I received so many e-mails from my last letter to the Editor Pertaining to People being arrested, charged with criminal intent, thrown in jail, with preposterous fines prior to getting out of jail in order to prove their innocence, because they, {Stood Their Ground} I could give you hundreds of instances where people with firearms have saved others including themselves. However, few News Media has ever promoted or even mentioned very many of these acts in saving either themselves or others. Therefore, I will give you one that everyone reading this News Paper has heard of. (Trayvon and Zimmerman).
Trayvon Martin and Zimmerman
Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin legally according to the Police Officers investigating the incident. I was fortunate enough to read the original Police report, “All Police officers I spoke with said the same thing; Trayvon was at fault as they had many witnesses they interviewed Black and White, all had the same answers. Things got so bad from the media wanting to sacrifice Zimmerman; the Police Chief resigned his position. He wanted absolutely nothing, to do with this boondoggle anywhere near a courtroom. The Chief knew it would fail. We now know the Police Chief, was correct, it did fail. Zimmerman was thrown in jail and had to prove his innocence. It mattered not what was in the Police report. What normally happens is that a Police Officer writes up a report as to what he/she has found. He/She will meet with a Prosecuting Attorney. The Attorney will then decide if there should be charges made or not. No local people wanted anything to do with this tragic mess; Tallahassee was the place to go, where liberal lawyers and activists brought this mess to court. Please understand, I’m not a fan of Zimmerman he has not acted very brilliantly since his court dates, however should things have been handled differently, none of this would have ever happened, and Trayvon Martin would be alive today.
So, Who is Really At Fault, Martin?
Zimmerman? Or?
Opinions flew from everyone on all TV stations, Radio, News Papers and the Internet. Goodness, it went all the way to the former President. Everything has been blamed for this incident, Firearms, Race, Stand Your Ground, you name it and it’s to blame. Of course, being as opinionated as I am, I have my own opinion. My opinion is: It’s Chief Charles Hurley of the Miami-Dade School Police Department (MDSPD)(s) fault. Hurley, in 2010, implemented a policy that reduced the number of criminal reports. This action created the appearance of a reduction, in crime at the school. Less than two weeks before Martin got himself killed, the school system commended Chief Hurley for (you’re gonna love this) “decreasing school-related juvenile delinquency by 60 percent, in a mere six months.” What was really happening, is that crimes were not being reported as crimes, they were reported as disciplinary problems? If school officials in Miami-Dade County had not started this really dumb, and unofficial policy of treating crime as infractions, Martin would have been arrested and in jail when caught at school with stolen jewelry in October 2011. And, with marijuana in February of 2012. Instead, Martin was merely suspended from school in both incidents. The last, just a few days before Zimmerman shot him. Both of Martin’s suspensions during his junior year at Krop High involved crimes that could have had him busted. At the very least, as a juvenile offender. Police Officer Dunn found 12 pieces of women’s jewelry, a man’s watch, and a screwdriver described as a “burglary tool.” in Martins locker. The jewelry and watch, which Martin claimed he’d received from a friend, that he refused to name, matched the exact descriptions of items stolen during the October 2011 burglary, of a house not half-mile from the school. Because of Hurley’s policy “of lowering arrests,” the stolen jewelry was listed as “found property” and was never reported to Miami-Dade Police. “I’m sure that made them happy” In February 2012 when a MDSPD officer caught Martin with a plastic bag containing marijuana and a pipe, that incident wasn’t treated as a crime either, Martin was simply suspended from school. At this time, his Mother disgusted and having had enough with Martin sent him to live with his father; she just couldn’t take any more problems with her son. Either one these actions would have put Martin in custody. However, because of Hurley’s attempt to reduce the school crime statistics, Martin was never arrested. My opinion is, “had Martin been arrested for either of these crimes, he wouldn’t have been in Sanford the night he got himself killed and, he would still be alive today”. As for Chief Hurley? Well, Hurley was accused of sexually harassing a couple of female officers. The Chief resigned in February, about a year after Trayvon’s death.
I wonder what it cost the taxpayers for all of this very tragic mess. ~George Pouliotte