Didn't the State of Florida drop the ball in allowing George Zimmerman to own and carry a firearm?

You are aware the charges against Zimmerman for assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest in 2005 were dropped. (Which were due to him holding back a police officers arm that was assaulting a friend of his, not actually attacking the officer, per reports)

He was never convicted of this. So it would have no bearing on him getting a concealed carry license.

Edit in response to original poster:

Here are two referrences to the incident in my sources. (Had a more detailed on prior but would take me a little bit to find it.)

One gives his account, the other a very basic account of what was considered assault with violence. That it was classified that he shoved an undercover officer (that per Zimmerman, and the fact that the charges were dropped, did not even identify himself as a cop.) during the cops questioning (forcibly per Zimmerman) his friend on an underage drinking sting. Zimmerman was 20 at the time so enrolled in a program as it was illegal for him to be drinking underage.

Zimmerman's quote on this incident. (Note this quote is from prior to the Trayvon incident)

“I was arrested in July of 2005 for assault on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest with violence. Both charges were immediately dropped to resisting arrest without violence, and then dropped all together.

I was in an altercation with an undercover officer that was taking part in an ATF sting for underage drinking in UCF. He never told me he was an officer and assaulted me first. Shortly after that, in September 2005, the same unit was conducting a sting at UCF and an officer was killed by an OPD officer because he discharged his weapon and did not identify himself."

So since the officer in question is dead, due to being shot by a fellow officer for discharging his firearm without identifying himself it would be difficult to get the officers side of the story. Though you can check the court records from that time period, they are easy enough to search.

He was not convicted of a felony, did not have a known history of mental disease or defect that made him a danger to others ... I don't think the state of Florida or is pistol permit laws can be held accountable for this (or any) incident.

The problem here is the actions of one George Zimmerman, on the night of the shooting. Only the shooter should be held to answer for his actions. Nothing he did on that night should be used to keep other law abiding citizens from owning firearms or carrying them.

Do you think that states "drop the ball" by allowing people with no arrest record or known history of drinking to excess the privilege of a driver's license? Who knows ... one of those drivers might get drunk some night and plow into a van load of nuns!

Accused of a crime should not count against you ... anyone can be accused of a crime, until a person is found guilty in a court of law (or admits guilt, making a trial useless) they are guilty of nothing!

Sounds like it (added: nevermind, if the charges were dropped)... like the Casey Anthony case where those jurors shouldn't have been allowed in the selection...

Zimmerman says it was him that was crying out for help as Martin was attacking him & trying to wrestle the gun out of his hand.

I've been watching Nancy Grace & she doesn't buy any of his story. Zimmerman was the aggressor chasing Martin & had the gun. The teen wouldn't have turned on him & then want to grab his gun. THat teen did not have a death wish. It seems Zimmerman had it out for Martin & this was his scheme to "hopefully" (as he thinks) pull it off.

http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-07-17/news/29...

Did you hear or read about Iowa Rep. Boswell's home invasion? THe normal thing to do is to allow someone to flee & let the police handle it. Notice how the grandson had the shotgun & none of them pursued the "criminal" for strong arm breaking & entering & possibly holding them hostage & more or worse. Zimmerman had no right to pursue Martin except for his own agenda. He was also told to stand down/back off by the police. He was specifically told NOT to follow Martin. http://www.kxly.com/news/Opinion-Trayvon-Martin-no... He was not an officer & had no right to question Martin or follow him. Martin was acting in self-defense & Zimmerman was the aggressor. You cannot even lightly scratch someone's face without that scratch turning red & puffing up. His face would have been puffed & red & most likely bleeding, duh. Zimmerman didn't shoot Martin right away cuz he wanted to make the scuffle first to claim self-defense. Sad!

Justice for Trayvon Martin!!! RIP! Love and prayers to him & his loved ones!

added: These wanna-be cops are not qualified or justified. Some ppl that apply to be cops don't make the cut. It's not for the average Joe & Jane; so, they can stop already with the vigilante, wanna-be cop right they think they are entitled to.

Oh get real, they way the liberals have been going after one minority for killing another minority is ridiculous, it is like Zimmerman was white the way the liberals are going after the white people. Just how stupid are these liberals anyway? This is just more of the liberal created class warfare lead by the muslim Hussein 0bama.

As far as your site goes, it is just another liberal site full of lies made up by the liberals.

@ somathus. Only a complete fool would not know that the Second Amendment is the most important Amendment our fore fathers gave us. With out the Second Amendment the other right we enjoy would quickly fall.

@ Ro Lynn. Only Illinois has Foid card not Florida, only liberal gun control bigot states have stupid laws on firearms like registration.

No. None of the things that it says he was convicted of in that article are felonies.

Besides which, it's Federal law that says convicted felons aren't allowed to possess firearms, not State Law.

edit: No, the only authority needed from the state is permission to carry a firearm, for which you need to apply for a permit.

In the state of Florida, you don't need a permit to possess or purchase a rifle, shotgun or handgun; you only need one to carry a firearm.

So, If there's any place that the State of Florida might have dropped the ball, it was in not checking to see if Zimmerman was licensed to carry a handgun. I don't know if they did or not though, as I haven't been keeping up with the story.

I really don't know. If these charges would have been reduced to a misdemeanor than that would explain the FOID card( the state's permission for a firearm.)

Good question. They should go to the place where Zimmerman purchased his gun and pull the 4473 form for the sale. If he lied on that federal form, that is a felony.

Because Florida has become a conservative state, and conservatives think a person's right to own a gun supersedes every other consideration. its nucking futz

your hysteria is funny