George Zimmerman sues NBC for making him say racist comments?

[*RedBull*]

George Zimmerman sues NBC and reporters over edited 911 call

Published December 07, 2012

Associated Press

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ORLANDO, Florida ? George Zimmerman sued NBC on Thursday, claiming he was defamed when the network edited his emergency services call to police after the shooting of Trayvon Martin to make it sound like he was racist.

The former neighborhood watch volunteer filed the lawsuit seeking an undisclosed amount of money in Seminole County, outside Orlando. Also named in the complaint were three reporters covering the story for NBC or an NBC-owned television station.

The complaint said the airing of the edited call has inflicted emotional distress on Zimmerman, making him fear for his life and causing him to suffer nausea, insomnia and anxiety.

The lawsuit claims NBC edited his phone call to a dispatcher in February. In the call, Zimmerman describes following Martin in the gated community where he lived, just moments before he fatally shot the 17-year-old teen during a confrontation.

"NBC saw the death of Trayvon Martin not as a tragedy but as an opportunity to increase ratings, and so set about to create a myth that George Zimmerman was a racist and predatory villain," the lawsuit claims.

NBC spokeswoman Kathy Kelly-Brown said the network strongly disagreed with the accusations made in the complaint.

"There was no intent to portray Mr. Zimmerman unfairly," she said. "We intend to vigorously defend our position in court."

Three employees of the network or its Miami affiliate lost their jobs because of the changes.

Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder but has pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense under Florida's "stand your ground law."

The call viewers heard was trimmed to suggest that Zimmerman volunteered to police, with no prompting, that Martin was black: "This guy looks like he's up to no good. He looks black."

But the portion of the tape that was deleted had the emergency services dispatcher asking Zimmerman if the person who had raised his suspicion was "black, white or Hispanic," to which Zimmerman responded, "He looks black."

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/12/07/george-zimmerman-sues-nbc-and-reporters-over-edited-11-call/%20?test=latestnews#ixzz2ENDGPQtT

[jwjw1]

I hope he wins and get a 'sack-full' of that liberal top 2% money...... :laugh:

[*RedBull*]

I'm hope our system isn't so screwed up that he does win. NBC didn't make him say those things and if it comes off as racists, perhaps he needs to own it. He made those statements. I hope that Zimmerman goes to jail for the murder as well.

[McCordRm]

^^

bull****. Editing comments to purposely take them out of context and

change their meaning is NOT news reporting. If true, I hope he wins.

[rfirth]

I'm hope our system isn't so screwed up that he does win. NBC didn't make him say those things and if it comes off as racists, perhaps he needs to own it. He made those statements. I hope that Zimmerman goes to jail for the murder as well.

Yes, he made those statements. But they were taken out of context to make it sound racist.

It's easy to take comments out of context to make someone sound bad. But it's not right. And it's downright criminal and dangerous when someone is on trial.

[ahhell]

Whether he is guilty or not, there is NO way that he's going to get a fair trial.

[shakey]

Whether he is guilty or not, there is NO way that he's going to get a fair trial.

Fair is very subjective... Trayvon would have to be on the stand for that to happen.

[metallithrax]

I'm hope our system isn't so screwed up that he does win. NBC didn't make him say those things and if it comes off as racists, perhaps he needs to own it. He made those statements. I hope that Zimmerman goes to jail for the murder as well.

Are you serious? He was asked by the dispatcher whether the person looked "black, white or hispanic". He then answered the question.

NBC edited out the part with the dispatcher asking the question and only included the answer which made it seem as though it was a racist comment made out of nowhere.

[Lord Method Man]

This is pathetic and the OP should be ashamed. There were no "racist comments" made. The 911 operator asked Zimmerman to describe the individual including his race, clearly. He replied with "He looks black." NBC's edit was malicious and deliberately deceptive. Think what you want about the rest of the case but this is a clear-cut case of media fabrication in order to slander and individual.

[strotee]

Think what you want about the rest of the case but this is a clear-cut case of media fabrication in order to slander and individual.

Absolutely. Let's not forget about the media trying to make it black vs. white by calling Zimmerman a "white Mexican". This case should upset people, the media is manipulating people, it's sick.??I realize it happens more often than we'd like to admit but it's even worse when it's so obvious. There's a huge difference between media basis and manipulating facts to change the narrative.

[MDboyz]

Also, they make the word 'cold' to become a racist word.

[*RedBull*]

Some people need to get a grip. That means you LMM. Zimmerman shouldn't benefit in anyway. He is a murderer.

[Pam14160]

Can you say, "Lawyers fees."

[DirtyLarry Veteran]

I'm hope our system isn't so screwed up that he does win. NBC didn't make him say those things and if it comes off as racists, perhaps he needs to own it. He made those statements. I hope that Zimmerman goes to jail for the murder as well.

I will show you how when you pick and choose words out of a quote, it can change the context entirely.

I'm hope he does win. NBC comes off as racists. I hope murder as well.

:laugh:

I even left your words in order, just eliminated a few here and there. Changes your response entirely no?

[rfirth]

Some people need to get a grip. That means you LMM. Zimmerman shouldn't benefit in anyway. He is a murderer.

Self defense isn't murder. Perhaps excessive force, but the law is on his side.

This is a lesson everyone should learn: in absolutely no circumstance should you assault someone. It doesn't matter if they are following you. If someone is creeping you out, ignore, run away, or ask what their problem is. Don't surprise or jump them, even if they are smaller than you and you think you can take them. You never know who might have a gun.

Zimmerman followed him, but Zimmerman was well within his rights to walk over and say hello to him if he wanted. But he didn't. He lost sight of Martin. Then, tragedy. The rest is to be decided by the courts.

What Zimmerman was left with was a slandered reputation going into a murder trial. It's a shame that Martin can't testify, but that can't be helped.

[Lord Method Man]

Some people need to get a grip. That means you LMM. Zimmerman shouldn't benefit in anyway. He is a murderer.

Nice deflection. I take it you have no relevant retort to the issue at hand then.

[MDboyz]

Here we go again. Can you just keep discussion if Zimmerman is guilty or not in the other post?

This is all about NBC changing the 911 call for their benefit.

Some people need to get a grip. That means you LMM. Zimmerman shouldn't benefit in anyway. He is a murderer.

[Routerbad]

I'm hope our system isn't so screwed up that he does win. NBC didn't make him say those things and if it comes off as racists, perhaps he needs to own it. He made those statements. I hope that Zimmerman goes to jail for the murder as well.

He answered a question posed by the dispatch operator. NBC edited the sound bite to make it sound like he was following martin because he was black. He should win, and NBC should own their responsibility with the botched reporting and defamation.

[shakey]

Self defense isn't murder. Perhaps excessive force, but the law is on his side.

It's not self defense when you start the fight.

This is a lesson everyone should learn: in absolutely no circumstance should you assault someone. It doesn't matter if they are following you. If someone is creeping you out, ignore, run away, or ask what their problem is. Don't surprise or jump them, even if they are smaller than you and you think you can take them. You never know who might have a gun.

Then this should appy to Ziimmerman and he shouldn't follow people, whom dispatch and policy sherrif instructions for NHW specificly say to NOT DO.

Zimmerman followed him, but Zimmerman was well within his rights to walk over and say hello to him if he wanted. But he didn't. He lost sight of Martin. Then, tragedy. The rest is to be decided by the courts.

Actually, Zimmerman wasn't in his rights to follow. NHW watch rules say not to, dispatch said not to, and NHW rules say NO GUNS! Because of these 3 rules which he broke, he was not in the "right" in any action he took.

What Zimmerman was left with was a slandered reputation going into a murder trial. It's a shame that Martin can't testify, but that can't be helped.

Hard to be slandered worse than a child killer. Maybe if he had followed rules, better judgement, and not followed an unarmed kid, this wouldn't be......

Who cares how he was portrayed. Will people stop focusing on the petty non issues and focus on what really went wrong? Or is everyone really this ****ing stupid? We don't need to start giving nuts a reason to start fights which in the end can give them the option to use deadly force because they started to lose. Stand Your Ground is a horrible law that needs to either be demolished or reconstructed completely, and Zimmerman needs to face manslaughter charges at the very least.

[*RedBull*]

Self defense isn't murder. Perhaps excessive force, but the law is on his side.

This is a lesson everyone should learn: in absolutely no circumstance should you assault someone. It doesn't matter if they are following you. If someone is creeping you out, ignore, run away, or ask what their problem is. Don't surprise or jump them, even if they are smaller than you and you think you can take them. You never know who might have a gun.

Zimmerman followed him, but Zimmerman was well within his rights to walk over and say hello to him if he wanted. But he didn't. He lost sight of Martin. Then, tragedy. The rest is to be decided by the courts.

What Zimmerman was left with was a slandered reputation going into a murder trial. It's a shame that Martin can't testify, but that can't be helped.

That's you taking the word from someone who was told not to pursue, violated community watch rules, and killed a boy he got in a fight with. He had the duty to avoid that situation. The boy also had the right not to be harassed and to defend himself. The boy had the right to stand his ground when being attacked by an older man.

[*RedBull*]

Who cares how he was portrayed. Will people stop focusing on the petty non issues and focus on what really went wrong? Or is everyone really this ****ing stupid? We don't need to start giving nuts a reason to start fights which in the end can give them the option to use deadly force because they started to lose. Stand Your Ground is a horrible law that needs to either be demolished or reconstructed completely, and Zimmerman needs to face manslaughter charges at the very least.

Exactly my point. (Y)

Zimmerman is guilty. He knows it. He will try anything he can to deflect from the truth. The only account of what happened is from him. Only fools will take him at his word. Zimmerman is scared he knows things won't be easy. Travon was standing his ground from an armed assault and was killed.

[ahhell]

Exactly my point. (Y)

Zimmerman is guilty. He knows it. He will try anything he can to deflect from the truth. The only account of what happened is from him. Only fools will take him at his word. Zimmerman is scared he knows things won't be easy. Travon was standing his ground from an armed assault and was killed.

If that is the case, then how are you supposed to prove that he is lying and that he is guilty. It's all speculation/circumstantial. Then again, that's never stopped Internet law experts before.

[shakey]

If that is the case, then how are you supposed to prove that he is lying and that he is guilty. It's all speculation/circumstantial. Then again, that's never stopped Internet law experts before.

Are you just ignoring NHW regulations set up by the sherrif of the county that specificly say, No Guns. How about all the rules set up by the sherrif of the county for NHW that say to not follow or not confront? How about the dispatcher telling him to not confront?

It is easy to see where the fault lies. If you can not, you are only blindly looking at one side and ignoring the evidence that will hold the most weight in court.

[*RedBull*]

If that is the case, then how are you supposed to prove that he is lying and that he is guilty. It's all speculation/circumstantial. Then again, that's never stopped Internet law experts before.

yes i see you keep posting... :p

[logicwin]

and you are aware that claiming zimmerman started the fight is wrong? you have no evidence for it and theres much more evidence that zimmerman was attacked, you arent legally obliged to listen to a dispatcher and you have the right to come up to people in public to see what they are doing, if someone thinks youre being suspicious that doesnt give you the right to attack them