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Mystery girl to testify in Trayvon Martin murder case
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/25/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95O0FR20130625 ^

Posted on 06/25/2013 9:59:18 AM PDT by MNDude

Prosecutors in the Florida murder trial of neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman will reveal a star witness for the first time on Tuesday, the girl Trayvon Martin was talking with in the last minutes of his life.

The teenage girl, known as Witness #8 until now, was due to testify about what Martin, the unarmed black 17-year-old shot and killed by Zimmerman last year, told her what he saw that night.

Identified in court on Monday only as Rachel, a friend of Martin from Miami, she received a running account about what was happening, starting when he noticed a man, Zimmerman, watching him in the gated central Florida community he was visiting.

Zimmerman, 29 and part Hispanic, was a neighborhood watch volunteer in the Retreat at Twin Lakes community in Sanford at the time of the February 26, 2012, killing. He has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and could face life imprisonment if convicted.

The racially charged case triggered civil rights protests and debates about the treatment of black Americans in the U.S. justice system, since police did not arrest Zimmerman for 44 days.

(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: news; sourcetitlenoturl; trayvon; zimmerman
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS

” I don’t understand what you are saying. Do you mean the “mystery witness” taped her conversation with Martin and the tape ended up destroyed? “

The date , time , length of call duration , and proximity to the time of the assault contained on the cellphone were lost/destroyed by the State technician , as I recall.


61 posted on 06/25/2013 1:19:28 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt (“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” - Ronald Reagan)
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To: MNDude

I thought they already determined she was lying about being on the phone...... In any case isnt her testimony HEARSAY....
AND WHY ARE ZIMMERMAN’S PARENTS barred from the courtroom. When will they say the softdrink and skittles are part of a drug concoction CALLED “LEAN” combined with cough medicine to get a high. Check out treyvons FACEBOOK page where he is seeking drug making advice... And when will they stop showing the baby pics and show the wanna be gangsta ??????? tell us about the 7/11 film and the cash transaciton and tell us about “LEAN”..... I thought treyvon doubled back on Z and attacked him trying to get the gun, whole smacking his head on the pavement. You gotta be a jerk to attak someone with a gun armed with skittles and a fruit drink....


62 posted on 06/25/2013 1:19:52 PM PDT by zzwhale
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To: zzwhale

zzwhale ~:” WHY ARE ZIMMERMAN’S PARENTS barred from the courtroom. “

They may be called on later in the court action as witnesess.
They were removed so as to prevent their testimony from getting ‘tainted’.
Normal court procedure .


63 posted on 06/25/2013 1:24:49 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt (“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” - Ronald Reagan)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

The fact of destruction would be admissible against the state and probably the defense would be allowed a jury instruction on the destruction of evidence. I don’t know Florida’s law on that point. In California there is a jury instruction on destruction of evidence by one party to the detriment of the opposite party.


64 posted on 06/25/2013 1:25:41 PM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: zzwhale

What you are not being told, is that the “FIX” is in. All this trial they are holding is similar to a “KABUKI” theater Every one responsible for that trial is just going through the motion, to let everybody think that this is going to be a “FAIR” trial. Zimmermann will be found guilty, he will spend a few years,(NOT LIFE), in prison, and the “natives” will be pacified. That’s the only reason for this “KABUKI” theater.


65 posted on 06/25/2013 1:25:59 PM PDT by gingerbread
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt

Yes. There should be a jury instruction as well regarding what inferences the jury can draw when evidence is destroyed.


66 posted on 06/25/2013 1:28:26 PM PDT by AEMILIUS PAULUS (It is a shame that when these people give a riot)
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To: CivilWarBrewing

coached witness.


67 posted on 06/25/2013 1:30:17 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Safetgiver

if phone was on, the state knows exactly where he was standing. (fitness nuts have apps that can read it)


68 posted on 06/25/2013 1:32:52 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: AEMILIUS PAULUS

destruction of evidence is ground for an aquital, contempt of court, bar discipline, striking of all pleadings of you side...

it is not a small thing.


69 posted on 06/25/2013 1:34:30 PM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: gingerbread

Unfortunately I couldn’t agree more. I don’t think it matters what we see in the courtroom, it will be guilty, that will save the most lives.

It’s not right but it will save lives.


70 posted on 06/25/2013 3:51:57 PM PDT by greenishness
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To: Defiant

You are absolutely incorrect. The defense is doing a masterful job at cross on the state’s witnesses so far.


71 posted on 06/25/2013 4:11:06 PM PDT by snarkytart
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To: ltc8k6
lol Well the state is screwed then, because you are allowed to defend yourself against an attack if you feel your life is threatened even if you supposedly “Started it.”
Also, in what world is violence a normal reaction to being asked “why you're in this neighborhood”, or for being followed?
You're not allowed to put your damn hands on anyone unless you are defending yourself against their attack.

If you initiate violence against someone they might kill your ass to make you stop. These are the risks you take in knocking someone down on the ground and pounding their head on cement.

72 posted on 06/25/2013 4:17:07 PM PDT by snarkytart
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To: snarkytart

I am hoping to be proven wrong. I have not had a chance to watch the trial so far, but I did read the reports on all the pretrial proceedings and I did read many of the filings. The tenor was very milquetoast compared to the outrage they should have been exuding at this outrage.


73 posted on 06/25/2013 5:06:31 PM PDT by Defiant (In the next rebellion, the rebels will be the ones carrying the American flag.)
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To: RIghtwardHo
It’s an exception to the hearsay rule. It will come in under “present sense impression” or “excited utterance.” There are others but those will suffice.

The hearsay rule is designed to serve two purposes:

  1. Avoid giving two much credibility to what may be false statements
  2. Ensure that a defendant gets a chance to confront witnesses against him, as mandated by the Constitution
The level of credibility attached to Trayvon's supposed statements isn't going to be higher than the credibility attached to W8's claims of having heard them; as such, the first issue isn't apt to be a problem here. As for the second, I think one could reasonably argue that regardless of his actions were in any way illegal, GZ by shooting TM forfeited any right to have his attorney cross-examine TM at trial.
74 posted on 06/25/2013 5:22:33 PM PDT by supercat (Renounce Covetousness.)
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To: MNDude

This trial is pure fugging bullchit!


75 posted on 06/25/2013 5:37:28 PM PDT by oust the louse (You need your parents signature to go on a school field trip but not to get an abortion.)
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To: snarkytart

See#53 :-)


76 posted on 06/25/2013 6:36:02 PM PDT by ltc8k6
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
Tilted Irish Kilt said: "The date , time , length of call duration , and proximity to the time of the assault contained on the cellphone were lost/destroyed by the State technician , as I recall."

This all sounds like information which would have to be subpoenaed from the phone service company. It would be imbedded in data concerning thousands of calls. I don't see how it could be destroyed by a "State technician".

77 posted on 06/25/2013 8:14:18 PM PDT by William Tell
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To: MNDude
Dumb Dodo today.

Dumber DeeDee tomorrow.

All deep DooDoo so far for the prosecution.

Leni

78 posted on 06/25/2013 8:21:26 PM PDT by MinuteGal
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To: William Tell

William Tell~ “ This all sounds like information which would have to be subpoenaed from the phone service company. It would be imbedded in data concerning thousands of calls. I don’t see how it could be destroyed by a “State technician”.

Agreed !
But the reality is that the original data was destroyed by the State Technician when they tried to ‘hack ‘ the phone.
It would be interesting what else got tainted by the State ..maybe more for the defense ?


79 posted on 06/25/2013 9:37:38 PM PDT by Tilted Irish Kilt (“Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.” - Ronald Reagan)
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To: Tilted Irish Kilt
Tilted Irish Kilt said: "But the reality is that the original data was destroyed by the State Technician when they tried to ‘hack ‘ the phone."

What I am saying is that you cannot "hack" the phone in such a manner as to erase information collected, stored, and archived by the phone company. The only connection with the phone once the records are made is that the records contain the phone number. The records are not on the phone.

80 posted on 06/26/2013 12:31:12 AM PDT by William Tell
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