George Zimmerman was not out in his capacity as a neighborhood watch that night, but was instead heading to Target with his fully loaded 9mm gun. If he had been out doing his neighborhood watch duties, he would have been violating the neighborhood watch code by carrying a gun. He was made aware of the rules of neighborhood watch at an organizational meeting by the Sanford Police Department.

Another correction to a previous poster. Zimmerman was not 5 feet 9 inches as reported by his father, but 5 feet 7 inches as reported on the police report. He was four inches shorter than Trayvon Martin, but 50 pounds heavier. It sounds like he was trying to make up for his own inadequacies by carrying a big gun.

Actually his 9mm is a rather compact pistol. A "big gun" is say a .357 or .44 magnum or a .45. At sometime in the past he was told he might carry a gun in that area because of some frightening experience with vicious dogs. He took instructions and started carrying. As for making up for any inadequacies, that is pure speculation. He had not carried a handgun prior to his scary experiences with neighborhood dogs.

Agree, there will probably be a civil suit, whether or not Zimmerman is convicted. My point is that, unless there is additional nonpublic evidence, it looks like Zimmerman, rightly or wrongly, will be acquitted (or the case dismissed before trial). If so, it seems unlikely that sufficient evidence will exist for Martin's family to win a civil suit.

If the civil suit follows an acquittal, it will be another media circus-- with Sharpton and Jackson stirring things up racial strife for the benefit of the plaintiffs (and themselves) and the NRA and the gun nuts jumping in to finance Zimmerman's side. One more reason not to carry a firearm under most circumstances.

I would have said nothing. He was doing his job as a watchman. I would hope he would be safe.

it could have been a simple case of self-defense. Did you ever think of that?

The only reason the stand your ground law is at the center of this is because of the anti-gun movement. It really has little to do with the case.

there is the part that you do not understand. Stand your ground would prevent anybody from suing him. That's the purpose of stand your ground. To protect the defender if he was justified.

again, if Zimmerman is found to have been justified nobody can sue him. Stand Your Ground.

one more time, if justified in shooting Martin Zimmerman is protected from lawsuits thanks to stand your ground.

I would be almost willing to bet that, despite the lawsuit protection in stand-your-ground, some inventive plaintiffs' lawyer will find a basis to sue Zimmerman (e.g., federal civil rights violation). Will the plaintiffs win? I doubt it, based on the information currently available.

Don't know if they can sue or not...but remember OJ was acquitted of double murder and lost the following civil suit. So being acquitted does not necessarily bode well for winning civil suit too.

the Justice Department are starting to believe it is racist will be investigating Zimmerman for civil rights violations. Based on their actions in the past I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if they manage to dream some up. It seems to be their policy only go after white folk. I hope this is not true.

...:(