# 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:** 117
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2321 "2012-03-29T04:32:36Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > So two minutes are unaccounted for. In this two minutes we are supposed to believe that Martin ambushed Zimmerman, bloodying his nose and slamming his head in, and that they quickly left the street and moved into the yard (how, this has not been explained), . There is an eye witness to the event and he was treated at the scene so it’s pointless to talk about what you see in a grainy video. As far as how he got into the backyard, the sidewalks are behind the houses. ---
**Author:** ![Hmmmm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Hmmmm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hmmmm)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2322 "2012-03-29T04:32:39Z")
The funeral director who handled Martin’s funeral said there were no cuts or bruises on the teen’s hands that would suggest a violent struggle or fight. “I didn’t see any evidence he had been fighting anybody,” Richard Kurtz of Roy Mizell and Kurtz Funeral Home in Fort Lauderdale, told television talk show host Nancy Grace. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2323 "2012-03-29T04:36:25Z")
> [@Hmmmm](#): > > The funeral director who handled Martin’s funeral said there were no cuts or bruises on the teen’s hands that would suggest a violent struggle or fight. > > “I didn’t see any evidence he had been fighting anybody,” Richard Kurtz of Roy Mizell and Kurtz Funeral Home in Fort Lauderdale, told television talk show host Nancy Grace. Where’s the Medical examiners Report?😕 ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2324 "2012-03-29T04:41:24Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > Yes, and if he knew that a relentless, armed lunatic was chasing him, he probably would have kept running. There is virtually no evidence that he was chasing Martin. There is evidence that he kept him within visual range and that Martin was beating the tar out of him. What we don’t know is what happened in between those 2 events. > [@Carmady](#): > > But all he knew is a creepy dude in a truck was driving after him. Get off the road until he’s gone. > > The only one who knew what was happening, actually, was Zimmerman. He knew that he had taken his gun (in violation of neighborhood watch guidelines) to chase a suspected messed up criminal. Yep, creepy guy, creepy kid. Both should have kept their distance. ---
**Author:** ![treis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bc79bd/32.png) [@treis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/treis)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2325 "2012-03-29T04:48:16Z")
And yet another turn. Martin’s father is claiming the police said that Martin confronted Zimmerman in his truck. That seems to be contrary to Zimmerman’s call to the cops, but would explain the missing time. > [@](#): > > According to Tracy Martin, the Sanford, Fla., detective recounted this sequence of events: Trayvon Martin walked up to Zimmerman’s vehicle and asked why he was following him. Zimmerman denied following the youth and rolled up the car window. Minutes after Trayvon walked away, Zimmerman got out of his vehicle. > > Then came the second encounter, according to Tracy Martin’s recollection of the detective’s account. Trayvon Martin appeared from behind a building in Zimmerman’s gated community, approached him and demanded, “What’s your problem, homie?” [http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/tracy-martin-recounts-police-version-of-son-trayvons-death/2012/03/28/gIQA6MKhhS\_story.html?hpid=z2](http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/tracy-martin-recounts-police-version-of-son-trayvons-death/2012/03/28/gIQA6MKhhS_story.html?hpid=z2) ---
**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, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2326 "2012-03-29T04:50:26Z")
**Special prosecutor: I may need no grand jury in Trayvon Martin case** [http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-28/news/os-trayvon-martin-prosecutor-corey-20120328\_1\_grand-jury-special-prosecutor-civil-rights-leaders](http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-28/news/os-trayvon-martin-prosecutor-corey-20120328_1_grand-jury-special-prosecutor-civil-rights-leaders) Based on the wording, it might be a rumor and it Florida does require a Grand jury then it is a rumor. I just found the story in the Miami Herald [http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/28/2717866/tough-minded-prosecutor-in-spotlight.html#storylink=cpy](http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/28/2717866/tough-minded-prosecutor-in-spotlight.html#storylink=cpy) ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2327 "2012-03-29T05:11:15Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > **Special prosecutor: I may need no grand jury in Trayvon Martin case** > > [http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-28/news/os-trayvon-martin-prosecutor-corey-20120328\_1\_grand-jury-special-prosecutor-civil-rights-leaders](http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-28/news/os-trayvon-martin-prosecutor-corey-20120328_1_grand-jury-special-prosecutor-civil-rights-leaders) > > Based on the wording, it might be a rumor and it Florida does require a Grand jury then it is a rumor. > > I just found the story in the Miami Herald > > [http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/28/2717866/tough-minded-prosecutor-in-spotlight.html#storylink=cpy](http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/28/2717866/tough-minded-prosecutor-in-spotlight.html#storylink=cpy) She needs a GJ to file murder charges. Even the article says that. But she could file lesser charges instead, which could be a huge mistake. I don’t think dudes are going to buy simple assault charges. I am not sure how Manslaughter is codified in Fla- a type of murder or a separate crime? \*\* Bricker,\*\* do you know?- any SDMB legal eagles know? In any case, if she lets the GJ do their job, there’s no way dudes are going to say it was political. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2328 "2012-03-29T05:32:26Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > There is virtually no evidence that he was chasing Martin. There is evidence that he kept him within visual range and that Martin was beating the tar out of him. Wait, what evidence do we have that Martin was “beating the tar out of him”? That Zimmerman SAID he was? Because now we have a videotape wherein George Zimmerman sure as shit doesn’t look like he’s had the tar beaten out of him. Those lacerations I heard about on the back of his head? Not there. That was a big part of Zimmerman’s story; Martin was banging his head on the pavement, he had “lacerations,” not some vague bump. Torn skin. Where’s that? His nose looks okay, too, though I will grant I don’t know for sure it wasn’t cleaned up - the lacerations absolutely are not there, though. And he’s not acting like a man who just got his ass kicked. Some beating. He doesn’t even look like he got into a slap fight. ---
**Author:** ![Hmmmm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Hmmmm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hmmmm)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2329 "2012-03-29T05:34:52Z")
There is a “Concealed Carry Hooded Sweatshirt,” available now for purchase from the National Rifle Association website. Stay classy NRA. ---
**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, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2330 "2012-03-29T05:44:18Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > **Special prosecutor: I may need no grand jury in Trayvon Martin case** > > [http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-28/news/os-trayvon-martin-prosecutor-corey-20120328\_1\_grand-jury-special-prosecutor-civil-rights-leaders](http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-28/news/os-trayvon-martin-prosecutor-corey-20120328_1_grand-jury-special-prosecutor-civil-rights-leaders) > > Based on the wording, it might be a rumor and it Florida does require a Grand jury then it is a rumor. > > I just found the story in the Miami Herald > > [http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/28/2717866/tough-minded-prosecutor-in-spotlight.html#storylink=cpy](http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/28/2717866/tough-minded-prosecutor-in-spotlight.html#storylink=cpy) I just finished the article in the Miami Herald. One interesting part. > [@](#): > > She pointed to a Jacksonville shooting two weeks ago, in which the man who pulled the trigger is white and the man who was killed was black. During an apparent road rage incident, Kahron Ali Warnke got into a shouting match with Brad Lippincott while the two were driving. Police say Lippincott pulled out a gun and shot Warnke several times, then called 911. > > “We have charged that man,” Corey said. “And he’s claiming self-defense, claiming he was in fear. We charged him. And if he fights it on Stand Your Ground, we’re going to fight back.” > > Like the case of Trayvon, it is unclear which party was the aggressor in the road-rage shooting, and whether the Stand Your Ground law should apply. I don’t think I ever heard the term road rage applied to two people riding in the same car. I looked this one up and it is actually more bizarre than it sounds. [http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/article/249670/3/Assistant-State-Attorney-Father-Shot-in-Front-of-Daughter](http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/article/249670/3/Assistant-State-Attorney-Father-Shot-in-Front-of-Daughter) > [@](#): > > JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Assistant State Attorney London Kite filed a manslaughter with a firearm charge against a man accused of road rage. > > Brad Lippincott, 30, also faces charges of shooting from a vehicle and shooting into an occupied vehicle. > > Lippincott got into an argument with Kahron Ali Warnke in the Bono’s parking lot on Jammes Road near 103rd Street on March 16, and at the time JSO officers said both men fired shots. > > Now the state attorney’s office has also said that Warnke’s eight-year-old daughter was in the front seat at the time of the shooting. > > The little girl was not injured, but Warnke died. > > Lippincott faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison if convicted of these felonies. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2331 "2012-03-29T05:44:50Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Yep, creepy guy, creepy kid. Both should have kept their distance. It is absurd to hold Martin to the same standard of keeping his distance when he had so much less information. Martin was an unarmed kid walking home when he noticed a truck following him. If he knew what Zimmerman knew, I do think he could have escaped. But that isn’t a mark against him. Zimmerman knew for a hard fact that he was armed (in violation of neighborhood watch guidelines) and following a suspected criminal. He intentionally created a deadly situation. ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2332 "2012-03-29T05:56:15Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > She needs a GJ to file murder charges. Even the article says that. But she could file lesser charges instead, which could be a huge mistake. I don’t think dudes are going to buy simple assault charges. I am not sure how Manslaughter is codified in Fla- a type of murder or a separate crime? \*\* Bricker,\*\* do you know?- any SDMB legal eagles know? > > In any case, if she lets the GJ do their job, there’s no way dudes are going to say it was political. Everything from here on will be hopelessly political. If the special prosecutor bringes charges, many will say she caved to mob rule. If it goes to the grand jury and they don’t indict it’s because they’re racist. If they do, then the prosecutor sold them a bill of goods. I’m not saying justice won’t prevail, but no matter what, a lot of folks are going to be unhappy. ---
**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, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2333 "2012-03-29T06:01:24Z")
Clarification. It turns out they weren’t in the same car. ---
**Author:** ![newme](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e0b2c6/32.png) [@newme](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newme)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2334 "2012-03-29T06:22:04Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > Two minutes. The longest two minutes in Sanford, FL history. How did you calculate it was two minutes? [The final call](http://abcnews.go.com/US/trayvon-martin-arrest-now-abc-reveals-crucial-phone/story?id=15959017#.T3FGRPUxM2s) between Martin and his girlfriend began at 7:12. Does anyone have a link to the length of that call? Does anyone have timestamps for the 911 calls? [The police report](http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2012/03/trayvon-martin-shooting-death-initial-police-reports.html) has both Time Dispatched and Time Arrived as 7:19. Both responding officers reported they were dispatched around 7:19. So I can’t tell for sure what happened at 7:19. It could have been: -During Zimmerman’s call and police are dispatched to the neighborhood -The first 911 call after the shooting -Time police arrive on scene Anyone have anything more definite? ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2335 "2012-03-29T06:47:51Z")
A concrete timeline would definitely be helpful here. I really wish we had access to all of the recorded calls, police band, phone records, and various time stamps. It would be amazing to then mix them all together into one track in real time. ---
**Author:** ![Woodenspoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/bc79bd/32.png) [@Woodenspoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woodenspoon)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2336 "2012-03-29T07:01:36Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > Are you ready? Here it is, here’s the videos of the “looters” at Walgreens, AKA a bunch of students who run into a store, are told to leave, and run out. HuffPo estimated the damage at $150. That’s One Hundred and Fifty Dollars. Here’s the video, where you can see for yourself this “looting”: > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVNZu55N2Lw&feature=player\_embedded](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVNZu55N2Lw&feature=player_embedded) > > And now, here are the racist comments following the video: > > Think it’s just youtube comments? The video was posted on a forum for auto enthusiasts: > > I could make a day of compiling all the blatantly racist comments about this case, and I’d only capture a tiny percentage. If you don’t think this case is bringing out the racist in people, you’re sticking your head in the sand. Sorry, not even remotely equivalent, gawker and other mainstream news type sites are not the equivalent of some auto forum or youtube. Not only are the comments on such gawker sites policed for compliance with “accepted” opinion.. the blog posts and such on those sites are completely slanted with no regard for the truth. If it were just some auto site that were screaming racist you’d have a point. The youtube video is completely irrelevant as you can find trayvon videos where every comment trayvon was innocent or you are racist. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2337 "2012-03-29T07:07:21Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > He is wearing a **gray** tee shirt. Why do think it is green? Looks green to me. Maybe it’s all the grass stains. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2338 "2012-03-29T07:29:36Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > … only one bullet was gone from Zimmerman’s gun. … Important to note here, all of [Kel Tec’s EDC pistols](http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/) are listed as _Capacity: # +1_ (the [PF-9](http://www.keltecweapons.com/our-guns/pistols/pf-9/) what IPS Zimmerman was carrying is 7 +1) so I’d assume they’re safe to carry in something other than “[Condition Three](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Cooper#The_Modern_Technique)”. Six in the mag still doesn’t tell us if he started with, or without, one in the pipe. CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2339 "2012-03-29T08:50:40Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > … Yep, creepy guy, creepy kid. Both should have kept their distance. Can you explain what you find creepy about Martin? ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/2340 "2012-03-29T09:24:53Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > I already pointed out that Martin had enough time to be home eating his Skittles if he had just kept going. I don’t think M knew Z was out of hi vehicle. I think M was hiding from a truck and that’s why he didn’t want to cross the street straight away and stayed on that block instead. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504.md?page=116) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504.md?page=118)