Posted on 06/22/2013 7:39:32 AM PDT by spacejunkie2001
In a major victory for murder suspect George Zimmerman, a judge today ruled that prosecutors may not put on the witness stand two state audio experts who say the voice heard screaming in the background of a 911 call was someone other than Zimmerman.
The judge had heard three days of testimony about the science used by the state's experts and ruled that it failed to meet Florida's legal standard.
One of the experts, Alan R. Reich, had concluded the voice he identified as Trayvon is heard yelling "I'm begging you" and "stop." The other, Tom Owen, says he ruled Zimmerman out as the screamer with biometric software.
Both are now banned.
(Excerpt) Read more at orlandosentinel.com ...
The state hired this guy Reich for $75,000 and now can’t use him. Maybe he can earn that money with his big ears and can hear what they are now saying in the prosecutor’s office in Jacksonville.
Has Tom Owen ruled out Angela Corey as the source of the screams up there.
Oops, that’s right, it was the 911 call tapes.
I wonder if the defense explored how many “experts” the state shopped to get that less than half assed analysis they obtained? Furthermore, would seem to me something that should have been disclosed to the prosecution i.e. any evidence of innocense as required under Jenks.
LOL! Here is the WFTV article:
Judge: No audio testimony in Zimmerman trial
http://www.wftv.com/ap/ap/crime/judge-no-audio-testimony-in-zimmerman-trial/nYR7c/
Likewise, psychiatrists should be banned too. Whichever side is paying them is who they side with. How else could two “experts” come to directly opposite conclusions, in case after case.
This is all because people believe what they see on TV. You hear about “voice prints” as though they’re like fingerprints. With audio recording, especially cell phones, all you have is the equivalent of a “smudged fingerprint”...you have it but can’t really determine much because there’s too much distortion. By the time you go from having background noise, a crappy microphone, audio compression algorithms in the cell phone, etc. there’s no way one can determine, with accuracy, who it is from such a short recording.
I think it is (almost?) criminal for the prosecution to even attempt to use such “evidence”. It takes advantage of uneducated jurors who might believe anything an “expert” says. If the jury had heard this opinion it would have been a complete injustice and grounds for appeal. It really bothers me that this was even attempted. It is not science.
I am still surprised with this ruling.....this Nelson makes Lance Ito look like John Marshall
I think every prosecuting atty in FL not under Angela Corey would have screamed bloody murder.....to allow certified frauds in as expert witnesses would have set a precedent...every defense atty in the state would have all kinds of quacks testify as expert witnesses
Of course..the lynching continues
and we’re still awaiting her decision on the res gestae statements
Zimmerman told the police that he was screaming for help, when he had no way of knowing his voice might have been picked up on someone else's 911 call. I think one witness, perhaps the same man who called 911, may have identified the screamer as the person on the bottom who was being beaten.
As has been pointed out before, it makes no sense for Trayvon to be calling for help when he is on top and doing the beating--the screams are not from the short interval between when Trayvon saw Zimmerman's gun and tried to grab it, and when Zimmerman used it to save his own life.
No matter what is proven in court, there will be a large number of people who will continue to believe what they believe now--the media version. Zimmerman is on trial for second-degree murder but the real charge against him is for being a racist (for which there is absolutely no evidence, but that doesn't matter...there wasn't any evidence that Alfred Dreyfus was guilty either).
It is a good thing, because now the definitive testimony will be of eyewitness no. 6, who told police right after the incident that TM was putting a beatdown on GZ “MMA style” and GZ was pinned under TM and crying out for help.
A few days later he amended his statement a bit saying that he could not actually see GZ’s mouth moving, but the cry for help was either someone in fear of having his lights put out (that would be GZ), or someone who needed help with the beatdown he was putting on GZ (that would be TM).
It’s common sense who was shouting for help. It’s unlikely that the jury will think that TM actually wanted to draw attention to his assault on GZ by advertising it to everyone in the neighborhood.
Trayvon Martin was naught but an ugly, mean street thug!!! This “Race” jazz is getting a bit much!!! We shall see....who prevails!!! Justice...or political correctness!!! Sad commentary on the status of America today!!!
She threw out their testimony because the methodology they used to make the determination was questionable and may not be reliable in the opinion of the judge.
Because of this ruling it'll matter nothing what is said, heard, testified to, proved or disproved during the upcoming trial if Z is found innocent at the end.
The mediawhores and the race-baiters will forever claim that if the state's auditory "expert evidence" testimony had been allowed in Zimmerman would have been found guilty and promptly executed.
The ruling will also be an excuse for subsequent rioting, arson and theft. I'm surprised it hasn't started already due to the judge's edict.
On the whole, I don't think this ruling will have any impact on the course of the actual trial other than helping the defendant by eliminating a cause for juror confusion and misinterpretation.
Yes, this ruling is a major victory for the defense....plus it will psychologically demoralize the state's attorneys and hearten the defense legal team as the trial starts on Monday.
Leni
The two “experts” who claim the screams were not from Zimmerman.Hmmmm?
Remember, these are “paid” experts who are being compensated to sway the evidence in favor of the person/organization that hired them (The Dist. Attorney).
Having sat on several juries and listened to these “experts”, they will do everything they can, provide all kinds of scientific evidence, etc., all to help sway the jury.
Good narrative of what happened. I’m surprised.
That should be it in a nutshell. In a sane world.
May 17, 2012
Witness Told Cops He Saw Trayvon Martin Straddling George Zimmerman And Punching Him “MMA Style”
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/buster/trayvon-martin/martin-zimmerman-witness-758903
(excerpt)
The witness’s account was included in Sanford Police Department reports released today.
Interviewed by cops about 90 minutes after the shooting, the witness—whose name was redacted from police documents—said that he was inside his home when he heard a “commotion coming from the walk way” behind his residence.
The man recalled seeing “a black male, wearing a dark colored ‘hoodie’ on top of a white or Hispanic male who was yelling for help.” The black male, he added, “was mounted on the white or Hispanic male and throwing punches ‘MMA (mixed martial arts) style.’”
The witness—who was in his living room and about 30 feet away from the confrontation— said he called out to the two men that he was dialing 911. “He then heard a ‘pop,’” police reported, and saw the black male “laid out on the grass.”
Zimmerman is pictured above in photos taken by police shortly after the February 26 shooting.
The police reports also include observations from two Sanford cops regarding Zimmerman’s physical appearance following the shooting. Officer Timothy Smith reported that Zimmerman was “bleeding from the nose and back of his head,” while Officer Jonathan Mead noted that he “appeared to have a broken and bloody nose and swelling of his face.”
Investigators also reported receiving medical reports from Altamonte Medical Practice “identifying the injuries sustained by Zimmerman on the evening of 2/26/2012.” The records indicated that he suffered an “open wound of scalp” and “Nasal bones, closed fracture.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.