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Posted on 07/06/2013 5:44:33 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
The final day of the prosecution’s case remained true to form in every respect, and also provided another glimpse—actually, a substantial look—into the prosecution’s closing arguments.
Sybrina Martin, Trayvon Martin’s Mother: The first witness of the day was Sybrina Martin, who testified that the screaming voice in the Lauer 911 recording is Trayvon Martin. The prosecution, not wanting to open the field to anything she might know about Trayvon, kept their questions limited to only that.
On cross O’Mara tried to make it clear that Sybrina might have reasons other than absolute truth to identify the voice as Trayvon. He may have had some success in that Sybrina seemed not only coached, but potentially rehearsed. She often tried to avoid directly answering O’Mara’s questions and parsed her answers so as not to concede even the most obvious points, even those not harmful to the prosecution. Her overall appearance was stoic, and the potential waterworks did not materialize.
It was clear that she was a prosecution witness through and through–a strangely rare occurance. It’s unfortunate that the jury will never hear that she has already won a seven-figure settlement, and has a continuing financial interest in the outcome of the case.
Jaharvis Martin, Trayvon’s Brother: A soft-spoken and well-spoken young man, Jaharvis confirmed his mother’s testimony, and like his mother, testified to nothing else. On cross, however, his credibility suffered badly. O’Mara caused him to admit that when he first heard the recording in the office of the Sanford Mayor with a substantial number of other people, he told others he was not sure the voice was Trayvon’s, but later changed his mind. He said he didn’t want to believe it was Trayvon due to “shock,” “sadness” and “denial.”
As with his mother, I detected coaching, and his answer regarding why he didn’t identify the voice as Trayvon’s at his first exposure to the recording seemed rehearsed, however, his demeanor was substantially more effective than his mother’s, and I suspect many viewers not familiar with these matters might not have picked up on that. He did not, for example, give the appearance of trying to avoid cooperating with the defense.
Dr. Shipping Bao, Medical Examiner: Dr. Bao, unlike Dr. Rao, actually conducted the autopsy on Trayvon Martin, which gave the prosecution the opportunity to display a wide variety of graphic autopsy photographs so that Bao could, in a perfunctory manner, identify them. The primary purpose, of course, was to elicit revulsion and sympathy in the jury................
FINAL THOUGHTS:
Two weeks of prosecution witnesses have ended without the prosecution proving, beyond any doubt, the three elements of the offense. As they offered no probable cause to prove those elements in the affidavit for the charge (Update 2) this is hardly surprising. In the many months from Zimmerman’s arrest to the trial, the prosecution could find no new evidence to demonstrate that the decision of the Sanford Police and the local prosecutor was wrong. The prosecution was also unable to prove beyond any doubt that Zimmerman’s self-defense account was unsupportable. In fact, most of their witnesses supported it, either fully or in part.
For readers unfamiliar with the workings of the law and the criminal justice system, it’s difficult to explain how utterly amazing and bizarre this is. As I’ve written, it’s as though the entire system suddenly turned backwards. For a prosecutor to complete his case and to be unable to disprove self-defense, offering nothing but theories unsupported by any credible evidence, and for a prosecutor to be unable to offer evidence to fulfill the elements of the offense is simply astonishing. It demonstrates what I, and others, have been saying for a very long time: this case should never have been filed; there is no evidence of a crime.
I expect a very aggressive, effective and devastating defense case. Consider how badly the prosecution did on offense, when they had every advantage in presenting and proving their case. Will they do better when they’re playing catch up?
Think someone put the fear of God in him that his testimony could land him in jail or worse. He’d successfully testified in twenty other cases I’d bet he didn’t need notes and had little problems with any of them but this case was created differently. He’d already moved out of state. Ask yourself why!
You’re right — she did but O’Mara said in his presser yesterday that the issue is not dead since this ME testified yesterday that he changed his mind and he was the one whose report was used to get it excluded in the first place.
Failure of this judge to let it in is another appealable error.
I wonder if Zimmerman is found innocent, the insurance company can go after Fulton. Martin and Crump for fraud?
You don't happen to have a link to the MOM presser online do you?
Thank you Schultz!
I’m betting it’s Lloyds of London...and yes, they will go after it. It’s called insurance fraud.
He was afraid.
That would be correct. Not before the jury. But, as MOM said in his dismissal motion, the judge was aware of everything the jury heard PLUS other info they did not and as such should render a dismissal of all charges.
Of course she was about as moved to do that as is Mt Everest to move (and she looks like it too).
There is something DEFINITELY weird about that testimony.
I find it hard to believe he always testifies like that.
Might it be something to do with the change of opinion about the THC since it was his testimony that kept it out of the trial during pre trial hearings.
He definitely was worried about perjury
I STILL don’t know if he actually did the autopsy or just signed off on it.
Was he ever directly asked that question ?
I have watched this fiasco from the opening gavel, and have found myself screaming at the stupid TV.. It is embarrassing how utterly committed the media is to hanging this pour man.. Shamefully, every black commentator, save one, is riddled with race hate, to the point that any attempt at objectivity has been lost...
I fear that many more are like me, and have lost any respect for the entire black community that I have defended for oh so many years.. It is as though if they loose their race card, they perceive that they have lost their identity.. Sad, so sad...
Not only will any conviction, if it occurs, be thrown out on appeal in record time, but this judge should be sanctioned if not outright impeached and removed from the bench for her obvious bias in favor of the prosecution.
Having said that, the likely outcome is a hung jury. I will be shocked to see a unanimous verdict for either conviction or acquittal. That's when the fun begins.
The fact that you could read that..and think it is a joke..shows how unbelievable that testimony was...
I am still shaking my head over it.
The fix is in? Yes you are right. Zimmerman will walk. The Prosecutor handed the case to the Defense big time. So I don’t know which side you are on but it seems to me that you want Zimmerman in jail. I do not but they way you believe this trial is against Zimmerman, we must be watching a different trial.
Except he lived 1- 10 minutes after he was shot...
which lead to another unbelievable event..Bernie having to be sworn in during a sidebar.
Talking head believed Bernie asked to do that himself given the nature of the situation..
I thought her name was Sybrina Fulton?
Three depositions are taking place this weekend — one of them is Crump’s. Expect him to take the stand and the Diamond Eugene testimony to blow up in his lap.
I have to go back and verify but I thought he said he spent 45 minutes with the prosecutor the day before. I’m guessing...but considering that they told him NOT to mention marijuana.
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