by the same token

TM chose to retreat, but GZ chose to continue
in pursuit, until he lost sight of TM, and
claims to have started back to his vehicle.

Problem is that's GZ story, BUT no one is around to dispute it.

He could say he tried to read TM a bedtime story, and WHO could say it didn't happen ? NO one !

It's a whole different ball game when you are the ONLY surviving witness. BTW his stories have many inconsistencies... one would think if he were telling the 100% truth - there'd be only 1.... and it wouldn't change.

Spot on Dave.

The problem with this whole affair is that the evidence as presented has nobody committing a crime - but we have a dead body. Both participants seem to have made dumb decisions, both participants could claim fear of the other and thus lay claim to self-defense.

It actually was a coincidence. The page of photos was linked to me at the same time as I was reading this thread. It isn't my fault that a small girl was given both a flag and a gun. It would never be done in my country.

Because guns are outlawed in your country... so it's not like a choice.

(I'm assuming you're from Australia by your name... although it could be Austria.)

It is not that guns are outlawed in my country. Yes it is Australia. It is because there are much tighter restrictions and an entirely different community perception about carrying guns. In our country, unless Zimmerman was a security person or police, carrying the gun itself is akin to pre-planned use of it. Which would mean that actually using it, would leave him no legal grounds to stand on at all. Not even self defense.

It is against the law here to discharge a firearm within a mile of any residence. It is against the law to carry a firearm unless properly secured and with magazine removed and with appropriate permit.

Semi-automatic weapons and handguns among many things from hand grenades to plastic replica weapons, are all banned and carry heavy penalties. An air-rifle without a special permit can land you in jail or a $5,000 fine or both.

The point is that though it isn't impossible to be harmed by a firearm here, there is no way any person using one could get off on any self-defense claim.

This may be of interest. In regard to the fact that almost all ammunition sold in Australia is manufactured in the USA. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-06-08/gu...buy-big/4742048

Well according to the NRA you guys are a bunch of wussies with your gun laws (course I never agreed with the NRA), but that said I sure wouldn't go into an Aussie bar and say that... one might get handed their head!!

Yes. It is perhaps not so well known that the majority of domestic manslaughter/murders are done with a brick, a knife or indeed bare hands.

In the course of my work, I carry several knives all of which are equivalent to cutthroat razors. At a random roadside breath test(RBT), the policeman asked to see my license, in this country that means it must be removed from the wallet before handing to the cop. This is to ensure that cop isn't tempted by loose bank notes that may be visible. In my case the license card was stuck to the plastic viewing window. So I whipped out my budding knife and cut it out to hand to him. He instantly went on serious duty mode.. "what do you use that knife for, sir". To cut a long story short, I am allowed to carry work knives to work but not on the way home from work. In Australia, a pocket knife will cost you a carrying concealed weapon charge. This also goes for knives in belt pouches, though they may be fastened and visible. the inference is; you are not at work when grabbing something from the supermarket on the way home from work and thus the weapon in the pouch is deemed to not being carried for fit purpose.

Similarly, if you happen to toss said knives into the console tray, to get them out of your pockets and you are pulled over for any roadside check such as the RBT or a speeding infringement, you are again faced with an interrogation as to what knives are doing laying within easy reach and if you cannot soberly explain the reasonings and comply with instruction, then again you are off to the slammer.

Which basically brings us back to the fact that Neighbourhood Watch, does not give one the right to pack it or indeed use.

Yah.. that was my point. It's verrry hard to get a gun in Oz unless you can prove you have a need for it. You don't just go around collecting them.. much stronger restrictions since you guys passed laws after some mass shootings.