Dershowitz Blasts Zimmerman Prosecution: 'Not Only Immoral, But Stupid'

Breitbart News ^ | April 20, 2012

[Free ThinkerNY]

With ABC News’ release of the George Zimmerman photo showing blood flowing freely from his head, the question becomes whether Angela Corey, the prosecutor in the case, had access to the photo before charging Zimmerman with second-degree murder.

The arrest affidavit did not mention the photograph, or the bleeding, gashes, and bruises on Zimmermans’ head. Professor Alan Dershowitz of Harvard Law School stated upon release of the arrest affidavit that it was “so thin that it won’t make it past a judge on a second degree murder charge … everything in the affidavit is completely consistent with a defense of self-defense.”

After the release of the photo, however, Dershowitz went much further, telling Breitbart News that if the prosecutors did have the photo and didn’t mention it in the affidavit, that would constitute a “grave ethical violation,” since affidavits are supposed to contain “all relevant information.”

Dershowitz continued, “An affidavit that willfully misstates undisputed evidence known to the prosecution is not only unethical but borders on perjury because an affiant swears to tell not only the truth, but the whole truth, and suppressing an important part of the whole truth is a lie."

[Deb]

Don’t both sides get a certain number of “acceptable” and a certain number of “rejects”? They do in L.A. and most cities.

[diogenes ghost]

Neither side gets “acceptables”, but both sides may reject an unlimited number ‘for cause’, and both sides get a set number of ‘don’t like the cut of his jib’ rejections.

[Deb]

I thought the number of “rejectables” or bad “jibs” were a set number. Nevermind. Thanks. Semi valuable info that I will store somewhere at the side of my brain.

[diogenes ghost]

Bad "cut of their jib" jurors are those that are called 'pre-emptory', and need no justification for rejection. Each side is usually allowed an equal, set number of these.

An unlimited number may be rejected by either side for 'just cause' providing the judge agrees the cause is sufficient. These might be for admitted bias, relatives involved, know too much about the case, already decided about guilt, etc.