A SECOND LOOK . . . 11,017

The Nobel Prize Winner

A  SECOND  LOOK . . .

http://obamacartoon.blogspot.com/2012/03/trayvon-martin-and-real-racial.html

Original illustration from Tuesday March 27, 2012  (Gary McCoy)

*  Special thanks to "Google Images", "USA Today", "CNN" and "Rasumssen Reports"

BLOG  POST

7.26.13

by Felicity Blaze Noodleman

Los Angeles, CA

Last week’s article drew over 150 hits over the weekend and is a record for this Blog since we only average about between 60 to 80 at the most.  We were surprised!  This story indicates a high interest in the George Zimmerman trial in Florida.  It’s probably true that many of us have had after thoughts about the outcome for this trial and the protesting which followed.  Two thoughts seem to echo in the mind of this writer.  They are quotes from the past which would seem to apply.  

Lincoln

King

First: is a quote from Abraham Lincoln; “A house divided against itself cannot stand”.  

Secondly: is a quote from a more contemporary source; “Can’t we all just get along” from Rodney King”.

It is also probably true that many of have had regrets of all sorts over this last week’s events to be sure.  Personally, for me I regretted even hearing about the story.  This kind of discord deeply disturbs me.  To be brief, it’s a tragedy that two lives and the lives of those closest to these people had to be ruined over something which could have been avoided.  Tragedies are so often are indicative of events which could have turned out differently.

Our article this week almost where last week’s article left off.  We are having to rely on our cartoon illustrators a little more than usual to "dress up" this story.  President Obama issued a statement Thursday afternoon July 18, which we found to be somewhat profound.  There has been a lot of speculation about the Presidents interest in this case.  The White House usually makes an effort to honor youths who have excelled in the areas of scholastic achievement or some other endeavors.                              

Some have written things such as  "The truth is that Barack Obama would never had said anything about this case had Trayvon been white!   He would have said nothing about this case had the shooter been black!   He would have said nothing about this case had it not been thrown into the national spotlight.   Is he sorry for the family, yes I believe so.    Is he using this to gain political advantage, yes!   Does he in a stealth way fan the flames of racism, yes!  Is he the president of all the people, no!  Is he playing the race card on this shooting, you bet he is!"  
(http://obamacartoon.blogspot.com/2012/03/trayvon-martin-and-real-racial.html)

Little publicised photo of Zimmerman after confrontation with Trayvon Martin.

Obama asks what if Trayvon had the gun, could he have shot Zimmerman because he felt threatened? Contrary to the lie that Trayvon was attacked, eye witness testimony, Zimmerman's bloodied head, and Martin's girlfriend prove that Martin attacked him.  (Credits:   Sanford Police)

http://www.examiner.com/article/believing-the-lie-that-trayvon-was-attacked-obama-gins-up-race-riots

It is unusual for the White House to comment on a case like this, but all things considered we all understand.  We are posting two versions of the Presidents statements from the press conference; one from “USA Today” and the other from “CNN”.

The question of the media's involvement in this case should also be open for debate.  George Zimmerman, after all is a privet citizen and like all, he was Innocent until proven guilty.  With all the media coverage it will be hard for him to pick up the pieces of his life and continue.  His brother has spoken out publicly about threats made against the family and the media (Comedians like Stephen Colbert) have publicly ridiculed George and his acquittal verdict.

We also found the Presidents statements to be a little unusual since the administration has not taken much of a stance on crime since President Obama took office.  It leads one to wonder what motivated the President in this case.   Was the White House behind the media coverage from the beginning?  Can we look for the President to have George Zimmerman as a guest at the White House for "beer and pretzels"?  It's happened before! 

Finally we conclude with the Presidents approval ratings for his eighteenth quarter in office.  It’s a new low not only for the President but for the history of the Presidency.  All the sources agree from “Gallop” to “CNN” to “Rasmusen”.  Felicity writing for The Noodleman Group!

First Take: After Zimmerman, Obama Cautious on Race

President Obama made a statement about the George Zimmerman trial verdict saying that he could

have been Trayvon Martin 35 years ago. He said that the country needs to stop racial disparities.

(Photo: Carolyn Kaster, AP)

Aamer Madhani, USA TODAY

3:58 p.m. EDT July 19, 2013

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

·         Obama acknowledges he may not be best person to lead a dialogue on race

·         President was criticized for remarks in a prior race-related case

·         Suggests Americans give deeper thought to racial bias

WASHINGTON — When it comes to dealing with the sticky issue of race in America, President Obama has found that leading from behind might not be such a bad idea.

He was pilloried by critics on the right early in his presidency when he said a Cambridge, Mass., police officer "acted stupidly" when he arrested the black Harvard University scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. as he struggled to open the door of his home in a predominantly white neighborhood.

And Obama raised eyebrows, when he remarked after Trayvon Martin's death last year that "if I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."

So, it's no surprise that he took a cautious approach as he weighed in for the first time since a Florida jury found George Zimmerman not guilty in the death of Trayvon.

STORY: Obama: Trayvon 'could have been me'

In a surprise appearance before reporters six days after the verdict, Obama spoke eloquently about Trayvon's family showing grace in the aftermath of the verdict, and he reiterated his understanding of the pain the African-American community feels over the outcome of the trial and the larger problem of racial profiling.

And Obama again connected himself directly to the teenager when he observed that he could have been Trayvon 35 years ago.

But the president, despite the historic nature of his presidency, also made clear that he's not the best person to be leading a difficult conversation about race.

Instead, he argued that the larger discussion of race belongs not with lawmakers in Washington but in living rooms, houses of worship and workplaces.

In such settings, Obama posited, "There's the possibility that people are a little bit more honest, and at least you ask yourself your own questions about, am I wringing as much bias out of myself as I can?"

The president rightfully noted that as a nation we've made progress in our dialogue on race. But, as he also made clear, we're hardly in a post-racial era.

Obama, who has long contended with a portion of America's views about his "other-ness," seems to have realized that a president – even an African-American one – can sometimes serve the public dialogue on race best by merely participating in the conversation rather than directing it.

"USA Today"

Obama: 'Trayvon Martin Could Have Been Me'

Obama: Trayvon Martin could have been me.  Clearly the President is
disapointed; but why?

By Tom Cohen, CNN

updated 6:07 PM EDT, Fri July 19, 2013

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

·         NEW: Obama decided Thursday to speak out on the Martin case

·         NEW: Zimmerman's defense team says the verdict was just

·         President Obama explains African American frustration over the Trayvon Martin killing

·         He says demonstrations over the verdict must remain non-violent

Washington (CNN) -- In unscheduled and unusually personal remarks, President Barack Obama tried Friday to explain why African-Americans were upset about last week's acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin while lowering expectations for federal charges in the case.

"Trayvon Martin could have been me 35 years ago," Obama told White House reporters in a surprise appearance at the daily briefing.

His remarks, which lasted about 20 minutes, escalated a nationwide debate on the verdict that has prompted protests, including some that turned violent.

A Florida jury acquitted Zimmerman last Saturday in Martin's February 26, 2012, shooting death, inciting anger among many who considered the incident racially motivated murder.

Obama issued a written statement on Sunday, noting that the jury had spoken and urging calm and reflection. Despite some calls for him to speak about the case, the nation's first African-American president had made no further public comment until Friday.

Speaking without a teleprompter, Obama noted a history of racial disparity in law as well as more nuanced social prejudice that contribute to "a lot of pain" in the African-American community over the verdict.

"There are very few African-American men in this country who have not had the experience of being followed when they are shopping at a department store. That includes me," the president said.

"There are probably very few African-American men who have not had the experience of walking across the street and hearing the locks click on the doors of cars. That happens to me - at least before I was a senator," he continued.

"There are very few African-Americans who have not had the experience of getting on an elevator and a woman clutching her purse nervously and holding her breath until she had the chance to get off. That happens often," he said.

Saying he didn't intend to exaggerate those experiences, Obama added that they "inform how the African-American community interprets what happened one night in Florida."

"The African-American community is also knowledgeable that there is a history of racial disparities in the application of our criminal laws, everything from the death penalty to enforcement of our drug laws," he said. "And that ends up having an impact in terms of how people interpret the case."

African-Americans feel the context of the Martin killing is little known or denied, "and that all contributes, I think, to a sense that if a white male teen was involved in the same kind of scenario that, from top to bottom, both the outcome and the aftermath might have been different," Obama said.

These cases usually matter for states

At the same time, Obama responded to calls by civil rights groups for federal hate crimes charges to be filed against Zimmerman by saying the Florida legal process had reached a verdict.

"Once the jury's spoken, that's how our system works," the president said, later adding that while Attorney General Eric Holder was looking further at the case, those calling for federal charges must "have some clear expectations here."

In America, law enforcement and the criminal code are "traditionally done at the state and local levels, not at the federal level," he said.

On Saturday, "Justice for Trayvon" vigils are scheduled outside federal buildings across the country by Rev. Al Sharpton's National Action Network.

Sharpton called Obama's remarks Friday "significant and much needed," saying in a statement that the president "set a tone for both direct action and needed dialogue."

Martin's parents said they were "deeply honored and moved" that Obama spoke publicly about their son, saying the president's comments "give us great strength at this time."

"Trayvon's life was cut short, but we hope that his legacy will make our communities a better place for generations to come," said the statement by Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton. "We applaud the president's call to action to bring communities together to encourage an open and difficult dialogue."

However, some conservative commentators criticized Obama for what they called divisiveness by speaking as an African American instead of representing the entire country. Todd Starnes, a Fox News Radio anchor, tweeted "race-baiter in chief."

Stark contrast: How comments sparked very different reactions

Zimmerman's defense team cited Obama's courage in addressing the case and its racial context, but said the facts showed their client acted in self-defense and the jury reached the proper verdict.

"While we acknowledge the racial context of the case, we hope that the president was not suggesting that this case fits a pattern of racial disparity, because we strongly contend that it does not," the lawyers said in a statement.

A White House official told CNN Chief White House correspondent Jessica Yellin that Obama decided Thursday night to make his public remarks after watching the reaction to the Zimmerman verdict over the past week.

The official, who spoke on condition of not being identified, said Obama talked to friends and family members about the verdict, and told his senior staff he wanted to speak publicly about it. His staff recommended that he make the remarks in the White House briefing room, as opposed to an interview.

In his remarks, Obama said demonstrations and other responses to the Zimmerman verdict must be non-violent or they will dishonor what happened to Martin and his family.

He outlined possible future steps, calling for the Justice Department, state governors and city mayors to work with law enforcement agencies "about training at the state and local levels in order to reduce the kind of mistrust in the system that sometimes currently exists."

For example, he noted that racial profiling legislation he pushed as a state senator in Illinois helped police departments think about the issue and act more professionally, which helped build trust with communities they serve.

Stand your ground laws

Obama also called for reconsideration of "stand your ground" self-defense laws in Florida and other states, that he said "may encourage the kinds of altercations and confrontations and tragedies that we saw in the Florida case, rather than diffuse potential altercations."

Sharpton and other civil rights leaders call for abolishing the "stand your ground" laws.

"If we're sending a message as a society in our communities that someone who is armed potentially has the right to use those firearms, even if there's a way for them to exit from a situation, is that really going to be contributing to the kind of peace and security and order that we'd like to see?" Obama asked.

Protesters stand up to 'stand your ground,' but laws likely here to stay

To supporters of such laws, Obama said they should consider if the right to fight back with a gun would have applied to Martin.

"Do we actually think that he would have been justified in shooting Mr. Zimmerman, who had followed him in a car, because he felt threatened?" the president said. "And if the answer to that question is at least ambiguous, then it seems to me that we might want to examine those kinds of laws."

While rejecting any "grand new federal program," Obama also called for providing more support for African-American boys and young mans who disproportionately end up in prison or homicide victims.

No national conversation

However, he rejected calls for him to launch a national conversation on race, saying "I haven't seen that be particularly productive when, you know, politicians try to organize conversations."

His comment could have been a slap at his own response to the 2009 arrest of African-American university professor Henry Louis Gates by a white police officer responding to a report of a possible burglary at his Boston-area home.

After coming under criticism for saying police acted stupidly, Obama later invited the Harvard professor and the arresting officer for a beer at the White House.

On Friday, Obama instead endorsed "soul-searching" discussions in homes, churches and workplaces where people might be more honest about whether they were "wringing as much bias" out of themselves as possible.

"As difficult and challenging as this whole episode has been for a lot of people, I don't want us to lose sight that things are getting better," the president concluded, making a reference to his daughters' generation.

"It doesn't mean we're in a post-racial society. It doesn't mean that racism is eliminated," he said. "But, you know, when I talk to Malia and Sasha and I listen to their friends and I see them interact, they're better than we are. They're better than we were on these issues. And that's true in every community that I've visited all across the country."

"CNN"

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll

in Politics

RELATED ARTICLES

·         Confronting America's Racial Divide By Scott Rasmussen

·         What They Told Us: Reviewing Last Week’s Key Polls

·         61% Expect Health Care in U.S. To Get Worse Over Next Two Years

·         38% Think Government Is Best Bet for Alternative Energy Development

·         44% Rate Obama’s Handling of Health Care Positively

·         32% Have Favorable Opinion of Zimmerman, 48% Unfavorable

·         32% Say American Society is Unfair and Discriminatory

Bottom of Form

Monday, July 22, 2013

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 47% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Obama's job performance. Fifty-two percent (52%) disapprove (see trends).

These figures include 23% who Strongly Approve of the way Obama is performing as president and 40% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -17.  

Results are updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update).

As the president’s health care law draws closer to implementation, concerns are growing. Sixty-one percent (61%) now expect the health care system to get worse over the next couple of years. That’s up 13 points since February and the highest level of pessimism yet recorded. Overall, 78% are happy with the health care they currently receive, but only 36% rate the overall U.S. health care system as good or excellent.

Forty-eight percent (48%) believe research by private businesses seeking a profit will do more to meet the U.S. need for affordable energy sources than research by the government.

Check out our review of last week’s key polls to see “What They Told Us.”

 Scott Rasmussen's weekly newspaper column says America's race relations may have changed over the past half-century, "but we have failed to honestly confront our past." He adds, "If our nation is ever to truly become a land of liberty and justice for all, we need to have an honest discussion about race. The evidence of the past few weeks makes me doubt we are ready for that today." 

Currently, 32% of voters believe American society is generally unfair and discriminatory. That's near the highest level ever recorded.

To get a sense of longer-term job approval trends for the president, Rasmussen Reports compiles our tracking data on a full month-by-month basis.

Rasmussen Reports is a media company whose work is followed by millions on a wide variety of platforms. We regularly release our work at RasmussenReports.com, through a daily email newsletter, a nationally syndicated TV show, a nationally syndicated radio news service, an online video service and a weekly newspaper column distributed by Creators Syndicate.

Rasmussen Reports has been a pioneer in the use of automated telephone polling techniques, but many other firms still utilize their own operator-assisted technology (see methodology).

Daily tracking results are collected via telephone surveys of 500 likely voters per night and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. To reach those who have abandoned traditional landline telephones, Rasmussen Reports uses an online survey tool to interview randomly selected participants from a demographically diverse panel. The margin of sampling error for the full sample of 1,500 Likely Voters is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Results are also compiled on a full-week basis and crosstabs for full-week results are available for Platinum Members. 

"Rasmussen Reports"




  

Gallup Puts Obama Approval Rating Last Quarter At 47.9%

(Photo: Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP)

David Jackson, USA TODAY

1:15 p.m. EDT July 22, 2013

President Obama's job approval for the last three full months averaged 47.9%, the second straight quarter in which his approval rating dropped,reports Gallup.

During the first quarter of 2013, Obama's approval rating averaged 49.7%.

Like most predecessors, Obama's best ratings with Gallup came during the first three months of his presidency, averaging 63%.

"His worst was 41% during his 11th quarter, at a time when he and Congress engaged in contentious negotiations to raise the federal debt limit, after which the United States' credit rating was downgraded and the U.S. stock market tanked," Gallup said.

Obama's average approval rating for the last quarter of 2012 -- the time in which he won re-election -- was 51.9%.

Gallup compared the trajectory of Obama's approval ratings to predecessors Harry Truman and George W. Bush:

"Obama will hope the remainder of his second term plays out better than it did for Truman and Bush, who experienced steady declines in their popularity and registered some of the lowest approval ratings in Gallup records late in their presidencies.

"Both Bush and Truman certainly had significant challenges in their second terms, including protracted U.S. military engagements that began on their watches, and economies that were heading into recession. ...

"Given the historical trends, it would not be unexpected for Obama's approval rating to decline further during his next quarter in office. However, his ability to respond to the challenges he faces will determine whether his approval ratings continue to decline or improve in his final years as president."

"USA Today"

Pritchett's Pen: Obama's Approval Ratings Dive. John Pritchett is one of Hawaii's leading cartoonists with his journalistic endeavors appearing weekly in Hawaii Reporter, Honolulu Weekly and Lahaina News.  http://www.hawaiireporter.com/pritchetts-pen-obamas-approval-ratings-dive/123

http://fbnoodleman.blogspot.com/

* “The Noodleman Group” is pleased to announce that we are now carrying a link to the “USA Today” news site.We installed the “widget/gadget” August 20, and it will be carried as a regular feature on our site.Now you can read“Noodleman” and then check in to “USA Today” for all the up to date News, Weather, Sports and more!Just scroll all the way down to the bottom of our site and hit the “USA Today” hyperlinks.Enjoy!

The Noodleman Group is on Google "Blogger"!

ACQUITTAL 10712

ACQUITTAL

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*  Special  thanks to "Google Images", "CNN", "Reuters", "The Associated Press",

"USA Today", "The Chicago Tribune", "The Los Angeles Times", "The Gainesville Sun" 
Los Angeles "Daily News", "Wikipedia", and our cartoon artists for being with the group this week. 

BLOG  POST

by Felicity Blaze Noodleman

Los Angeles, CA

7-19-13

http://www.whatamimissinghere.com/archives/66226

The events of this week have truly been news worthy and bear scrutiny in their proper context and entirety.  We here at Noodleman are looking at the "Big Picture" - "Examining The Box" - and "Bringing Together" all of the issues from our "Group" of news and documentary sources. Once again it’s time to assert our First Amendment Rights and write about the recent events surrounding the George Zimmerman Trial in Florida.  

Noodleman was not covering or paying much attention to this court case as it unfolded;  after all it was being tried in a court of law which is exactly where it belonged and not in the court of public opinion which usually is not privy to all the facts and law.   This court  is not governed by justice. Unfortunately the jury acquittal of Mr. Zimmerman has produced rioting and mob violence in the streets across the nation by largely African Americans protesters which hearkens back to the days of mob rule.

Hundreds of activists demand justice for Trayvon Martin after marching to Times Square from New York's Union Square July 14, 2013.  (Credit: Reuters/Adrees Latif)   Thousands of demonstrators demanding "Justice for Trayvon" marched in major cities across the United States on Sunday to protest the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.

This article will examine the verdict in this case and the insuring protesting and violence across the country.  Beginning to understand the verdict of acquittal in a case like this is the starting point and the key for justice in the United States.  In the CNN article “All-Female Jury To Try Zimmerman”, the complex process jury selection is covered.  In our legal system understanding the jury process will explain the verdict in any jury trial.  Our initial concern was to examine the jury make up in this case and verify the racial balance was in compliance with the law.

People shout at motorcycle officers on Crenshaw Boulevard in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 16, 2013. Crowds gather to protest the George Zimmerman acquittal while a heavy presence of LAPD officers patrol the area around Leimert Park at the intersection of Crenshaw Boulevard and Vernon. (John McCoy/Staff Photographer)   http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_23670696/protests-over-zimmerman-acquittal-continue-amid-strong-police

Next we turn to “USA Today” article “George Zimmerman Found Not Guilty”.   Here we learn the jury’s thinking which ultimately led this jury to acquit Mr. Zimmerman and comments from his attorneys.  Weather we agree or not with this jury we must remember that under our laws the jury has a responsibility to the defendant.  Guilt must be determined based on “any reasonable doubt”.  It is no exaggeration to say that many defendants of all races have been acquitted for this very same reason and under the same circumstances!

People have once again taken it upon themselves to protest turning to mob violence in the street as a result of the Zimmerman verdict.  Society’s Constitutional Rights . . . the right to the “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” as stated in the “Declaration of Independence” and our Civil Rights guaranteed by the "Bill of Rights"  has been trodden under foot by thugs and criminals who assault the lives and property of all races!  

How many times have we seen African Americans take the law into their own hands under the banner of “Civil Disobedience” ironically  asserting their Civil Rights?  Too many times to count. This behavior is nothing more than anarchy against the people of the United States and its Democratically elected Government. 

America seems to be plagued with such events from African Americans who wish to bully the nation into accepting their agenda.  “Thousands Protest Zimmerman Verdict Across US”  from “The Chicago Tribune”, “The Los Angeles Times” as reported by “Reuters” news service reports on the rioting.



We wanted to know a little more about the shooting victim Trayvon Martin and some basic information about the youth.   We found a brief Bio from Wikipedia:

Martin

Born	Trayvon Benjamin Martin February 5, 1995 Florida, U.S.
Died	February 26, 2012 (aged 17) Sanford, Florida, U.S.
Cause of death	Single gunshot fired at intermediate range (1-18 inches)
Ethnicity	African American
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight	158 pounds (72 kg)

Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was the son of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, who were divorced in 1999. He was a junior at Dr. Michael M. Krop High School and lived with his mother and older brother in Miami Gardens, Florida. Trayvon's English teacher, Michelle Kypriss described him as an A and B student who majored in cheerfulness.

On the day Martin was fatally shot, he and his father were visiting his father's fiancée and her son at her townhome in The Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford, a multi-ethnic gated community, where the shooting occurred. Martin had visited his father's fiancée at Twin Lakes several times.

Martin had been suspended from school at the time of his death. He had been suspended twice before. One suspension was for tardiness and truancy. Another suspension in October 2011 was for graffiti, when Martin was observed by a security camera in a restricted area of the school marking up a door with "W.T.F." When he was later searched by a Miami-Dade School Police Department officer, looking for the graffiti marker, the officer found several pieces of women's jewelry in his backpack, which Martin said a friend had given to him. A screwdriver was also found, which was described by the school police investigator as a burglary tool. The jewelry was impounded and given to the police, but no evidence ever surfaced to indicate that the jewelry was stolen. Martin's third suspension involved a marijuana pipe and an empty bag containing marijuana residue.

Martin was not charged with any crime related to these incidents and did not have a juvenile record. Judge Nelson ruled that the defense may have access to Martin's records, including the details of these suspensions, as well as access to Martin's social media sites, but ruled they will not be admissible as evidence during the trial unless they can be shown to be relevant.

Wikipedia.com

Finally;  we take a look at the prescribed procedure to redress our grievances in a case like the Zimmerman verdict from “Reuters and The Los Angeles Times” in “NAACP Convention Seeks Federal Charges Against Zimmerman”.   Mob violence has never produced a good outcome and is a poor solution for due course under the law.  Until something better comes along and we are able to make improvements in our legal system this process will have to do.  This has been Felicity for the Noodleman Group.

Joe Heller, Green Bay Press-Gazette  http://blogs.denverpost.com/opinion/2013/07/16/cartoons-of-the-day-george-zimmerman-verdict/40883/

All-Female Jury To Try Zimmerman

Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Trayvon Martin.

By Graham Winch, HLNtv.com

updated 4:04 PM EDT, Sun June 23, 2013

(CNN) -- An all-female jury will start hearing the murder case against Florida neighborhood watch captain George Zimmerman next week, with opening arguments in the closely watched trial set for Monday.

The jury was selected Thursday afternoon after defense attorney Mark O'Mara completed his question-and-answer session with the potential jurors. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday morning, Judge Debra Nelson said Thursday.

The prosecuting and defense attorneys referred to the jury members as five white women and one black or Hispanic woman. CNN does not have access to the juror questionnaires and cannot confirm the ethnicities of the jurors.

Four alternate jurors -- two women and two men -- will hear the case as well. Nelson asked Zimmerman if he agreed with the jurors selected to serve on the panel, and he said he did.

"CNN"

George Zimmerman Found Not Guilty

Free To Go: George Zimmerman stands as the judge prepares to announce his not guilty verdict in the killing of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.  (Getty Images)

Yamiche Alcindor, USA TODAY 8:25 p.m. EDT July 14, 2013

The case had captured the nation's attention.

SANFORD, Fla. -- George Zimmerman, the man accused of murdering Trayvon Martin, was found not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter Saturday night.

The verdict is the culmination of a case that captured the nation's attention and will undoubtedly be imprinted in America's history. For Zimmerman, it means trying to recapture his life after he was at the center of a national maelstrom over racial profiling, state gun laws and what constitutes self-defense.

The not guilty verdict means the jury of six women, after deliberating for more than 15 hours over two days, found that Zimmerman justifiably used deadly force. They determined that he reasonably believed that such force was "necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm" to himself — Florida's definition of self-defense.

Zimmerman showed no emotion as the verdict was read. After the verdict was read, he smiled slightly and shook hands with one of his lawyers.

The unidentified jurors decided Zimmerman didn't "intentionally commit an act or acts that caused death" or demonstrate a "depraved mind without regard for human life" -- Florida's definitions of manslaughter and second-degree murder, respectively.

In a press conference after the verdict, Zimmerman attorney Mark O'Mara said his client will now need to get on with his life.

Mark O'Mara and Don West, the attorneys for George Zimmerman, said they were satisfied that justice had been served when the jury reached a not guilty verdict.

"I think he's going to be great. I think he is still worried. Hopefully everyone will respect the jury's verdict," O'Mara said.

He offered his sympathies to Trayvon's parents for the loss of their son. But he said despite the national protests that erupted after the shooting, the case had nothing to do with civil rights.

Zimmerman's brother, Robert, told CNN's Piers Morgan that his brother was processing the reality that he is free.

"He has some decompressing to do," he said. "Our family was emotional. We are exonerated as a family and George is exonerated as a defendant. It's going to take us some time to heal."

For all the euphoria on Zimmerman's team, prosecutors and Trayvon's family faced a huge letdown. Trayvon's parents were not in the courtroom when the verdict was read.

Assistant State Attorney Bernie De La Rionda responds to a question about self-defense after a not guilty verdict was reached in the trial of George Zimmerman.

Trayvon's father, Tracy, posted on Twitter, "Even though I am broken-hearted, my faith is unshattered. I will always love my baby Tray ... even in his death I know my baby proud of the FIGHT we along with all of you put up for him."

The family's attorney Benjamin Crump thanked all the protesters nationwide who "put their hoodies up and to everybody who said, 'I am Trayvon.' " He urged supporters to remain peaceful, despite the verdict.
Lead prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda said, "I am disappointed in the verdict but I respect it. We accept the jury's verdict."

State Attorney Angela Corey said the case was a challenge. But she said, "That scream stops when the shot was fired and we always believed it wasTrayvon Martin."

Outside the courtroom, demonstrators who supported Trayvon stood in stunned silence. But legal analysts say they were not surprised by the verdict because the prosecution did not prove its case.

"The prosecution had no clear narrative, witnesses that appeared poorly prepared, and at the end of the day, this is more of a loss by the prosecution than a win by the defense," criminal attorney Darren Kavinoky said.
Susan Constantine, a jury consultant and body language expert who attended Zimmerman's trial regularly, said the verdict meant there was reasonable doubt. "They just could not put the pieces together," she said.

The case has gripped the nation since the shooting happened on Feb. 26, 2012. Police initially did not charge Zimmerman with a crime, citing Florida's "stand-your-ground" law, which allows someone who believes they are in imminent danger to take whatever steps are necessary to protect themselves.

A man wears a bullet around his neck during a Los Angeles rally on July 15 after George Zimmerman's acquittal in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin.  Frederic J. Brown, AFP/Getty Images

Protests ensued in several cities, including New York, by supporters of Trayvon's family. Many protesters voiced the opinion that Trayvon was targeted and killed for racial reasons. Trayvon, 17, was black and Zimmerman is Hispanic.

"You have a little black boy who was killed," said Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the parents of Trayvon. "It's going to be reported in history books and 50 years from now, our children will talk about Trayvon Martin's case like we talk about Emmett Till."

Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black young man, was tortured, grossly disfigured and murdered in 1955 in Mississippi after being accused of flirting with a white woman.

In Zimmerman's case, State Attorney Corey stepped in and charged Zimmerman with murder on April 11, 2012. Prosecutors never argued that Zimmerman racially profiled the teen and instead said the teen was profiled as a criminal.

The five-week trial of Zimmerman, held in the same Florida city where Trayvon was killed, brought the facts of the case under a nationally televised spotlight, with every moment captured on camera. More than 50 witnesses testified, and when deliberations began Friday afternoon, the jury requested a list of the plethora of evidence that lawyers presented.

Some of the items include several statements Zimmerman gave to police, Trayvon's autopsy report and photos of both Zimmerman's injuries and Trayvon's body. Witnesses included forensic experts who testified about the angle at which Trayvon was shot, the position Zimmerman's gun may have been in, and where DNA and blood was found.

Other witnesses offered conflicting statements about how the fight happened, who had the upper hand when Zimmerman fired the shot and who was screaming for help in a 911 call recording.
The defense called nine people -- including both of Zimmerman's parents -- to testify that the screams belonged to Zimmerman. Both of Trayvon's parents and his brother all said Trayvon was screaming moments before he was shot.

In at times riveting detail, prosecutors tried their best to convince jurors that Zimmerman was a killer who "tracked" Trayvon, an innocent teenager, and murdered him before police arrived.

"That child had every right to be afraid of a strange man following him," prosecutor John Guy told jurors before they began deliberations. "This case isn't about standing your ground. It's about staying in your car."
Zimmerman attorney O'Mara cast Trayvon as the aggressor, saying the teen may have been charged with aggravated battery had he survived the shooting. Trayvon, instead of going home, likely hid, waited for Zimmerman and confronted him, the lawyer said.

Elizabeth Parker, a former prosecutor who is now a criminal defense attorney in Palm Beach, Fla., said the defense did a good job of humanizing Zimmerman .

"The defense did a phenomenal job of presenting their case through the state's witnesses," Parker said. "They were able to get George Zimmerman's testimony in through several witnesses --sparing him from having to undergo vigorous cross-examination by these bulldog prosecutors."

One such is example was the testimony of Sanford police officer Christopher Serino, called by the state and later the defense, Parker said. Serino agreed with prosecutors that Zimmerman may have been profiling Trayvon but said no physical evidence or witness statements contradicted Zimmerman's claim of self-defense and that the medical examiner's report supported Zimmerman's version of events.

Now that the verdict is in, Zimmerman is a free man. But he may have to go into hiding and be unable to live a normal life for some time, said Jose Baez, the defense attorney who successfully defended Casey Anthony, a Florida mother accused of killing her daughter in a high-profile capital murder case.


"The end is not near for George Zimmerman," he said.

"USA Today"

Thousands Protest Zimmerman Verdict Across U.S.

Protesters demonstrating against the George Zimmerman verdict march towards Times Square in New York, July 14, 2013. The fallout over the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin reverberated across the country on Sunday.  (Photo: Jabin Botsford)   

http://www.startribune.com/nation/215435031.html  Minneapolis, MN 55488

By Victoria Cavaliere

NEW YORK | Mon Jul 15, 2013 12:16pm EDT

(Reuters) - Thousands of demonstrators demanding "Justice for Trayvon" marched in major cities across the United States on Sunday to protest the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin.

While a jury of six women absolved Zimmerman of any crime with their not-guilty verdict, civil rights leaders decried the decision, and demonstrators took to the streets in New York, Boston, San Francisco and other cities.

U.S. President Barack Obama called for a peaceful response to the case that has polarized the U.S. public over the past 16 months. In general, the demonstrations were peaceful, though the New York march became disorderly at times, and in Los Angeles protesters blocked a major highway.

Defense lawyers argued that Martin, 17, attacked Zimmerman, who shot the teen in self-defense. Prosecutors said Zimmerman, 29, who is white and Hispanic, wrongly suspected Martin of being a criminal because he was black.

Zimmerman called police to report a suspicious looking person, then left his car with a fully loaded Kel Tec 9mm pistol concealed in his waistband. A fight ensued in which Zimmerman suffered a bloody nose and head injuries, and then shot Martin once in the heart, killing him.

"Trayvon was profiled, pursued and ultimately killed because of the color of his skin," said Angela Tovar, 33, an urban planner from Brooklyn.

About 1,000 to 2,000 of the demonstrators abandoned the protest site at Union Square to march in the streets toward Times Square, slowing or stopping traffic.

Police attempted to funnel the crowd into controlled lanes but were unable to. Later they halted the march about eight blocks short of Times Square, but the demonstrators made their way around the officers.

About 1,000 people sat in Times Square, drawing curious looks from the tourists who packed the so-called Crossroads of the World.

The protest was lively, led by several men on bullhorns.

The Los Angeles protest stopped traffic for about 25 minutes, prompting police to issue a citywide tactical alert, the Los Angeles Times reported.

In Boston, about 500 racially mixed protesters left their demonstration site in the Roxbury neighborhood and started marching in the streets alongside police escorts on motorcycles and on foot. Police called the march "very orderly."

"Morally it cannot be right, that a child cannot go about his business and go to the store," said Maura Twomey, 57, an acupuncturist. "Racism is not just an issue for the black community. It's for all of us."

Demonstrators raised signs saying "We Demand Justice," "Stop Racial Profiling" and "Never Forget. Never Again. Justice for Trayvon."

Roughly 500 people rallied on the streets of San Francisco, some carrying yellow signs with Martin's photo. About a dozen police motorcycles and vans trailed the tidy group of marchers, who banged on drums as they walked and continuously chanted, "Justice for Trayvon Martin."

"I feel a moral obligation to be in the street and object to this kind of racist policy," said Naomi White, 69, a retired teacher from San Francisco. "George Zimmerman got away with murder."

(Additional reporting by Adrees Latif in New York, Ross Kerber in Boston and; Editing by Daniel Trotta and Christopher Wilson)

"Reuters"

People from the local community, members of the Dream Defenders at University of Florida and other social groups march down the stairs away from the Department of Justice office in the Commerce Building, after a march from the Bo Diddley Downtown Community Plaza to the Department of Justice, in Gainesville, Monday, July 15, 2013 to demand that the justice department file charges against George Zimmerman, who was found not guilty in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Gainesville Sun, Brad McClenny)

NAACP Convention Seeks Federal Charges Against Zimmerman

ORLANDO --  U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder spoke Tuesday to thousands of attendees at the NAACP Convention in Orlando, just one day after calling Trayvon Martin's death a "tragic, unnecessary shooting.“  U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder speaks at the annual NAACP convention at the Orange County Convention Center, in Orlando, Tuesday, July 16, 2013.

Chicago Tribune staff and wire reports

Reuters and the Los Angeles Times

12:09 p.m. CDT, July 16, 2013

The not guilty verdict in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin has reshaped a black civil rights convention in Orlando, Florida where delegates are calling for federal charges following a trial they say failed to serve justice.

The civil rights activists were gathering for the annual convention of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) just 30 minutes drive from where the murder trial took place when the jury issued its decision on Saturday night.

The verdict by a nearly all-white jury of six women in the trial of former neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman reverberated around the country and rocked the convention of 3,000 national, state and local officers and members.

Speeches were hastily re-written, agendas altered and conversation in the halls re-focused.

More than 800,000 people have signed an online petition of the NAACP asking U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to file civil rights charges against Zimmerman, the association said on Monday.

"It was like an atomic bomb dropped," said Michael Edwards, 55, a union official and NAACP member from St. Louis.

Today the convention will hear from Holder, who on Monday called the death of Martin, an unarmed black teenager, "unnecessary," raising questions about whether he believed Zimmerman, acted in self-defense.

"The Justice Department shares your concern," Holder said, triggering an enthusiastic response from some 14,000 black sorority members at a Washington convention center.

The Justice Department said it would reopen its investigation into the case to determine whether any civil rights laws had been violated by the state court handling it.

Unless federal prosecutors can present new evidence that suggests racial malice motivated Zimmerman, who is white and Hispanic, they are unlikely to pursue charges, lawyers with expertise in civil rights said.

State and federal courts generally have the same threshold for a criminal conviction: a finding of guilt beyond a reasonable doubt by a unanimous jury, or by a judge if a defendant waives a jury trial.

By finding Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder, the Seminole County jury rejected the charge that Zimmerman acted with ill will, spite or hatred.

The law federal prosecutors would most likely use against Zimmerman was passed in 2009 to target hate crimes. It requires that prosecutors prove that someone caused bodily injury "because of the actual or perceived race" of the victim, a bar that while straightforward can be hard to clear.

In an emergency call before the encounter with Martin, Zimmerman told a police dispatcher that Martin "looks black" but only after the dispatcher asked for Martin's race.

One of the jurors in Zimmerman's state trial told CNN on Monday that she did not think Zimmerman racially profiled Martin. "All of us thought race did not play a role," said the juror, granted anonymity by the television news network.

PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT

A peaceful protest of the George Zimmerman verdict in Los Angeles turned violent Monday after youths broke away from the main demonstration in Leimert Park, stomped on cars, broke windows, set fires and attacked several people.

KCBS-TV/KCAL-TV reporter Dave Bryan and his cameraman were among those who came under assault. One of the two journalists was taken to a hospital with a possible concussion, Los Angeles Police Department Lt. Andy Neiman told The Times. 

Protesters also stormed a Wal-Mart in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles, pushing their way through as guards scrambled to close security gates. A short while later, LAPD officers wearing helmets and carrying batons swarmed the store as others marched through the parking lot.

Young vandals who entered the Wal-Mart stormed in, threw merchandise on the ground and yelled, shoppers told a Times reporter. Some tried to break open the jewelry glass displays. The disturbance in the Crenshaw district of Los Angeles caused about 350 LAPD officers to swarm the area, leading to at least 13 arrests.

The violence Monday night was the third straight night when the LAPD was placed on a citywide tactical alert, requiring officers to work beyond their regular shifts.

ZIMMERMAN IN HIDING

Zimmerman, 29, has gone into hiding since the verdict. Friends, family and defense lawyers have said he will need time to put his life back together and was considering entering law school to help people wrongly accused of crimes.

Zimmerman's parents told ABC television on Monday they were unaware of his whereabouts and feared for his safety after receiving death threats.

Reuters and the Los Angeles Times

Copyright © 2013, Reuters

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