TheGrio.com's Joy-Ann Reid and Jeff Johnson share their thoughts on the latest in the investigation into the death of Trayvon Martin.
George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, will not be charged with first-degree murder.
Angela Corey, the special prosecutor who's deciding whether to file charges, announced today that she's not going to take the case to a grand jury, a step that is required in a first-degree murder case.
Martin was killed Feb. 26 during a confrontation with Zimmerman in a gated community in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman has claimed self-defense.
Corey could still charge Zimmerman with a serious felony such as manslaughter, which can carry a lengthy prison sentence.
Is Corey's decision good or bad news for those who want to see Zimmerman arrested? All sides appear to be cautiously hopeful.
"We are not surprised by this announcement and, in fact, are hopeful that a decision will be reached very soon to arrest George Zimmerman," Benjamin Crump, a Martin family attorney, said in a statement.
Civil rights leader (and MSNBC host) Rev. Al Sharpton also issued a statement saying the decision "vindicates the position that we have taken all along - that is you do not need a grand jury to make an arrest of George Zimmerman on probable cause."
"Courageous move on her part," Hal Uhrig, one of the lawyers representing the Zimmerman family, told CNN. Uhrig also said was not surprised by Corey's decision.
An Orlando criminal defense attorney tells The Associated Press the decision means Corey won't have to rely on potentially-unpredictable jurors. David Hill says Corey may know that there isn't enough for a first-degree murder charge, but she wants to charge him with something else -- and she now can"maintain control" of that process.
Ed will have the latest developments on the Trayvon Martin case tonight on The Ed Show at 8pET on MSNBC with Martin family attorney Daryl Parks.
Leave a Comment:
Wendi...
It does not matter if it was against the "neighborhood watch doctrine"...it was not against the law!
And what exactly was he doing to this kid? Watching him? Until the time that
So, because you "think" that someone might be a pervert or a killer, you have the right to attack that person? And exactly what does a killer or a pervert look like? Sounds like you might be doing some stereotyping.
Both people involved in this situation probably made mistakes which led to the tragic ending.
When all of the evidence becomes known, then we will get a better idea of what exactly happened that night.
Legitimately, "standing your ground" would include "thinking"
What does a killer or pervert look like? Hmmm. I think they would/could look like anyone else.
Zimmerman was in a safe place (his car) and should have stayed put. Martin apparently perceived danger and would have been justified in "standing his ground".
Like Wednesday Addams said in the Addams family movie when asked why she wasn't dressed up for Halloween, she replied I'm dressed as a psychotic killer........they look like everyone else.
What storm is missing is Zimmermans description of Martin to 911 proves Zimmerman was racially profiling him. Using Zimmermans own words Martin was suspicious because Martin was looking around as he was walking, a common habit people use when walking at night especially kids in an unfamiliar area so they aren't caught off guard by strangers. That Zimmerman saw that as a behavior exhibited by people using drugs is not based on reality, you can't tell if a person is on drugs walking down a sidewalk, nor did Zimmerman give a good reason to suspect drug use as he claimed looking around while walking was an indication of drug use.
and what exact words did he use to show that he was racially profiling? Please enlighten us...
Hi cj!
Very good observations about troll behavior you have listed there. My hat is off to you, my friend. <s>
Jim:
The sad facts are that you have been mislead (you like playing the Telephone Game?), mixed apples and oranges and have insulted the blog host.
In regards to the Strait case:
1. Crime reported in local newspaper 3/14/12....not last Tuesday
2. Suspect arrested 3/15/12
3. Suspect charged 3/26/12
http://www.newson6.com/story/17260206/tulsa-teen-charged-with-felony-murder-in-deadly-home-invasion
This is a heinous crime and has been handled with competance and professionalism from the beginning (I have followed it and I live in WA). It has been reported locally in Oklahoma,the UK and conservative sites that spin the story into something it's not just to attempt to rebutt the injustice that was finally brought to national attention in the Trayvon Martin case. Let's see it took about 2 weeks before it came to the national media attention and about 2 more weeks before anybody in authority did anything? Zimmerman is still not arrested?
Most crimes frequently don't make the national news. I know. We have them here where I live. We have competent law enforcement and these stories are most often reported locally only.
Oh...and don't believe what just one source says. I checked in with RedState and they got this wrong too.....in more ways than one. They further created more divide by portraying the 19 old suspect as "Obama's other son".
BTW, if you copied a substantial portion of an article from let's say RedState or anyone else, you violated the Vine rules (which you agreed to) by not stating your source.
MS kathe
well good evening, the funny thing about comments is everyone can have them and should, but that doesn't mean that folks who use common basic logic should be forced to absorb those comments that have nothing to do with the scope of the article being commented on.
the other sad thing is the basic lack of knowledge of how one conducts themselves in public and i am shocked how those for zimmerman act like there own actions would be the same as his , thus he must be right in his killing of martin.
I mean really , there is this annoying IGNORANCE to the common actions of how reasonable minded citizens react to things. There are block clubs and watch groups and citizen walk groups that dont result in anyone dying from there being present to witness a crime or suspect criminal activity, but yet this occurs and some people REALLY REALLY believe the choices made by this man is a normal response to a non criminal event.
I am sometimes embarrassed by how some of my fellow citizens really think about society and show based on there comments there lack of value for how our American democratic society is supposed to work, meaning Zimmermans call was enough to get a squad moving his way and that ANY thing criminal that he believed martin did, he just signs a citizen complaint form on and TELLS a story in court.
But that ability wasn't afforded to martin and some people really are ok with it.
sad sad sad, take care!!
Thank you for your response. *Always* enjoy reading your posts.
You take care too, cj! Later. <s>
Out of curiosity CJ, are any of the people that you are referring to on this board? I have yet to hear anyone say that Zimmerman's actions were completely justified and the he is innocent of any crimes. What I have read is a few people who have said that there is not enough known evidence to make a decision.
STORM
because you are a great waste of time, based on all your previous post, im going to give you my time. Not in the way i would with most where after interaction those people come a way a bit more smarter if not informed.
SO here we go, your i have yet to hear comment, is based on your closed mindedness, 95 percent or more of this board believes Zimmerman committed a crime and agree with the original police investigation that requested that the d.a. take there advise after finding fact that Zimmerman could be, if tried, found guilty of manslaughter.
2ndly you have decided that fitting the pieces together dont add up because if you acknowledged they did you would have been done posting about 1 week ago.
The pieces reasonable minded people see the
1. the fact that the police report was discarded by the d.a. with no explanation.
2. that being told to do something, and then doing the opposite, doesn't give you a pass to confront in any manner a person some one who hasn't committed a crime.
3rd. that a power play occured when zimmermans dad made a phone call to the d.a. to suggest in so many words, dont charge him, let it lye and it will go away.
4. that a kid coming from a store on the phone and having skittles in his hand shouldnt end up dead when someone knows he has a deadly weapon present.
NOW storm-guy, the above is logic, and the fact that death should come from someone who had no legal authority to interact with this young man.
YOUR SILLY COMMENT about a few people said: is just that, silly. The ability for known evidence to make a decision was already presented to the original D.A.
so they made a decision now the new prosecutor just has to find a way of bring it to court.
CJ...
I am so honored that you would grace me with your intelligence and insight..I hope that one day I can become one of "those people" who "come a way bit more smarter". With the command of the english language that you possess, I am sure I can learn quite a bit.
As I have suggested all along, the system is working and the State's Attorney will hold a press conference this evening to announce the charges against GZ. At that time, the POLICE can arrest him and bring him in for booking and then proceed to trial. This is the way it is supposed to happen. Not the vigilante process proposed by many on this blog and in the media.
The close-mindedness was from the people who refused to accept the fact that there could be an alternative sequence of event to what those on this board were creaming about.
My comment referred to people on this board, not the State's Attorney or anyone else, because NONE of us know the evidence. We only know what we have heard.
I haven't agreed with a lot of what Storm has been saying. But: due process, innocent until proven guilty, jury of his peers - I'll agree with that.
STORM
being petty about how someones grammer is on a comment board is childish and doesnt change the SUBSTANCE of the comment.
I mean if you believe thats enough to disregard that comment then thats your own deal. most reasonable minded folks, accept that not everyone is a grammer scholor when expressing themselves, so try to get over yourself.
In any case like i said, your need to support some other zimmerman theroy is great but it doesnt take away the simple plain to see facts, which is why people are upset. Just in case you need a refresher(ugh)
1. because someone died
2. the person that died did not have a weapon
3. the person that died did not commit a crime
4. the person that died, did not expect a confrontation
5. normal people avoid conflict
6. normal people who posses a deadly weapon avoid conflict
7 normal people who respect the duties of law enforcement pay attention to information provided to them
8. facts about this issue dont always need to be in court for others to make judgement on what facts have already occured.
9. most of the commentors here have a feeling that a POWER PLAY took place and look forward to that being substatiantated,later to show a retired judge intefered with a state attorney to do his job with out prejudice
10. with the charge and arrest coming, you may just see how silly your comments were that OTHERS TRIED TO POINT OUT TO YOU EARLIER.
sheesh-- "no spell check for you"
@George...
Thank you! That is all I have been saying from the beginning.
@ CJ...
1) True
2) The law does not require for the other person to have a weapon in order for you to defend yourself with deadly force.
3) If there was no provocation, and Martin struck first, he did commit a crime.
4) What does that have to do with anything?
5) thank goodness there are people who aren't normal, otherwise a lot of criminals would get away with things. I am not saying Martin was a criminal.
6) Avoid does not mean run away from. Sometimes you are put into a position that you can not avoid.
7) No directive was given.
8) true, but until all the facts are know, NORMAL people would remain calm.
9) your "feeling" does not have any basis in fact..it is purely guesswork. If it proves to be true..fine. In actuality, his father was not a judge, he was a magistrate. There is a difference in most states. Additionally, his father was a magistrate in VA, not FL. The likelihood of hit father having a large amount of influence to continually get his son out of trouble is very minimal.
10) You mean the comments about how what I wanted was for the State Attorney to review the case and make a decision instead of Zimmerman being tried in the court of public opinion? Actually, what I called for has happened.
Now, lets allow the system to continue to work so that all of the evidence can be brought forth in a trial and a jury of his peers can make a decision on his guilt or innocence. That is what NORMAL people want.
People should not be shot for just walking down a street. Zimmerman is being shielded by his judge father. Anyone else would have been jailed instantly. Zimmerman should go to trial, he stalked a teenager and killed him.