# 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:** 160
**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:** [April 4, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3181 "2012-04-04T20:23:06Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > I think this would land you in a heap of legal trouble. Apparently not in Florida, it won’t ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3182 "2012-04-04T20:23:26Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > That’s possible, but the more common way of talking about someone getting off the ground is to say “got up” instead of off. > > could you quote the exact language where he says this? Anderson Cooper: “You say the shooter was on top?” Witness: “I can’t really say.” [http://articles.cnn.com/2012-03-29/justice/justice\_florida-teen-shooting\_1\_witness-voices-window?\_s=PM:JUSTICE](http://articles.cnn.com/2012-03-29/justice/justice_florida-teen-shooting_1_witness-voices-window?_s=PM:JUSTICE) And then the next time I looked out the window, there’s the same thing: **two men on the grass, one on top of each other**. **But the witness recalled not having been able to see clearly which man was on top** because it was dark. > **[Trayvon Martin killing: witness says he saw Zimmerman walk away uninjured](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/30/trayvon-martin-witness-zimmerman-uninjured)** > > Account contradicts allegation from Zimmerman's father that Trayvon Martin left his son with injuries including a broken nose It was dark. **I can’t say I watched him get up** , but in a couple of seconds or so he was walking towards where I was watching and I could see him a little bit clearer. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3183 "2012-04-04T20:27:40Z")
> [@you\_with\_the\_face](#): > > If prison sentences deterred people from committing crimes, we wouldn’t have people in prison. You mean, “If prison sentences deterred **ALL** people from committing crimes, we wouldn’t have people in prison.” ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3184 "2012-04-04T20:31:01Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > There’s a lot more “street” than the Back Street Boys image originally portrayed. I am not sure, but I suspect that if one is actually “street” one does not attend school. I may not be using that term correctly, but I think I am. > [@Magiver](#): > > Given that Martin … initiated contact with [Zimmerman]… Where did we get this information? ---
**Author:** ![Terr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Terr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terr)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3185 "2012-04-04T20:33:08Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > Where did we get this information? If “contact” in this context means conversation, and not physical contact - then from Martin’s girlfriend. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3186 "2012-04-04T20:35:19Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Yes, we have his girlfriend describing what she heard. Martin initiated the conversation. I’m putting 2 and 2 together. So speaking first is now the same as throwing the first punch? ---
**Author:** ![SmellMyWort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea5d25/32.png) [@SmellMyWort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmellMyWort)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3187 "2012-04-04T20:40:15Z")
> [@treis](#): > > One that barely has a veneer of plausibility. > > (1) If he is hiding, how does he end up dead in the middle of the sidewalk? > > (2) Why is he casually chatting with his girlfriend instead of calling the cops? > > (3) Why doesn’t he yell for help? > > (4) Why doesn’t he knock on a door? > > Your explanation requires Martin to act with the intelligence of a 7 year old and the irrationality of an Irishman. What rational person becomes so terrified of a person in a truck staring at them while talking on a cellphone that they take of running and hide? What person, when so terrified for their life, fails to yell for help, call 911, seek the safety of a home, and stops to hide with a head start? > > It just doesn’t make a lick of sense. It only doesn’t make sense in your racist fantasy world. (1). At some point he thinks he loses Z and resumes his walk home but is approached again. (2) Man, wouldn’t it have been funny if M had called 911 and they were like, “hey, some guy just called about you! You look suspicious.” Then M could have said, “who me, he’s the weirdo following me around!” And then 911 could have cleared the whole thing up and M and Z could have had a good laugh about that one and split a pack of Skittles. (3) Why would he yell for help? He probably didn’t know his life was in danger. He just wanted to avoid some creeper. (4) See point 3. Plus, he’s already been made to feel SO welcome in his dad’s gf’s neighborhood. The rest of what you wrote is nothing but complete bullshit. Add a 1 in front of that 7 and you’ll have it about right; the intelligence of a 17 year old who is kind of freaked out about some guy following him. No one claims he was terrified, but I can assure you that at 17 walking around in an unfamiliar neighborhood at night if some guy was watching me (and possibly following in his truck) I’d sure do my best to avoid him and getting of the main road would be the easiest way to do that. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3188 "2012-04-04T20:44:51Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > 1. Prior bad acts are not admissible to show the accused acted in conformity therewith. They can come up for other reasons though. [Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine](http://www.leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0000-0099/0090/Sections/0090.404.html) The 2011 Florida Statutes Title VII EVIDENCE Chapter 90 EVIDENCE CODE 90.404 Character evidence; when admissible.— (1) CHARACTER EVIDENCE GENERALLY.—Evidence of a person’s character or a trait of character is inadmissible to prove action in conformity with it on a particular occasion, except: (a) Character of accused.—Evidence of a pertinent trait of character offered by an accused, or by the prosecution to rebut the trait. (b) Character of victim.— [INDENT]1. Except as provided in s. 794.022, evidence of a pertinent trait of character of the victim of the crime offered by an accused, or by the prosecution to rebut the trait; or 2. Evidence of a character trait of peacefulness of the victim offered by the prosecution in a homicide case to rebut evidence that the victim was the aggressor.[/INDENT] (c) Character of witness.—Evidence of the character of a witness, as provided in ss. 90.608-90.610. (2) OTHER CRIMES, WRONGS, OR ACTS.— (a) Similar fact evidence of other crimes, wrongs, or acts is admissible when relevant to prove a material fact in issue, including, but not limited to, proof of motive, opportunity, intent, preparation, plan, knowledge, identity, or absence of mistake or accident, but it is inadmissible when the evidence is relevant solely to prove bad character or propensity. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3189 "2012-04-04T20:45:45Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > Of course everything Robert Zimmerman says is hearsay and IMO, not high quality hearsay. What are you talking about?? We loves us some hearsay, here! The more hearsier, the better. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3190 "2012-04-04T20:46:55Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > They can come up for other reasons though. Yes. Which of those other reasons are you pushing today? ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3191 "2012-04-04T20:50:22Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > It is the same as saying you don’t know which one was on top. Because the guy knows Zimmerman was the shooter. > > And as for “comparative sizes” - per JoelUpchurch above: “[Zimmerman] 5 foot 9 and 170 pounds, and the visitor [Martin], 6 foot 1 and 150”. Which one is “larger”? The New York Times said that. The police report said 190. I’m about Zimmerman height and when my fat goes through periods of remission I would look like him at about 210-220. If you look at his jeans the thighs are pretty tight. You end up with a lot of excess muscle in the legs and it causes people to underestimate your weight when they look at your upper body. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3192 "2012-04-04T21:01:56Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Yes. > Which of those other reasons are you pushing today? Is there some need that I push one? Cause I didn’t get the e-mail or the memo. So my bad. ---
**Author:** ![PatriotX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@PatriotX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotX)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3193 "2012-04-04T21:03:45Z")
> [@Terr](#): > > Anderson Cooper: “You say the shooter was on top?” > Witness: “I can’t really say.” > > [http://articles.cnn.com/2012-03-29/justice/justice\_florida-teen-shooting\_1\_witness-voices-window?\_s=PM:JUSTICE](http://articles.cnn.com/2012-03-29/justice/justice_florida-teen-shooting_1_witness-voices-window?_s=PM:JUSTICE) > > And then the next time I looked out the window, there’s the same thing: **two men on the grass, one on top of each other**. > > **But the witness recalled not having been able to see clearly which man was on top** because it was dark. > > [Trayvon Martin killing: witness says he saw Zimmerman walk away uninjured | Trayvon Martin | The Guardian](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/mar/30/trayvon-martin-witness-zimmerman-uninjured) > > It was dark. **I can’t say I watched him get up** , but in a couple of seconds or so he was walking towards where I was watching and I could see him a little bit clearer. Thanks ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3194 "2012-04-04T21:05:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > What are you talking about?? We loves us some hearsay, here! The more hearsier, the better. In one of his interviews, a reporter tracked down something he said Martin said to an a recent episode of ‘Justified’. Since the episode was on several weeks after the shooting, it seemed pretty unlikely that that Martin said it or his son would report that Martin that. BTW, I love “Justified”. ---
**Author:** ![Hbns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hbns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hbns)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3195 "2012-04-04T21:34:54Z")
> [@PatriotX](#): > > You mean, “If prison sentences deterred **ALL** people from committing crimes, we wouldn’t have people in prison.” No, no. It is only our strong moral character keeps us in line and out of prison. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3196 "2012-04-04T21:45:21Z")
[http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/04/03/457593/trayvonmartin-family-attorney-questions-robert-zimmerman/](http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/04/03/457593/trayvonmartin-family-attorney-questions-robert-zimmerman/) > [@](#): > > In an interview with ThinkProgress, Martin family attorney Natalie Jackson raised serious questions about the role of George Zimmerman’s father, Robert Zimmerman, in the case. > Specifically, Jackson pointed to Robert Zimmerman’s presence during police questioning of his son. > [@](#): > > Jackson noted that Robert Zimmerman was a retired magistrate judge who “issued warrants” and knows “what probable cause needs to be” to justify an arrest. His presence at the questioning, according to Jackson, was unusual and potentially inappropriate because “we don’t know what coaching went on.” > [@](#): > > On Monday, Robert Crump, who represents Martin’s family along with Jackson, sent a letter to the Justice Department which said that on the night of the shooting “family members of shooter George Zimmerman were present at the police department”. I can’t help but notice that when you parse it out they only seem to claim that Zimmerman family is in the same **building** , but they seem to want to imply that Robert Zimmerman was in the same **room**. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3197 "2012-04-04T21:49:28Z")
> [@JoelUpchurch](#): > > I can’t help but notice that when you parse it out they only seem to claim that Zimmerman family is in the same **building** , but they seem to want to imply that Robert Zimmerman was in the same **room**. What would it matter if they were in the same _chair_? Isn’t anyone being interviewed entitled to an attorney? Wouldn’t any competent attorney have all the double secret knowledge about probable cause that his father had? ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3198 "2012-04-04T22:28:11Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > What would it matter if they were in the same _chair_? Isn’t anyone being interviewed entitled to an attorney? Wouldn’t any competent attorney have all the double secret knowledge about probable cause that his father had? Is his father an attorney? ---
**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:** [April 4, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3199 "2012-04-04T23:06:59Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > I was trying to find an analogy that you perceived as repeated acts, but could be shown to actually be one single act. Unfortunately, that analogy didn’t work, since you correctly sussed out that it was a single act. 🆒 ---
**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:** [April 4, 2012, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504/3200 "2012-04-04T23:17:57Z")
What I really want to know is when witll the _I Law & Order_ Episode inspired by these events air. And yes I know it is of the air but they will likely bring it back for one more special episode…maybe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504.md?page=159) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-hasnt-the-neighborhood-watch-shooter-been-arrested/615504.md?page=161)