[judgementday]

Wow, some really emotional posts in this thread for which I blame the media for...

Without the media making speculations about what happened, only releasing bits of info, etc... this would never have never blown up as much as it has and it is sad.

I try not to follow the media but when my 13 year old daughter comes in from school asking questions about the case and saying just off the wall stuff I had to investigate myself by trying to piece together all the information out there that seems consitent from each news source so I thought I would share what I told her...

- Trayvon was walking back from his Dad's fiance's house. In his possession was a bag of skittles and bottled drink
- Zimmerman saw him walking wearing a hoodie called police reporting a suspicious person
- Zimmerman parked and followed Trayvon against the instructions of the 911 operator
- Zimmerman claims Trayvon ran off and he ran after him shortly loosing him. He also states that Trayvon showed up and started arguing with him and a fight broke out in which Trayvon punched him in the face and bashed his head on the ground. In turn, Zimmerman shot him.
- According to Trayvon's girlfriend who says she was on the phone with him, she heard Zimmerman approach Trayvon asking what he was doing in that neighborhood and that is when an altercation began.
- Recent video has surfaced showing Zimmerman in cuffs at the PD. No pictures, etc.. was taking because he was not formally arrested or charged with a crime. From the video, there appears to be no signs of injury.

As I told her, it was confirmed that Trayvon had a criminal past but that shouldn't even be considered here as he wasn't doing anything wrong.

My biggest problem with this case is that Zimmerman initiated the situation by going against the instruction of the 911 operator and following Trayvon. If he really thought the kid was up to no good, how about observing him prior to calling 911. Or, just let the cops investigate it.

None of this would have never happended had he just used common sense.

One thing that does bug me in that it seems EVERY post in the Off Topic section becomes a stupid political discussion. This isn't a case of a Republican shooting a Democrat, it is a case of a grown man shooting a 17 year old kid.