Dershowitz is usually a smart guy, like him or not.
So why does he repeat this bit of the media's fabricated tall tale?
There is ZERO evidence that Zimmerman "ignored" the dispatcher's "advice." (And even if he had "ignored" it, he was under no legal obligation to follow it.)
And there is ZERO evidence that Zimmerman ever tried to "engage" the "'suspect.'" Quite the contrary.
Dershowitz should know this by now.
The dispatcher said: “we don’t need you to do that” (follow Martin). Not only is than not an order — it’s not even advice. It is just a statement of what the dispatcher believes he, and the police need.
A 911 dispatcher (and other police officials) should use plain, unambiguous language. There shouldn’t be much room for misinterpretation. If the dispatcher had said: “don’t do that” — then that would be a clear command. If he had said “I advise you not to do that” — that would have been clear advice not to follow Martin. Instead he said: “We don’t need you to do that”. It would have been reasonable for Zimmerman to respond: “That’s okay mate, I don’t mind.”
Everyone seems to want to ignore what Zimmerman's reply was to the "OK, we don't need you to do that".
He said....and I quote.... "OK".
Try as I might, I can't read that as anything other than compliance.