Can someone still get away with murder?

On February 26th Trayvon Martin was shot by Community Watch Leader George Zimmerman. This happened in Florida in a community I've never heard of but for some reason the story haunts me. 

I listened to some of the 911 tapes of the incident and couldn't finish them. What I heard was tragic. It was even more tragic when considering that Zimmerman stands a good chance of not being arrested for the death of a 17 year old boy. A boy who was not armed. In fact all he was carrying was a bag of skittles and a can of iced tea. 

The first 911 tape shows Zimmerman advising police that he saw a suspicious black man in a hoodie. I know that hoodies may seem suspicious but the fact that it was raining should have relieved some of the suspicion. The 911 respondant clearly advises Zimmerman not to follow the "suspect" and police where on there way to the community. Within 20 minutes of that call Trayvon was dead and Zimmerman was claiming self defense and potential getting away with murder.Other tapes you can hear someone calling for help in the background and then a gun shot. The screams for help end once the shot is heard.

The obvious conclusion is that it is based on race. The tapes show Zimmerman's anger towards black males getting away with crimes. It seems like he simply decided to take justice into his own hands. I can't make the jump that it was an act of a racist. I am not convinced his actions were based on racism but I am also not convinced self defense holds up.

Witnesses say they heard to two fighting. A 13 year old boy walking his dog saw an altercation but his dog got away and he ran after him when he heard the gunshot. Witnesses say they heard the boy cry for help while Zimmerman claims he was the one crying for help and no one would come. 

Zimmerman did have wounds. He had blood on the back of his head. Maybe there was an altercation. Maybe Trayvon fought back against someone he thought was threatening him. I do not have the facts and there are only two people that know exactly what happens and sadly one of them is dead. Now only Zimmerman knows how the altercation started.

What bothers me is that it is such a pointless death. It never should have happened. Zimmerman should have never gotten out of his truck. He should not have been carrying a gun. He should not have confronted Trayvon. He should have waited until the police arrived and let them handle it. 

Zimmerman made the wrong choices that night and for those choices a 17 year old boy who was unarmed is dead. A boy who was visiting friends and just wanted to go get a snack at 7pm at night. 

It may have felt like self defense to Zimmerman but he didn't need to pull the trigger. Simply pulling out the gun most likely would have calmed the boy.The fact that Zimmerman approached Trayvon is where this starts. Trayvon may have been acting in self defense if he felt Zimmerman was dangerous. That should be enough for an arrest. Let the case go to trial. Let all the facts be known. Let Zimmerman sit on the stand and have him tell his story. Let a judge and jury decide if it is murder or simply a case of a man defending himself.

This won't change anything. I just needed to write my feelings on this senseless death that didn't need to happen. Trayvon Martin deserves his story to be heard. He deserves some sort of justice because if Zimmerman simply walks then Trayvon is made to look like a criminal who deserved to be killed. That just does not sit well with me.