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.
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.
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.
Well, Zimmerman is still alive. So, perhaps he can recreate his screams for some audio engineers and jurors to analyze.
Having been on numerous criminal juries, most of the jurors I was on with strongly used the “smell test”. If something in one side’s story smells like a rat, its seen as a rat. In other words common sense prevails. No spitshining or spin gets beyond that simple fact.
As outside bystanders, we are hearing spin, not cross examined courtroom facts.
prosecutors, in fl, have an affirmative duty to reveal exculpatory evidence.
This now INCLUDES the accident statement of the person signing the affidavit!
They should be able to verify the time and length of the girlfriend's call thru cellphone records and see how it coincides with the 911 calls. What I would be interested to learn is when were the contents of the girlfriend's call divulged to the police. If it was after the police released the 911 calls and the preliminary police report to the public, I would be very skeptical of her statements, which could have been taliored to the information already released.
It took a day or two before the Martin family even learned of the whereabouts of the son. Under the circumstances, I wonder why the girlfriend didn't alert the police to her concerns soon after she couldn't reach him again. The phone records should be ample evidence in that regard.
Also, I know it is said that EMS cleaned up bloody nose and back of head.
The red jacket Zimmerman was wearing can be tested for blood, but at the video at the police station, it looks like he is wearing a white shirt - maybe a t-shirt.
I may be missing it, but wouldn't blood be on the white shirt if his nose was bleeding?
Excellent summation.