Lessons Learned: Zimmerman vs. Martin

[WiseOwl]

I learned one very important thing from this incident. Do not shoot a minority for any purpose, offense or defense. If you do, make sure you have an out of this world lawyer or know a pig farmer.
:p

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[Matt In Oklahoma]

Excellent advice BillM. Matt sent this to me. You may have already seen this but I'll share it for anyone who might not have.
Rules For The Gunman
1). Don't carry the gun to make you a man. Carry because you are in fact a man.
2). Always carry your gun regardless of social pressures
3). If you can't physically carry a gun, always have a knife.
4). Whenever you carry a gun, also carry a knife...and some spare ammunition.
5). Carry the gun you can use best regardless of social fashion
6). Make sure you are good with that gun through continual and obsessive practice
7). Don't bluff or threaten with the gun. If you pull it, be certain you are justified and willing to use it.
8). Using it means shooting the other man or men in the chest and/or the face. Yes, it means killing.
9). If you can avoid having to shoot, it is a good thing, but do not second guess yourself once it has begun.
11). To facilitate the former, do not go to stupid places with stupid people to do stupid things at stupid times.
12). If you are involved in such activities, take a team with you....and rifles.
13). The default should be to mind your own business.
14). The only time minding your own business is superceded by getting involved is if what you see shocks the conscience of humanity and needs to be stopped.
15). The amount of violence you can justify and the number of rules you can break is directly proportionate to the level of evil displayed by your adversary.
16). Never apologize for using violence. Not only is it indicative of weakness but also of a lack of moral standing.

Just so we dont upset no one, that came from Gabe Suarez and Warrior Talk News

[MustangGal]

Excellent advice BillM. Matt sent this to me. You may have already seen this but I'll share it for anyone who might not have.

Rules For The Gunman


1). Don't carry the gun to make you a man. Carry because you are in fact a man.

Heaven help me! I hope carrying a gun doesn't make me a man!

Sorry. I simply could not help myself!

[WiseOwl]

Heaven help me! I hope carrying a gun doesn't make me a man!

Sorry. I simply could not help myself!

AHAHAHAHAHAH...this made me laugh for real

[Mjollnir]

I haven't been following this very closely, but it did strike that there are a few lessons to be learned from even a superficial examination of the events that happened in Florida. I know I'm not getting them all, but I wanted to start the discussion, so please chip in. We can all stand to learn from this.

If you are looking for lessons from this then you need to look at everything very closely! Otherwise, you will come to incorrect conclusions based on limited and incorrect info.

1. Zimmerman went looking for trouble, and he found it. He assigned himself as "block captain" or some such in a neighborhood patrol. He was being Captain America, and doing that now can get you into more trouble than you want to deal with.

While he did volunteer for the neighborhood watch program he was appointed to the captain position by his HOA and the local PD. "As the only person to volunteer when the homeowners association wanted to organize a community watch,[42] Zimmerman was appointed coordinator by his neighbors, according to Wendy Dorival, Neighborhood Watch organizer for the Sanford Police Department.[47] The February 2012 homeowner association newsletter requested that crime victims "call our captain, George Zimmerman" after calling the police.[9]" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shootin...hborhood_watch


2. Zimmerman called it in, then didn't disengage. Even after the 911 operator told him not to follow the kid, he did it anyway.

This statement is a good reason why you need to look very closely at the events you are trying to take lessons from.

3. Zimmerman got close enough to the kid to engage him. Why? He could have backed off and let the designated law enforcement take care of it. I am not going to stand by and watch some thug rape or murder someone, but this was obviously not the case.

..... and not how it was reported to the police as going down either. See my comment for #2.

4. The kid was where he shouldn't have been. If you walk around a gated community at 3 a.m., somebody is going to wonder what you're up to. People live in gated communities because they're a little paranoid to begin with, and if you do anything even a little 'out of line' according to their perceptions, you're asking for trouble. The key phrase there is "their perceptions." Don't expect people to bother with the hard part, like thinking.

The kid was within his rights to be there. People don't just live in a gated community out of paranoia. That is like saying people carry a CCW, have medical insurance, lock their doors, etc., etc. out of paranoia. It is simply just another layer of protection.

5. Zimmerman's life is now changed forever. No matter what comes of the trial, or charges, or whatever, he's screwed. He will spend every dime he has, or is likely to have in the foreseeable future, to keep out of prison.

Agreed.

6. Don't expect fair treatment. The media has the guy convicted, without even bothering to learn what really happened. The police originally said they weren't going to file charges, and then changed their minds after the media started doing their thing. What was originally a "no bill" turned into charges of "second degree murder" mainly because of the press.

Police didn't change their minds, that was the District Attorney's office making that call. This is not uncommon. They have to build the evidence to support the case. They cannot arrest you and leave you in jail to rot while they try to find the evidence they need to make a sound case.

7. The anit-gun people are looking for a cause, and you might be it. No matter how cut and dried, or how justifiable, if you use a gun and somebody ends up dead, they're coming after you. Again, I'm not going to stand and watch someone rape or kill someone for grins, and if someone pulls a gun on me they'd better be pulling the trigger at the same time, but it pays to be aware.

Agreed, anti-gunners are looking for any event that could potentially further their cause.

8. What Zimmerman did right: He stuck to his story. He felt his life was in danger, said that, and stuck with it. Don't even THINK about changing your story. Don't even THINK about showing the slightest bit of doubt. That will be translated into remorse, and you can't be sorry for something you had every right to do, right? If you project that you're sorry, you're saying that you could have avoided the situation or whatever. You tell the police that you did it, because your life or another person's life was in danger, and then you STFU! The ONLY thing you say to the police after that is, "I want a lawyer." Then you don't say another word until the lawyer gets there.

I like Massad Ayoob's approach(paraphrasing here), " I was attacked and forced to defend myself. I am willing to cooperate fully with investigators but I am current emotionally shaken and would like to consult my lawyer."

9. If you're involved in a situation where the other individual is a person of color, and it really doesn't matter which one, expect some idiot to find and release your home address. You will probably be able to sue the idiot later, like the old people are suing Spike Lee for telling the world that Zimmerman lived at their address, but it won't help you if the mob shows up and burns your house down with you in it.

It doesn't have to be a person of color. An enraged family member or friend could just as easily want to exact revenge regardless of race, religion or creed. The danger is there whether from a lone individual or from a mob.

10. Be aware, be aware, be aware. Have a backup plan, and then have a plan for when that falls apart.

Agreed

Anybody else? I'm sure I didn't cover all the possibilities.

http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/expl...-police/vGZq9/ Zimmerman's 911 call.

Lessons here....... Only give out the facts and avoid haunting comments. He stated in his call "These assholes always get away!" You can bet that particular comment will be brought up numerous times during the trial to show his disdain and try to make the jury believe he was out to make sure this one didn't.... that this one pays.
......... Stay on the line with 911 until police are on scene. The entire event would have been recorded and would make his case far easier but as it is now, they have only his word about how things went down.

Other 911 calls from neighbors http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/teen...lls-1-3/vGZnj/ http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/teen...-4-to-6/vGZrB/ http://www.wftv.com/videos/news/teen...-call-7/vGZrn/

Here is a link from Zimmerman's lawyers withdraw press confrence. Ulrig explains Zimmerman's account of what happened, starts around the 26 minute mark. http://youtu.be/c7jkxf-TKYw