Quote from AAAintheBeltway:
I haven't followed all 34 pages of this, but I suspect it could blow up in Obama's face. In fact, it could blow up in a lot of peoples' faces.
First, let's start with the assumption that the local police aren't total morons. Maybe they are, I really don't know, but usually police and prosecutors are very aggressive in going after people they view as vigilantes. Now Sharpton, Jackson and Obama just naturally assume that cops will side with a trigger-happy racist who goes around executing innocent honor students. Color me skeptical on that.
Second, all the Neighborhood Watch stuff is irrelevant. Whether or not it was an official Watch and whether or not he followed their guidelines really has nothing to do with the case. As far as I know, there is no special immunity for Watch participants. Any resident has the right to patrol their neighborhood and look for suspicious activity. Anyone has the right to make a citizen's arrest. Normally we commend citizens who take it upon themselves to protect their neighbors and try to improve their neighborhood. For this guy, somehow it is evidence of criminal intent.
Third, it is not assaulting someone to ask them who they are and what are they doing in your neighborhood. As I understand it, it was a gated community, meaning there is no public right of access. There is also no duty to respond to such a request, however. If someone attempts tpo make a citizen's arrest after an unsatisfactory explanantion, they are taking a big legal risk.
Fourth, and very relevant to point one, there was apparently an eyewitness to the entire episode, and his account totally corroborates Zimmerman's claim of self defense. I fully expect this person to get the Joe the Plumber treatment from the liberal media. They will stop at nothing to discredit him or, if they can't, to ruin him and Zimmerman anyway.