Posted on 10/08/2012 1:44:20 PM PDT by Uncle Chip
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman will ask a Florida judge to delay his murder trial and request that Trayvon Martin’s school records and information from the teen’s social media accounts be released.
Zimmerman’s attorneys said in motions made public Monday that they expect to take between 50 and 75 depositions, and more time is needed to review all of the prosecution’s evidence.
Zimmerman’s attorneys say they’ll also ask the judge to allow Martin’s school records to be subpoenaed, as well as information from his Twitter and Facebook accounts.
(Excerpt) Read more at spokesman.com ...
The State’s pathetic objection to the Defense’s request:
“While the Defendant as part of his investigation may go fishing he is not allowed to chum the waters and then by innuendo or otherwise publish irrelevant items (such as aforementioned subpoenas) to the media in an attempt to influence public perception or curry favor with potential jurors.”
http://184.172.211.159/~gzdocs/documents/october_hearing/states_response.pdf
The Defense’s classic response to the State’s objection:
While the State has the ability to cast as wide a net as it wishes into waters chopped up by storms created by racial innuendo and political pressure, it cannot drown within that net a criminal defendant’s constitutional rights to prepare an appropriate trial and to defend himself against that tide.
http://184.172.211.159/~gzdocs/documents/october_hearing/reply_to_states_response.pdf
They’ll need an ebonics expert for some of those tweets.
This sounds more ;like a “try the victim” fishing expedition than anything.
Its like asking a rape victim how many men she’s slept with.
This is a stand your ground defense. That, the witness reports, and GZ’s proven injuries should be enough to acquit.
Regardless of what you may think of the victim, this can only pour salt into the open wound of his parents.
Picture a situation where the prosecution claims Trayvon couldn’t have attacked Zimmerman because there’s no evidence he ever attacked anyone, and the school records show a history of assaults on his part. Would you deny the defense the ability to discover that evidence?
Your “rape victim” argument goes to relevance and admissibility, not to discoverability.
Picture a situation where the prosecution claims Trayvon couldn’t have attacked Zimmerman because there’s no evidence he ever attacked anyone, and the school records show a history of assaults on his part. Would you deny the defense the ability to discover that evidence?
Your “rape victim” argument goes to relevance and admissibility, not to discoverability.
The victim here is Zimmerman. As for salt in the wounds, I am not too concerned about parents that hired a race baiting lawyer and tradmarked saint Trayvon's name a week after the story went national.
AL and Jesse ain’t messin’ ‘round with Trayvon’s parents no mo. They now goin’ afta’ Romininey. They much!
>> Regardless of what you may think of the victim, this can only pour salt into the open wound of his parents.
I think the victim is DEAD, and beyond reach (in this mortal realm anyway).
I think there’s an innocent man on trial who may lose his precious freedom; he needs all the information he can get to defend himself in a racially poisoned atmosphere.
Frankly I don’t really give a damn what “wounds” the two losers that spawned Travon Martin sport. If they cared so much about their spawn they should have raised him like they did, and none of this would have happened! Actions, including malignant parenting, have CONSEQUENCES.
That’s what I think.
Thanks for asking.
A man on trial for 2nd degree murder should be given very wide latitude in his defense. The same is true of rape.
Past aggressive behavior by the victim is crucial to the credibility of the defendant’s claim that the victim was aggressive and attacked him first, putting his life in danger.
Geesh....Obama’s som was a THUG!! PROBABLY a CRIMINAL THUG!!! The “parebts” most likely KNEW he was aTHUG since he got kicked out of a PUBLIC SCHOOL!! Do you know how BAD you have to be to get suspended froma PUBLIC school??? geesh.......Trayvon was probably the THIEF in the hood they wwre watching for.....would be nice to know how many mor ROBERIES there have been since his death.
I think there is some merit to looking into Martin’s ‘character’.
If his tweets and posts show that he was prone to violence, or violent threats, I think that helps Zimmerman.
And, if his posts show that he was a drug user (combined with the common street use/abuse of Skittles and Arizona iced tea, along with cough syrup), I think that is important to Zimmerman’s defense.
And, if he has a history of theft, well it makes Zimmerman seem a little more justified in his belief that Martin was up to no good.
We’ve already heard and seen bits and pieces...and it doesn’t paint an angel.
Trayvon Martin is not the victim. He is the decedent.
Excuse me.....playing Devil’s Advocate here.
I’ve made threatening posts online...including some here...One got me a warning by JimRob. Albeit mine were anger and dramatic flourishes possibly fueled vy one too many shots of a single malt.
So what’s said online isn’t necessarily what the poster really meant.
As far as the state of Florida is concerned, TM is the victim.
Who is he as far as you are concerned???
“Bad behavior oi the victim is inadmissible.”
Well, I’ve watched Perry Mason & I don’t pretend to be a lawyer - but it is obvious Zimmerman’s lawyer thinks Martin’s past behavior IS admissible. Guess we’ll see.
It certainly OUGHT to be admissible. It has direct bearing on the likelihood that Zimmerman’s story is correct.
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