George Zimmerman makes initial court appearance in Trayvon Martin shooting, will plead not guilty

[seekerz]

In case you missed it, this isn’t a court of law. So it really doesn’t matter if we use hearsay.

I can claim he changed his mind based on the reporting of his original statements.

If you want to use only actual statements made by the individuals, please refrain from mentioning the girlfriend. Unless you have proof that, at last, she has made a statement to the police, with the police questioning her.

When did I mention anything the girlfriend said as fact? Show me a single place.

I went as far as to opine that all we really need is the timeline from the phone call and then what she reports becomes basically irrelevant…Besides, we do have her own words. Have you heard a police office actually say that Martin denied it was his son’s voice? Is it in a police report somewhere?

 

[rlg94086]

Source? I’ve been seeing this claim since yesterday…so suddenly we know that his father first said it wasn’t him, but we didn’t know that before?

Somebody else already provided the source yesterday.

 

[SamH]

Something funny in wanting the truth?

Just who’s saying it.

 

[rlg94086]

Why? Because the police supposedly intimidated them? Makes perfect sense.

Actually, I’m not clear that it was intimidation, but i think changing testimonies is an issue in court. I don’t know how it will be received. Again, it depends on what the police discussion with the witness was. As described, it could have been as simple as a policeman correcting the woman on whose voice she heard, based on the other eyewitnesses. This witness heard someone scream. She didn’t see him. Maybe Zimmerman screams like a teenager.

 

[seekerz]

I have to remark on this whole “accident” comment of Mrs Martin’s that there’s so much fuss about.

Even if you don’t accept her explanation that it was the encounter and not the shooting itself which she meant was accidental, how can her statement:

a. imply dishonesty on her part? (She wasn’t there and can only offer an OPINION)
b. be taken to mean the entire episode was an accident? (The only living witness to the entire thing has, to my knowledge, claimed self-defense - NOT that the shooting was an accident.)

There have been repeated stories of Trayvon threatening and attacking Zimmerman. Even if you want to short-circuit the legal process and pronounce judgment in a the court of public opinion, how does “Tonight will be you last night” (or something of the sort) followed by a punch to the face and head-banging, BECOME an ACCIDENT. Unless of course, multiple people are simply lying…

 

[Dawnia]

Source for the statement that she ‘did nothing’?

It’s a question. If you know something I don’t please share. But from reports, she didn’t call 911 or the parents. Calling for help would be the most logical thing to do.

 

[seekerz]

Actually, I’m not clear that it was intimidation, but i think changing testimonies is an issue in court. I don’t know how it will be received. Again, it depends on what the police discussion with the witness was. As described, it could have been as simple as a policeman correcting the woman on whose voice she heard, based on the other eyewitnesses. This witness heard someone scream. She didn’t see him. Maybe Zimmerman screams like a teenager.

Since when do the police get to ‘correct’ any testimony. The most they could have done morally speaking (I don’t know about the legal aspect), was to ask her the basis for saying it was X person shouting.

 

[incense]

Perhaps it would balance out the witness intimidation and tampering on the part of the Sanford police department.

This accusation of racism against the police department is being overblown. I would call it nepotism rather than racism. Two incidents, since 2005, where a relatives of a police officer were involved in crimes. One beat a homeless man, and two security guards killed a black man. The problem was that they covered up the first crime, to me, to protect an offspring, not racism. The second one went to court and was dismissed by the judge.

This does not look like raging racism to me. Yeah, the black community has been suspicious or unhappy with the police department, but what police department in the US is not accused of that? I hear it on the news almost every day. It could be true, but it’s so worn out, I disregard it. It’s kind of like the wife in a divorce applying for a restraining order against her husband. It’s a technique to make him look like a bad guy, and overused.

 

[seekerz]

Just who’s saying it.

Seriously Sam, someone’s child is dead. This is hardly the time or place for personal jabs.

 

[seekerz]

This accusation of racism against the police department is being overblown.

Do you live in Sanford? Does any child of yours?

 

[seekerz]

It’s a question. If you know something I don’t please share. But from reports, she didn’t call 911 or the parents. Calling for help would be the most logical thing to do.

Yeah, and all teenagers are totally logical, all of the time - particularly where it involves their romantic relationships and communicating with their parents. Which is why nobody’s child ever ends up dead because other teens failed to say something…Got ya.

 

[maryjk]

When did I mention anything the girlfriend said as fact? Show me a single place.

Just making sure you don’t go there.

I went as far as to opine that all we really need is the timeline from the phone call and then what she reports becomes basically irrelevant…Besides, we do have her own words. Have you heard a police office actually say that Martin denied it was his son’s voice? Is it in a police report somewhere?

There are links that show when her call took place.

 

[vz71]

There have been repeated stories of Trayvon threatening and attacking Zimmerman. Even if you want to short-circuit the legal process and pronounce judgment in a the court of public opinion, how does “Tonight will be you last night” (or something of the sort) followed by a punch to the face and head-banging, BECOME an ACCIDENT. Unless of course, multiple people are simply lying…

She is being used.

There is likely a coach behind her statements telling her how to make her pain go away by telling whatever they want said.

And before anyone jumps upon this, I am well aware that this is simply conjecture and my own opinion. But I believe it explains why the mother keeps changing her statements.

 

[rlg94086]

Since when do the police get to ‘correct’ any testimony. The most they could have done morally speaking (I don’t know about the legal aspect), was to ask her the basis for saying it was X person shouting.

Again, I don’t know how the conversation actually went. Neither do you. I guess it will come out in the trial, if the prosecution finds the witness credible and helpful to their case. Bringing in the police handling of the incident may or may not be part of the prosecution’s case. It may be part of the defense’s case.

 

[seekerz]

She is being used.

There is likely a coach behind her statements telling her how to make her pain go away by telling whatever they want said.

And before anyone jumps upon this, I am well aware that this is simply conjecture and my own opinion. But I believe it explains why the mother keeps changing her statements.

Whatever her reason, you can’t believe Zimmerman and believe it was an accident without and inhuman degree of mental acrobatics…so leave the woman alone - her statement is irrelevant to the facts of the case.

 

[rlg94086]

Do you live in Sanford? Does any child of yours?

Do you live in Sanford? Does any child of yours?

 

[incense]

Why? Because the police supposedly intimidated them? Makes perfect sense.

When the police question someone. Don’t they question them about what they say? Otherwise, it would be called, taking a statement.

Isnt’ that how the police get to the truthfulness of the speaker? Could it be that the police officer was asking her how she knew who was screaming? Or told her it was the other one to see what she would say. To see how strongly she believed? It must be a mess to get to the truth in situations like this. Not just getting past the lies, but getting past the suppositions passed along as absolute truth.

 

[rlg94086]

Whatever her reason, you can’t believe Zimmerman and believe it was an accident without and inhuman degree of mental acrobatics…so leave the woman alone - her statement is irrelevant to the facts of the case.

Which is why she probably won’t be brought to the stand as a witness.

 

[maryjk]

She is being used.

There is likely a coach behind her statements telling her how to make her pain go away by telling whatever they want said.

And before anyone jumps upon this, I am well aware that this is simply conjecture and my own opinion. But I believe it explains why the mother keeps changing her statements.

You are probably right. It is sad.

When I lost both of my parents within just a few months of each other, it was hard to put into words how I felt. I know that losing my parents does not compare to losing your child, but it is the closest I can come. Everyone around me was trying to help. But it got to where I was parroting their words, not mine. It was just easier to not have to think about it.

Once in a while my thoughts would come through, and people would look at me funny, because my thoughts didn’t jive with what I had been parroting. It was hard for my husband to get a handle on how I felt.

Again, losing my parents isn’t the same as losing a son. And I have no idea if what happened to me, has happened to her. Just trying to give a little insight.

 

[seekerz]

Just making sure you don’t go there.

Good. Now that we’ve established that all we have evidence of is a report that a police officer reported Mr Martin as denying the voice on the tape was his son…what next do we talk about?