If you’re following the Zimmerman trial…
…Andrew Branca offers an excellent summary of the proceedings so far. Branca is a lawyer and the author of The Law of Self-Defense, which will also be available on Kindle at Amazon soon.
Branca posts updates at Legal Insurrection on the case every day. Here’s today’s.
This morning, testimony for the prosecution began with Trayvon Martin’s mother saying it was Trayvon screaming on the tape. I wonder what possible probative value that could have, although those who want to believe will believe.
Martin’s mother would have every reason to say (and actually and sincerely believe) that it was his scream that is heard, but that has nothing to do with whether it actually was Martin or Zimmerman screaming on the tape. Respected voice experts (as opposed to pretenders) have stated that it is impossible even for them to tell who it is, because the voice of a person screaming in terror for his/her life is qualitatively different than that person’s speaking voice, or even shouting or screaming voice, under more normal circumstances. Martin’s family has every reason to identify the voice as his and none to say otherwise, including the fact that they’re not the least bit familiar with Zimmerman’s screams.
And by the way, none of that is meant to be a critique of Martin’s family. In believing that it’s Martin’s scream on the tape, they’re thinking and acting as most human beings would who have suffered a similarly tremendous shock and loss.
I am confused. The judge would not let Zimmerman’s parents attend the trial because they might be called as witnesses. Yet, Martin’s family has been allowed at the trial daily and his mother has testified. I agree, that any mother whose child was in jeopardy, would live those screams in her dreams and think it was her child. Except, it has been reported that she trademarked his name and certain phrases. For what reason…. profit?
Also, from eye witness testimony, Zimmerman was sat upon and being pummeled. The agressor who is pounding a victim’s head to the pavement has no reason to scream for help or is too occupied smashing someone’s head to scream for help.
Kit,
This is NOT a criminal trial, this is a political trial. Plain and simple with no equivocation possible. In today’s world, were the colors reversed, this would NEVER come to trial.
You are entirely correct about both; the positioning of Martin being on top of Zimmerman, as the ONLY direct eyewitness, Mr. Good has so testified, including identifying Zimmerman as the one yelling for help AND, that someone doing the beating does not yell for help. It is the victim who yells for help, not the victor, which until Zimmerman fired his gun was Martin.
All the direct evidence supports Zimmerman, only unsupported speculation and obvious lying supports Martin.
This is about the left maintaining black victimhood for political leverage. Their chosen method is crucifying Zimmerman upon the altar of politically correct ideology.
I can feel sorrow for TM’s parents. But his parents must have been aware that he was a young man headed for a life of trouble. Its sad that he lost his life, it would be much more than sad if GZ does not walk away a free man.
While they were aware, it’s also clear that they didn’t care or they would have raised him entirely differently than they did. This was a boy raised without principle, self-gratification his only rudder. His parents, girlfriend and supporters behavior demonstrates the veracity of that assertion. Were it not so, they would not be able to ‘bare false witness’.
1. GZ’s mom and uncle testified today that it was him screaming.
2. Both TM and GZ’s relatives may be correct. Perhaps it was both of them screaming at different instances.
3. I heard one prosecutor argue to court today that it must have been TM screaming because the screaming stopped when the gun was fired. Huh?? Regardless of which one was, or if both were screaming, it is no surprise at all that the screaming stopped with the firing of the gun. (I’m not saying that the screaming had to stop upon the gun’s being fired, I’m saying it is no surprise that it stopped regardless of who was screaming.)
4. The medical examiner who testified today was POORLY prepared, and I thought disrespectful to the our judicial process.
5. Having heard most of the arguments (I missed small portions) made in connection with the motion for judgment of acquittal, I think the state failed to make its case of second degree murder. By the way, the prosecutor argued that firing the gun was sufficient evidence of ill will, hatred, spite, or an evil intent. I hope the judge issues an order precluding the prosecution from making such an argument to the jury. Otherwise, there never would be a legal defense of self defense.
I feel really bad for GZ. His life is ruined regardless of the verdict. He is a victim of racially inspired politics and that trumps everything.
Martin’s parents are sad. Of course they are. I would be sad if my child were killed. I would be especially sad if my child were killed because I had not managed his development to the point that he made intelligent choices.
This whole episode is a travesty. Every American should watch this trial so as to understand where justice has sunk to in the U.S.
The Special Prosecutor should be placed on trial for corrupt practices. The Governor should face recall.
Geoffrey,
Exactly; you cut to the core of it.
It’s not a trial.
It’s a “show trial”.
Which is what it’s been intended to be, from the beginning.
What you said, Oldflyer. My take exactly.
Martin’s parents are not only bereaved, but must live with the guilt that they weren’t the best of parents. Of course, even the best parents can raise a child who goes off course, but the parents usually feel some sense of responsibility that things went bad.
Even if acquitted, Zimmerman is a marked man. His best chance for a future will be to move far away where the trial is little known or cared about. If he’s not acquitted, he will be marked for death by the black inmates. Lose, lose and all because of racial politics.
“The Governor should face recall.”
The governor needs to be run out of town on a rail and told don’t write, don’t call.
I don’t follow trials that often, are prosecutors and judges always this corrupt or is this special for this political prosecution?
I have commented before, maybe here, that my brother-in-law is a retired Judge in Duval County, Fl. He had nothing good to say about the Special Prosecutor. I think it is telling that she did not do the trial. The trial prosecuting attorney comes across as a hack. Of course he does not have much to work with.
I do not follow many trials and have watched this one periodically. So, I am not competent to judge the Judge. However, I can have an opinion, and it is not complimentary. Again, she has a turkey on her hands. She is in a no-win situation. IMO if she were really competent, and very courageous, this would have ended today. I did not expect that to happen.
I don’t like the judge. She doesn’t come across to me as a victim of political pressure; she is a willing part of the scafolding erected to hang Zimmerman. But she is not unrestricted and an appeal must weigh on her mind. I read from a comment on LI that a Florida statute allows the parents of a deceased to attend the trial even though they will testify. That made sense. Although I haven’t seen a link to the actual site and language of the Statute, I can’t imagine a judge making such an obvious error. But that is not to deny the Judge’s demeanor and decisions line up with “If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon.” The prosecution and the Judge know they have powerful friends in connected places. They know they will not be held accountable.
I think the appeal process is possibly a good outcome so that the trial fades away and Zimmerman and the law can be protected.
This trial has one good outcome: It has awakened many Americans to the need for more lawyers and judges who are conservative.
The trial is a testimonial to what Diversity hath wrought.
The black witnesses, particulary Rachel, have their own culture, in which black victimhood trumps everything, including brazen lying.
The Asian medical examiner was a case study in laziness, lack of professionalism, buck-passing, and absolute resistance to embarassment at his lousy medical standards. We have lots of these in American medicine now, in all specialties.
I could not believe the ME’s obsession with “opinion v fact.” It was as if he only had discovered that distinction.
The outstanding witness of the trial has to be the Uncle. I do have a certain amount of disbelief that he would recognize his nephew’s voice over TV without any prior knowledge of what he was hearing. According to him, he did not know the TV was referring to George, merely the voice he heard over TV prompted him to exclaim “that’s George.” I don’t see that as likely and wonder more about the facts of that situation. I consider myself in a similar situation and when would I ever hear a secondary scream from a recording over TV and absolutely know it was from somebody I knew. So that’s a tough one. I mean does a scream have that much individuality?
But the Uncle makes it believeable. And the prosecution failed to exploit the claim.
And instead focused on an irrelevant issue about his status as a witness: whether it was as a deputy sheriff for Orange county or as Zimmerman’s uncle. Obviously the jury understood why he was there.
You know, it’s almost as if the prosecution wants to throw this thing!
A show trial or a lynching? How about both?
This is the Duke Lacrosse team’s lynching all over again. Let’s hope it has the same outcome.
Did anyone see a recent poll, Rasmussen, I believe, that asked people of various races who were the most racist? All groups, including blacks, said blacks were the most racist. I think the white Pinkos were the only subset that thought whites were more racist.
This is interesting, because it means almost everyone is hip to the charade.
Geoffrey B- I agree with you it should never have come to trial, but the truth is self defense cases are seldom clear cut and it’s not uncommon for a DA’s office to use that as a political tool. These people are elected, and using cases like this to their benefit isnt beneath their dignity, while the victims of this tragedy on both sides end up losers.
Hopefully this move backfired and this DA is voted out of existence.
Don Carlos – Interesting comment by you and also one to take notice of. I have had an unexpected experience with a back surgeon who fit your characterization pretty well. When things go wrong, I’m more interested in fixing them, but it seems some doctors refuse to admit internal bleeding is occurring until you end up in an emergency room, and then send their buddies to explain its not a big deal, and there’s no reason to not walk around for a a year with a liter of blood in your abdominal cavity. (It burns like the devil by the way). The notion that it is “lots” of people, and not just a few is pretty disheartening.