Something I haven't heard during the Trayvon Martin coverage ...

[zbdent]

I keep hearing people saying "How can this Zimmerman get a 'fair trial' after being tried in the media???"

One thing I keep hearing during any killing (whether accident, or intentional) by someone who the RWers don't like is ... "Where was the justice/mercy for X's victim?"

What I haven't heard from all the talk covering the tragedy of Trayvon Martin is, ... where was the "fair trial" for him? Seems that Zimmerman was judge, jury, and executioner ...

[gateley]

1. Rec! nt

[cindyperry2010]

2. yup

[appleannie1]

3. Actually, what the rightwing crowd IS saying is that he was suspended for 10 days for commiting a

serious felony at school, either rape or armed assault. It just points to how stupid and racist they really are. If he had done something like that he would not have been walking down a street talking to his girlfriend on his cell phone with skittles in his pocket. He would have instead been sitting, alive and well, in a detention center, charged with a crime.

[Ron Obvious]

4. You can say that about any accused criminal, can't you?

You could say that about anybody accused of an unpopular crime, couldn't you? Frankly, statements like that smack of mob justice to me -- an attitude I associate more with right wing authoritarian types than with liberals. I'm surprised to see it here and approved of.

[CAPHAVOC]

5. Believe it or not

It is possible to find a jury. Not all people pay attention to the media.

[Booster]

8. But all juries pay attention to evidence, which, in this case, was botched.

[Baitball Blogger]

6. There would not have been a trial if not for the public response.

The county resorts to ignoring their mistakes.

[Lost-in-FL]

7. I stop watching anything Trayvon Martin... it is a disgrace seen this turning into a media circus...

of Casey Anthony proportions. The media is stepping all over the evidence instead of letting the evidence speak for itself.

It is heartbreaking. It was good bringing attention to an event that almost gets ignored by the Florida justice system. Now this is turning into a 'Court TV' kinda spectacle.

Even Zmann deserves the justice that Trayvon never got just for the sake of others seeking justice on an impartial system.

[Hugabear]

9. If it weren't for the "media circus" in this case, NOTHING would happen

If the media hadn't grabbed hold of this case, Zimmerman would have simply continued with his neighborhood watch program, his concealed weapon at his side, looking for suspicious black people to intimidate or threaten. The local police would have simply accepted his "self defense" bullshit excuse, and nothing more would have been made of it.

It's only because of the media attention that pressure was put on state and federal agencies to step in. It's only because of the media circus that the Sanford police chief agreed to step down - even if only "temporarily" - and if the media doesn't keep on this case, he'll simply slide back into his position once things die down.

Sometimes, media attention can be a GOOD thing.

[Lilyeye]

10. Normally I would agree with the previous poster, but in this case I agree with you.

[Lost-in-FL]

17. That's precisely what I pointed out in my post perhaps not as explicit as how you are saying it.

Last edited Fri Mar 23, 2012, 03:50 PM - Edit history (1)

The internet/televised media are quicker than our justice system. Things should be left (now that finally got the attention of the agencies due to "mass social networking" which in my book is different to the televised media) to the agencies newly assigned to take care of this investigation. So yes, that is the good of media (televised or internet) attention. Pressure needs to be placed for the process to continue but that is OUR job, not the televised-entertainment media.

It is great that the media is bringing attention to those failing to do their job (not because the media wanted to cover this in the first place but due to the amount of people in the background utilizing social networks to bring attention to this injustice which the "media" is now taking credit for accomplishing). However, my problem is the "couch lawyers and prosecutors wanna be" that want everything done instantly now that the attention is set. It should be pretty obvious that this process will take time.

But what is happening now is that TV media (which is different than the social-networking that precipitated all this) and certain groups are trying pitting groups against each other for the sake of ratings. Now we have the 'media circus' forgetting about this individual and hijacking this event to make political points. That is propaganda, not justice... at least in my opinion.

Now, justice needs to run it course now it got the attention (because of social-networking, not the "media circus&quot of the DoJ, FBI, State agencies, etc.

[Lilyeye]

11. Excellent point

People are claiming that Zimmerman isn't being treated fairly, but Trayvon and his family weren't being treated fairly at all.

[mbuch64]

12. I'm disturbed by things I'm hearing now

Fox news just had some gun rights nutjob on to discuss second amendment rights.
When asked about the stand your ground law, he replied that he thought the law worked just as it was intended. He claimed one of the witnesses saw Trayvon on top of Zimmerman pummeling him and that Zimmerman was the one screaming. I read this story yesterday and as I recall it was written by some South Carolina tea party republican blogger. I couldn't believe this drivel when I read it Thu. and I damned sure had to pick my jaw up after I heard it repeated on Megyn Kelly's excuse for a news show. Now we can look forward to the idiots on fox and friends start the "some people say" tactics. This nasty falsehood being spread by the right needs to be shot down and the sooner the better.

[OKNancy]

13. yes, the "Trayvon was on top of Zimmerman"

as seen by an eyewitness can't be verified by any source other than some sort of right-wing generated meme that has been going around. The only place you see this statement is on places like Hannity or in replies to people's facebooks or news stories.
There is no news story that says this that I can find.

[The Magistrate]

18. Damned Shame The Young Man Did Not Break the Creep's Neck, Sir

He would have been perfectly within his rights to do so....

[radhika]

14. At this point, we don't have even an arrest...duh

All this media attention, the state and feds involved, 911 tapes, police chief steps down, crowds gathering but still no one is taking any kind of official action against the shooter.

We're leagues away from debates on fair trial. It might not even come to that.

[pnwmom]

15. Here's an answer to those people:

The media only started to try him after it became clear he wasn't going to have a trial at all!

If the media hadn't put him "on trial," then no one would have. He would have gotten off scott free. He still might.

[Eddie Haskell]

16. What would a white parent expect if their child was killed in a black neighborhood ...

If the fact that it was a "Gated Community" gives the homeowners special rights, I think the law must be struck down. But the courts have already recognized gated communities as having special protection against police surveillance.

What we have here is a two-tiered system of justice.