George Zimmerman VERDICT HAS BEEN DELIVERED. NOT GUILTY IN THE SHOOTING DEATH OF 17 YEAR OLD TRAYVON MARTIN! 7.25.13 Zimmerman juror to ABC: He 'got away with murder'

Judge: George Zimmerman must keep wearing GPS tracker

Yamiche Alcindor, USA TODAY

1:07PM EST December 11. 2012 - The man charged in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin in February must continue to wear a GPS monitoring ankle bracelet and remain in Seminole County, a Florida judge ruled Tuesday.

George Zimmerman is accused of second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting of the 17-year-old in a gated Sanford community where he was on neighborhood watch. Zimmerman is claiming self defense.

Judge Debra Nelson also rejected a request to lower Zimmerman's $1 million bond, and ordered that Zimmerman remain in Seminole County and away from the Orlando-Sanford International Airport. In doing so, she kept in place a July ruling by Judge Kenneth Lester who previously presided over the case.

"He doesn't need to live under constraints that a previous court imposed," Zimmerman attorney Mark O'Mara said before the ruling. "This is not a person who has missed court appearances. He wants to be here. He's looking forward to an immunity hearing and a trial."

O'Mara also pulled out photos of Zimmerman's bloody face from the night of the shooting and asked Nelson to consider Zimmerman's innocence in making her ruling.

After hearing from both Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda and O'Mara, Nelson denied the motion saying Zimmerman would remain under the conditions set by a previous judge.

Nelson did agree to allow Zimmerman's lawyers to re-depose Sanford police investigator William Erwin, whom the defense says was present when police played 911 audio for Trayvon Martin's father. And the state also must turn over the original recording of Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump's interview of a girl identified as Trayvon's girlfriend, Nelson ruled.

Police say the teen's father initially denied that the voice heard screaming on the 911 call, before the fatal shot, was his son. The girlfriend, identified as Witness 8, says she was on the phone with Trayvon in the moments before the shooting. She is a key state witness.

On the GPS questions, Zimmerman argues that he "needs to be able to travel more freely... for reasons of his own personal safety and... to have the ability to assist his defense" by meeting with witnesses, including experts," according to a motion filed by his attorney.

Zimmerman will remain free on $1 million bond -- with the GPS monitoring -- while awaiting a trial scheduled for June 13.

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(CBS) SANFORD, Fla. - The mother of slain Florida teen Trayvon Martin joined Florida lawmakers announcing their push for legislation to repeal the state's controversial "Stand Your Ground" law.

Sen. Dwight Bullard, D-Miami, and Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee are sponsoring the repeal bill (HB 4009), CBS Miami reports. The state's self defense law contains an element known as the Stand Your Ground provision which allows people who feel threatened to shoot back at assailants out in public.

Neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of the 17-year-old Martin in February, 2012, in Sanford, Fla. The 29-year-old has claimed self-defense under the Stand Your Ground Law and is pleading not guilty.

Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, joined Bullard and Williams for the announcement at a news conference in Tallahassee Wednesday, WJXT reports.
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Zimmerman hearing set for today
By Graham Winch
updated 11:20 AM EST, Thu February 14, 2013

A hearing Thursday will determine if George Zimmerman's "Stand Your Ground" hearing will actually happen on April 22
George Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder for shooting Trayvon Martin

A hearing Thursday will determine whether George Zimmerman’s “Stand Your Ground” hearing will actually happen on April 22.

Judge Debra Nelson already set April 22 as a preliminary date for the hearing that will determine whether Zimmerman is immune from prosecution under the “Stand Your Ground” law, or will stand trial for killing Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder charge for shooting Martin on Feb. 26, 2012. Martin was returning from a convenience store and was unarmed. Zimmerman told police he shot the teen in self-defense.

At the "Stand Your Ground" hearing, Zimmerman’s attorneys will have to convince the judge of three things:

Zimmerman was not engaged in an unlawful activity.
Zimmerman was being attacked in a place he had a right to be.
Zimmerman had the reasonable belief that his life and his safety were in danger as a result of an overt act or perceived threat committed by Martin.
If Zimmerman’s attorneys are successful at the "Stand Your Ground" hearing, their client could walk out of court a free man with immunity from prosecution in the shooting. However, if they don’t convince the judge, Zimmerman will face a full criminal trial on June 10. At trial, Zimmerman will still be able to argue self-defense.

At the hearing, attorneys will also discuss “logistics” of what the defense says will be an “extended jury selection” process if the case goes to trial. Zimmerman is not expected to attend Thursday’s hearing.

Zimmerman’s next hearing is scheduled for March 5.

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By SENI TIENABESO (@seniABC) and MATT GUTMAN (@mattgutmanABC)
March 5, 2013

George Zimmerman's attorneys stunned court observers today by deciding to skip a "Stand Your Ground" hearing slated for April that might have led to a dismissal of the charges in the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.

Under Florida's Stand Your Ground law, Zimmerman is entitled to immunity and if he can prove he shot and killed Martin Feb. 26, 2012 self defense. If self defense was determined, all criminal proceedings would have immediately stopped, and Zimmerman would have walked free.

But Zimmerman's legal team also risked the possibility that the judge would reject the motion and the hearing would give prosecutors an opportunity to pick apart Zimmerman's testimony.

The defense left open the likelihood that they could ask for a Stand Your Ground hearing before the June trial, but by waiting until the later date his legal team would have more time to prepare their case.

Zimmerman, 29, faces second degree murder charges for killing Martin. The teenager was shot after Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain, told police he thought Martin was acting suspiciously. Zimmerman got out of his car, but he claims that Martin knocked him down and Zimmerman shot him in a struggle over Zimmerman's gun.

During today's hearing, the two sides wrangled over a couple of other pretrial issues.

Zimmerman's defense appeared to question the credibility of a teenage girl, identified only as Witness 8, who claims she was on the phone with Martin just moments before he was shot. Witness 8 is arguably the key witness in the upcoming trial.

Witness 8 told authorities that Martin told her that he was scared of a strange man following him. She also claimed that that after hearing the shooting over Martin's phone, she was hospitalized for trauma, a claim that prosecutors later admitted was false.

The defense wanted Judge Debra Nelson to question prosecutors about how they learned that this claim was not true, but Nelson refused. Defense attorney Donald West also asked the court for more information about the account she gave attorneys.

According to records obtained by ABC News she was on the phone with Martin as his confrontation with Zimmerman began.

Zimmerman's defense also sought any criminal history police may have on Martin as well as his social media history.

In an earlier hearing the judge ruled that Zimmerman's defense could subpoena Martin's social media history but the undertaking is time consuming and expensive. Authorities agreed to hand over the documents to the judge so that she could review them and determine if the defense should have them.

"It's time and money to get some of the information here and we are running out of both," said West.

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By Natalie Tolomeo , Reporter

SANFORD --
George Zimmerman will be at the Seminole County Courthouse on Tuesday morning for the latest hearing in his second-degree murder case.

It's the last currently scheduled status hearing before Zimmerman stands trial for the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford. The trial is scheduled to begin June 10 with jury selection.

Zimmerman's defense attorney, Mark O'Mara, said his client is ready to answer questions if prosecutors want to ask him anything.

The defense team will address the court about several motions filed on Friday. O'Mara says he wants everything the prosecution has on his client including all the 911 calls made the night Trayvon Martin was killed.

Other motions will be discussed and O'Mara says so will preparations for the trial. “And we need to plan, to the extent that we can what’s going to happen in the next 6-8 weeks because we have a jury to pick in what has been termed, and rightfully so, one of the most high-profile cases in the country right now. That is going to impact on our ability to pick a jury so we need some really good guidelines on that right now.”

O'Mara and the attorney for Trayvon Martin's family, Benjamin Crump, spoke this weekend at the Associated Press banquet Saturday in Orlando.

Crump is not an attorney in the criminal case. He says he's just been looking out for the family's best interest throughout the whole case. "There were times when we believe Trayvon Martin was attacked; his family was attacked so we had to represent their interest. So we will continue to represent their interest throughout this process because we, as lawyers, understand that’s our role."

Zimmerman will be at Tuesday’s hearing because the state attorney's office asked him to appear.

They want the court to question him on stand your ground to make sure he is approves with the defense waiving Zimmerman's right to an immunity hearing.

Prosecutors also want to see what Zimmerman's intentions are in possibly using stand your ground when the case goes to trial.

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This trial is going to turn into a circus! George Zimmerman's brother, Robert, announced that he's gay this morning. Why do we need to know this? Also we're finding out that the photos of Trayvon Martin that were released when he was killed were photos of him at a much younger age. Was this done to sway a potential jury?

Trust me, it's all over the Orlando news ad nauseum. Can't turn the TV on to the local news stations we've ALL come to know a la

Here's some more:
Judge denies motion to delay George Zimmerman trial
Judge limits texts, photos in Trayvon Martin case

Published On: May 28 2013 09:12:51 AM EDT Updated On: May 28 2013 11:44:45 AM EDT

SANFORD, Fla. -
The judge in the case against George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman charged with shooting and killing Trayvon Martin, has denied the defense request to delay Zimmerman's second-degree murder trial.

Judge Debra S. Nelson ruled at the Tuesday morning hearing that she will not delay Zimmerman's trial, saying both sides have had enough hearing time and time to prepare. Jury selection is set to begin on June 10.

Zimmerman jury pool will not be sequestered
Judge: Zimmerman defense can't use Martin's past drug use...

Zimmerman's attorney, former Local 6 legal analyst Mark O'Mara, had asked the judge to postpone the trial for an unspecified period, claiming his attorneys need more time to research one of the state's witnesses.

Lead prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda objected to the continuance, saying "this case has dragged on long enough."

Nelson, who quickly went through more than a dozen motions in two hours, also ruled that the defense can't mention Martin's past marijuana use, his school suspension and school records. Zimmerman did not attend Tuesday’s hearing.

Lawyers for the defense and prosecution continued to argue whether the fact that Martin had THC in his blood at the time of his death can be admissible at trial. Nelson ruled Martin's toxicology report findings may not be used in opening statements, but she could let it in during the trial if an expert shows it is admissible.

Nelson also said that the defense can't mention Martin's involvement in any fights previous to his encounter with Zimmerman. Martin's social media postings also cannot be mentioned in opening statements, Nelson ruled.

Nelson said the defense must prove that Martin wrote his social media postings himself. She also ruled that Martin's text messages before Feb. 26, 2012, can't be used in trial unless the defense shows they are relevant and probative and not outweighed by prejudice.

O'Mara told the judge that Martin's marijuana use and past fighting was central to the argument that Zimmerman used self-defense when he confronted Martin last year at a gated community in Sanford.

Nelson also set hearings on Friday and a Frye hearing for June 6-7, meaning the defense can challenge whether the state voice expert opinions are admissible for trial.

Tony Pipitone live-tweeting (Mobile users can visit the full site to view). (Love me some Pipitone!! Loved his tweets during trial!)

The defense will argue the use of the testimony from Dr. Alan Reich, a speech identification expert who believes screams heard on a 911 call are not Zimmerman shouting, "Help," but rather Martin yelling, "Stop." The defense will argue they must investigate the legitimacy of Reich's claims, as well as his abilities and background experience.

In addition, the defense will argue the difference between voice recognition and speech recognition are different.

At the June 6-7 hearing, the judge will also hear arguments from the defense accusing prosecutors of not telling the truth about not getting information on Martin's phone. On Tuesday, the defense called attorney Wesley White, former Duval County prosecutor, who said his client generated a report from Cellbrite software that may not have been turned over to the defense, including pictures of a gun and drugs.

White said he learned of the pictures from the phone from the IT director for the state attorney. The defense requested the IT director for the prosecution be subpoenaed as soon as possible because of the "magnitude" of the violation.

One of the first motions ruled on Tuesday was having Zimmerman's wife, Shellie, appear for her deposition but can plead the Fifth Amendment on certain questions and Nelson will determine if she must answer.

The next motion Nelson considered was prosecutors asking the judge to bar jurors from hearing certain information about Zimmerman. They asked the judge to prohibit any mention of Zimmerman passing a "Computerized Voice Stress Analysis" test, which Nelson agreed to for now.

The state also does not want the defense to ask police officers or other witnesses their opinion of whether or not Zimmerman should have been arrested after the shooting. Nelson ruled the police opinions on how the case developed cannot be mentioned, saying it could never be relevant.

In order to limit pretrial publicity about the case, prosecutors asked the judge to impose a gag order on all attorneys and witnesses. Nelson denied the state’s third attempt at a gag order on Tuesday.

Zimmerman's attorney believe a better way to find a fair jury will be to sequester all 500 prospective jurors. O'Mara said he wanted to "assure (jury) is free to acquit without feeling any pressures." O'Mara said in regards to the cost of a sequestered jury, which he called a "sequestered jury on steroids," that there is "no greater cost than diminishing my client's right to a fair trial."

State prosecutors said sequestering all potential jurors is "unrealistic," which Nelson agreed, saying prospective jurors will be referred to by their juror numbers and no pictures will be taken, but they will not be sequestered as a whole.

A media hearing was set for Friday at 1:30 p.m. to discuss if jury identifications should be blocked from the public or if the media can photograph the jurors outside of the courtroom.

In addition, the defense asked the judge to allow jurors to visit The Retreat at Twin Lakes subdivision in Sanford, where Zimmerman shot and killed Martin. Zimmerman's lawyers believed the field trip is necessary to give jurors a geographical understanding of where witnesses saw and heard certain evidence. Wish this had been done in trial!!!

The state said it is "impossible to re-create what happened." Nelson called the jury field trip to the Retreat View Circle a "logistical nightmare," and denied motion by Zimmerman defense.

State prosecutors said sequestering all potential jurors is "unrealistic," which Nelson agreed, saying prospective jurors will be referred to by their juror numbers and no pictures will be taken, but they will not be sequestered as a whole.

Nelson has not ruled on if the selected jurors will be sequestered.

A media hearing was set for Friday at 1:30 p.m. to discuss if jury identifications should be blocked from the public or if the media can photograph the jurors outside of the courtroom.

In addition, the defense asked the judge to allow jurors to visit The Retreat at Twin Lakes subdivision in Sanford, where Zimmerman shot and killed Martin. Zimmerman's lawyers believed the field trip is necessary to give jurors a geographical understanding of where witnesses saw and heard certain evidence.

The state said it is "impossible to re-create what happened." Nelson called the jury field trip to the Retreat View Circle a "logistical nightmare," and denied motion by Zimmerman defense.

"It would seem confusing (for the jury) at best," Nelson said.

A motion that Nelson ruled in the defense's favor was adding two more witnesses, but the witnesses must be made available to the state for depositions.

Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty.

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Note: When jury selection starts, I will start a new thread. I Personally am NOT going to sit in front of the TV or puter and watch this..I said that about trial but I think many of us did. I don't CARE for GZ. I hope he gets what is coming to him.

When the actual trial starts, I w/start another thread w/one daily update at the end of each trial day.

If anyone reading this wants MORE, please feel free to add it. TIA!

Court documents released Wednesday show that George Zimmerman's attorneys have filed a motion requesting that the judge bar prosecutors from calling their client a "racist" in front of the jury.

The motion wants to prohibit disparaging descriptors of Zimmerman, including these terms:

"Racial profiled" (or any variation)
"Vigilante"
"Self-appointed neighborhood watch captain"
"Wannabe cop"
"He got out of the car after the police (or dispatcher) told him not to"
"He confronted Trayvon Martin"

Zimmerman's attorneys argue those terms improperly elicit "unfounded connotations" and "unfair emotional responses." They also say there is no evidence to support the use of these terms or statements. If prosecutors are allowed to use them, the def. claims, it would be for the sole purpose of inflaming the jurors and appealing to their emotions to create a bias against Zimmerman.

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And here we go...........

Turned on the TV and they are in court LIVE. W/post updates soon. Ugh!!

Posted: 6:28 a.m. Thursday, June 6, 2013
Defense request for witnesses to stay confidential denied in Zimmerman trial

SANFORD, Fla. — A Florida judge has denied a defense request to let a handful of witnesses testify confidentiality during George Zimmerman's trial for fatally shooting Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman's attorney asked the judge Thursday to allow the witnesses to give their testimony out of the public's eye.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara says the witnesses have concerns for their safety about testifying at the trial, which starts next week. He says their testimony could impact the jury's decision.

Prosecutors and attorneys for media groups objected to the request.

Zimmerman is pleading not guilty, claiming self-defense. A delay in Zimmerman's arrest led to protests nationwide. Martin was black. Zimmerman's father is white, and his mother is Hispanic.

The trial is expected to last more than a month.

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Ben Kruidbos, I.T Director w/State Attorney's Office on the stand as I type..O'Mara is cross examining him..something about guns/marijuana and nude pics of teens on Martin's phone.

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Posted: 5:47 p.m. Monday, July 1, 2013

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The first police officer to interview George Zimmerman after he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin said Zimmerman didn't yet know that the teen had died.
Officer Doris Singleton said Zimmerman seemed surprised when she told him Martin was dead during an interview at the police station.
"He's dead?!" Singleton recounted Zimmerman saying before he lowered his head.
“I said, ‘I thought you knew that. I thought you knew he was dead,’” said Singleton. “And he just kind of slung his head, just shook it.”
According to Channel 9’s Kathi Belich, when prosecutors asked Singleton to read Zimmerman's statement of what happened, she wasn't prepared.
Sheaffer said the prosecution should have better prepared her to read such a key piece of testimony, because the statement allowed the jury to hear Zimmerman's side of the things.
Now, the defense may not have to put Zimmerman himself on the stand.
When asked by defense attorney Mark O'Mara whether Zimmerman showed any anger or ill will in talking about Martin, the officer said, “No."
On Monday, jurors in the second-degree murder trial heard a recording of the neighborhood watch volunteer describing his fatal encounter with Martin to Singleton.
 
Zimmerman said in that first police interview that he saw Martin walking through his neighborhood on a dark, rainy night while Zimmerman was driving to the grocery store. He told Singleton that he didn't recognize Martin and that there had been recent break-ins at his townhome complex.
"These guys always get away," Zimmerman told Singleton, a statement similar to one that prosecutors have used previously to try to show that Zimmerman was increasingly frustrated with the burglaries and his encounter with Martin was a breaking point.
Zimmerman told the police officer that he lost track of Martin and got out of his truck to look for a street name he could relay to police dispatcher.
When the dispatcher suggested Zimmerman didn't need to follow Martin, Zimmerman started to head back to his vehicle.
At that point, Zimmerman said Martin jumped out of some bushes, punched him and he fell to the ground.
Zimmerman said that Martin began hitting his head against the sidewalk as Zimmerman yelled for help. Zimmerman said Martin “reached for my gun and said, ‘You're going to die tonight, and I pulled the gun out and fired.”
With Zimmerman's shirt and jacket pushed up during the struggle and his holstered gun now visible, he thought Martin was reaching for his firearm holstered around his waist. Zimmerman told the officer that he shot Martin and the teen said, "You got me."
By playing those recordings, in effect, the jury has already now heard Zimmerman testify over and over again, according to Sheaffer.
The state has made sure of it on Monday by playing excerpts of his many voluntary statements to police.
“It's one thing to say I pulled a gun and shot someone because I'm losing the fight,” said Sheaffer. “It's another to say I pulled my gun and shot someone because they were going for the gun and I was in fear for my life.”
Sheaffer said no one can refute that evidence, so now Zimmerman most likely will not have to testify unless the state uncovers major inconsistencies in Zimmerman's statement.
The jury is also hearing Zimmerman's numerous voluntary statements to police, which shows Zimmerman pretty much told investigators the same story every time.
Later, however, police started asking why Zimmerman didn't approach Martin, identify himself as neighborhood watch and ask who Martin was.
In interviews with law enforcement, they challenged that Zimmerman had stopped following Martin.
“I wasn't following him,” Zimmerman said. “I was just going in the same direction."
Martin's father shook his head when he heard the statement in court.
“Did you pursue this kid? Did you want to catch him?” asked Detective Chris Serino.
“No,” said Zimmerman.
“That's not you, that's not what you're about?” asked Serino.
Investigators asked whether Zimmerman could have made Martin anxious by following him, but Zimmerman told them he did not know where Martin was.
Serino also asked if race was a factor in Zimmerman's belief that Martin was suspicious.
“Would you have thought he was suspicious if he was white?” asked Serino.
“Yes,” said Zimmerman.
During cross-examination, O’Mara asked Serino if Zimmerman was “cagey. Did he try to sidestep your answers?”
“No,” said Serino.
Prosecutors played the police interview Monday after calling an FBI audio expert to the witness stand. Prosecutors called FBI expert Hirotaka Nakasone to focus on the issue of who was screaming for help on 911 calls during the confrontation.
Jurors were played the 911 calls several times last week.
 
The recordings are crucial pieces of evidence because they could determine who the aggressor was in the confrontation. Martin's family contends it was the teen screaming, while Zimmerman's father has said it was his son.
 
Even though he was a pretrial witness for the defense, prosecutors called Nakasone to set up later testimony from either the teen's mother or father that they believe it was their son yelling for help.
During his pretrial testimony, Nakasone testified that there wasn't enough clear sound to determine whether Zimmerman or Martin was screaming on the best 911 sample, an assertion he repeated Monday.
 
"It's not fit for the purpose of voice comparison," Nakasone said.
 
Nakasone also said guessing a person's age by voice is "complicated" in general, and it was impossible to determine with the 911 sample he heard.
 
The FBI expert said that it's easier for a person with a familiarity of a voice to identify it than someone who has never heard it previously. That is especially true if the recording is of a subject screaming and the person trying to identify the voice has heard the subject under similarly stressful circumstances previously, Nakasone said.
 
But under cross-examination by defense attorney Don West, Nakasone said there was a risk of increased listener bias if people trying to identify a voice are listening to a sample in a group, as Martin's parents did, rather than individually.
 
"There might be a risk of bias included in the end results," Nakasone said.
 
Nakasone's pretrial testimony, along with other defense experts, helped keep two prosecution audio experts from testifying. One prosecution expert ruled out that it was Zimmerman screaming on the 911 call and the other thought it was the teen.
 
Judge Debra Nelson ruled that the methods used by the experts aren't reliable. 
 
More than 20 witnesses last week testified during the opening week of a testimony in a trial that has opened up national debates about race, equal justice, self-defense and gun control.
 
Zimmerman, 29, could get life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder. The state argued during its opening statement that Zimmerman profiled and followed Martin in his truck and called a police dispatch number before he and the teen got into a fight.
 
Zimmerman has denied the confrontation had anything to do with race, as Martin's family and their supporters have claimed.
 

Raw: George Zimmerman interview with CVSA expert

Zimmerman with investigator Singleton Feb 26 pt. 1

Zimmerman with investigator Singleton Feb 26 pt. 2

Photos: Week 4 of George Zimmerman trial

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 1

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 2

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 3

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 4

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 5

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 6

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 7

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 8

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 9

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 10

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 11

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 12

Day 15: George Zimmerman trial Part 13

Posted: 12:51 p.m. Monday, July 1, 2013

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Defense attorney, Jose Baez, who represented Casey Anthony in her murder trial, weighed in on the George Zimmerman trial Monday morning on the Today Show.
Baez talked about the witnesses who have testified so far and said the case is really the defense's to lose.
Baez said the prosecution has a serious lack of evidence to work with.
"Well, I think a first-year law student could win this case with the evidence they have. That doesn't say that George Zimmerman is innocent or guilty," said Baez.
When asked if he would put Zimmerman on the stand to testify, Baez said, "No, because it wouldn't be necessary." 


(Guess since he didn't put:Casey Anthony:  on the stand and WON he thinks NO defendant needs to be on the stand.) 

PDF: Trayvon Martin autopsy report

Raw Video: Trayvon Martin's mother testifies in court

Photos: Week 4 of George Zimmerman trial

Raw: Screams, gunshot heard on 911 call

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 1

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 2

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 3

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 4

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 5

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 6

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 7

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 8

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 9

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 10

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 11

Day 18: George Zimmerman trial Part 12

Day 18: Defense asks for acquittal Part 1

Day 18: Defense asks for acquittal Part 2

Day 18: Prosecution response to defense’s request for acquittal Part 1

Day 18: Prosecution response to defense’s request for acquittal Part 2

Day 18: Prosecution response to defense’s request for acquittal Part 3

Day 18: Defense rebuttal

Raw Video: George Zimmerman's mother testifies in court

Day 18: George Zimmerman's uncle testifies

 Posted: 4:52 p.m. Friday, July 5, 2013 
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The prosecution in the murder trial of George Zimmerman wrapped up its case Friday after a dramatic day of testimony with Travyon Martin's mother and brother saying the screams for help that can be heard in the background on a 911 call came from the 17-year-old.
Before the defense began its case, defense attorney Mark O'Mara argued Zimmerman should be acquitted, saying prosecutors hadn't proved their case.
"What is before the court is an enormous amount of information my client acted in self-defense," O'Mara told Judge Debra Nelson.
The defense’s request for acquittal was denied.
Testifying Friday was Dr. Shiping Bao, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Martin’s body.
Bao said he has changed his opinion about how long Martin was alive after being shot, and the effect of marijuana detected in Martin's body at the time of his death.
"It was my belief he was still alive, he was still in pain, he was still in suffering," said Bao.
The associate medical examiner said last November that he believed Martin was alive one to three minutes, but he testified Friday it was one to 10 minutes.
He also said Friday that marijuana could have affected Martin physically or mentally; he said the opposite last year.
The judge ruled before the trial that Martin's past marijuana use couldn't be introduced, and so the jury did not hear Bao's opinion about the drug's effect.
West and Bao talked over each other at several points, prompting the judge to tell everyone to speak one at a time.
When defense attorney Don West requested a copy of Bao's notes, Bao replied, "No, he cannot. It's my notes."
West and Bao went back-and-forth about the autopsy report and what Bao remembered. Bao defended his taking of notes, while West tried to get more information on them.  
West questioned why Martin's hands weren't covered in order to preserve evidence on his fingers and why it took three hours to remove the body from the scene.
Bao's testimony followed Martin's mother and brother, who both testified that they believed cries for help on a 911 call are those of Martin.
Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, and his brother, Jahvaris Fulton, took the witness stand earlier in the day.
When introducing herself to jurors, Sybrina Fulton described having two sons, one of whom "is in heaven."
She sat expressionless on the witness stand while prosecutors played the 911 recording, in which high-pitched wails can be heard as Zimmerman's neighbor urges a dispatcher to send police quickly.
Moments later on the call, there is a gunshot and the crying stops.
"Who do you recognize that to be?" prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked Sybrina Fulton.
"Trayvon Benjamin Martin," she replied.
During cross-examination, O'Mara suggested -- haltingly, in apparent recognition of the sensitivity of the questioning -- that Sybrina Fulton may have been influenced by others who listened to the 911 call, including relatives and her former husband.
O'Mara asked Fulton hypothetically whether she would have to accept that it was Zimmerman yelling for help if the screams did not come from her son.
"I heard my son screaming," Fulton answered firmly.
The defense attorney also asked Fulton whether she hoped Martin didn't do anything that led to his death.
"I would hope for this to never have happened and he would still be here," she said.
Fulton was followed on the stand by her son, Jahvaris Fulton, Martin's 23-year-old half-brother, who also testified the cries came from Martin.
But O'Mara asked him why last year he had told a reporter that he wasn't sure if the voice belonged to Martin. Jahvaris Fulton, in explaining his comment to the reporter, told O'Mara he was "shocked" when he heard it.
"I didn't want to believe it was him," Jahvaris Fulton said.
O'Mara asked to play the television interview for jurors, but Nelson denied his request for the time being.
Jahvaris Fulton's testimony was broken up by efforts to unlock the evidence room adjacent to the courtroom. Unable to open it, court officials called a locksmith with a drill to help them out.
Before testifying, Sybrina Fulton posted on Twitter, "I pray that God gives me the strength to properly represent my Angel Trayvon."
Identifying the voice could be critical to the case because it could help the jury determine who was the aggressor during the scuffle that ended with Zimmerman killing Martin.
Zimmerman's father has claimed it's his son yelling.
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting Martin. He is pleading not guilty, claiming self-defense.

I said I wasn't going to watch this trial but w/ my internet down I had to resort to something.
Its a boring trial thanks to the defense who feel they have to paraphrase every statement made by witnesses on the stand, trying to change what they said at times and trying to get the witness to agree to their version. It makes me sick. If defense has to resort to dirty tricks, I get mad. People should get off if they are not guilty, not because the defense was crafty and clever and confused the witnesses.

JMO

7/10/2013
A forensic pathologist testified Tuesday that George Zimmerman’s account of what happened the night he fatally shot Trayvon Martin last year was “consistent” with the evidence he had seen from the crime scene.

Dr. Vincent Di Maio, a gunshot wound expert hired by the defense, said Zimmerman’s gun’s muzzle was two to four inches away from Martin’s chest when it went off and was against Martin’s clothing, which Di Maio says the evidence shows was hanging down from Martin’s body.
“This is consistent with Mr. Zimmerman's account that Mr. Martin was over him, leaning forward at the time he was shot," Di Maio told the court. Di Maio has written four books, including one called “Gunshot Wounds: Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics, and Forensics Techniques.”
When asked by defense attorney Don West if the gunshot wound was shot at a 90-degree angle to the body, Di Maio said, “It does not appear so.”

The testimony is considered crucial for the defense, which is arguing that Zimmerman, 29, shot Martin, 17, out of self-defense when the unarmed teen attacked him in a gated community in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2012. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder in Martin’s death.

Di Maio – who was questioned about the mechanics of gunfire and described himself as having a “very strong interest in gunshot wounds” – also said “powder tattoo marks,” marks on skin caused by a gun fired at close range, further supported Zimmerman’s account.
"The medical evidence, the gunshot wound, the tattooing, is consistent with his statement," he said.
"The most important point is the nature of the defect in the clothing and the powder tattooing," he added, referring to the bullet hole in Martin’s clothes and the marks on his chest. “If you lean over somebody, you will notice that the clothing tends to fall away from the chest. If instead you’re lying on your back and somebody shoots you, the clothing is going to be against your chest. So that the fact that we know the clothing was 2 to 4 inches away is consistent with somebody leaning over the person doing the shooting, and that the clothing is 2 to 4 inches away from the person firing.”

Under cross-examination, Di Maio said Martin could have been pulling away from Zimmerman.
Di Maio also said that for at least 10 to 15 seconds after Martin sustained a gunshot wound, he would have been capable of retracting his arms due to the amount of oxygen left in his brain, another important testimony for the defense. Zimmerman has said that after the shooting he moved Martin’s hands apart, but police have said Martin’s body was discovered face-down in the grass, his hands underneath.

Later in the afternoon, O’Mara told the judge that the defense is “probably going to be done tomorrow.”


Question over animation
The testimony followed a hearing earlier in the morning in which Judge Debra Nelson deferred a ruling on whether to allow an animation that illustrates what may have happened in the fatal confrontation between the neighborhood watch volunteer and Martin.
The animation, which according to defense attorney Mark O’Mara has been reduced to “more like a series of stills,” originally included punches being thrown by Martin at Zimmerman. The punches have now been excluded.
In a continued push to get the animation presented to the jury – which prosecutors argue would be misleading –  the defense brought in the crime scene and accident recreation animation graphic artist who was hired to reconstruct his version of the Martin-Zimmerman confrontation. Jurors were not in the courtroom during the hearing.
Daniel Schumaker of California-based Contrast Forensics said he uses a variety of pieces of software, equipment, robotic lasers that measure three-dimensional space, and “motion-capture” suits to recreate crime scenes and accidents.
O’Mara asked Schumaker why crime scene and accident reconstruction technologies are beneficial.

“It’s perfect for court because then you can – it gives you a running log of all the movements. Say, for example, somebody hits something and causes a certain amount of damage. With this suit, I can do that same action and from the accelerometers, you could see how much force it took to cause that amount of damage,” Schumaker said.
“The engineers that have developed it, they not only use it for motion-capture like this, but it’s used in biometrics, for physical rehabilitation and physical therapy,” he said.
Schumaker was hired in April 2012 by the defense to do a recreation of their confrontation. He said he used coroner photos, police reports, audio from 911 calls, and witness statements for his recreation. He also flew from California to the crime scene to use a motion-capture suit on-site.
“There’s a couple volunteers from your law office that put the suits on. Then as far as the timing, for the second part of the scenario where they were on the ground, I used the audio from the 911 call for the timing of it to time it with the shot of the gun,” he said, referring to the moments before the gun went off when the two were on the ground fighting each other, according to witness accounts and Zimmerman’s statement to police.

Prosecutors filed a motion last Friday to block the animation, arguing, among other objections, that it “artificially depicts lighting conditions” on the rainy night Zimmerman and Martin tussled and “relies in part upon statements in police reports, some of which were in fact contrary to testimony repeated by the same witness in court.” They also object to the animation because it wasn’t presented at any pretrial hearings.

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July 10, 2013

In a hearing outside of the jury’s presence, attorneys in the George Zimmerman trial made arguments about whether jurors should see the defense’s 3D recreation of the altercation between the neighborhood watch captain and Trayvon Martin. The defense also wants jurors to hear about Martin's text messages, which reportedly show he had been in fights and was trying to purchase a gun.
The judge recessed court right before 10 p.m. ET, saying she would wait until Wednesday morning to make decisions on both of these issues. Defense attorney Don West vented his frustration as the judge left the bench, saying he was having trouble keeping up with the long hours and fast-paced schedule of the trial.

"I'm not physically able to keep up this pace much longer," West said. "It's 10 o'clock at night. We started this morning. We've had full days every day, weekends, depositions at night."
Animator Daniel Schumaker said he uses crime scene evidence and the same motion capture technology used in movies like “Iron Man” to design his digital re-creations of alleged crimes. The defense said Schumaker’s computer animation would help the jury understand how the confrontation between Martin and Zimmerman unfolded. The prosecution argued the animated re-enactment makes assumptions, and it’s not based on evidence in the case.
"To have an animation that goes back to the jury room that they can play over and over again... gives a certain weight to something that this court is not particularly certain comports with the evidence presented at the trial," said Judge Debra Nelson. Nelson said she wanted to read the case law and wait until Wednesday before making her ruling on the animation’s admissibility.
The hearing, which went so late that the courtroom lights set on an automatic timer went out, continued Tuesday evening after testimony had wrapped for the day. The defense even had to ask the judge to extend Zimmerman's curfew, which is set for 10 p.m. ET. Zimmerman’s defense team told the judge that it plans to rest its case sometime on Wednesday.


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7/10/2013
Judge Debra Nelson ruled Wednesday that George Zimmerman’s defense team will not be able to present text messages from Trayvon Martin’s cell phone in court.
The defense team will not be able to use the two key pieces of evidence, including texts in which Martin allegedly discusses fighting and purchasing a gun as well as a photo of a gun.
Prosecutors say there is no way to prove that Martin sent the text messages or took the photos. Nelson agreed, and called it an “authenticity issue.”
State attorney John Guy argued “we don’t know who typed these messages, we don’t know if they’re connected.”
Furthermore, the prosecution argued the data on his phone has nothing to do with Martin’s shooting.
Nelson also told the defense it could not present a computer animation of the altercation between Martin and Zimmerman as evidence. Rather, they will have to show the jurors the animation during closing arguments.
Created by a defense witness, the animation depicts Martin walking up to Zimmerman and punching him and also shows the teen on top of Zimmerman as he fires the shot that killed Martin.
“This is a murder trial," said state attorney Richard Mantei. "This isn’t ‘Casablanca.’ This isn’t ‘Iron Man’"
Zimmerman’s defense team claims the neighborhood watchman was defending himself against the teen when he fatally shot Martin in 2012.

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7/10/2013
Defense lawyers for George Zimmerman, charged with the second-degree murder of Trayvon Martin, rested their case on Wednesday, on a day when Zimmerman told the judge he did not want to testify on his own behalf.

"I think we have a very, very good chance with the jury," Mark O'Mara, Zimmerman's defense attorney, said at a press conference after court ended on Wednesday evening.

Zimmerman, 29, says he was acting in self-defense when he shot Martin on a rainy night last year in a gated community in Sanford, Fla. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge against him, saying the 17-year-old attacked him when the two encountered each other on Feb. 26, 2012.

If convicted of second-degree murder, Zimmerman could face up to life in prison. Jury deliberations will begin on Friday afternoon, the judge presiding over the case said Wednesday.

It was a difficult decision for Zimmerman not to testify, O'Mara told reporters later.
"He's very worried. I mean, I think he's happy with the way the evidence got out and that he's finally had an opportunity to have his lawyers present his case for him. But, you know, we still have a case where the state of Florida is trying to put him behind bars for the rest of his life. That's a very scary position to be in," O'Mara said.

The defense rested after briefly hearing testimony from Robert Zimmerman, George Zimmerman’s father, and Olivia Bertalan, a resident at the Retreat at Twin Lakes gated community where Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch volunteer and where he and Martin had their fatal encounter.

Bertalan had been robbed while she was home with her young son by what she told the court were two teenagers about six months before Martin was killed. She said Zimmerman came over to her house and offered her a lock for her sliding glass door.
"We were terrified when this happened," she said. "He was just saying he wanted to make sure we were OK."
She added that Zimmerman said she could go spend time with his wife if she was too scared to be home alone during the day. Bertalan, who has since moved out of the Retreat at Twin Lakes, estimated she discussed the robbery about 20 times with Zimmerman after it occurred.

Robert Zimmerman, the defense's final witness, testified that on 911 calls from the night of the shooting, screams of “help” were “absolutely” his son George, despite conflicting opinions from others, including Martin's mom, that the yells could be from Martin. George Zimmerman’s mom, Gladys, testified the screams belonged to George Zimmerman, as did several other people.

Earlier Wednesday, Dennis Root, a former law enforcement officer, was called to the stand as the defense’s first witness of the day.
Root, who has instructed various police departments on the correct method of handcuffing and is an expert on the use of force, told the court he became involved in the case after calling defense attorney O’Mara.
“I thought I had a unique perspective,” he told the court.
Root said he evaluated witness statements for the defense team, spoke to Zimmerman once, and went to speak to a gym trainer who instructed Zimmerman in boxing and grappling. Root said the trainer, Adam Pollock, told him Zimmerman experienced weight loss from his time at the gym – but didn’t really gain skills in fighting.
“Mr. Zimmerman was described as being a very nice person, but not a fighter,” he said.
Asked by O'Mara to evaluate Zimmerman's physical abilities, Root said, "Mr. Zimmerman is an individual who is by no stretch of the imagination an athlete.” He added that Zimmerman would likely find himself “lacking” compared to Martin’s physical abilities.
Root was shown a foam mannequin and competing re-enactments of what may have happened the night Martin died by attorneys from each side, with both Assistant State Attorney John Guy and O'Mara straddling the dummy.
Guy pushed Root on why he went to the defense to assist in the case. 
"Anybody that does their homework about me knows the fact that I'm dedicated to finding the truth and supporting the truth," Root said. He did acknowledge, when pressed by Guy, that he was being paid $175 per hour for testimony and travel and wait time.
The cross-examination also included some pointed questions about Root's visit to the crime scene.
"You actually went to the scene for the purpose of getting an idea of the lighting, right?" Guy asked.
"Yes sir," Root responded.
"But you didn't get an idea of the lighting, did you?"
"No, I failed to take into account the change in season, so it was still daylight, or dusk," Root said. Upon further questioning, he said he couldn't remember the exact date of his visit, and confirmed to Guy he did not go back on a second visit.
While still under direct examination, Root gave the court his opinion on the biggest worry with interviewing people who have been involved in shootings: memory issues.
“People, when they’re involved in a high-stress event, can have what they call critical-stress amnesia, or they can have temporary memory holes, I call them,” he said. “Sometimes it takes up to 72 hours before they truly get their full memory back about everything that took place. And for some, depending on the stress of the event, they may never remember everything that took place.”
He recommended delaying getting a police statement until 72 hours after a shooting has taken place to get the most accurate account.
Zimmerman was interviewed by police the night of the shooting, the following day, and then again on Feb. 29, 2012 – three days after the shooting. 

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July 11, 2013
 
The judge in the George Zimmerman murder trial will decide Thursday if she will grant a prosecution request to allow the jury to consider lesser charges, including aggravated assault
State prosecutors are asking the judge in the Trayvon Martin murder case to instruct the jury to consider lesser charges — manslaughter and aggravated assault — when they begin deliberations Friday.
Zimmerman's attorneys have objected, and Judge Debra Nelson will hold a hearing Thursday morning to decide whether jurors should consider the new charges. The jury would still have the option of convicting Zimmerman, 29, of the second-degree murder charge that prosecutors sought when the trial began.
The last-minute maneuvering has been seen by some legal experts as an indication that prosecutors are not as confident about their chances for a second-degree murder conviction. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, has been portrayed by prosecutors as a wanna-be cop who shot Trayvon, who is black, after a confrontation in a gated residential community.
"They aren't going to go all or nothing," said Jose Baez, a Florida criminal defense attorney, of state prosecutors. "They aren't blind to the fact that they haven't proven second-degree murder." Baez successfully defended Casey Anthony, a Florida mother accused of killing her daughter in a high-profile capital murder case.
Zimmerman says he acted in self-defense after Trayvon sucker punched him and began beating him. The jury is expected to start deliberating on Friday.
Second-degree murder in Florida carries a possible life sentence. If convicted of manslaughter, Zimmerman could get up to 30 years. Aggravated assault would carry no more than a five-year prison term.
Prosecutors have maintained that Zimmerman profiled Trayvon and assumed an unarmed teen was a threat to his community. They called 38 witnesses to testify, including some who said Zimmerman was the aggressor and continuously played up that Zimmerman followed Trayvon.
Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said he will argue against the lesser charges being considered.
"Self-defense is self-defense," O'Mara said. "What happened out there was not a crime, so in that context there shouldn't have been" any charges.
Speculation that Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, profiled, followed and murdered the black teen sparked racial controversy and protests across the nation last year. Zimmerman says that race did not factor into his actions.
Also Wednesday, Zimmerman told Nelson that he will not testify and his lawyers asked for an immediate judgment of acquittal, which was denied.

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Posted: 5:50 a.m. Thursday, July 11, 2013

George Zimmerman's attorney strongly objected to a prosecution proposal that third-degree murder be included in the jury instructions.
 
Defense attorney Don West on Thursday called the proposal "outrageous," given that it is premised on the idea that Zimmerman committed child abuse since 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was underage when he was fatally shot.
 
Judge Debra Nelson says she will rule on the proposal later. The judge, however, agreed with the prosecution that jurors could consider manslaughter as a lesser charge.
 
West said he wanted the six jurors to only consider the second-degree murder charge or not guilty.
 
Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder. He claims he shot Martin in self-defense last year.
 Zimmerman's defense attorneys rested Wednesday after calling 18 witnesses over four days.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara told CNN there's "overwhelming evidence" that Zimmerman acted in self-defense when he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, but he worries about jurors returning "a compromise verdict." Some legal analysts have suggested the jury could convict him of the lesser offense of manslaughter.
WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer is leaning toward a not guilty verdict -- his opinion.

Late Wednesday, the defense team rested its case, bringing Zimmerman a step closer to knowing his fate.

"And what is your decision?" Judge Debra Nelson asked Zimmerman.

"After consulting with counsel, not to testify, your honor," Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman opted to stay away from the stand.

Before his decision -- an exchange erupted between attorney Don West and Judge Debra Nelson. 

"I object to the court inquiring to Mr. Zimmerman as to his decision about whether or not to testify," Don West said. 

"Your objection is overruled," Nelson said.

Fla. cities on guard for any post-Zimmerman unrestPolice and city leaders in Florida say they've taken precautionary steps for possible protests or civil unrest if George Zimmerman is acquitted.
 
For months, officials have been working with pastors, youth coaches and community activists to stress a non-violent approach once a verdict is announced. But police also have quietly been making plans to deal with potential violence.
 
In South Florida where the 17-year-old Martin was from, police may set up "First Amendment Zones" in the Miami area for peaceful rallies. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel also is airing TV ads stressing non-violence.

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WOW!! I watched that video w/Z's defense attorneys arguing w/the judge. Completely unprofessional. They are STILL arguing w/the judge. She isn't having any of it!

Posted: 9:44 a.m. Thursday, July 11, 2013

MIAMI — Police and city leaders in Florida say they've taken precautionary steps for possible protests or civil unrest if George Zimmerman is acquitted in the killing of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.

For months, officials have been working with pastors, youth coaches and community activists to stress a non-violent approach once a verdict is announced. But police also have quietly been making plans to deal with potential violence.

In South Florida where the 17-year-old Martin was from, police may set up "First Amendment Zones" in the Miami area for peaceful rallies. Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel also is airing TV ads stressing non-violence.

Zimmerman is on trial for second-degree murder in the shooting of Martin in Sanford. Martin's supporters say the shooting was racially motivated, while Zimmerman claimed self-defense.

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SANFORD --
Attorneys in George Zimmerman's second-degree murder trial will begin making their closing arguments Thursday afternoon, but first, the judge is hearing arguments from prosecutors and Zimmerman's defense attorneys about what lesser charges might be included in the jury instructions.

Judge Debra Nelson ruled Thursday that jurors can consider the lesser charge of manslaughter, but she denied the state's request to also letting the jury consider third-degree murder.

Prosecutor Richard Mantei had argued that instructions for third-degree murder should be included on the premise that Zimmerman committed child abuse when he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, because Martin was underage.

But defense attorney Don West called the proposed instruction "a trick," and he accused the prosecutor of springing it on the defense at the last minute.

"Just when I didn't think this case could get any more bizarre, the state is alleging child abuse?" West said. "This is outrageous. It's outrageous the state would seek to do this at this time."

West said he wanted the six jurors to only consider the second-degree murder charge or not guilty.

"The state has charged him with second degree murder. They should be required to prove it," West said. "If they had wanted to charge him with manslaughter … they could do that."

Jurors could begin deliberating as early as Friday. Prosecutors are expected to give closing arguments at 1 p.m. Thursday, followed by the defense closing on Friday morning.

Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. On the night of the fatal scuffle in February 2012, Martin was visiting his father and his father's fiancee at the same townhome complex where Zimmerman lived.

Zimmerman observed Martin while driving in his neighborhood, called police and the fight ensued after the neighborhood watch volunteer got out of his vehicle. Zimmerman claims Martin was slamming his head into the concrete pavement when he fired his gun.

Some civil rights activists argued that a delay in charging Zimmerman was influenced by Martin's race, and protests were held around the nation in the 44 days between the fatal fight and Zimmerman's arrest. Martin was black and Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.

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I'm thinking that it's a good thing to add the lesser charges. I'm very worried about Zimmerman walking and riots happening and in more places than just FL. MOO.

 

Posted: 9:27 a.m. Friday, July 12, 2013

George Zimmerman's defense attorney began his final arguments Friday, trying to convince six jurors that the neighborhood watch volunteer acted in self-defense when he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Attorney Mark O'Mara told jurors the burden was on prosecutors, and they hadn't proven Zimmerman's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He said prosecutors built a case on a series hypothetical "could've beens" and "maybes."

"If it hasn't been proven, it's not just there," O'Mara said. "You can't fill in the gaps. You can't connect the dots. You're not allowed to." 

The six jurors could begin deliberating later Friday.

•DOCUMENT:  Jury instructions in Zimmerman trial
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A day earlier, prosecutors made said Zimmerman assumed Martin was a criminal who was up to no good when he confronted him in his neighborhood. A scuffle followed, and Zimmerman fired his gun.

"A teenager is dead. He is dead through no fault of his own," prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda told the jurors during closing arguments. "He is dead because a man made assumptions. ... Unfortunately because his assumptions were wrong, Trayvon Benjamin Martin no longer walks this Earth."

Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder, but the jury will also be allowed to consider manslaughter. Because of the way Florida law imposes sentences for crimes committed with a gun, the lesser charge could also carry a life sentence.

Judge Debra Nelson's ruling to allow consideration of the manslaughter charge came despite the objections of Zimmerman's lawyers. The jurors will have three options for their verdict: guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of manslaughter and not guilty.

Zimmerman attorney Don West had argued an all-or-nothing strategy, saying the only charge that should be put before the jury is second-degree murder.

"The state has charged him with second-degree murder. They should be required to prove it," West said. "If they had wanted to charge him with manslaughter ... they could do that."

To win a second-degree murder conviction, prosecutors must prove Zimmerman showed ill will, hatred or spite -- a burden the defense has argued the state failed to meet. To get a manslaughter conviction, prosecutors must show only that Zimmerman killed without lawful justification.

Allowing the jurors to consider manslaughter could give those who aren't convinced the shooting amounted to murder a way to hold Zimmerman responsible for the death of the unarmed teen, said David Hill, an Orlando defense attorney with no connection to the case.

"From the jury's point of view, if they don't like the second-degree murder -- and I can see why they don't like it -- he doesn't want to give them any options to convict on lesser charges," Hill said of the defense attorney.

Under Florida's laws related to gun crimes, manslaughter could end up carrying a penalty as heavy as the one for second-degree murder: life in prison.

It is standard for prosecutors in Florida murder cases to ask that the jury be allowed to consider lesser charges that were not actually brought against the defendant. And it is not unusual for judges to grant such requests.

Prosecutor Richard Mantei also asked that the jury be allowed to consider third-degree murder, on the premise that Zimmerman committed child abuse when he shot the underage Martin. Zimmerman's lawyer called that "bizarre" and "outrageous," and the judge sided with the defense.

As the nation awaits a verdict in the trial, police and city leaders in Sanford and South Florida say they have taken precautionary steps for the possibility of mass protests or even civil unrest if Zimmerman, who identifies himself as Hispanic, is acquitted, particularly in African-American neighborhoods where passions run strongest over the case.

There were massive protests in Sanford and other cities across the country when authorities waited 44 days before arresting Zimmerman.

Zimmerman, 29, got into a scuffle with Martin after spotting the teen while driving through his gated townhouse complex on a rainy night in February 2012. Zimmerman has claimed he fired in self-defense after Martin sucker-punched him and began slamming his head into the pavement. Prosecutors have disputed his account and portrayed him as the aggressor.

During closing arguments, de la Rionda argued that Zimmerman showed ill will and hatred when he whispered profanities to a police dispatcher over his cellphone while following Martin through the neighborhood. He said Zimmerman "profiled" the teenager as a criminal.

"He assumed Trayvon Martin was a criminal," de la Rionda said. "That is why we are here."

O'Mara's conversational tone during closing arguments was a contrast to prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda's booming closing a day earlier.

The prosecutor told the jury Zimmerman wanted to be a police officer and that's why he followed Martin. But "the law doesn't allow people to take the law into their own hands," de la Rionda said.

De la Rionda's two-hour presentation also included moments when he seemed to appeal to jurors' emotions by showing a head shot from Martin's autopsy and a face-up crime scene photo of Martin. Several jurors looked away.

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Per CNN that I get top news at my personal email account:
The jurors deciding the fate of George Zimmerman have suspended deliberations for the day, the judge says. They will resume tomorrow at 9 a.m. ET.
I like the way the judge just keeps things truckin' along... just sayin....

July 12, 2013


Police departments, community leaders and pastors prepare for any civil unrest ahead of jury deliberations.
Remembering the passions that inflamed the country with debates over race, profiling and gun laws, cities across Florida are bracing for protests and possible riots as the trial of neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman winds down.

Shortly after the case went to the jury Friday afternoon, Sanford Police Chief Cecil Smith and Seminole County Sheriff Donald Eslinger held a press conference to urge calm when the verdict is rendered.
"This is a trying time for all of us," Smith said. But he said the residents of Sanford should use the case to discuss, debate and exchange ideas peacefully, no matter the outcome of the trial.
"I'd like to remind everyone that the city of Sanford is a peaceful location and it has been since that time 17 months ago," he said.
Eslinger warned, "We will not tolerate anyone who uses this verdict as an excuse to violate the law."
Zimmerman is on trial for fatally shooting unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin in February 2012 in a gated community in Sanford. The case sparked waves of protests across the nation.

Now, as the jury begins its deliberations, police departments, community leaders and pastors are preparing for any civil unrest.
In Miami-Dade County, where Trayvon, 17, lived with his mother, police have been monitoring social media for possible trouble. In a message on Twitter and Facebook, the department started a campaign urging residents to be "vocal, not violent."

They say in their posts that officers are working with community leaders, members of the local clergy, and local, state, and federal agencies to prevent violence after the verdict. The department has set up a rumor control hotline and two areas in Miami where people can protest peacefully.

"It's all right to be vocal, but we don't want to be violent," said the Rev. Walter Richardson, a longtime pastor and chairman of Miami-Dade County's Community Relations Board, which has been holding town-hall-style meetings about the case. "We've already lost one soul and we don't want to lose any more."

Here in Sanford, where the fatal shooting occurred on Feb. 26, 2012, the police have been going door-to-door to talk to residents. Police Chief Cecil Smith and city officials told CNN they are worried that someone from outside the community may spark violence in the city of about 50,000.

The officials have been working with pastors and community leaders to help them keep the peace. Smith told CNN the city has a plan in place to stop any Rodney King-style riot, though he would not detail the specifics.
King, who was black, was beaten by Los Angeles police 20 years ago. The incident was caught on videotape and after the officers were acquitted in court, riots broke out that left more than 50 people dead and thousands injured.

In Florida, communities including Miami and Seminole County, where Sanford is located, are monitoring the Zimmerman trial.
Sarasota police encouraged residents to have a "civil and peaceful response" to the verdict.

"When a verdict is read, not everyone is going to be happy," Chief Bernadette DiPino says. "We are asking the public to take part in peaceful responses and speak with their mouths, not with their hands and not use weapons of any kind."
DiPino stood with community leaders and lit a candle in memory of Trayvon Martin during a press conference Thursday.
Broward County in South Florida has issued a public service announcement urging people to "raise your voice and not your hands" after the verdict.
"With the verdict coming, we wanted to get ahead of the curve and not wait until something happened," Broward County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Keyla Concepcion told USA TODAY. "We want to get people talking now. We know the power of social media. We aren't sitting here with our arms crossed just waiting for something to happen."

Florida pastors have been working with police to prevent violence. They say they are focused on prayer, not protests.
"For so many of the youth, I think you have to understand that the way this case was handled seems like a slap in the face. How could Zimmerman shoot Trayvon and by his own admission be free to leave 12 hours later? You've also had Trayvon demonized," said Pastor Glenn Dames of St. James AME Church in Titusville, one of the early organizers of protests in Brevard County.
"Had everything been done at the beginning, then you likely would not have had these tensions. The tensions wouldn't be this big. Ultimately, whatever the verdict may be, it's in God's hands," he said.
Nearly 20 area pastors met with police in Sanford to discuss preparations for the trial's outcome.

Nationally, police in cities, including New York, Detroit, Oakland and Atlanta, say they are not anticipating major protests or riots.

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Is George Zimmerman guilty or innocent of murdering Trayvon Martin?
   He's Innocent (60%, 1,928 Votes)
   He's Guilty (34%, 1,100 Votes)
   I'm Not Sure (6%, 182 Votes)

Total Voters: 3,210

What Divides The Public In Their Position Regarding George Zimmerman's Guilt Or Innocence
   Race (70%, 723 Votes)
   The Facts Of The Case (13%, 132 Votes)
   Misperception Of Trayvon Martin (8%, 82 Votes)
   Misperception Of George Zimmerman (7%, 72 Votes)
   Other - Leave Comment If You Choose This Answer (2%, 18 Votes)

Total Voters: 1,027

How do you perceive Trayvon Martin?
   Thug, gangster wanna-be (64%, 1,637 Votes)
   A regular kid (36%, 924 Votes)

Total Voters: 2,561

Very interesting Nite. I went to the poll to cast my vote but I'm stuck on the first question. I don't really think Z set out to murder Martin. I don't think Z should have took it upon himself to have a firearm but I concede the law allows it. Personally I don't think the race card fits, although in the way beginning I admit I did. If Z didn't have the gun Martin wouldn't be dead. Maybe there would have been a fist fight, however how do we know what 'could' have happened. Unfortunately this is a he said and a not he said trial since the other he is dead. I am not convinced Martin hid in the bushes and jumped out at Z. I so wish there had been a creditable witness.
I just hope whatever the verdict the public acts intelligent and keeps violence out of it. I am so glad I do not live in FL! I'm glad Wrap happens not to be there now either!
All MOO.

If Zimmerman hadn't had the gun, he'd probably be the one who was dead, because Trayvon would have just kept pounding George's head into the sidewalk.

I do think Zimmerman should have said he was with neighborhood watch. I agree about hoping no violence happens whatever the verdict is. I have a feeling Zimmerman will just be shot at if he does get off.

July 13, 2013


George Zimmerman - a killer or a man who fought for his life? The jury has the final word in the Trayvon Martin case and must consider scant evidence and inconclusive testimony
 
George Zimmerman could spend the rest of his life in prison or walk away a free man after more than a year of being reviled as a murderer.
During three weeks of testimony, state prosecutors called 38 people to the stand to paint Zimmerman as a spiteful, frustrated man who profiled and killed an unarmed teenager. Defense attorneys countered by calling 18 witnesses -- but not Zimmerman -- to explain that Zimmerman feared for his life and was being pummeled by Trayvon Martin.
When the fatal gunshot was fired in the dark, nobody was close enough to see what happened -- other than Zimmerman and Trayvon. Throughout the trial, prosecutors tried to shine some light on that night and show jurors what they believe happened, but most experts think there were few concrete answers in the testimony.
"They are making it a guessing game, and guessing games favor the defense," Jose Baez, a Florida criminal defense attorney, said of both sides. Baez successfully defended Casey Anthony, a Florida mother accused of killing her daughter in a high-profile murder case.
Zimmerman, 29, has pleaded not guilty to a second-degree murder. He also faces a charge of manslaughter after some last-minute maneuvering by prosecutors. Second-degree murder in Florida carries a possible life sentence. If convicted of manslaughter, Zimmerman could get up to 30 years.
Speculation that Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, profiled, followed and murdered the black teen sparked racial controversy and protests across the nation last year. Zimmerman says that race did not factor into his actions and that he acted in self-defense after Trayvon sucker-punched him and began beating him.
Most legal experts interviewed by USA TODAY agree with Baez and say the prosecution largely failed at its attempt to prove Zimmerman committed second-degree murder. Several, however, added that jurors may still weigh heavily that Zimmerman followed and later shot a teen walking home carrying Skittles and iced tea.
Which scenario becomes reality depends largely on five key issues before the jury deciding his fate.
-- Whether Zimmerman acted in self-defense.
Defense attorneys have maintained that Zimmerman was in fear for his life when he shot Trayvon Martin. Throughout the trial they painted Zimmerman as a hardworking, quiet, calm man who started a neighborhood watch group to help his community.
"There's enormous evidence that my client acted in self-defense," Mark O'Mara, Zimmerman's attorney, said last week. "There is no other reasonable hypothesis."
The night of the shooting, O'Mara said Zimmerman was being the eyes and ears of his community and called police when he saw someone suspicious. Soon after, he found himself fighting for his life because Trayvon overreacted and used the environment around him to beat Zimmerman, the lawyer said.
"That is not an unarmed teenager," O'Mara said in his closing statement, explaining with an actual concrete slab that Trayvon used his fists and a sidewalk to threaten great bodily harm.
According to Florida law, O'Mara said Zimmerman did not need to be greatly injured -- just threatened.
Prosecutors worked hard to convince the jury that Zimmerman wasn't fighting for his life and was in fact shooting an unarmed teenager. In his rebuttal Friday, Assistant State Attorney John Guy put up a split screen of pictures: Trayvon's dead body on the grass and the bloody head of George Zimmerman after the shooting.
"Who lost the fight?" Guy asked. He added that if Zimmerman is acquitted it will send a message that grown men can follow and kill children.
-- Zimmerman's pursuit of Trayvon.
While Zimmerman was on the phone with a police dispatcher, he began following Trayvon. Soon after, the dispatcher told Zimmerman it was not necessary for him to pursue the teen.
The prosecution's most important witness may have been Rachel Jeantel, 19, a young woman who was on the phone with Trayvon moments before he died.
Jeantel said Zimmerman stared at and then followed Trayvon, who tried several times to run away. Trayvon was out of breath, she said. "It was kind of strange that a person kept watching and following," she said. "It was like being stalked."
Jurors, the judge and defense attorney Don West, however, had a hard time understanding Jeantel as she spoke. That may hurt her credibility, said Susan Constantine, a jury consultant and body language expert who was in court during Jeantel's testimony.
"Jurors struggled and struggled and then they got to the point where they disengaged," Constantine said.
In his closing statement Thursday, prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda urged jurors to treat her fairly and disregard her colorful language and presentation. "She should be judged not by the color of her personality but by the content of her testimony," de la Rionda said.
Throughout the trial, O'Mara maintained Zimmerman stopped following Trayvon once police told him it was not necessary. The state, O'Mara told jurors, can't prove that Zimmerman did otherwise.
"Don't make assumptions," O'Mara said. "If you don't know it, it hasn't been proven."
-- Who initiated the confrontation?
While it's clear there was some sort of confrontation, jurors will have to decide who caused that fight.
In his closing statement, O'Mara showed jurors a computer animation of Trayvon walking up to Zimmerman and punching him. O'Mara added that Trayvon had time to go home, but instead likely hid, waited for Zimmerman and confronted him. He said the teen may have been charged with aggravated battery had he survived the shooting.
"Trayvon Martin came towards George Zimmerman," O'Mara said.
State attorneys are hoping the jury will believe Jeantel's version of what happened.
Jeantel recalled Trayvon saying, "Why are you following me?"
She continued, "Then I heard a hard-breathing man say, 'What are you doing around here?' "
Jeantel then heard a bump and heard Trayvon saying, "Get off. Get off," she said. Seconds later, the phone disconnected, and when she called back, she got no answer.
Three days later, Jeantel said, she learned Trayvon was dead.
Prosecutors called several law enforcement officials and forensic experts who said Zimmerman was the aggressor.
-- The person on top when the shooting occurred.
Both sides admit there was a fight. Zimmerman says Trayvon was pummeling him when Zimmerman shot the teen.
Eyewitness Jonathan Good said he saw Trayvon on top of and striking Zimmerman moments before the teen was shot. It was a statement he told police the night of the shooting and one he stuck with when addressing the jury.
However, Selma Mora, who lived a couple of houses down from Good, said a person straddling another person told her to call police. Minutes later, the same person who was on top, whom she identified as Zimmerman, was on his feet after a gunshot, Mora said.
-- The voice heard screaming on a 911 tape.
A 911 call recorded screams and the fatal gunshot moments before the shooting. Who was screaming is a critical question before the jury.
The defense called nine people -- including both of Zimmerman's parents -- to testify that the screams belonged to Zimmerman.
Zimmerman's father, Robert Zimmerman, Sr., was the last to testify that the voice heard screaming on a 911 call was George Zimmerman. "It's my son," he said.
The prosecution called both of Trayvon's parents, who said their son was screaming moments before he was shot.
Tracy Martin, Trayvon's dad, testified he listened to the 911 call at least 20 times at the Sanford mayor's office. After that, he said, he was convinced the voice screaming was Trayvon's.
"I was listening to my son's last cry for help," Tracy Martin said. "I was listening to his life being taken."

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July 13, 2013

After deliberating all day on Saturday jurors in the George Zimmerman murder trial asked for clarification on the instructions regarding manslaughter.

At about 6 p.m. ET lawyers for both sides appeared in court where Judge Debra Nelson conferred with them about the manslaughter question and then recessed court.

When the lawyers returned more than a half hour later the lawyers worked together on a note the judge sent back to jurors asking them to submit a specific question about manslaughter.
It reads in part that the court cannot engage in general discussions about manslaughter.
"If you have a specific question, please submit it," the response says.
A manslaughter verdict would mean jurors rejected Zimmerman's claim he killed in self defense and "intentionally committed an act or acts that caused the death" of Trayvon, according to Florida's definition of the charge.
"It clearly means man two is off the table," said Randy Reep, a Florida criminal defense lawyer, who was referring to the second degree murder charge. "If you watch the judge give any input on instructions you'll be very surprised how little she really gives. There must be an element of manslaughter that the jury is struggling with and they were hoping to have the judge clear it up for them. But she won't."

Jurors resumed deliberations Saturday morning as protesters gathered outside the courthouse and the nation watched for a verdict.
They entered their 10th hour late in the afternoon as the courthouse buzzed with anticipation. Seminole County Sheriff officers, in pine-colored uniforms, were tightly patrolling the entrance of the building allowing only pre-approved people into the building.
About 100 demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse, shouting slogans, waving banners and arguing with one another about the case. At 5 p.m. ET emotions ran high as the large crowd gathered at a fountain.
Sheriff's deputies escorted two demonstrators away from the fountain after they verbally clashed, drawing crushes of cameras and gawkers.

Jurors deliberated for three hours before breaking for lunch. They resumed their discussions about 1 p.m. ET.
Judge Nelson sent them into the jury room when they first came in saying "all of the evidence will be back there with you," referring to a request Friday by jurors to see an inventory of all the evidence in the case.

The six-woman jury has the option of acquitting Zimmerman or convicting him of second-degree murder or manslaughter in the death of Trayvon Martin. Jurors began weighing evidence against Zimmerman Friday and recessed after three and a half hours.
Zimmerman, 29, a former neighborhood watch volunteer, said he shot Trayvon, 17, in self-defense after being attacked. State prosecutors, however, claim Zimmerman profiled, followed and murdered the teen on Feb. 26, 2012.

 http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/07/13/george-zimmerman-trayvon-martin-jury-saturday-deliberations/2514233/

Wonder if there will be riots now?

I hope not. My computer went nuts on me, could not get here, had to restart.