# George Zimmerman - In the news again **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 31, 2014, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480 "2014-07-31T13:26:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/41 "2014-07-31T21:58:48Z")
I think there’s a higher than average possibility that Zimmerman will continue inserting himself into places where he has every right to be and doing things that are completely legal until he is a participant in another shooting death. It only remains to be seen whether it is his own. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/42 "2014-07-31T22:06:24Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > I think there’s a higher than average possibility that Zimmerman will continue inserting himself into places where he has every right to be and doing things that are completely legal until he is a participant in another shooting death. It only remains to be seen whether it is his own. Maybe he’ll run into a good guy with a gun. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/43 "2014-07-31T22:23:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes, he did. And he did so because Martin put Zimmerman in fear of serious bodily injury. That’s a circumstance under which it’s appropriate to kill. This has got to be the most asinine thing I’ve ever seen you post. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/44 "2014-07-31T22:37:25Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > This has got to be the most asinine thing I’ve ever seen you post. I’m not sure why you’d say that. There are three assertions, each easily supported by the evidence: _Yes, he did._ I think it’s beyond cavil that Zimmerman ended Martin’s life. _And he did so because Martin put Zimmerman in fear of serious bodily injury._ The evidence at trial clearly supported this finding. That leaves the last: - That’s a circumstance under which it’s appropriate to kill.\* Our society has pretty clearly spoken on the issue. A person is allowed to use deadly force to protect himself from serious bodily injury. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/45 "2014-07-31T22:49:21Z")
I’m thinking maybe, just maybe, had Zimmerman stayed in his car like he was told, Martin wouldn’t have had to die that day. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/46 "2014-08-01T00:52:44Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > No, it’s not. The link goes to the opening of the “Batman and Robin” movie. Sorry, I think I posted the wrong link earlier: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2buHZP7-9Sc/maxresdefault.jpg "Hockey Pads...") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2buHZP7-9Sc) ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/47 "2014-08-01T01:11:57Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I like **Shodan** ’s synopsis better than I like the presumably sarcastic “swell guy,” comment. Shodan is exactly correct: Zimmerman broke no law, did nothing wrong, and yet somehow garners from **aClockworkMelon** a vague insinuation of wrongdoing. > > No. But at the same time, your comment – imprecise as it is – creates an impression of questionable, shifty conduct on his part. He did nothing wrong last year although there is no question he killed that kid. ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/48 "2014-08-01T01:15:15Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > These two lines are especially egregious as it makes it look, at first blush, like Zimmerman was lying. Zimmerman never claimed he was employed, but was “given permission.” The article makes the second sentence look like a refutation of the first when it is not. He wasn’t employed at the apartment complex he was pretending to defend when he killed that kid last year either. ---
**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/49 "2014-08-01T01:16:32Z")
> [@dba\_Fred](#): > > I’ll take a shot - perhaps he is color-blind? Well played, sir. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/50 "2014-08-01T02:09:13Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’m thinking maybe, just maybe, had Zimmerman stayed in his car like he was told, Martin wouldn’t have had to die that day. Yes, that’s true. But that doesn’t make anything about my earlier statement asinine. Zimmerman had every legal right to leave his vehicle. Martin did not have the legal right to throw the first punch. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/51 "2014-08-01T02:10:54Z")
> [@DingoelGringo](#): > > He wasn’t employed at the apartment complex he was pretending to defend when he killed that kid last year either. Relevance? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/52 "2014-08-01T02:18:58Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes, that’s true. But that doesn’t make anything about my earlier statement asinine. Zimmerman had every legal right to leave his vehicle. Martin did not have the legal right to throw the first punch. Neither of which is relevant to the question of right and wrong. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/53 "2014-08-01T02:30:40Z")
I know Zimmerman’s legal team is obligated to remind everyone that he didn’t break any laws, but that wasn’t what I intended for this thread to be about. Anyway - I have it on good authority that when the cops spoke with him he was playing this on a loop on his truck stereo: [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w1B3Mgklfd0/hqdefault.jpg?sqp=-oaymwEmCOADEOgC8quKqQMa8AEB-AH-BIAC4AOKAgwIABABGDUgWyhyMA8=&rs=AOn4CLBKPxr-1T7n9cj5VOuszczZrjXRJw "Batman The Dark Knight Theme - Hans Zimmer") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1B3Mgklfd0) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/54 "2014-08-01T02:35:03Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes, that’s true. But that doesn’t make anything about my earlier statement asinine. Zimmerman had every legal right to leave his vehicle. Martin did not have the legal right to throw the first punch. Why not? Martin was being followed by a man with a gun, and had good reason to fear for his life. If Zimmerman was justified in shooting Martin, why wasn’t Martin legally justified in punching Zimmerman? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/55 "2014-08-01T02:37:48Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > Why not? Martin was being followed by a man with a gun, and had good reason to fear for his life. If Zimmerman was justified in shooting Martin, why wasn’t Martin legally justified in punching Zimmerman? The obvious answer is that they were both legally justified to kill one another. Never bring a bag of Skittles to a gunfight. ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/56 "2014-08-01T02:40:26Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I’m thinking maybe, just maybe, had Zimmerman stayed in his car **like he was told** , Martin wouldn’t have had to die that day. He wasn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/57 "2014-08-01T02:52:32Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes, that’s true. But that doesn’t make anything about my earlier statement asinine. Zimmerman had every legal right to leave his vehicle. Martin did not have the legal right to throw the first punch. So by being _legally_ right, that makes him morally right by default? You seem to be conflating the two. ---
**Author:** ![palacheck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a88e57/32.png) [@palacheck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palacheck)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/58 "2014-08-01T06:10:04Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > The obvious answer is that they were both legally justified to kill one another. Never bring a bag of Skittles to a gunfight. Trayvon Martin didn’t bring a bag of Skittles to a gunfight, silly. He was bringing those home to mix with his Arizona tea and codeine syrup. He brought his fists to an armed man’s face and unwittingly joined a gun fight. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/59 "2014-08-01T08:20:15Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes, that’s true. But that doesn’t make anything about my earlier statement asinine. Zimmerman had every legal right to leave his vehicle. **Martin did not have the legal right to throw the first punch**. How do you know that? Martin was never put on trial for throwing the first punch. ---
**Author:** ![marshmallow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@marshmallow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marshmallow)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2014, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480/60 "2014-08-01T09:56:00Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Both Martin and Zimmerman were innocent. > > But the evidence showed that Zimmerman had a reasonable fear for his life, which means that he was entitled to use deadly force to protect himself. Isn’t that a contradiction? How can Martin be innocent if he was putting Zimmerman’s life in danger by slamming his head against the concrete sidewalk? You can’t simmer the Zimmer. You can’t flim flam the Zim Zam. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/george-zimmerman-in-the-news-again/694480.md?page=4)