# 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:** 113
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2241 "2012-03-28T21:20:20Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > What didn’t you understand about my post? The word “follow” can mean anything from being Martin’s shadow to keeping an eye on him from a distance. True, “follow” can mean a lot of things. Perhaps when Zimmerman said he was following Martin, he meant on Facebook? In any case, there is no reason to believe he was trying to prevent Martin from utilizing the rotary motion of his limbs to increase the distance in space between the two of them. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2242 "2012-03-28T21:36:14Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Yes, we call those things ‘a Grand Jury hearing”. One is scheduled for April 10th, and has been so for a while. Your point? I guess it’s supposed to be that all discussion must cease? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2243 "2012-03-28T21:37:16Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > Perhaps when Zimmerman said he was following Martin, he meant on Facebook? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2244 "2012-03-28T21:44:42Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Two questions: > > Is it known whether there were two gunshots or one? > > Did Martin allegedly pound Zimmerman’s head on pavement or grass? I believe Martin was only shot once, and only one bullet was gone from Zimmerman’s gun. I have not heard what the surface was, but if Zimmerman got the injuries to the back of his head from getting his head pounded, whatever he hit must have been pretty hard packed. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2245 "2012-03-28T21:46:06Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Seems there needs to be an examination of all the circumstances here to establish what might have happened either way because it could go a long way towards proving or disproving Zimmerman’s version of events. And one hopes this is what is going on and what theGJ will take into consideration. Things like the ME’s report that to my knowledge none of use has seen. After 30 years of big game hunting I feel confident that almost without exception cases, in which the gun shot victims look like marionettes whose strings have been cut, you will find that the spinal cord was damaged or severed. Sadly no matter how hard you hit something in vitals, if the spinal cord or brain is not damaged, cessation of life and movement is rarely immediate. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2246 "2012-03-28T21:48:00Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > Perhaps when Zimmerman said he was following Martin, he meant on Facebook? Wow, I am speechless at this. I mean honestly in the middle of this very serious discussion and you write this? You don’t follow someone on Facebook, you ‘friend’ them. You follow folks on Twitter. Sheesh! ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2247 "2012-03-28T21:56:13Z")
Bricker, in my cases, the time between incident and Grand Jury hearing was considerably over the 40 days that will have occurred here. In your experience, how long does it usually take after the crime to empanel a GJ? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2248 "2012-03-28T23:23:40Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Bricker, in my cases, the time between incident and Grand Jury hearing was considerably over the 40 days that will have occurred here. > > In your experience, how long does it usually take after the crime to empanel a GJ? In the county in which I practiced most often, there was a grand jury empaneled every other month, and an “interim” grand jury during the off months who sat to hear cases of defendants who were incarcerated. So if you were out on bail, you could go two months, with an average wait of a month. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2249 "2012-03-28T23:56:23Z")
Offered without comment, but I strongly recommend you watch this if you’re inclined to accept Zimmermans story. https://abcnews.go.com/video/twittercard?id=16024564 ---
**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 29, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2250 "2012-03-29T00:03:15Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Offered without comment, but I strongly recommend you watch this if you’re inclined to accept Zimmermans story. > > [http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/t/video/trayvon-martin-case-video-zimmerman-16024564](http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/t/video/trayvon-martin-case-video-zimmerman-16024564) No video for me. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2251 "2012-03-29T00:08:06Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > No video for me. Are you hitting the play button in the middle of the screen? The link works just fine for me. ---
**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 29, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2252 "2012-03-29T00:13:03Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > Are you hitting the play button in the middle of the screen? The link works just fine for me. No play button. ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2253 "2012-03-29T00:19:07Z")
> [@BlankSlate](#): > > Two questions: > > Did Martin allegedly pound Zimmerman’s head on pavement or grass? The Orlando Sentinel says: > [@](#): > > Zimmerman fell to the ground and Trayvon got on top of him and began slamming his head into the **sidewalk** , he told police. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2254 "2012-03-29T00:19:09Z")
Try this one: https://abcnews.go.com/video/twittercard?id=16024475 Or just wait for the 11 o’clock news on ABC. I’m sure they’ll play it again. ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2255 "2012-03-29T00:25:09Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > From the 911 call: > > “Are you following him?” > > “Yes.” Dale (from “King of the Hill”): “Well, if all you’ve got is my admission, forget it - I’m just not credible.” ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2256 "2012-03-29T00:25:44Z")
The Ed Show on MSNBC is flogging it hard at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2257 "2012-03-29T00:32:00Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > The Ed Show on MSNBC is flogging it hard at the moment. That’s where I saw it, and I don’t think the camera is close enough to tell anything for sure. But it raises a question for me. If Zimmerman was never arrested, why is he in handcuffs? If they invited him to the station for questioning, would they have cuffed him? But nobody asked this question. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2258 "2012-03-29T00:33:50Z")
His nose doesn’t look broken to me. ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2259 "2012-03-29T00:47:09Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > His nose doesn’t look broken to me. They do look at something on the back of his head, though. I don’t doubt he probably has a bump or two somewhere. But this should put an end to the ‘savage beating’ narrative. I hope. Also he looks a little wobbly to me. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2260 "2012-03-29T00:55:07Z")
> [@planetcory](#): > > They do look at something on the back of his head, though. Something apparently so minor that the EMTs didn’t even bother slapping a band-aid on it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504.md?page=112) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504.md?page=114)