Why isn't this murder?

[Wezil]

Rent-A-Cop

[loinburger]

Being stupid is not necessarily criminal.

Negligent homicide/manslaughter..... Is not murder.

You're being pedantic

[Al B. Sure!]

Neighborhood Watch Captian is exactly that. A Captian of a hired company to patrol a gated community. Perhaps there are tiny language barriers between Florida and Wisconsin, but I dout that this watchman was a sworn police officer.

Aren't neighborhood watch just regular people? We have them in Philly and they're just regular people who go around and call the cops if they see anything. Like Block Captains.

Like I said, the guy was reported as being a criminal justice student.

[Wezil]

You're being pedantic

Not really. I still suggest I've provided a self-defence scenario.

[Donegeal]

In a gated community, they are typically hire from a private security firm and paid by the residents of the gated community. Sorta like a condo fees. Outside gated communities, paid neighborhood watchmen are much less common.

Like Wezil said... he was a rent-a-cop.

[Wezil]

Aren't neighborhood watch just regular people? We have them in Philly and they're just regular people who go around and call the cops if they see anything. Like Block Captains.

Neighbourhood Watch here is to look out for the little kids. I'm sure it means different things in different places.

This is why we can't really have a serious discussion of this case with the little we know.

[loinburger]

Neighborhood Watch Captian is exactly that. A Captian of a hired company to patrol a gated community.

No. The neighborhood watch is an all-volunteer affair.

[Al B. Sure!]

In the "Committee News" section of last month's issue of the gated community's newsletter, "Retreat Reflections," the neighborhood watch committee asked for additional volunteers and warned: "Please keep your eyes open" and "If you see something suspicious or out of place, report it!"

For more information, it said, call George Zimmerman.

Yup. Volunteer.

[Wezil]

Irrelevant.

[Wezil]

True enough but even a civilian has a right to walk up to someone and ask them a question.

If the kid goes ballistic (for whatever reason) should he just allow himself to be beaten?

[Donegeal]

Well, there you go. A link with a bit more info. A Captian of a Gated community watch to mean means a rent-a-cop that gets paid to do things. A complete volunteer, probably in civilian clothes, changes the situation dramatically. Now it becomes more of a question as to why the kid was confronted. (As a rent-a-cop, it probably would have been part of his job.)

[Al B. Sure!]

Well, there you go. A link with a bit more info. A Captian of a Gated community watch to mean means a rent-a-cop that gets paid to do things. A complete volunteer, probably in civilian clothes, changes the situation dramatically. Now it becomes more of a question as to why the kid was confronted. (As a rent-a-cop, it probably would have been part of his job.)

I had no idea "Neighborhood Watch" ever meant anything but volunteers. Didn't know that isn't the case for gated communities.

[loinburger]

If the kid goes ballistic (for whatever reason) should he just allow himself to be beaten?

No - in the hypothetical I gave where the kid dragged him from his car and began to beat him mercilessly, I supported the guy's use of deadly force. It's entirely justifiable to shoot somebody in order to prevent them from beating you to death.

[Wezil]

But only if dragged from the car? If the guy approached in a non-threatening manner and the kid went off on him it's different?

[Wezil]

Open season on news media.