Travyon’s parents propose “Trayvon Martin Amendment” to self defense law

[MillennialDem]

71. False, because popping a mentally unbalanced homeless person simply for

repeated talking to you because you want to punch someone and get away with it fails the self defense test. One must have reasonable cause to fear imminent threat to life or injury. Popping a homeless person who is viewed as a nut but harmless does not fit that criteria.

On the other hand, if one believes said person is a nut and is likely to engage in imminent violence to the point of injury or death, then one does have said right to "throw the first punch". I believe that's what happened with TM and GZ. GZ followed him in his truck (giving TM the creeps), then followed him on foot (with TM running for at least part of that time), caught up to him or cut him off somehow, started yelling at him, and possibly even put his hands on TM.

Personally I think that is reasonable to think that GZ meant TM harm, even if he didn't throw the first punch. Sadly the jury did not see it that way, but it kinda hurts when the only two people to witness the entire event were either deceased or did not have to testify.