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Subscribe to RSSFellow neighborhood watch volunteer Frank Taaffe comes to the defense of George Zimmerman, who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin while patrolling his gated Florida community. WTVJ-TV's Jeff Burnside reports.
SANFORD, Fla. - A neighbor of George Zimmerman and fellow neighborhood watch captain in their Florida gated community came to his defense Tuesday, saying Zimmerman shot Miami teenager Trayvon Martin after numerous burglaries at The Retreat at Twin Lakes.
Frank Taaffe pointed out the circumstances that he believes led his 28-year-old neighbor to react the way he did on the night of Feb. 26: Eight burglaries within 15 months, most done by young black males, he said.
"The stage was already set. It was a perfect storm,” Taaffe said.
NBCMiami.com could not immediately confirm the burglary statistic Taaffe cited in a phone call to Sanford Police Tuesday night.
Martin, 17, picked up Skittles and iced tea from a 7-Eleven that Sunday, then headed back toward his father’s girlfriend's home on a rainy, drizzly night. Martin put on his hoodie and ran to take cover. Zimmerman spotted him, got out of his car and followed him.
In Trayvon Martin's final phone call with his own girlfriend, according to Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump, he could be heard saying ,“Why are you following me?” with Zimmerman replying, “What are you doing around here?”
Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, the parents of Trayvon Martin, the unarmed Florida teen shot dead by a neighborhood watch volunteer, tell TODAY's Matt Lauer they want justice for their son and want the shooter, George Zimmerman, arrested.
Their confrontation ended with Martin getting shot in the chest.
“This guy looks like he’s up to no good,” Zimmerman said in a 911 call. Asked by a dispatcher if he was white, Hispanic or black, he replied, "He looks black." Zimmerman's father has said that his son is Hispanic, grew up in a multiracial family, and is not racist.
Twin Lakes’ population is ethnically mixed. A few residents said there is tension within the gated community, but Taaffe insisted Tuesday that Zimmerman was acting out of concern for the safety of the area.
More from NBCMiami.com: A neighbor comes to Zimmerman's defense
"George is a congenial, amiable, admirable person,” he said. "He had a passion and a care for this neighborhood to ensure the safety of everybody here. And, furthermore, George is no Rambo."
Taaffe said that Zimmerman was appointed as a watch captain, despite reports that he appointed himself to the post.
theGrio: Protesters demand repeal of Zimmerman's gun permit
He said he believes his neighbor acted in self-defense, which is what Zimmerman told police. He conceded, however, that the boiling tensions may have been affecting Zimmerman.
At a NAACP forum Wednesday residents of Sanford, Fla., listed their grievances about police treatment of young black men. Neighbors of George Zimmerman, the man who shot unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin, have asked him to move out of his townhouse. NBC's Ron Allen reports.
“I think any time you use a weapon, there are certain anger issues working,” Taaffe said. “I think he had fed-up issues. He was mad as hell and wasn't going to take it anymore.”
Zimmerman has not been charged, despite growing calls for his arrest.
Lawyer: Trayvon Martin fearful in final call
"It’s really sad that he's already been convicted in the public media and has already been sentenced to the gas chamber,” Taaffe said. “Let's let justice do its job."
Robert Zimmerman, George's father, told The Orlando Sentinel last week in an emotional interview that his family has received death threats. On claims that his son stalked and killed an innocent black teenager, Robert Zimmerman told The Sentinel, "They're lies."
State Rep. Dennis Baxley, a co-sponsor of the "Stand Your Ground" bill, explains why the law would not have authorized George Zimmerman to "pursue and confront" Trayvon Martin.
"George is going to suffer for years and years," he said.
Taaffe told NBCMiami.com that nothing changes the fact that Martin’s death is “devastating.”
”It's a tragic event – we can’t bring that boy back,” he said. “I wish we could.”
Editor’s note: A clarification was made to this story on March 28, 2012. An earlier version of the story truncated George Zimmerman’s quotes to a 911 operator in a way that may have changed the meaning. See correction here.
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WHY do people get so uptight about the statement that the half-breed is white? They mentioned his COLOR. There is a difference between color and ethnicity. His color is WHITE-- not purple or green or blue. His ethnicity is Hispanic. Probably a half-breed.
They call the young man a black, when he could be classed as Negroid. Or African-American. Yet they say "black". So what is wrong with calling the murderer "WHITE". Or should they have called him YELLOW? That might fit him better.
The reason is because he is Hispanic. If you want to split hair and get to the definition of Caucasian or something then that is a waste and not relevant to this story. Law enforcement go with Black, White, Hispanic, Asian, etc. Get it? Calling him Yellow if he were Asian would not be correct.
everyone has a right to a fair trial. Court is not held on the streets. Someone is not found quilty and crucified by public opinion and the masses. Stop the death threats and let civility rule.
Let's see the community can vote and have your posted comment removed if the masses decide it is no value, inflammatory, advertising or they wanted it ignored. No one's comments should be removed because someone else considers their opinion of no value. I thought in the USA we had freedom of speech. Let's see only certain people get to shout in the streets the rest of them such as the occupiers get put in jail.
republican conservative tea mongerers can't even agree that a huge , unjustifiable killing has taken place again in our country. keck said race relations are worst in 50 years, that's why that murderer shot that kid. 50 years ago , a black person had to move off the sidewalk when a white person was passing. 50 years ago , blacks weren't allowed to eat at same restaurants with whites. 50 years ago , blacks could not be in certain parts of town , at certain times of night. 50 years ago , black kids couldn't attend schools with white kids. SO , IT'S APPARENT , '' THIS IS THE LIFE, REPUBLICAN CONSERVATIVE, WHITE TEA DRINKERS CALLED , '' THE BEST RACE RELATIONS ''. THESE GENUIS MUST ALSO THINK THERE ARE RAILROAD TRACKS IN HEAVEN. CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW MANY ARE PAYING THE PRICE FOR THAT SERIOUS MISCALCULATION ????? !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
republicans or just plain greedy... This is 2012, not 50 years ago. Most of the people who took part in that awful racism are long past. So make a point that will make sense today, with the vastly improved race relations...not what was 50 years ago. You are WAY off base by calling all Republicans racists, it is just easier for you.
I just can't believe how stupid some people are!
Are you trying to say Republicans are the racist party? That the Tea Party are racist? Have you no clue who passed the Jim Crow laws? Who the KKK worked and voted for? Who let the dogs out to try to prevent desegregation? These were all Democrats you clown! It was the Republican party that pushed and finally passed laws that gave blacks equality under the law. It was a Republican president that went to war to stop slavery in America. There were blacks in the Republican party long before a Democrat would even give a black the time of day! It was only recently that Sen. Bird of the Democrat party died. You do know he was a Grand Keagle in the KKK, don't you?
There are racists in both parties and every walk of life but, Democrats have done more to keep the black man down, even today, than any other political party in America!
I don't know how any one as ignorant as you even manages to operate a computer but, stop beclowning yourself with your comments! And please don't vote! You only cancel that of someone that might have a brain.
Do some History research, the old Republican party and the old Democratic parties have SWITCHED places...
Good try, though!
Why has MSNBC continued to leave the Paraphrase “This guy looks like he’s up to no good … he looks black,” I don't understand why a paraphrase that makes it seem as though Zimmerman said "he looks black" right after he said the guy looks like he is up to no good, which is both out of context and irresponsible for a news article...(good for prosecutor though!) It is inflammatory when the story doesn't need the help in that dept. at all.
Zimmerman told the 911 Operator that the guy looked like he was up to no good, and explained why...but it was only after the 911 Operator asked him if he was White, Black or Hispanic that he answered "he looks black"
Read the 911 transcript and ask yourself honestly if printing that was neutral journalism? It isn't. The author of the story definitely knows this I would hope.
As for the shooting, the public never has all the facts and information law enforcement does. All the public has to form their opinion of Zimmerman is the 911 call and many differing accounts of what people heard. If he is guilty, he should go to prison...but let the courts and the facts do that, not public opinion.
From a law enforcement perspective. There should have been a supervisor on the seen. Zimmerman should have been detained and tested for chemicals. A formal statement should have been taken from Zimmerman. He should have been tested for gun residue on his hands.
If Zimmerman could not be arrested because of the "stand your ground law" then he had to be released. I feel that since Zimmerman was the aggressor in this situation he may have not been within the scope of that law and that will be an issue for the courts to decide.
Zimmerman was not acting or bound by any legal authority by his involvement. His actions were even outside the scope of the neighborhood watch program by pursuing Martin. Zimmerman was acting on his own.
Furthermore this situation has exploded into a racial problem and even the media has pick up on this. This in it self may result in escalating more violence and division among races. Those in authority are fueling this fire and this is the one thing that really pisses me off. O.j. Simpson was found not guilty based on a racial issue and the Rodney King incident caused a lot of violence and property destruction.
Everything Zimmerman did was wrong and I don't feel sorry for him. However look at the case for what it is between to people with one that was acting way outside of his authority.
At the very least a homicide detective should have performed the investigation, rather than a drug crimes detective.
I hope justice is served after a proper investigation. I am not interested in the court of public opinion.
My issue here is MSNBC's sleazy and unethical use of punctuation in this article. “This guy looks like he’s up to no good … he looks black," Zimmerman told a police dispatcher
To the casual reader this means, "He's up to no good. Why? Because he's BLACK!" Perfectly making the case for a racially motivated murder.
But if you listen to the actual tape you'll hear something very different. At the point in the conversation covered by the 'ellipsis' (...) Zimmerman says the suspect was wandering around in the rain and thought he was on drugs. The dispatcher then asks Zimmerman if the suspect is white, hispanic, or black. Zimmerman answers, "He looks black."
This indicates the Zimmerman may not have been sure of Martin's race. The relevance is that this incident is cueing up a race war and we have certain elements of the media that want to pour gasoline on the fire. This is just irresponsible.
If your going to use the ellipsis to contract a long winded statement or to remove irrelevant information, fine. But, it is unethical to use this device to change the meaning of someones statement.
If you listen to that 911 call, after Zimmerman says these "A$$es always get away" but before the operator tells him not to follow him, you can hear Zimmerman say "F-ing COONS",
I don't know if Zimmerman targeted Trayvon "because" of his race or if he was really just trying to catch a burglar, and truly thought Trayvon was just that, it's a racial issue for a couple of other reasons.
If a black man had shot a white boy, I "believe" he would have been arrested.
They didn't even use Trayvon's cell phone to find a friend or family member to inform them of his death. Even though Trayvon only had, skittles, tea and a cell phone on him, they drug tested him, and left him as a "john Doe" until his parents reported him missing! AGAIN, if that was a "white boy" I'm betting they would have hunted down his family!
If the media hadn't made such a deal, the Sanford Keystone Kop brigade would be doing business as usual...they have a pretty bad racial history. Too bad it took a child's death to wake them up, and HAVE A PROPER INVESTIGATION!
i dare you call yourself a patriot. you are hateful and angry. instead of being angry at the shooter.... your angry at msnbc. your bias is selfish and radical. might try anger management classes but you probably are to much of a redneck to see the problem is yours and not msnbc. get a life that has happiness and joy not hate and fear.
Paula,
Please let me know precisely what I wrote that was "hateful and angry," or "selfish and radical." What "bias" did I exhibit?
I said nothing derogatory about Martin, nor did I give a pass to Zimmerman or the Police. I don't think I was hateful toward anyone, yet you accuse me of being a "redneck" with an anger management problem, and state that the problem is mine.
Is that not "hateful and angry?" Don't you embody the very hatred and bias that you accuse me and others of on this site of?
I choose not to post another "arrest Zimmerman now!" post. That has been done by the thousands, and I have nothing to add that hasn't been said. However, I am shocked by some of the media coverage of this event. This could result in riots.
Please listen to the tape and compare it to what was written in the article. You tell me if the MSNBC quotation was a fair representation of what was said.
My point was that editing a statement like that is unethical, as it changes the context of what was said. Its a technique that could dramatically change the content of a persons statement.
Here is what I mean:
“The difference between me and them is that I'll look at Jesse Jackson and I'll see four Jesse Jacksons, and they'll just see one, the clown ambulance chaser.” - Chris Matthews
Is it fair to contract it to:
“The difference between me and them is that I'll look at Jesse Jackson and I'll see... the clown ambulance chaser.” - Chris Matthews
I think not.
I think it is disgusting that this man hasn't been charged with anything. He killed a teenage boy because he was black and on his street! How is that okay? Its unbelievable what people are getting away with these days. Killing an innocent young man just because he was black. I'm so angry about this. This is one of the craziest things I've ever heard. That man deserves life in prison. He's a horrible excuse for a human being.
interviewing a neighbor who has the same view as mr. zimmerman is insanity. from his comment the guy thinks it is okay to kill first, if you are black. this man should be ashamed and go in his home and close the door.
George Zimmerman is not all Spanish. As the matter of fact, he is more white than Spanish. His father is white and his mother is Spanish and he carries a white man name which is "Zimmerman".. So the excuses for Spanish doesn't fit. Zimmerman was considered, and passed for white until the shooting took place.
“This guy looks like he’s up to no good … he looks black,” Zimmerman told a police dispatcher from his car.
What he really said:
Zimmerman only mentioned Martin’s race after being asked by the dispatcher.
Could you people (MSNBC) BE any more dishonest?
Zimmerman was asked the color of the man he was following by the police dispatcher! He didn't offer it up as you imply!
And it's interesting that this "community" collapses only the comments that don't agree with their skewed world view! What a bunch of hypocrites!
The truth is slowly coming out. Martin was a punk, just beginning a budding criminal career. Of course he was looked upon with suspicion by Zimmerman! The neighborhood has had a rash of breakins by young black men and Martin looked like he might be casing houses!
The frothy lipped libs who are screaming racism are going to look mighty foolish in the coming days!
What am I saying? Liberals don't care if they look foolish as long as it advances the narrative! They have zero common decency and less credibility!
NewsBusters: MSNBC Fixes False Report Which Made Zimmerman Look Racist, Doesn't Acknowledge Error
NBC - Absolutely Disgusting. What other deliberate lies have you not been caught in. How many other deliberate lies have you told the American People. I can only imagine how disgusted and embarrassed your employees should be to even work for a deceitful, lying organization such as this. Thankfully, it is very easy for me to delete my account and never again turn the channel to an NBC affiliated broadcast.