednesday afternoons and write parking tickets - and tell people that the HOA has some kind of legal responsibility to prevent crime or compensate victims - which it doesn't). I'm not willing to pass judgement on this situation one way or another at this point, but it does gall me to hear Zimmerman constantly mocked and ridiculed for being a 'self-appointed neighborhood watchman'. Was Kitty Genovese really that long ago? Interesting that people who know the guy are apparently quick to stick up for him.

Emac-

You are just being ridiculous now. A man who was shot was on the phone with somebody directly before the shooting and you arn't even going to check it out? How do you know what kind of evidence it is unless you check it out? And how can you suggest, as you did, that the police crossed their T's and dotted their I's when they didn't?

"Thank you Santa. Offhand (having read very little about the case), it sounds like the kid was trespassing (gated community that he doesn't live in? Hello?!). That certainly doesn't justify everything else in the story but I think it's worth including the detail in one's analysis."

When you assume... He was staying with his father in the gated community, where his father lived. Why would you assume he was trespassing?

christ

and then Tolstoy takes the dub mis-perception and runs with it, Mr. Martin is now a trespasser in a gated community.

"and then Tolstoy takes the dub mis-perception and runs with it, Mr. Martin is now a trespasser in a gated community."

All the more reason to have a public trial. I expect 50-75% of the 'facts' we're pretending to deal with are BS, and many are as yet unrevealed

No, dub assumed from nothing other than hearing the words "Black" and "Gated Community" that the kid was a trespasser. Meanwhile, you ran with it. I have the important facts straight, E-Mac and you continually prove you don't.

but whatever, I'll remember the cautious Tolstoy when his wild accusations on other matters start flying as they are wont to do.

Because you included the detail that no one else had? No one has droned on about how Zimmerman shot a resident, which is kinda foolish on his part as a neighborhood watchman. You'd think as captain he would know his residents? I'm just surprised no one picked up on the detail until you just now related it to me. Seemed important, and since the logical tirade (Zimmerman's ignorance as to community members) hadn't been presented, I assumed the other logical conclusion: trespassing.

As I said, I haven't read much about the case. Clearly I need to leave this matter to the experts and tend to the local unreported crimes in my community that I'm more privy to.

the kid was visiting from his other parent's place, he had gone out to the 7-eleven for some skittles and arizona ice tea.

If the question is why didn't the police contact the deceased's girlfriend the other side of that question is why didn't the girlfriend contact the police? Did she tell the parents? Did the parents inform the police? How does anyone know if the police didn't contact the young lady? Is the source of information a media story? The facts come out in the legal process, and the American justice system provides the remedy of a wrongful death lawsuit which is superior to endless media speculation and sensationalism. Repeating media generated rumors in the absence of verified facts is a waste of time. The family has legal remedies they have chosen not to follow at this time? Why haven't they filed a wrongful death lawsuit if they have conclusive evidence? The family can wait as long as the law allows to do so to make sure they get justice, but the fact that they haven't raises the possibility that they do not have conclusive evidence of the guilt of Mr. Zimmerman.

nothing other than hearing the words "Black" and "Gated Community"

My gods, when you assume... Santa, call everyone else here a racist if you want to, but I would have presumed trespassing all the same. The way it was related, etc, I think it made sense. Obviously I was wrong to draw a conclusion. My deepest apologies to you.

I'm not calling anyone a racist, I am pointing out the assumption that was made. I don't think you are a racist, I think you made a bad assumption based on a story that you expected to hear. Just like E-Mac made the assumption that the police exhausted their leads, and Tolstoy jumped on your assumption. I'm sure I've made a few myself.

"The facts come out in the legal process, and the American justice system provides the remedy of a wrongful death lawsuit which is superior to endless media speculation and sensationalism. Repeating media generated rumors in the absence of verified facts is a waste of time"

Would the facts have come out if the media hadn't found them theirselves? Do you know that E-mac? I think it is unlikely they would have, considering the police were literally informed of the call (which can be obtained in phone records) by the media.

AGAIN I AM ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION EMAC

"Do people really think that the police ignored compelling evidence? "

THEY DID

Care to post another 6 damn questions to avoid answering one?

Asking a question "Did the police ignore credible evidence" is not making an assumption that they police did not follow all leads. Is there any proof the police did not contact Trayvon's girlfriend besides an unverifiable story in a media piece that is chumming the feeding frenzy about this case? Did the girlfriend not contact police for weeks on end about this crucial phone call? Did the girlfriend not contact Trayvon's parents? If the parents knew did they not tell the police? Are there any verifiable facts know to the members of this forum or is regurgitation of medai senstationlism the rule?

Do individuals find it impossible to discuss ideas free of personal banter?

They said the didn't. Is that proof Emac jesus christ are you autistic?

before Emac launches another 15 questions, I'm going to bed, goodnight.