So Why Would Zimmerman Not Necessarily Have Deserved a Swollen Nose and Bruises? [View all]

[dballance]

Coverage has seemed to focus on the fact that perhaps Tryavon Martin fought with Zimmerman and caused him some injuries.

Well why should Martin have NOT fought with Zimmerman? Zimmerman obviously disobeyed the instructions of law enforcement by exiting his vehicle and pursuing Martin. Zimmerman had absolutely no authority to detain or question Martin.

So any normal person who is accosted by some cop want-to-be like Zimmerman is perfectly justified in defending themselves. Why Zimmerman seems to be the only person in this situation entitled to "stand your ground" laws and Martin is labeled a criminal if he fought Zimmerman and perhaps inflicted wounds upon him baffles me. Was Martin not entitled to "stand your ground" protection?

Zimmerman may have been neighborhood watch but that does not confer any authority on him other than the right to call 911. He did that and then did exactly the opposite of what he was told to do. The 911 operators obviously know that people like Zimmerman are not trained to handle these situations and certainly have no legal authority to act in these situations.

So if Martin did react to a non-uniformed person who could not identify himself as law enforcement and approached him by getting into a physical altercation then so what? It seems very likely Zimmerman provoked any sort of altercation. I highly doubt the guy on the way home with Skittles and Iced Tea was looking for a fight. I find it much more likely Zimmerman, the guy who flunked tests to become law enforcement and was patrolling his gated community with a gun was looking to feel his penis wasn't too small.

Someone is going to have to explain to me why Martin didn't have a right to defend himself and perhaps inflict some wounds on Zimmerman.