or so says the one and only ear-witness to the events as the fight began.
But let's start at the beginning, the interwebs are current all a-flutter allegedly because Rachel Jeantel told Huffpo Live when asked - and by the way this was the first time she'd been asked after the trial and both Piers Morgan & Al Sharpton talked to her - "Who Hit Who First?"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
In response the Zimmerman Fans are now full of even more
Shaudenfreude because in their
minds this means that Trayvon attacked Zimmerman because he thought he was "Gay" and therefore - believe it or not - if Trayvon had survived he would have been the perpetrator of a
Hate Crime Against Zimmerman.
Got that: Dead he's a "Thug", alive he's a "Hate Criminal".
But there's wasn't any bias involved was there?
Just for the record neither Rachel nor Trayvon said they thought Zimmerman was "Gay" - Rachel teased Trayvon that he might be "A Rapist" and Trayvon said "Stop messing with me". The fact of the matter is that when this occurred the biggest news in the nation was the Penn State Sandusky revelation, Trayvon being a high-school former youth football player would be well aware of them.
Also - Pedophile does not mean GAY. Rape is an act of violence not sexual desire. But apparently these guys think that a kid walking home alone in the dark, well, should just roll over and take it when someone they think is a potential predator tries to follow them home.
But I digress.
The thing is that these brain donor patients apparently can't read or listen to what Rachel said after she was asked "Why did he hit first?"
That occurs at the 2:13 point in the video interview
One of the key points of contention between the prosecution and defense during the trial of Zimmerman, who was acquitted of second-degree murder after killing the unarmed teen, was the question of who initiated the physical confrontation between the two.
Jeantel expounded on her thoughts on what occurred when Zimmerman and Martin met face to face. "I believe Trayvon hit first," she said. She went on to describe how she believed that Trayvon throwing the first punch was likely caused by Zimmerman attempting to grab and detain Martin.
Starting from that point:
Host: If Trayvon swung first, what do you think Zimmerman did to make him swing?
RJ: I think Zimmerman was a wannabe cop. He's said (in his mind) "Oh, I got cha'"
Host: You think he pulled his gun out?
RJ: No, I believe he trying ta...(slaps hands together)
Host : Grab him?
RJ : GRAB HIM. kay? "I Got You. You're comin' wit me" And that's a teenager. You did not say you're an officer. It's black, all black, the area was black. "Who are you, why are you touching me?"
Call me MR-Lord-King-of-I-TOLD-YOU-SO but I brought this exact thing up during the day of closing arguments. It was the only thing that made sense in my mind that was consistent with both of their prior actions - George wanted to "Find that Kid" and Trayvon wanting this Creepy Guy to leave him alone.
http://www.dailykos.com/...
Zimmerman Grabbed Trayvon.
He didn't want the little Asshole Punk to get away. He grabs onto his hoodie, dropping his flashlight in the process. Trayvon pulls back, causing his hoodie drawstring to be pulled way out on one side where Zimmerman is gripping him. [As Shown in this Crime Scene Photo of Trayvon's Body after CPR]
Then Trayvon, in terror, decides to FIGHT. He throws a left hook catching Zimmerman in the nose. They both go down because he WON'T let go, Zimmerman's head is scratched on the cement. They wrestle, Trayvon on top - trying to disengage - thrashing side to side. Good sees them - Looks like "Pound and Ground" to him from the back, but he doesn't see any blows impact. Doesn't hear a head smacking on concrete. Can't see their hands because George is holding onto Trayvon to KEEP HIM FROM ESCAPING while Trayvon is struggling to get away and screaming "HELP HELP" in panic. George may be yelling too, as he said, "Call the Cops, Help me with this guy" but not as loud, doesn't pick up on Lauer's 9-11 call.
George isn't punching back because his hands are busy gripping Trayvon's hoodie, keeping him from getting up and running away. Trayvon is pushing back, trying to lift up - possibly punching at George, but mostly trying to stand and get away as clearly George doesn't suffer from 20 or 30 separate blows in 40 seconds. (Ali punching speed)
But then suddenly he breaks free... he starts to stand up, still bent over. Their bodies are parallel - at the 90% entry angle - Trayvon's hoodie is pulled forward as he straightens his knees, weighted by the Watermelon flavored Arizona Tea can in his front pocket. Zimmerman, now with Trayvon's weight off of him, reaches behind his right hip - pulls his gun, extending his right arm fully - as he explained in his Police Interview, to make sure he didn't hit his own left hand, spans the extended distance of about 40 inches between them - muzzle contacting the hoodie as Trayvon lifts up, backing away (as one of the ME/Expert Witnesses Contented). Trayvon sees the gun. "No, Don't!" [As can be heard on Lauer's 9-11 tape]. George FIRES striking Trayvon in the heart, collapsing his right lung.
The screaming stops . Trayon clutches his chest and collapses. George gets up, bending over the top of Trayvon. Other neighbors come out to investigate as George starts to whip up some bullshit to cover his ass. ("I wasn't following him, just going the same way that he did. He jumped out at me, I had to shoot - he was gonna Kill me. Add some bad Lifetime tough guy dialogue ["You're gonna die, Oh, you got me"]. Yeah, that's the ticket." Rinse and Repeat.)
End scene.
When Rachel tried to bring this up at the trial, that Zimmerman touched Trayvon first (and in the process bumped him knocking off his phone headset) Don West shot back with "You don't know that? You don't know that Trayvon didn't
turn around and punch him".
To which Rachel said "No, Sir".
Besides the fact that Zimmerman's story was always they met face to face Don later went on to suggest that Trayvon was lying to her on the phone about wanting to go home when in reality he was really laying in wait to attack George. To which she rightly said.
"That's Real Retarded, Sir!"
And it is.
Anyway, I think that's what happened to Trayvon, that Zimmerman grabbed onto him the fight occurred as Trayvon struggled to get free, and apparently so does Rachel.
IMO it's the only thing that makes sense given all the evidence.
Vyan
While you're pondering that Join Color of Change Campaign to Repeal Stand Your Ground Laws and get your asses Registered to Vote [Share the QR below], because at certain point - as I said yesterday - we have to start thinking what happens #AfterTrayvon
11:18 AM PT: Comments have said the drawstring might have been pulled previously as seen in the 7-11 video. To me it's hard to tell, but I don't think so. From the profile shot it looks like multiple strings, not just one. From the above shot it looks like the end is about even with his button on the left side, but he's leaning forward as he gets his money out of his pocket.
In the crime scene photo there's only one string and it's pull down several inches past the height of the button, including the fact that it's going sideways across his body toward his waist. I think it's different, but I'm open to other people having their own look.
If it was pulled further, it happened during the fight - which begs the question who was holding it, if not for George and if George was holding him and not PUSHING HIM AWAY - why?