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Claudius Smith - George Zimmerman similarities

It was recently reported that an Orlando man (Claudius Smith) followed, shot, and killed a young man who ran through his yard, hopped over the fence, and kept running into a neighbor's yard. Smith is hoping he won't face charges due to the infamous Stand Your Ground law. I briefly wrote about this in a blog the other day - http://thekind-heartedsmartaleck.blogspot.com/2014/01/another-crazy-possible-stand-your.html. The only comparison to the George Zimmerman case I made was in the following paragraph:

"Trying to one-up George Zimmerman, Claudius Smith of Orlando recently shot and killed 21-year-old Ricardo Sanes, who was running away from Smith. Sanes had climbed the fence and gone into the neighbors' yard when Smith followed, shot, and killed him."

I then received a message about the blog, which said the comparison to the George Zimmerman case was ludicrous and that anytime such an event takes place, the blogosphere goes crazy with Zimmerman comparisons.

Due to this, I googled, "Claudius Smith" "George Zimmerman," and received 357 results in return (and the number is growing. Such crazy bloggers include the following:

The Huffington Post: "The case has some similarities to the murder trial of George Zimmerman, who shot Trayvon Martin to death in Sanford, just outside Orlando, in February 2012.

Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch member, was patrolling his gated community when he followed and shot the 17-year-old Martin. At first, police did not arrest Zimmerman because of the Stand Your Ground statute, but a national outcry led to a second investigation. That time, Zimmerman was arrested but a jury declared him not guilty.

Though Zimmerman's defense did not mention Stand Your Ground during its case, it did play a part in the judge's instructions to the jury, shortly before Zimmerman was acquitted."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/20/claudius-smith-shoots-burglar_n_4631639.html


CBS News: "The documents suggest the state’s controversial 'Stand Your Ground' statue could become a factor in the case, reports the paper. “Stand Your Ground” allows residents to respond with deadly force if they perceive their life to be in danger, but has been blasted by critics as encouraging a 'shoot first' mentality.

The jury that ultimately acquitted neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman in the controversial shooting death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin was instructed to consider the statute as they deliberated Zimmerman’s fate."

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/report-florida-man-claims-self-defense-in-fatal-shooting/


Orlando Sentinel: "The case may have some parallels to Central Florida's most notorious recent homicide: the fatal Sanford shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman.

Zimmerman, who said Trayvon attacked and beat him before the fatal shot, was acquitted on a self-defense argument at trial.

Similarities range from attire — both Trayvon and Sanes wore hoodies — to the basis the shooters claimed for taking action: concern over recent burglaries. Both gunmen said they were attacked before firing."

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2014-01-17/news/os-metrowest-shooting-stand-your-ground-20140117_1_trayvon-martin-apartment-complex-metrowest


Fox News: "The case, local criminal lawyer Bill Sheaffer told the Sentinel, is 'fairly similar,' to that of George Zimmerman’s fatal shooting of an unarmed 17-year-old, Trayvon Martin, nearly two years ago. Zimmerman was acquitted at trial, although he did not seek immunity under Florida’s 'stand your ground' protection, which allows a Sunshine State citizen to respond with deadly force if they feel they are in imminent danger."

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/01/18/fla-man-arrested-for-chasing-and-shooting-burglar-dead-claims-self-defense/

Perhaps the blogosphere isn't so crazy after all...

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