Archive for stand your ground law

“He didn’t get his pizza faster, but he did get two bullets in the gut.”

no guns

The Trayvon Martin case against George Zimmerman is hinging on Florida’s insane Stand Your Ground law. So is the Jordan Davis case. That’s the law that justifies killing someone by allowing the defendant to claim he felt his life was in danger, therefore forced to shoot in “self defense.”

Here we go again. Via HuffPo:

Randall White ordered a thin-crust veggie pie at a Little Caesars restaurant in St. Petersburg, Fla., on Sunday and complained about the slow service. He didn’t get his pizza faster, but he did get two bullets in the gut, the Tampa Bay Times reports.

According to the paper, Michael Jock, another customer, told White to pipe down. That led to shoving, and when White, 49, raised his fist, Jock, 52, allegedly pulled out a legally concealed .38 revolver and shot White in the stomach. The two men wrestled and Jock allegedly shot White again.

Risking or threatening lives over a pizza: Yeah, that’s rational.

Tempers aside, fault aside, had it come down to a fist fight, then nobody’s stomach would have been blown apart. A gun did that.

The Tampa Bay Times adds this:

He told officers he feared for his life. He mentioned that he thought White had an object in his hand, then backed off that when officers pressed him. Florida’s “stand your ground law” says people are not required to retreat before using deadly force.

We determined it did not reach a level where deadly force was required,” Puetz said.

Police arrested Jock on charges of aggravated battery with a weapon and shooting within a building. He was released from jail on $20,000 bail.

Read more here and here.

Hat Tip to Price Benowitz Criminal Defense

George Zimmerman must keep 24-hour monitor

A quick FYI regarding the Trayvon Martin case via Michael Muskal at the L.A. Times, where there’s more:

George Zimmerman, charged with the second-degree murder of an unarmed black teenager, will continue to have 24-hour-a-day electronic monitoring, a Florida judge ruled Tuesday.

At a hearing in Sanford, Fla., Circuit Judge Debra Nelson rejected a defense request to modify the conditions of Zimmerman’s release. The defense had sought to have the full-time GPS monitoring discontinued and permission to allow Zimmerman to go outside the county.

Hat Tip to Price Benowitz Criminal Defense

VIDEO: Here we go again, another black Fla. teen shot, killed by a white guy claiming “stand your ground”

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Just what we need, the tragedy and injustice of another Trayvon Martin.  This time, an African American teenager named Jordan Davis and his friends were in a parked car playing loud music at a Florida convenience store, they wouldn’t turn the volume down, so a fortysomething white guy pulled a gun and shot and killed Davis, who was sitting in the back seat. The man, Michael Dunn, who earlier had “a few drinks,” fired eight times at four kids, hitting and killing Jordan with the only two bullets that hit anyone.

Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office/AP

Dunn fled the scene, and now claims he was standing his ground, because clearly, see, he was “threatened,” see, because loud music is as lethal as unarmed teens. Of course, he was so afraid for his life that he never bothered to call the police. He just started shooting.

He’s been charged with murder and attempted murder.

Special thanks to Kush Arora Attorney at Law

Newly released records: Trayvon Martin’s killer George Zimmerman had broken nose, no head trauma; only sought medical help to get doctor’s note for work

Per The Miami Herald, the medical report detailing George Zimmerman’s injuries was put together the day after he shot and killed Trayvon Martin. A few questions are finally answered:

The day after he killed Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman went to a clinic with a broken nose, black eyes and two cuts on his head, but the physician’s assistant determined he didn’t suffer any head trauma, newly released medical records show.

Zimmerman declined to go to an ear, nose and throat specialist even though it was recommended, the physician’s assistant who attended him twice noted. [...]

The medical records document several injuries, but also state that the only reason Zimmerman sought medical attention was because he needed a doctor’s note to return to work, Duval County Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda said in court last week.

The black eyes were consistent with the nose injury, but he didn’t need stitches for the two cuts on his head because they were already healing. He was also on “a variety of medications” for various ailments.

So to recap, he had a broken nose but no head trauma, felt good enough to avoid going to a specialist (ignoring advice, just as he ignored the “we don’t need you to” follow Trayvon Martin advice from the dispatcher), and he only asked for medical help because he needed a doctor’s note for work.

Sanford Police Chief Fired Over Handling of Trayvon Martin Case

Earlier Paddy posted the video of George Zimmerman’s reenactment of his shooting of Trayvon Martin.

Following up on that, Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee was finally fired due to his failure to arrest George Zimmerman after he killed Trayvon.

Via BET:

“After much thoughtful discussion and deep consideration for the issues facing the city of Sanford, I have determined the police chief needs to have the trust and respect of the elected officials and the confidence of the entire community,” city manager Norton Bonaparte saidin a statement. “We need to move forward with a police chief that all the citizens of Sanford can support. I have come to this decision in light of the escalating divisiveness that has taken hold of the city.”

Trayvon’s family welcomed the news.

Video- George Zimmerman’s Reenactment of Trayvon Martin Shooting

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Via ABC news.

Evidence to be made public in Trayvon Martin case, including autopsy report, statements, photos

Per Livewire, Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. ordered the release of pieces of evidence– including Trayvon Martin’s autopsy report, George Zimmerman’s statements to police after he killed Trayvon, and photos of the killing scene– to be made public within 15 days.

Neither the prosecutors nor the defense attorneys wanted this, but lawyers for news outlets argued that the public had a right to see all of it.