Posted on 04/12/2012 12:11:40 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
George Zimmerman, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer arrested yesterday in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, faced a judge for the first time this afternoon.
Meanwhile, a probable cause affidavit has been filed in the second-degree murder case. In the two-page document, prosecutors offer little new information about the shooting.
However, they said in the affidavit that "Zimmerman confronted Martin," an apparent contradiction of Zimmerman's version of the events that led to the shooting.
The document says Trayvon's mother identified the screams for help heard in a 911 call as those of her son. It also reveals that investigators interviewed a "friend" of Trayvon's who was talking to him in the leadup to the shooting.
Based on the description, it appears the friend was the girl described by Martin family attorneys as his girlfriend.
"During this time, Martin was on the phone with a friend and described to her what was happening," the affidavit said. "The witness advised that Martin was scared because he was being followed through the complex by an unknown male and didn't know why."
Martin tried to run home, the affidavit says, but was followed by Zimmerman. "Zimmerman got out of his vehicle and followed Martin."
The affidavit goes on to say that "Zimmerman disregarded the police dispatcher" who told him to stop, and "continued to follow Martin who was trying to return to his home."
Zimmerman, the affidavit says, "confronted Martin and a struggle ensued."
According to the affidavit: "Trayvon Martin's mother has reviewed the 911 calls and identified the voice crying for help as Trayvon Martin's. Zimmerman shot Martin in the chest."
Zimmerman's first appearance began just after 1:30 p.m. He faces a second-degree murder charge in the Feb. 26 shooting, which sparked international outcry.
(Excerpt) Read more at ctnow.com ...
What you have is two conflicting stories. You have one witness for Treyvon, and two for Zimmerman. There is also a time difference between when the two stories are relevant.
The girl friend was talking to Treyvon before the scuffle. The two Zimmerman witnesses were during the scuffle. The only one who who has an account AS the scuffle started is Zimmerman.
So the DA is using one version of the story that makes it a crime as opposed to self defense.
The identification of Treyvon yelling for help in the 911 tapes is disputed - Zimmerman related people have claimed the voice is his.
Simply because we can’t know who started - a REAL trial of the facts would lead one to have doubts, thus Zimmerman should be found not-guilty.
That is the way I see it should come down with the limited info we have.
Looks like the prosecutor took every possible pro prosecution version of the facts, in arriving at this charge.
She just took everything that could support a prosecution and threw it in, however doubtful. So forget witnesses who saw/ heard Zimmerman yelling, Trayvon’s mother thinks the voice was his.
Interesting, because unless all these assertions hold up, they have a much weaker case.
Note they fudge the manner in which the fight occurred and just ignore Zimmerman’s injuries. I don’t believe they claim Zimmerman struck first.
Folks, the police and prosecutors are not your friends and it is not a “search for the truth”.
This prosecutor was reported to have a long standing approach of “arrest the one with the gun and let the system sort it out”.
After watching thousands of episodes of Cops every one of which has at least one black youth running from the cops I can attest that black youth can run and fast. So why didn’t Treyvon run he could have easily run away. Instead he chose to return to the area where Zimmerman was and confront him. It is very clear from Zimmermans conversation with the police dispatcher that he had lost sight of Treyvon and he was agreeing with the dispatcher on a place to meet soon to be arriving police officers. That being said all Zimmerman had to do was wait that is until he was attacked then it became a matter of self defense. I say Zimmerman Is Innocent.
No. The Judge and the Defense Atty both acknowledged this particular document, since it is what he used to reach reasonable cause, is always made public. The Defense Atty agreed.
Of course it is not proof simply because Travon’s mom claims she hears Trayvon on that tape and that claim has been disproved by Robert Zimmerman’s analysis of the tape.
Well, obviously, in confronting Martin, Zimmerman “dissed” Martin, requiring that Martin kill Zimmerman to defend his self-esteem as a perpetually affronted minority.
zimmerman confronted martin? If the shove don’t fit, you must acquit!
As I said in another post - to me this is the part the DA can’t prove. That means reasonable doubt - thus he should walk.
Was Martin’s father saying it wasn’t him at first ever explained by anyone? I presume he is now saying he was mistaken, but haven’t read anything about him saying so.
It must be horrible to have to listen to a tape for a loved one screaming or not.
Freegards
Complete with its own master of the universe: O turd who could not walk a dog without getting tangled up in a tree.
Except that John, who was interviewed the next day stated that the guy in the red sweater was on the bottom screaming.
as I read the article again, it’s the reporter who is relating what’s in the affidavit.
Either he\she saw it or heard it was read out loud ?
Judge didn’t put up a gag order and the bell can’t be un-rung,
though I wonder if the reporter put his\her own spin on it.
These documents were sealed today. There is no way this article is factual. This is pure BS designed to stir trouble and keep the race baiters in business.
If this is all the info the prosecution is relying on, then its a easy walk for GZ. Without hard forensic evidence that contradicts statements and the account of GZ, he will walk no matter what.
HOWEVER, there is an unwritten law that white citizens must never question blacks and absolutely must not follow them (It's the "You don't tell me what to do anymore" black mentality). Trayvon felt Zimm violated these two laws and therefore had the RIGHT to punch then take Zimm down for a beating. But Zimm also had a right to defend himself as well as ensure his gun not be compromised if he were to be rendered unconscious.
IMHO, the screams signified a struggle for the gun. Someone had to win. Martin lost. Martin made the mistake of punching an armed person, and Zimm's attorney needs to drive this point home! Martin's autopsy revealed he had NO INJURIES other than the bullet wound, therefore I seriously doubt Zimm was the "aggressor" in this case.
“What would they expect his mother to say?”
An old criminal defense attorney told me that he always called the defendants mother as a witness. It is unethical for an attorney to tell a witness to lie. The mothers would always testify “at the time of the robbery junior was home with me and asleep in his bed” without coaching by the attorney. Of course, the jurors don’t have to believe the mother.
It is not all they have. In this affidavit, they will put in the least they have to just to establish just cause...so the judge will rule there is enough evidence to hold him over for trial. That is all they give you in this initial reasonable cause affidavit.
and so the lynching begins.....
Excellent summary. And much more concise than my various attempts.
Unfortunately, the only real issue is how the scuffle started. That Trayvon was apparently on top when the trigger was pulled may be completely irrelevant to whether George can legally claim self-defense. What is more important is whether either party committed a felony by starting the scuffle.
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