# Why hasn't the Neighborhood Watch shooter been arrested? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 12, 2012, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504 "2012-03-12T00:53:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 109
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2161 "2012-03-27T20:21:27Z")
> [@Bemused](#): > > Presented totally without comment for everyone’s consideration. I have no knowledge of or opinion on the accuracy of any of this: > > [http://www.wagist.com/2012/dan-linehan/was-trayvon-martin-a-drug-dealer](http://www.wagist.com/2012/dan-linehan/was-trayvon-martin-a-drug-dealer) In response (from Gawker): [http://gawker.com/5896490/your-guide-to-the-idiotic-racist-backlash-against-trayvon-martin](http://gawker.com/5896490/your-guide-to-the-idiotic-racist-backlash-against-trayvon-martin) ---
**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:** [March 27, 2012, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2162 "2012-03-27T20:24:53Z")
I heard George Zimmerman is a child molester and KKK Grand Dragon. Can’t prove it. Could be, though. ---
**Author:** ![just\_some\_guy5](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@just\_some\_guy5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/just_some_guy5)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2163 "2012-03-27T20:28:07Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > I’m thinking that Martin was a lot heavier than 140 lbs. That doesn’t sound right for 6’3" and he doesn’t look that skinny in the picture in the picture with the gold teeth. Apparently the reported weight of 140 lbs was incorrect. The police report puts his weight at 160 lbs. [http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news\_columnists\_ezorn/2012/03/trayvon-martin-shooting-death-initial-police-reports.html](http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2012/03/trayvon-martin-shooting-death-initial-police-reports.html) ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2164 "2012-03-27T20:40:10Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > And we don’t know who started the fight from the information currently out there. Even if the part of Zimmerman’s story where he says Martin “came back” is true, that doesn’t mean that the rest of it is true- or that Martin started the fight. That’s mainly what I’m saying- we don’t know who started the fight, we don’t know exactly what happened during the fight, and we don’t know the exact circumstances when Martin was shot. I’ll agree with this. I have my suspicions, but I see no way of proving anything. Which is why we shouldn’t condemn Zimmerman as a racist vigilante, and why he shouldn’t be arrested. > [@Ascenray](#): > > And what if both of them think they’re defending themselves? Then it’s a tragic misunderstanding. ---
**Author:** ![Bemused](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/46a35a/32.png) [@Bemused](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bemused)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2165 "2012-03-27T20:43:26Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > We have plenty of knowledge on the accuracy of most of this. > > [See this post (from six pages ago).](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14902700&postcount=1871) > How come links detailing Zimmerman’s law-trouble are totally off limits, but any cockamamie link claiming Martin was some prison quality thug is offered without comment for the world to make up their own minds on? Oh, that’s an easy one to answer. I ran across the link while looking for other things. I don’t have the time to try to track down the accuracy of everything I run across, and I was quite sure that someone here had already done so. This thread is very long, and rooting through the whole thing is very time consuming. So I post it and wait to see who salutes, and how they do it. And to deal in advance with the obvious responses to this, yes I do research things on my own and yes I do make that research available when I do it and when it is relevant. But I don’t research everything; I have other things to do. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2166 "2012-03-27T21:03:27Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > And what if both of them think they’re defending themselves? Could have been. Entirely possible that when Zimmerman stated, “I was yelling for someone to help me, but no one would help me.” He wanted help restraining Martin. In the 911 tape he mentioned that they always get away. Entirely possible that Martin panicked from being restrained by someone who isn’t a police officer lashed out to try to get free and socked Zimmerman in the nose. Entirely possible that in the struggle they fell to the ground with Martin on top shoving at Zimmerman to get away and Zimmerman clinging to Martin so that he does not get away. I guess the ME’s report may corroborate this version versus Zimmerman’s version? Location of wound and if they can tell angle of entry and distance from shooter. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2167 "2012-03-27T21:05:58Z")
> [@Bemused](#): > > Presented totally without comment for everyone’s consideration. I have no knowledge of or opinion on the accuracy of any of this: > > [http://www.wagist.com/2012/dan-linehan/was-trayvon-martin-a-drug-dealer](http://www.wagist.com/2012/dan-linehan/was-trayvon-martin-a-drug-dealer) I think my head is going to explode. Why would anyone need to consider this garbage?? If true, it’s irrelevant, and the word ‘if’ is the size of Saturn. (A very big ‘if.’) ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2168 "2012-03-27T21:06:04Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > How come links detailing Zimmerman’s law-trouble are totally off limits, but any cockamamie link claiming Martin was some prison quality thug is offered without comment for the world to make up their own minds on? How are they off limits? Post whatever you like. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2169 "2012-03-27T21:07:30Z")
> [@treis](#): > > Then it’s a tragic misunderstanding. I think that’s saying too little, when you have a statute that practically begs people to make sure that there are no living witnesses. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2170 "2012-03-27T21:07:34Z")
> [@PotLuck](#): > > Gawker weighs in with “[Your Guide to the Idiotic Racist Backlash Against Trayvon Martin](http://gawker.com/5896490/your-guide-to-the-idiotic-racist-backlash-against-trayvon-martin)”. “Your Honor, look at the way she was dressed! Clearly, she was \*asking \*to be raped!” That’s what pisses me off about this whole thing. The Zimmerman defenders are scouring Martin’s background, trying to make him the criminal, while completely ignoring Zimmerman’s actions which actually lead to the death. I wonder if they’d be so vocal in Martin’s defense if he \*had \*attacked Zimmerman, and beaten him to death? After all, Martin could’ve easily argued that he did so in defense of his own life… ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2171 "2012-03-27T21:09:34Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > We have plenty of knowledge on the accuracy of most of this. > > [See this post (from six pages ago).](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14902700&postcount=1871) > How come links detailing Zimmerman’s law-trouble are totally off limits, but any cockamamie link claiming Martin was some prison quality thug is offered without comment for the world to make up their own minds on? Zimmerman’s record of arrest was expunged, which means there was a judicial finding that it should be erased from public record. And I have consistently held that Martin’s past has no relevance to the question in this thread either. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2172 "2012-03-27T21:10:58Z")
> [@Nars\_Glinley](#): > > How are they off limits? Post whatever you like. 😭 ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2173 "2012-03-27T21:12:56Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I think my head is going to explode. > > Why would anyone need to consider this garbage?? > > If true, it’s irrelevant, and the word ‘if’ is the size of Saturn. > > (A very big ‘if.’) As previous, it’s not at all irrelevant. And it’s not a particularly big if at all. While certain aspects of that story may have been debunked (the Facebook stuff) the rest of it has not, and appears to be true. ---
**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:** [March 27, 2012, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2174 "2012-03-27T21:43:00Z")
Bumper sticker on Zimmerman’s truck: “See Something, Shoot Something.” Ok, I got that line from the Daily Show. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2175 "2012-03-27T22:29:36Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Where is the picture with the gold teeth? Was this one of the Stormfront pictures- supposedly of Martin, but they turned out to be pictures of others selected to look more threatening? Sorry about that. I checked earlier and that picture hadn’t been disavowed. I ignored the other that already turned out to be fraudulent. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2176 "2012-03-27T22:49:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > You don’t see the problem here? A suggests B. B suggests C. C suggests D. > > But that doesn’t mean that A suggests D. There’s no transitive property of inference. Each succeeding ad hoc inference weakens the chain. It _sounds like_ stolen goods. It’s not _proof_ of a felony. Therefore, he’s more likely to have assaulted Zimmerman? > > No. You cannot pile ad hoc assumption upon ad hoc assumption with validity. It doesn’t matter. We aren’t going to charge Martin with a felony, but we can use this to evaluate Zimmerman’s credibility . As I mentioned in one of posts yesterday, I changed my evaluation of Zimmerman’s story that Martin attacked him without previous interaction from BS to maybe based on this. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2177 "2012-03-27T22:54:09Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I think my head is going to explode. > > Why would anyone need to consider this garbage?? One thing that site points out is the initial media portrayal of Martin and Zimmerman. Martin looks like a little kid on his way to Disney World and Zimmerman looks like Gary Busey with a hangover. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2178 "2012-03-27T22:57:20Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Details are scarce, but that seems to be the consensus, based upon the statements. Pretty much just based on Z’s story. There’s not been anyone come forward to describe the start of the altercation yet that I know of. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2179 "2012-03-27T22:58:52Z")
> [@treis](#): > > What the geography indicates is that Martin wanted the confrontation, or at least did not take ridiculously easy steps to avoid it. The geography did all that? ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2012, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2180 "2012-03-27T22:59:01Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > It doesn’t matter. We aren’t going to charge Martin with a felony, but we can use this to evaluate Zimmerman’s credibility . As I mentioned in one of posts yesterday, I changed my evaluation of Zimmerman’s story that Martin attacked him without previous interaction from BS to maybe based on this. I have to admit that Martin went from little mousy kid to troubled teen pretty quick. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504.md?page=108) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504.md?page=110)