CBS’ Jack Ford Explains FL’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law’s Role In Trayvon Martin Case

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by Alex Alvarez | 3:11 pm, March 19th, 2012

» 20 comments

Why is George Zimmerman not in custody?

It’s a question that has kept popping since the release of the various 911 calls made the night Trayvon Martin was killed in a gated community, and one that legal analyst Jack Ford attempted to answer on Monday’s CBS This Morning.

“The law in Florida is just very, very different here,” Ford explained, citing the state’s “Stand Your Ground” law:

A quick primer on the law of self-defense: We’ve always said if you’re inside your own home, the theory your home is your castle, you can use force, even deadly force, to defend yourself, as long as you reasonably believe that your life is in jeopardy in some fashion. Most of the time, it was different out on the street. Out on the street before you can use deadly force, most jurisdictions require that you first try to retreat. See if you can get away safely before you take out the gun and blow somebody away. But Florida’s law is different. Florida has a law, along with 17 states, that says you can stand your ground. Which means you don’t have that obligation to try to run first. So, in Florida, as long as you have a reasonable belief that your life and safety is in danger, you can use force to defend yourself, even deadly force. And now that’s the situation they’re suggesting.

What needs to be figured out now, added Ford, is who was the aggressor in the scuffle that ultimately ensued between 28-year-old Zimmerman and 17-year-old Martin. And Zimmerman had yet to be arrested, he continued, because there were only two people involved — one of whom is dead, and the other who claims to have been acting in self-defense.

Host Gayle King brought up an interesting wrinkle in the story. While it has been widely speculated that Martin’s death was racially-motivated on some level, King noted that Zimmerman’s family have shared that he is himself a Spanish-speaking minority with black family members of his own.

Have a look, via CBS:

George Zimmerman, Jack Ford, Trayvon Martin

Anonymous

I will breath a sigh of relief when this guy is behind bars… otherwise we’re going to see more incident like this because he “got away with it”.
Anonymous

That wrinkle may be true but NO ONE has truly researched it.. We know nothing about Zimmerman other then the letter, The neighbors descriptions of him, the 911 call, and the police “record”… How is it that no news outlet has put eyes on Zimmerman or his family yet?? Not that thats right but think about all the sensational stories in this countries history.. it just seems odd that it hasn’t happened yet.. It’s been a month.. The letter says he’s hispanic but we really don’t know(not that it matters)..
Anonymous

Unbelievable! what a law they have down there in Florida.
Anonymous

What the hell does idiot repug Gerry Ford’s idiot son know about anything other than falling down.
lol
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bart-Morgay/100001554351938 Bart Morgay

CNN has covered Trayvon Martin story 41 times. MSNBC, 13. Fox News, 1….. http://bit.ly/w6aLeZ
Anonymous

We don’t even have anyone from his past that knows him besides neighbors and a lot of their descriptions have not been too kind.. Where are his friends speaking on his behalf or not on his behalf.. We have Trayvon’s high school teacher and others speaking out on his behalf.. Where are Zimmerman’s friends, girlfriends, co workers(Did he have a job?).. .. What the hells going on here?.. This story stinks.. It’s been a month.. All we have is a letter from his father hap hazardly defending him and I can’t even really be sure that it was really from his father..
http://twitter.com/juvus juvus

Florida sounds like a great place to get away with murder. I can think of various ways I can use that stand your ground law to kill someone and pretend I was defending myself. Confronting the lover of my wife or husband, the person gets upset and I shoot them. I felt threatened. Prove me wrong.
Hout Bosques

Not a chance; take a look at the guy’s prior history. Fear got him to the point of doing this, & fear is going to sustain him. Next stop: martyrdom. Remember the guy that stomped that girl in the head during the political scrum in 2008? He doubled down on his cowardice. That’s the way it works.
JustAsking2012

I did see a photo of Zimmerman around 3pm on FNC with Shep.

But how does one tell, visually, if he’s Hispanic or not?
Hout Bosques

Not true. We actually know quite a lot about Zimmerman, including his prior collisions with police & some of his history with firearms. R U serious in suggesting no media are on this story? Media is all over it.
Hout Bosques

You’re really looking hard for stuff to defend this murder, aren’t you?
JustAsking2012

Is that a joke?

Wrong Jack Ford: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ford_%28journalist%29

Oh, and I think you’re confusing Gerald Ford, with Chevy Chase.
JustAsking2012

I saw the story on FNC twice today… once during the 2pm hour, and once in the 3pm. Oh, and it was the lead story at 3pm. I have no idea if they ran it earlier in the day too, as I wasn’t watching then.

Maybe ThinkProgress isn’t your best source for unbiased news… especially when it concerns one of their “enemies.”
Anonymous

A man with a gun chases an unarmed juvenile after being told not to by the police. The man shoots the juvenile and claims self defense. Well, the juvenile was black so surely he was on drugs and up to no good. Shame on what can only loosely be called a “police force”!
JustAsking2012

When Frances asked the other day, why the media is hesitant to report stories like this… your response above is the answer to the question.

Many in the media are afraid of stories like this, because it’s their duty to report both sides. However, the moment you start discussing someone like Zimmerman, his history, or portraying him as someone other than a cold blooded murder (which he may be), someone like Hout will jump up and down and scream, “YOU’RE DEFENDING A RACIST MURDERER! YOU’RE A RACIST!”

I guess it’s easier not to risk upsetting the loud loons, and only report on this story once it’s safe, and they’re less compelled (or required) to speculate or report other elements of the story.

And of course, if it turns out that Zimmerman’s race IS Hispanic (as claimed), then things will get even less comfortable for media folks. White on Black crime is easy to report… they’re not really worried about offending White folks (this is very similar to the Christians vs Muslims debate, and who can and can’t be attacked in the NYTimes), but they will worry greatly about offending the Latino community. If that’s the case, I’d bet the story gets shoved to the periphery again, until an arrest is made.

It’s a shame things are that way, but they are.
Anonymous

I’m not suggesting that.. I’m just frustrated with how long this is taking.. like i said we know neighbors accounts(not flattering).. We know his 2005 run in with police..We know the letter from his father, allegedly.. and we know the 911 call.. What history with firearms, other than he was licensed, are you talking about? My larger point is he’s nearly 30 and no one that knows him has spoken on his character that is in his every day life(not his condo life).. What is his job Hot Bosques? We know he wanted to be a cop but what’s he been doing for the past 10 years besides calling the police? We really don’t that much about him..I don’t care if it’s negative or positive.. Who is he.. I’m not defending him..
http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

I saw it a few times, as well. Especially during Shep’s show.
http://www.sarainitalyblog.blogspot.com/ sarainitaly

See here:

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/soledad-obrien-and-jeffrey-toobin-study-trayvon-martin-911-tapes-see-trouble-for-zimmerman/#comment-469229098
Anonymous

“Host Gayle King
brought up an interesting wrinkle in the story. While it has been
widely speculated that Martin’s death was racially-motivated on some
level, King noted that Zimmerman’s family have shared that he is himself
a Spanish-speaking minority with black family members of his own.”

This does not necessarily rule out racism.
Anonymous

The point should be, and it was pointed out in another thread, is that Trayvon passed Zimmerman’s car and then Zimmerman got out and went after him. Why should the judgement be on who was the aggressor during their confrontation when it’s apparent that Zimmerman was the instigator in the confrontation happening in the first place? Can a mugger plead “Stand Your Ground” if he follows and jumps someone in an alley and then claims “after I pulled my gun and demanded his cash, this guy tried to punch me”?