First of all he was not told to not follow Martin. He was told that the police didnt need him to. There is a difference but, and Im tired of using this word, its irrelevant because the dispatcher has no legal authority over Zimmerman.
Responsibility can be very subjective. I feel responsible to my family so my number one priority is to get home to them so no, I wouldnt have gotten out of my car. Heck, I wouldnt even stop to shoot a man clearly engaged in a heinous act on another human being unless perhaps it was a child. That is how I feel.
Perhaps Zimmerman felt his responsibility was the safety of his neighborhood and that is why he got out of his vehicle because he thought some one was up to no good. Luckily we are not forced by law to decide what to do or not do in this situation.
I am not trying to justify anyones actions. I want people to understand that it all boils down to WHO STARTED THE PHYSICAL ALTERCATION because that is what ultimately decides Zimmermans guilt or innocence. Martins age, the fact he was unarmed, the fact Zimmerman was a Neighborhood Watch Captain, the fact that the dispatcher told Z that they did not need him to pursue do not determine Zimmermans guilt or innocence.
The fact that I own guns and so does Zimmerman is no difference then the fact we both own cars. I do not have enough information to say how I feel about Zimmermans actions. If it comes out that Z was the first one to start the violence then I will be glad to see him sit in prison. If it turns out he has told the truth the entire time and Martin was the one that started the violence then I would be glad to see him set free.