Please Note: This survey focuses specifically on some of the most underreported (or misreported) facts in this case -- facts that challenge many of the preconceptions created by the news media's coverage of this topic. It is not meant to be a balanced or comprehensive list of all the evidence. It does not cover the well-known facts and is not a scientific poll of any kind. Its purpose is to highlight the facts you probably didn't know if you are convinced the Zimmerman verdict was wrong -- facts that were ignored or widely misreported because they contradicted the story many in the news media wanted to tell.
Here's some quick background:
The primary issue in the Zimmerman Trial was whether there was enough evidence to conclude that Zimmerman may have legitimately acted in self-defense. During the trial, it wasn't necessary for the defense team to absolutely prove that Zimmerman acted in self-defense -- just that there was enough evidence (or lack of contrary evidence) to believe it was reasonably possible.
Zimmerman's defense claim is basically this:
Zimmerman was in his car when he spotted Trayvon Martin acting strange (wandering in the rain and staring at the houses), so he called the police. After seeing Zimmerman in his car, Martin started running off down the walkway between some of the buildings. Zimmerman then got out of his car but lost sight of Martin after a few moments. He continued in the same direction as Martin for a few hundred feet either to try to see where Martin went or to check the street name to give an address to the police (or both).
Zimmerman says he lost sight of Martin, but since the dispatcher advised him not to continue following, he started walking back to meet the police. Martin then approached him from behind and said "Yo, you got a problem?" Zimmerman said "No" and picked up his phone to call the police. Martin then said "Well, you do now" and punched Zimmerman in the face. Zimmerman was knocked to the ground while Martin got on top of him and started hitting him and bashing his head into the ground. Zimmerman says that when Martin saw his gun he tried to grab it saying "You're going to die tonight, motherf***er" so he only fired the gun in self-defense, believing his life was in danger.
If that version of events was true, then Zimmerman had a legitimate self-defense claim. Martin would not have been justified in attacking him because he could not have reasonably thought he was being threatened by a guy walking back to his car, especially after he responded with "No" when Martin asked "You got a problem?"
If, however, Zimmerman lied about what happened and had actually confronted Martin and attacked him first (or intentionally tried to provoke him into fighting), he could not legitimately claim self-defense.
Many people believe, based on limited information gathered from the news media, that Zimmerman must be lying because they believe he was a racist who racially profiled Martin and followed him with the intention of killing him, or at least provoking a fight. Many believe Trayvon Martin was too young or too small to have attacked Zimmerman or that he had no history of violent behavior. They are convinced the jury made the wrong decision.
If you are one of those people, here are a few questions for you!
Keep in mind that if the jury concluded, based on the evidence, there was even a reasonable chance Zimmerman's version of events was true, they were obligated to find him "not guilty".
Please Also Note: Nothing in this survey is meant to suggest that Trayvon Martin deserved to die. It doesn't prove he did anything. Nor does it prove anything about Zimmerman's guilt or innocence. It's is simply meant to promote awareness of underreported facts that shed light on whether there was enough reasonable doubt to find George Zimmerman "not guilty" and whether the individuals and facts were portrayed accurately by the news media.
Do you think the jury in the George Zimmerman trial was right to find him "not guilty" of both the Second Degree Murder and Manslaughter charges?
Were you aware of the fact that Zimmerman never mentioned Martin's race until he was asked about it by the dispatcher?
http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/326700-full-transcript-zimmerman.html
Have you ever seen or heard anything about NBC editing the audio of George Zimmerman's call the police in order to make him sound racist?
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/72zJvVQWutA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Were you aware of the fact that this widely distributed photo of George Zimmerman was taken in 2005 when he was 22 years old (6 years before the incident)?
This was photo of Zimmerman on the night of incident. Had you ever seen this photo?
Were you aware of the fact that this widely-seen photo of Trayvon Martin looking like a child, was NOT what Trayvon looked like at the time of the incident?
Were you aware of the fact that Trayvon was 17 years old at the time of the incident?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/a-review-of-the-evidence-released-in-the-trayvon-martin-case/1230750
Were you aware of the fact that Trayvon was nearly 6-feet tall and 158 pounds according to the coroner's report?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/a-review-of-the-evidence-released-in-the-trayvon-martin-case/1230750
These 2 photos of Trayvon were taken closer to the time of the incident. Did you ever see any of these photos?
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...-evidence-photos-20130522-011,0,2038224.photo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin
This photo of Trayvon was taken 9 days before the incident. Did you ever see this photo?
Here's some quick background:
The primary issue in the Zimmerman Trial was whether there was enough evidence to conclude that Zimmerman may have legitimately acted in self-defense. During the trial, it wasn't necessary for the defense team to absolutely prove that Zimmerman acted in self-defense -- just that there was enough evidence (or lack of contrary evidence) to believe it was reasonably possible.
Zimmerman's defense claim is basically this:
Zimmerman was in his car when he spotted Trayvon Martin acting strange (wandering in the rain and staring at the houses), so he called the police. After seeing Zimmerman in his car, Martin started running off down the walkway between some of the buildings. Zimmerman then got out of his car but lost sight of Martin after a few moments. He continued in the same direction as Martin for a few hundred feet either to try to see where Martin went or to check the street name to give an address to the police (or both).
Zimmerman says he lost sight of Martin, but since the dispatcher advised him not to continue following, he started walking back to meet the police. Martin then approached him from behind and said "Yo, you got a problem?" Zimmerman said "No" and picked up his phone to call the police. Martin then said "Well, you do now" and punched Zimmerman in the face. Zimmerman was knocked to the ground while Martin got on top of him and started hitting him and bashing his head into the ground. Zimmerman says that when Martin saw his gun he tried to grab it saying "You're going to die tonight, motherf***er" so he only fired the gun in self-defense, believing his life was in danger.
If that version of events was true, then Zimmerman had a legitimate self-defense claim. Martin would not have been justified in attacking him because he could not have reasonably thought he was being threatened by a guy walking back to his car, especially after he responded with "No" when Martin asked "You got a problem?"
If, however, Zimmerman lied about what happened and had actually confronted Martin and attacked him first (or intentionally tried to provoke him into fighting), he could not legitimately claim self-defense.
Many people believe, based on limited information gathered from the news media, that Zimmerman must be lying because they believe he was a racist who racially profiled Martin and followed him with the intention of killing him, or at least provoking a fight. Many believe Trayvon Martin was too young or too small to have attacked Zimmerman or that he had no history of violent behavior. They are convinced the jury made the wrong decision.
If you are one of those people, here are a few questions for you!
Keep in mind that if the jury concluded, based on the evidence, there was even a reasonable chance Zimmerman's version of events was true, they were obligated to find him "not guilty".
Please Also Note: Nothing in this survey is meant to suggest that Trayvon Martin deserved to die. It doesn't prove he did anything. Nor does it prove anything about Zimmerman's guilt or innocence. It's is simply meant to promote awareness of underreported facts that shed light on whether there was enough reasonable doubt to find George Zimmerman "not guilty" and whether the individuals and facts were portrayed accurately by the news media.
Do you think the jury in the George Zimmerman trial was right to find him "not guilty" of both the Second Degree Murder and Manslaughter charges?
Were you aware of the fact that Zimmerman never mentioned Martin's race until he was asked about it by the dispatcher?
http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/326700-full-transcript-zimmerman.html
Have you ever seen or heard anything about NBC editing the audio of George Zimmerman's call the police in order to make him sound racist?
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/72zJvVQWutA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Were you aware of the fact that this widely distributed photo of George Zimmerman was taken in 2005 when he was 22 years old (6 years before the incident)?
This was photo of Zimmerman on the night of incident. Had you ever seen this photo?
Were you aware of the fact that this widely-seen photo of Trayvon Martin looking like a child, was NOT what Trayvon looked like at the time of the incident?
Were you aware of the fact that Trayvon was 17 years old at the time of the incident?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/a-review-of-the-evidence-released-in-the-trayvon-martin-case/1230750
Were you aware of the fact that Trayvon was nearly 6-feet tall and 158 pounds according to the coroner's report?
http://www.tampabay.com/news/a-review-of-the-evidence-released-in-the-trayvon-martin-case/1230750
These 2 photos of Trayvon were taken closer to the time of the incident. Did you ever see any of these photos?
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...-evidence-photos-20130522-011,0,2038224.photo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin
This photo of Trayvon was taken 9 days before the incident. Did you ever see this photo?