(from the GZ Legal Website) Zimmerman’s defense team will file a motion today for a second bond hearing.
While Mr. Zimmerman acknowledges that he allowed his financial situation to be misstated in court, the defense will emphasize that in all other regards, Mr. Zimmerman has been forthright and cooperative. He gave several voluntary statements to the police, re-enacted the events for them, gave voice exemplars for comparison and stayed in ongoing contact with the Department of Law Enforcement during his initial stage of being in hiding.
He has twice surrendered himself to law enforcement when asked to do so, and this should demonstrate that Mr. Zimmerman is not a flight risk. He has also complied with all conditions of his release, including curfew, keeping in touch with his supervising officers, and maintaining his GPS monitoring, without violation. (more…)
I’ve written about a lot of slanted and biased media reporting over the years, but this one really ranks up there on the all time propaganda list. One of the central considerations when reading a “news” article is the question ‘why was this written’? Indeed you could read this entire article and still be left with the question, what value or purpose did this serve.? *Note the citation at the bottom of the Stutzman/Weiner article and how it is phrased. This is their specific citation:
” SOURCES: Sentinel reporting and research “
This ranks right up there with “Jeff Weiner and Rene Stutzman spotted having a sexual liason in the back seat of a cab while on assignment. According to research a small ferret was also involved, and a heavily pierced leather clad masked man with a chainsaw was noted singing Ann Murray songs while driving the vehicle”…. Source: Treehouse reporting and research; See how that works?
ORLANDO – Credibility may prove key in George Zimmerman case – It is clear from court and public records that George Zimmerman has sometimes been less than truthful.
After shooting Trayvon Martin in late February, he told Sanford police he didn’t have a criminal history. He did. Several weeks later, he told the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office he had never been in a pretrial-diversion program. That’s also untrue.
He contradicted himself on the witness stand in April, telling Trayvon’s family during an apology that he had thought their son was close to his age. On the night of the shooting, Zimmerman, 28, described the 17-year-old to police as in his “late teens.” (more…)
Zimmerman’s legal team said in a tweet that he was in police custody. Zimmerman’s bail was revoked because the judge said he and his wife lied to the court about their finances so he could obtain a lower bond. Twitchy Follows The Tweets:
The following post is from attorney “It’s Michael Not Mike” submitted to the TreeHouse Tip Line:
In my opinion the money at issue, all or any part of it, is confidential, the issue is irrelevant, is an illegal inquiry, or this is all subject to the attorney/client privilege (so, for example, the Zimmermans were entitled to talk in “code” because they knew the calls were being recorded).
Bottom line first: This is simply an illegal inquiry by the Prosecutor, attorney Crump, et al., to inquire about otherwise privileged matters, and ultimately to stop the flow of attorneys’ fees to Zimmerman’s counsel.:
1) I do not believe DONATIONS (gifts) are legally considered Zimmerman assets. Nor are the monies assets/funds subject to disclosure to a Judge at a BAIL hearing, or any criminal court proceeding, but specifically where the ONLY matter being discussed is bail (the amount of bail is to assure defendant’s appearance. Bail is NOT punishment, a sanction, or a strategic device (e.g., to deny counsel and coerce a guilty plea).
Bonus Inquiry: Even if the donations/gifts are assets, did the State Attorney put into EVIDENCE what the Zimmermans did with the money? IS THERE ANY EVIDENCE THAT THE ZIMMERMANS SPENT ALL OR PART OF IT, AND ON WHAT? (more…)
Mark O’Mara is hopeful Judge Lester will grant a motion for another bond hearing at a later date. However, and increasing possibility now exists that Zimmerman could remain in custody until his trial next year.
Initial reports from the media reflect a significant diminishment in support for George Zimmerman
( We are conducting a TreeHouse Poll below article)
MIAMI Associated Press — George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with murder in the killing of Trayvon Martin, surrendered to police Sunday and was booked into jail after having his bail revoked two days earlier.
Zimmerman’s legal team said in a tweet that he was in police custody. Zimmerman’s bail was revoked because the judge said he and his wife lied to the court about their finances so he could obtain a lower bond.
On Sunday afternoon, about 40 minutes before the 2:30 p.m. deadline to surrender, Zimmerman was listed as an inmate on the jail website. He was listed as being held without bail and having $500 in his jail account.
Seminole County Sheriff Donald Eslinger said Zimmerman turned himself in to two sheriff’s office employees around 1:25 p.m. near the jail, and was then driven to the jail. Zimmerman arrived in a white minivan and did not respond to questions from reporters as he walked inside, handcuffed and wearing blue jeans, sneakers and a button-down shirt. (more…)
I hate to see this happen folks, but in this hearing the state set the defense up for a tactical trap, and because George And Shelly had lied to the court, and allowed their attorney Mark O’Mara to be in the dark, they set themselves up for this. There is no doubt when you look at the state’s evidence presented to Judge Lester that George and Shelly Zimmerman specifically engaged in an act of deception. They lied; and not only did they lie to the court, but they compromised their attorney by misleading him too.
The Transcript from the original April 20th Bond Hearing is HERE pdf
The Motion to revoke the BOND is HERE pdf Which also includes the transcripts from the phone calls between George and Shelly, and the State’s proof of their specific and intentional collusion to lie to the court, including their credit union bank statements from April 19th (the day before the bond hearing) where they show the Zimmerman’s had specific access to to $135,000 + in funds.
Judge Lester Revokes bail… and explains.
Bernie De la Rionda Calls Shelly Zimmerman a LIAR.
O’Mara Discusses…
[…] At Friday’s court hearing, De la Rionda and O’Mara also asked a judge to stop the public release of witness names and statements made by Zimmerman to police officers. Those documents normally are part of the public record under Florida law. (more…)
Benjamin Crump and Natalie Jackson hold celebratory press conference giddy with glee and very pleased with themselves. Trayvon family lawyers say the revocation is proof that George Zimmerman is a liar and a murderer.
SANFORD, Fla. – A judge has revoked the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and ordered him returned to jail within 48 hours.
Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester said Friday that George Zimmerman misled the court about how much money he had available when his bond was set for $150,000 in April. Prosecutors claim Zimmerman had $135,000 available that had been raised by a website he set up.
Prosecutors also say he failed to surrender a second passport. The defense says the finances are an innocent misunderstanding. (more from earlier)
Initial Bond Hearing Segment on Finances pdf (Conversation with Shelly Zimmerman)
(snip)
Wisdom of Sharon (which I agree with 100%):
If he deliberately misrepresented the facts, it makes sense that his bond should be revoked, because he becomes a flight risk. No doubt because he was terribly frightened and frustrated. If that is what he did, I certainly won’t wring my hands over the judge’s decision. We used to be a nation of laws, and I’m in favor of us being a nation of laws. (more…)
(Via Weinerboy at the Orlando Sentinel) George Zimmerman, the defendant in one of the most-watched murder cases in the country, on Thursday added a new lawyer to his defense team: veteran Orlando attorney Donald R. West, who specializes in murders.
Attorney Mark O’Mara, lead defense counsel in the case, plans to make a formal announcement today.
West has handled some of the most high-profile criminal cases in the Orlando area in the past 20 years.
In 1998, he served as co-counsel and helped Joseph “Crazy Joe” Spaziano get off death row. Spaziano is the former motorcycle gang member who was convicted of raping and murdering an Orlando teenager, whose body was found in an Altamonte Springs dump. (more…)
I am reposting the Trayvon 7-11 video from Diwataman for a several reasons. First, it is simply an exceptional catch that deserves to be reposted. From high altitude, or with only a casual glance, it might seem a little irrelevant, alas it is not. It is very significant.
From the outset the entire story of altruistic Trayvon Martin headed to the 7-11 for his “brother” Chad was simply silly. 17-year-old kids do not go out in the rain, at night, and walk over a mile just to get dad’s girlfriend’s kid a bag of skittles. Every intellectually honest person knew that story, while it might have sounded great -and was indeed Julianesque- was implausible. This video, and DiwataMan’s discovery of Trayvon’s actual intent, reflects the far more believable explanation. (more…)