Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman: Are We Saying It’s OK to Follow and then Shoot an Innocent Person on the Street?

Assemblywoman Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Mercer/Hunterdon) released the following statement on Sunday regarding the George Zimmerman verdict:

“The verdict is difficult to comprehend since minimally, had George Zimmerman followed the principles of a neighborhood watch, stayed in his car and sought law enforcement assistance, no murder trial would have been necessary and Trayvon Martin would still be alive.

“It’s sad and scary to me that someone’s appearance and dress alone are reasons to assume the negative about another human being.

“This verdict is confounding. It’s impossible to forget that Zimmerman got out of his car and had a weapon on him. Are we saying it’s OK to follow and then shoot an innocent person on the street? That should never be acceptable in America.

“Society only functions in a healthy manner if everyone participates lawfully and fully with respect for others, but this verdict is a stunning failure of justice.” [TLS]

This content, and any other content on TLS, may not be republished or reproduced without prior permission from TLS. Copying or reproducing our content is both against the law and against Halacha. To inquire about using our content, including videos or photos, email us at [email protected].

Stay up to date with our news alerts by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

**Click here to join over 20,000 receiving our Whatsapp Status updates!**

**Click here to join the official TLS WhatsApp Community!**

Got a news tip? Email us at [email protected], Text 415-857-2667, or WhatsApp 609-661-8668.

28 COMMENTS

  1. george zimmerman had a weapon on him,but he did not draw it when he came up to Travon martin. He used the gun when his head was pounded into the ground and someone was on top of him beating him.
    If it was the other way around and zimmerman was killed,would you be writing the same thing?

  2. Her logic is pretty pathetic. According to her logic TM would have been able to beat Zimmerman to death since he got out of his car.

  3. OK, enough already. Will all the (Democratic) politicians and celebrities PLEASE stop your pandering. I’m getting sick of reading your tweets and press releases about how there is no justice in America. All they want to know is want they heard 17 moths ago. The truth didn’t matter to them then nor does it matter now apparently.

    Listen up! There was a trial that lasted over 3 weeks and heard 50+ witnesses. They deliberated for over 18 hours and reached their verdict and unless you were as involved as those 6 women were you really have nothing worthwhile to add.

    Plain and simple, the prosecution utterly failed to do their job while the defense was much better at their job. This despite a judge openly hostile to the defense. The rule of law in America says you are innocent until proven guilty by a jury of your peers. The man was found not guilty by a jury and unfortunately now he will have to worry if the Federal Government will bring him up on Civil Rights charges.

  4. Not a very smart statement. Obviously the prosecution had ample opportunity to make its case and I’m sure the idea that he got out of the car was put forward for whatever that point is worth & was deemed insufficient. Is she trying the case on her own??

  5. Apparently she does not believe in our justice system…innocent until proven guilty. Zimmerman is a free man because his guilt, something that so many people are certain of even though they were not present that night nor were they present at the trial, nor have they even met George Zimmerman was not proven! Now, assemblywoman, go crawl back under your hole and please, the public should not reelect someone who so blatantly refuses to acknowledge fact from media sensationalism.

  6. barak Obama just released a statement ending with ..that is how we honor Travon Martin, Why are we honoring him? We honor him because he was killed? We honor him because he is black? we honor him because he was killed by a hispanic? Please explain why we are honoring him.

  7. Should have Zimmerman confronted Martin ? NO
    However in FLA all the defense had to do was prove Zimmerman shot Martin in self defense regardless of who started the fight!

  8. Why publish this persons article? its ridiculous. His head was being bashed open and his weapon was at risk of being taken away and used on him…so he protected himself. Propsecuters could prove beyond doubt he was guilty cuz there were so many witnesses that he was innocent…I cant beleive this published article.

  9. Quote ” “This verdict is confounding.”
    No its not the verdict is extremely clear YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO PROTECT YOURSELF ” That is extremely clear !!!
    getting sick of the liberal do gooders who pander to these thugs

  10. this clearly another assemblywomen that only belives in the law of the land if the law aggres with her. its a shame that someone like this is an elected officel

  11. Ms. Coleman clearly does not understand legalities. As such, she should not comment.

    The prosecution charged Zimmerman with murder, which has a standard of beyond a reasonable doubt. Since there are so many variables and uncertainties as to what happened, the prosecution did not satisfy the beyond a reasonable doubt standard.

    It is not far-fetched to say that Zimmerman committed murder. On the other hand, he may have been acting in proportionate self-defense. Both are factors. Because of both possibilities, reasonable doubt exists, which means that Zimmerman is not guilty.

    If Ms. Coleman wants to change the legal system, then that should be her claim. However, based on the current system, the Zimmerman ruling was proper.

    Ms. Coleman is confounded. I am more confounded to have a lawmaker who is thoroughly ignorant of the US legal system.

  12. I think this will get decision will get beat up every which way it can. There are only 2 people that can really say what happened out there and one of them is dead, and the other is going into hiding. You will never know what is true and accurate, and what is false.

  13. While I’m disappoint in the outcome, its done. The worst part is theres going to be retrial all week from every pundent and person with internet access.

  14. #22 what do you mean you are disappointed, you want true justice or to satisfy your desire that he should’ve been found guilty??u have evidence “beyond reasonable doubt” ? then state it!! if not, then you are just a selfish person that has zero respect for the law!! and btw if your head was being pounded what would you do?? you are just another one of these clowns that carry signs…. but don’t respect the law of innocent until proven guilty, mabe one day you will grow up and get some common sene!!

  15. This statement proves what we already knew – that not all politicians should be assumed to posses a high intelligence quotient.

    But then again.. it’s obvious that not much thinking went into preparing this foolish remark. Her real intention was just to pander to an element of voters in her district that allow their emotions to control their behaviors – and for that, even a very unintelligent statement suffices.

    How sad.

  16. Yes we are, especially i that innocent person was a black thug intent on bashing Zimmerman’s skull in. There are so many holes in your flawed reasoning, I hope you are reading this and burying your head in shame How were you ever elected to do anything is beyond me. Walmart has openings please apply

  17. Why is everyone so quick to point out that no one really knows what happened that night but just as quickly believe Zimmerman’s side of the story? How do you know Trayvon was on top of him? How do you know that he slammed Zimmerman’s head into the ground? How do you now he reached for the gun? You don’t- you just assume because George Zimmerman said so after he went after a unarmed kid with a gun

Comments are closed.