Teenager shot/killed while Tweek's hero gets off free

[Eurell]

So his wife is a liar? What does that have to do with Zimmerman defending himself against Trayvon?

Pretty sure the article itself said the two have nothing to do with eachother as far as Zimmerman's case. But this obviously belongs in this thread, so I really don't know what you're talking about here.

[Tyche]

So his wife is a liar? What does that have to do with Zimmerman defending himself against Trayvon?

THe two were lying and conspiring to hide money. It calls into question Zimmerman's credibility in a case of "he said, he dead".

[Alvinho]

...Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old, was shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer as he returned to his father's girlfriend's house after a trip to the convenience store. Martin was unarmed, but was carrying a bag of Skittles, a can of iced tea, and his wallet after he was shot by George Zimmerman, the watch volunteer. The shooting, and the local police's handling of it, have become major news stories and sparked national conversations around racial profiling and gun laws...

What's this? New evidence?!

[Eurell]

Wallet was planted by his family so noone would know he stole the iced tea and skittles.

[Ragnus]

Knowing Florida they probably had to start putting that he had his wallet also since people were assuming he shoplifted.

[Dimmauk]

ABC news showed zimmerman's reenactment video.

[Suvhater]

Link to said video

[Ghost_Wheel22]

What's this? New evidence?!

I hear they made a huge breakthrough using:

Spoiler: show

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...sne/straws.jpg

[Brill Weave]

Stand your ground didn't work for this retard.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/...210731482.html

A Texas man convicted of shooting and killing his unarmed neighbor during a dispute over loud music received a 40-year prison sentence on Wednesday.

Raul Rodriguez, 47, faced a minimum of five years and a maximum of life in prison. He claimed he shot schoolteacher Kelly Danaher in self-defense under Texas' version of the "stand your ground" law.

But prosecutors argued Rodriguez provoked the incident by confronting Danaher, 36, and his friends with a handgun and demanding they quiet down at a late-night birthday party in May 2010.

The Houston case captured more attention in the wake of Trayvon Martin's death in Florida. There, George Zimmerman says he was being attacked and cited the state's "stand your ground" law after shooting the unarmed teen. But prosecutors charged him with second-degree murder.

Two dozen states reportedly now allow citizens to stand their ground even outside their home. The specifics vary by state, but generally justify a person not retreating and using deadly force when a threat is perceived.

As in Florida, Texas law includes public areas, "if a person has a right to be present at a location where force is used."

But veteran attorney Andy Drumheller told Yahoo News that the Houston jury appeared to draw a line with Rodriguez leaving his home and going down the street.

"The law is not designed to create this bubble that you can carry with you everywhere you go," said Drumheller, a former prosecutor now practicing criminal defense in Houston. "The jury's verdict is a cautionary statement on the limits of this defense."

The Rodriguez case is also unique because the former firefighter was recording video during much of the ordeal.

Rodriguez, who had been calling police about the loud party, dialed 911 again as both sides shouted at each other near Danaher's dark driveway.

"Tell you what, pal, you just pulled a gun on the wrong [expletive], OK?" one of the partygoers is heard telling Rodriguez on the home video.

Seconds later the partygoer warns, "When I go in that house and I come back, don't think I won't be equal to you, baby."

Rodriguez, who told police he suspected the men were drunk, tells the 911 operator that he's scared and will defend himself, if needed.

"I don't want to do this, and it all started over them playing their music real loud … it's about to get out of hand, Sir. Please help me. "

Seconds later, he says, "I'm standing my ground here, now these people are going to try and kill me."

The video is dark when Danaher and two other men apparently lunged toward him, laughing loudly. Rodriguez fired his gun, killing Danaher and injuring two others.

In lobbying jurors for a lenient sentence, defense attorney Bill Stradley blamed the tragedy on his client's misunderstanding of the state's "stand your ground" law. Something he predicts will happen with other Texas gun owners in the future.

"And they will find themselves, like Raul Rodriguez, charged with murder," said Stradley, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"Raul believed he had a right to be where he was. But he had two seconds to make that call, to pull that trigger."

[Salodin]

Texas is on a roll omg-you-did-something-right steak lol

[archibaldcrane]

If Texas does one thing right, it's steak.

[Hatedregret]

I don't get that one. He is absolutely in the wrong for pulling a gun out while trying to get them to turn down the music. He should not have done that as it looks like he is threatening them. What I don't get is the rest of it. He's on the phone with police and recording himself explaining he doesn't want to hurt anyone, that he is now in fear(from his own dumb choice) and the three drunk men lunge at him. He defends himself. They said they were getting a gun out of the house. At that point, I'd have shot them too, but I wouldn't have had my gun out in the first place to blow the situation out of control though so... I don't think he is guilty of murder but it is his fault for making things get out of hand to begin with so it's a rough spot for a jury/judge.

Scary world in either case. A lot of times you have the choice of dying or going to prison for defending yourself.

[chazzyphizzle]

except they were obviously going to beat the shit out of him because he went over to their house with a fucking gun to tell them to turn the music down. they didn't lay down like he thought they would so he got scared. you can't threaten somebody and then call the cops and say protect me

[archibaldcrane]

And also he was on someone else's private property where he clearly wasn't wanted there.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

Standing your ground against a pack of pissed drunk dudes you whipped a gun out to intimidate? Yeah, not gonna fly.

Seriously, pulling out a gun to make someone turn down their music? He would've deserved every kick in the nuts they were going to give him.

[Lucavi]

I don't get that one. He is absolutely in the wrong for pulling a gun out while trying to get them to turn down the music. He should not have done that as it looks like he is threatening them. What I don't get is the rest of it. He's on the phone with police and recording himself explaining he doesn't want to hurt anyone, that he is now in fear(from his own dumb choice) and the three drunk men lunge at him. He defends himself. They said they were getting a gun out of the house. At that point, I'd have shot them too, but I wouldn't have had my gun out in the first place to blow the situation out of control though so... I don't think he is guilty of murder but it is his fault for making things get out of hand to begin with so it's a rough spot for a jury/judge.

Scary world in either case. A lot of times you have the choice of dying or going to prison for defending yourself.

Its Texas. Everyone has a gun and apparently there are quite a few that want any opportunity to show it off, even when there's a 100% chance of making the situation worse. I just wish I could have seen his fat jowls quivering in fear when he realized that all of the bravado he had in sauntering over there with a gun was washed away in an instant when they didn't back down.

He'll have a lot of time to think about his precious guns in prison.

[Xno Kappa]

Hope he becomes the new prison bitch with a pristine virgin asshole that everyone is going to butt fuck with ferocious intensity. Fucking dumbass tried to front and then cry "stand your ground" like a bitch.

[Lucavi]

Nothing worse than someone trying to go hard and pop off, only to immediately cower when the gambit fails.

20/20 hindsight, yo.

[Elestial]

Update today: Zimmerman's bail set at $1,000,000

[Lucavi]

Judge considered him a flight risk. I'll pull the quotes if I can find them again.