Update: New video evidence shows marks on the back of Zimmerman’s head, suggesting there was a scuffle … but no indication of a busted nose or blood on his clothes.
I don’t know how it went down between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin that night, but I really want to, along with a billion other people. Unfortunately, the police didn’t find out how it went down, either. They took the shooter’s word for it. The problem: George Zimmerman’s claim of self-defense doesn’t add up, and that law that protected him from arrest–Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” rule–doesn’t either. Nor should it mean that there would be no investigation.
Every “Stand Your Ground” defense should be presented to a grand jury. And the law itself should be repealed.
And while we’re considering changes to make the world better in the wake of this tragedy, I’d suggest that the Sanford Police Department’s handling of this case be taught to every future cop as a BAD EXAMPLE.
There’s a laundry list of things gone wrong. No forensics on the gun, videos suggesting Zimmerman didn’t undergo the terrible beating he claimed he endured, his stalking of Trayvon–despite police warnings not to, his own record …
And the tapes. Another thing the police didn’t check out. There were screams. Whose were they? Wouldn’t the answer to that question tell the tale? Well, some voice experts have separately examined the recordings, and they’ve concluded that it’s most likely not Zimmerman crying out for help.
Law enforcement officials are under a lot of pressure to arrest Zimmerman. It appears that the path to doing so gets easier every day. I hope they’ve given him that famous cop phrase: “Don’t leave town.” Then again, he doesn’t listen to police very well, does he?
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