Note from the CTH: This post is independently authored by an anonymous guest of the Treehouse. This is part Three in a series of independently submitted guest posts. We are unable to determine or validate if the content discussed is indeed the substantive final content of an upcoming book, we are the conduit host and present for informational purposes of discussion:
George Zimmerman was not involved in the collaboration of this book and makes no guarantee of its accuracy or content. The comments added here to the known text of the Osterman book were not made by George Zimmerman, and should not be construed as the only comments that George Zimmerman may have regarding the publishing of this book.
As previously presented by the guest author: Upon initial review there appear to be numerous “mistakes” in [an upcoming] book, and even several specific items that we feel are outright fabrications. These aspects may be intended to help the book sell well, but they also present some serious factual concerns.
It is understood that neither Mark or Sondra Osterman would intentionally try to harm George, but it is critical for the public to understand George does not condone this book; nor does he agree with the timing of the publication of the book.
The areas of concern will be highlighted, and honestly rebutted, during the course of a number of guest posts here at the Treehouse over the next several days.
These areas to be addressed could potentially be damaging to George Zimmerman, and I feel it is important to address each of them individually.
In the next several days the excerpts, responses and summaries you will read are my “Guest Posted” words and my opinion. While I will share the content of the upcoming book, as I know it, the rebuttal or challenge to the book will be mine alone.
The intent of rebuttal is meant to bring these fabrications, falsehoods and concerns to light, and such retort is provided for the benefit of those who will ultimately read the published book and have questions about its accuracy.
I am, quite simply, trying to get out ahead of what “could be” a well intended attempt at public support, which simultaneously creates a significant and potentially damaging series of unintended consequences.
Chapter Two – Things Blew Up!
(excerpt) Mark Osterman writes: On the morning after the shooting, February 27, […] George’s eyes were black and blue, there were numerous cuts to his face, he had bandages on his nose and the back of his head, plus, he was moving very slowly from pain in his lower back.
George was going through the first phase of coping with the violent encounter of February 26th, he was in shock. […]
As we sat around the table that morning, we listened while George explained to Sondra what had taken place the night before. The information was exactly the same as he reported on the ride over from the police station. Once again, he repeated his fear that “he was going to die” during the deadly struggle and that the encounter was a “him or me” situation. […]
I accompanied George to his office in Maitland, Florida. […]
George’s employer understood the situation and he mentioned that George would need to be cleared medically before he could be allowed back at work anyway. From the office, I took George directly to be checked out by his primary care physician and then he visited briefly with a therapist.
Evidence Photograph provided by Sundance – CTH (article enhancement only)
The medical doctor confirmed that George’s nose was indeed broken. As for the lacerations on the back of George’s head, the doctor said the wounds should have been closed the night before; it was too late for stitches at that point. […]
George received word the police would have follow up questions for him later that afternoon. He was to report to the Twin Lakes subdivision at 3 P.M. to do a “walk through;” a reenactment of the shooting. [ …]
Follow Up Interviews at the Sanford Police Department – George had been questioned briefly at the scene […] in the moments following the shooting of Trayvon Martin. From police training, I knew these preliminary questions may or may not have been done with Miranda Warning Rights stated; depending on the type of questions asked.
Some general questions are necessary to secure a crime scene. First, the crime scene perimeter is established then statements are taken from witnesses. There is a search for evidence with the officers making sure to protect or preserve any evidence discovered. […]
After preliminary questions at the scene George had spent hours at the police station answering questions and going over the details of the deadly encounter. He was a bit concerned about further questioning scheduled for Monday afternoon. “What else could they possibly ask me?” he asked.
Again, I told George the detectives were only doing their job and he needed to cooperate fully. At this point, he hadn’t even considered the possibility he would need a lawyer. […]
… a few minutes before 3 o’clock that afternoon, I drove him over to his townhome at Twin Lakes to meet up with his father who wanted to be there during the questioning. […] The decision was made earlier that I would drive George over to the scene, because the police indicated he could be arrested following questioning that day.
Sanford police detectives arrived and informed George they would walk with him over to the site of the shooting, and that he would be video taped as he described the events of the night before. They said, “Every word, every gesture, every step will be recorded and could possibly be used as evidence in the case.”
Mr. Zimmerman and I kept our distance, standing forty or fifty feet away from the camera at all times […]
The camera rolled until George had nothing else to add. Once more he had told them everything.
After the reenactment, the detectives asked George to return to the police station for further questioning. They also asked if he would volunteer to take a voice stress test. Without hesitation, he agreed and climbed into the patrol car for the trip over to the Sanford Police station. Mr. Zimmerman and I followed behind.
embedded video provided by Sundance – CTH
Most people are familiar with polygraph testing, (lie detector tests), but the voice analysis procedure, developed more recently, is considered more accurate than polygraph tests. […]
After the examination, the police informed George that he passed the voice stress analysis test. I think it also went to George’s benefit that he was so willing to take the test. He didn’t “lawyer up” or try to evade the request. The reason was clear; he was telling the truth.
On Tuesday of that week he was called again to the station for further questioning and yet again on Wednesday. […] We were never sure if he would be arrested or be allowed to return home following each questioning session.
George presented himself for another examination for the purpose of determining if it was George or Trayvon Martin calling for help during the struggle on the evening of February 26th. Sensitive audio equipment was set up at the scene then George was asked to lay on his back and scream out for help as he did on the night of the shooting.
From my experience I knew an 85% match would hold up in court; to get a 100% match they would need the exact weather conditions and the actual cordless phone used to make the call. ¹ “He was later informed that the test confirmed (99.9 % match) it was indeed his voice heard calling out, even though Trayvon’s mother insists that it is her son’s voice heard on the 911 calls.
This is not at all accurate. There was was an informal acknowledgment that the officers felt that it was match, but there was no indication of a 99.9% match.
The questioning grew more intense with each session. The last time George was questioned was on the Wednesday following the Sunday incident and it was brutal. I understand the intent; detectives have to see if a subject is going to change his story in any way.
George held up under the barrage of questions that included attacking his every word uttered since the shooting. He was exhausted and visibly shaken after being hammered for hours. “I can’t believe it, they don’t believe a word of what actually happened?” he said on the drive home.
George told me how the investigators tried to trip him up by lying about evidence, stating there were issues with his story, interjecting half truths, bullying him into changing his account of the shooting. At one point they told George, “Knock off this foolishness and just tell us what we already know from the evidence.” I knew this was their job and if they could catch him in one lie it would be enough. The only way to withstand such relentless attacks was to continue to tell the truth.
This interview was difficult also because for the first time he heard the 911 calls made, recording his calls for help, which forced him to relive that terrible night all over again. He said he “teared up” when shown the photos of Trayvon, lying dead on the grass. At one point, he became so upset with emotion, he vomited during the interrogation.
To keep George calm I explained the process as I knew it. […]
I was kicking myself for not preparing him more, but then I realized that if I had tried to warn him of their methods, he may have focused on side stepping the assaults rather than just speaking the truth as he did so, again and again.
I kept telling him, “If they had evidence to arrest you, they would have done so already.” But he couldn’t shake a constant, nagging fear that told him they were not going to let this go, he was right.
While George was trying to cooperate fully, a storm of controversy was just beginning to brew, stirred first by local media who latched on to the story, spinning the details to suggest this was a racially motivated incident; an event of racial profiling that ended in the murder of an unarmed teenager, Trayvon Martin. None of us were prepared for the media frenzy to come; nor were we prepared for the venomous outpouring of hatred toward George.
{END}
To be continued…..