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DOJ Convenes Grand Jury For Zimmerman Civil Rights Case
Legal Insurrection ^ | October 30, 2014 | Andrew Branca

Posted on 10/30/2014 5:51:54 PM PDT by digger48

The Orlando Sentinel newspaper today reported that the Department of Justice has assembled a Federal Grand jury to meet next week to hear testimony about whether George Zimmerman violated Trayvon Martin’s civil rights on the night that Zimmerman ultimately killed Martin in self-defense.

It was only last month that the Washington Post reported that unidentified Federal law enforcement officials thought it very unlikely that federal charges would be brought against Zimmerman, due to insufficient evidence. Indeed, despite having dozens of FBI agents interview scores of people regarding Zimmerman’s shooting of Martin, not even a smidgen of racism was uncovered in Zimmerman’s past or in the particular events surrounding his self-defense shooting of Martin.

Indeed, quite the contrary: what evidence was uncovered with regard to race showed the opposite of racial animus. For example, Zimmerman and his wife tutored black school children. Zimmerman’s elderly black neighbor testified at his trial (by television, due to severe illness) in glowing terms about Zimmerman’s kindness towards her. One of Zimmerman’s college professors, a black Naval officer, also spoke glowingly about him, and noted that Zimmerman had told him he’d planned to become a prosecutor someday. When a local black youth was beaten by the son of a local police official, Zimmerman organized the community to rally in favor of accountability.

There is little indication that any new credible information has appeared. The only witness on record as being scheduled to appear before the Grand Jury is the Frank Taaffe. Taaffe styles himself as a “friend” of Zimmerman’s, a claim for which there seems little actual support. Taaffe also seems to be an anxious attention seeker, having somehow extended his 15 minutes of fame in the aftermath of Zimmerman’s trial to the current day. The Orlando Sentinel piece reports that Taafe:

believes Zimmerman was motivated by race the night he followed then shot Trayvon in 2012. Taaffe cites a phone conversation he had with Zimmerman in the days following the shooting but before Zimmerman was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

That purported phone conversation revealing grounds for a federal civil rights prosecution would have occurred in early 2012. The credibility of Taaffe’s claim is considerably reduced by the fact that for some reason he never thought to mention this call to anybody until two years later, in early 2014. Indeed, Taaffe was among those interviewed by the aforementioned FBI agents in the aftermath of the shooting, and yet never thought to make mention of this incriminating phone conversation with Zimmerman.

The timing of this announcement must also be seen in light of the upcoming election, which polling suggests will be an utter political catastrophe for Democrats. One reason for this is that the turnout among black voters–who typically vote ~95% for Democrats–is expected to be very low compared to the Presidential elections of 2008 and 2012 when Obama was on the ticket. Might this sudden announcement of a Grand Jury targeting Zimmerman for civil rights violations be an effort to show the black community that Democrats are attempting to do something positive for this traditional Democrat constituency?

Interestingly, with the Grand Jury scheduled for next Wednesday, the day after the election, there will be no opportunity to evaluate the seriousness of this Grand Jury hearing until voting has been completed. Convenient timing, for some.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: doj; railroaded; zimmerman
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1 posted on 10/30/2014 5:51:54 PM PDT by digger48
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To: All

If they take any more bites from that Apple, it’ll just be a pile of seeds.


2 posted on 10/30/2014 5:54:22 PM PDT by newnhdad (Our new motto: USA, it was fun while it lasted.)
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To: digger48

Just part of the Democrat’s election show.


3 posted on 10/30/2014 5:54:24 PM PDT by cripplecreek (You can't half ass conservatism.)
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To: digger48

Sentence first, trial after.


4 posted on 10/30/2014 5:54:41 PM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: digger48

Surprise! Except I don’t think anyone is really surprised.


5 posted on 10/30/2014 5:55:17 PM PDT by CatOwner
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To: digger48
Even if Zimmerman was an admitted racist, there is no federal case. There must be some state action; the DoJ may try to stretch the neighborhood watch into that, but it would be very hard for it to stand up in court.

Of course, conviction is not the point...

6 posted on 10/30/2014 5:56:04 PM PDT by Martin Tell (Victrix causa diis placuit sed victa Catoni.)
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To: digger48

Remember when the judge at trial told the jury they could consider child abuse charges against Zimmerman, because Trayvon was only 17 at the time of the incident? How about we open a child abuse investigation next???? Any other items to bring into a kangaroo court????


7 posted on 10/30/2014 5:58:23 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego (s)
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To: digger48
Okay... who picked arresting George Zimmerman for the October Surprise lottery?

-PJ

8 posted on 10/30/2014 5:59:26 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (If you are the Posterity of We the People, then you are a Natural Born Citizen.)
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To: chajin
The charges will be mysteriously "dropped" after the Rats get out the black vote.

I hate Democrats, I FREAKING HATE 'EM!

9 posted on 10/30/2014 6:00:40 PM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist (15 years of FReeping! Congratulations EEE!)
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To: All
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10 posted on 10/30/2014 6:00:50 PM PDT by musicman (Until I see the REAL Long Form Vault BC, he's just "PRES__ENT" Obama = Without "ID")
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To: digger48

The cop in Missouri should pay close attention.


11 posted on 10/30/2014 6:01:16 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Islamophobia;The Irrational Fear Of Being Beheaded)
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To: digger48

Anyone put it past the corrupt Holder DOJ to pay this witness off? Someone should check Marc Rich’s or his ex-wife’s bank account for recent payments.


12 posted on 10/30/2014 6:03:40 PM PDT by Meet the New Boss
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To: Political Junkie Too

I’ve long predicted that Holder would charge Zimmerman right before the election, but then along came Fergustan and the Gentle Giant to take poor St. Trayvons place.

Now, since that is pooping out on them, back to Plan A


13 posted on 10/30/2014 6:04:47 PM PDT by digger48
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To: digger48

So, is this beckel’s October surprise? Race baiting.


14 posted on 10/30/2014 6:17:30 PM PDT by pfflier
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To: digger48

What’s a half-witted, black, radical president to do? Stir up black militants to get the Democrat plantation votes. It’s too little, too late, not to mention stupid.


15 posted on 10/30/2014 6:18:28 PM PDT by pallis
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To: digger48

Paraphrasing a former stenographer of state: “Long time ago. What difference does it make now?”


16 posted on 10/30/2014 7:02:41 PM PDT by rktman ("The only thing dumber than a brood hen is a New York democrat." Mother Abagail.)
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To: digger48

DOJ is one of the most political offices in DC now.


17 posted on 10/30/2014 7:42:50 PM PDT by armydawg505
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To: Extremely Extreme Extremist
+1
18 posted on 10/30/2014 7:44:15 PM PDT by tomkat
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To: digger48

At some point black Americans will figure out that democrats think they are stupid. Till then, blacks remain on the Dem plantation.


19 posted on 10/30/2014 8:20:18 PM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer (The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.)
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To: digger48

I would like to convene a grand jury to review the Waco massacre and Holder’s part in it.


20 posted on 10/30/2014 8:26:52 PM PDT by liberalh8ter (The only difference between flash mob 'urban yutes' and U.S. politicians is the hoodies.)
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