Tag: George Zimmerman (page 14)

The Orlando Sentinel reports that four "key witnesses" provided statements in March that differed in part from their earlier statements. The Sentinel portrays the changes as "major" and says they are potentially damaging to Zimmerman's case.

The four witnesses the Sentinel lists are witnesses W-2, W-6, W-12 and W-13. Two of them aren't "key" to anything. The other two, W-6 and W-13 are key, but neither changed the most critical elements of their accounts. W-6 didn't budge from his assertion that during the struggle he witnessed (in which someone cried out for help) Trayvon was in black and on top of Zimmerman whose shirt or jacket was red. W-13 didn't change his account of what he saw or what Zimmerman said, he just provided his perception of Zimmerman's demeanor when later asked. [More...]

I'm still working through the discovery in the George Zimmerman case. I have a long post I'm writing on Witnesses #6 and #13, who I think may be the most important witnesses to the criminal case.

One thing that stikes me is that police are no better than lay people as eyewitnesses. For example, in describing Trayvon Martin's clothes the night of the shooting:

• Ofc. Ricardo Ayala, Page 14: 2/27/12, 2:28 am: Trayvon is lying in the grass, wearing a black sweater, blue jeans, white/red tennis shoes.
• Officer Joseph Santiago, Page 16: 3/2/12: describing his participation on 2/26: Got to the scene, Trayvon was on his back, had gray sweatshirt, light colored shorts, white tennis shoes.

Trayvon had on a light grey Nike sweatshirt (ME-8) and a dark grey Fruit of the Loom hooded sweatshirt (ME-12.) (Report here. Curiously, the police reports list the sweatshirt as ME-12 and the hoodie as ME-8.) He was wearing tan pants, as is evident in the 7-11 video. [More...]

Our last Zimmerman thread is full. Here's a new one.

One thing I noticed in the discovery is the multiple persons who observed George Zimmeman's injuries at the scene:

Officer Stacie McCoy:

I instructed Officer T Smith to have SFR provide medical care to the subject reference visible blood on his face and to transport the subject to the SPD for everyone’s safety.

Officer Michael Wagner:

I walked to Ofc Smith's car where Zimmerman was sitting and in handcuffs and used my personal iPhone (due to an immediate lack of access to a digital camera) to take a picture of Zimmerman's face. I saw that Zimmerman’s face was bloodied and it appeared to me his nose was broken. I also saw that the back of Zimmerman’s head was bloodied.

I then walked to where Martin lay on the ground and took a photo of Martin’s face as well. I observed no physical injury to Martin

[More...]

Update: MSNBC has posted all 183 pages of the documents released today. So has The New York Times here.

The discovery in the George Zimmerman case has been released. It's abundantly clear why Zimmerman was not arrested the night Trayvon Martin was shot. There was no evidence he committed a crime.

There are now plenty of photos like this one showing Zimmerman's injuries to his nose and scalp. Police reports refer to Zimmerman's voice being heard crying out for help multiple times in one of the 911 calls. The only eyewitness who could make an identification as the struggle was ongoing and before the shot (who appears to be John) told police at the scene that the man in the red jacket was on the bottom, crying for help, and the guy on top of him was repeatedly hitting him.

So why did one officer request a capias? It had nothing to do with evidence of a crime. It was because the officer said had Zimmerman stayed in his car, nothing would have happened. [More...]

Mark O'Mara says on camera he did not leak Zimmerman's medical report to ABC News. I'd bet he's telling the truth and didn't leak it. Who's suggesting he did? Team Crump, of course.

O'Mara has had this report for weeks. He had it in court with him at the bond hearing and said he hadn't yet turned it over to the prosecution. Zimmerman's father, brother and friends referred to it in interviews weeks ago.

The report was given exclusively to Matt Guttman of ABC News. [More...]

The New York Times reports the results of its reporters' investigation over the last several weeks into the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

It includes a lot of unnamed police sources and claims by unnamed witnesses made after the fact. Most of this stuff we've heard before, and I'd caution against assuming the New York Times is reporting facts. It's reporting what unnamed police sources and witnesses told the reporters, which may or may not be accurate. [More...]

Update: I was able to find a copy of the actual 8 page list of discovery items released by state's Attorney Angela Corey.

ABC news has obtained the 3 page medical report from the doctor who examined George Zimmerman the day after he shot Trayvon Martin. The report was included in the discovery turned over to the defense Monday.

Zimmerman was diagnosed with a "closed fracture" of his nose, a pair of black eyes, two lacerations to the back of his head and a minor back injury....

The report also shows Zimmerman's upper lip and cheek were bruised and he had lower back pain. The back of his head had two lacerations, one of which was almost an inch in length. [More..]

Mark O'Mara, attorney for George Zimmerman, said Monday he has received discovery from the state prosecutor today:

The discovery package included 67 compact discs and numerous hardcopy documents, including the State’s Discovery Exhibit and Demand for Reciprocal Discovery. The discovery also includes witness statements, 911 calls, non-emergency calls, photos, video, medical records, and more

The Orlando Sentinel has more details of what was turned over, as Corey filed an 8 page document with the Court right before it closed describing what was turned over. [More...]

Mark O'Mara will begin getting discovery tomorrow in the George Zimmerman case. The media and public are unlikely to get it right away. O'Mara has said he will file for a motion to seal some of it, particularly the information with witness names, and the State's Attorney agrees with him and has said her office won't make it publicly available on Monday.

It will include crime scene photos, Trayvon's autopsy, Zimmerman's five statements to authorities, witness statements, and crime lab work — if it's been completed — on clothing and Zimmerman's handgun.

I'm not sure what is sealable about the autopsy report or lab tests, but I don't blame O'Mara for wanting time to review it before it's publicly released.

Our older Zimmerman threads are full, so here's a place to discuss the anticipated discovery and legal issues. (Note: You may not use this site to link to petitions and argue for restrictions on stand your ground laws. I oppose such restrictions and do not support more gun control laws. Keep your comments to the law's application to the Zimmerman case or other past or pending cases.) [More..]

CNN Legal Analyst Mark NeJame steps up his role as investigative journalist in the George Zimmerman case. Last night on Piers Morgan's show, he revealed the above photo of Zimmerman's multi-racial family, including his black great-grandfather and Peruvian grandmother and mother.

He received the photo from the Zimmerman family.(Background here.)

Mark's comments: He may have been skeptical at first but this photo changed his mind. He does not think Zimmerman was motivated by race in what whatever encounter he had with Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26.

This thread is devoted to all things Zimmerman-related.

In the continuing saga of NBC's prejudicial editing of George Zimmerman's call to police to report a suspicious person, Trayon Martin, TV Newser reports NBC reporter Lilia Luciano has been fired. But keep reading, I have additional information and transcripts with sourcing to NBC shows.

First, backing up to April 9, I reported that the mangled edit used in a Today Show segment on March 27 was also used in a March 22 Today Show segment during a report with Lilia Luciano, who was reporting live from Sanford. Here's the March 22 transcript.

According to TV Newser, a different version of the mangled edit appeared in a Luciano segment on the Today Show on March 20. So we're up to three airings of clips with Zimmerman comments taken out of sequence on the Today Show. [More...]

On March 31, the Miami Herald touted its own reporting in the Trayvon Martin case as an example of fact-based and neutral journalism, highlighting the work of reporter Frances Robles as an example.

As new details emerge, we work hard not only to get the information right but to put it in the proper context of our overall coverage.

I think it failed today. First, Frances Robles published an article about a "crude" 2005 My Space page belonging to George Zimmerman which included unflattering comments about "Mexicans." Then she followed up with a second article that includes a response to her first article by Martin family lawyer Benjamin Crump. Crump is quoted as saying Zimmerman's My Space page is further evidence of Zimmerman's racism, his pattern of profiling, and even of his ill will and malice (which not so coincidentally is the necessary mental state for second degree murder.) [More...]