did you guys know that jeanteal is represented by a lawyer? i wonder who is paying for the lawyer.
Trayvon Martin trial: Prosecution’s star witness, Rachel Jeantel, grilled by defense
The young woman who was on the phone with Trayvon Martin moments before he was killed got raked over the coals Thursday.
Rachel Jeantel was attacked by George Zimmerman’s lawyer for telling differing stories about the deadly encounter to Martin’s parents; to their lawyer, Benjamin Crump; and to prosecutors.
And in one especially cringe-worthy moment, the 19-year-old balked at reading a letter out loud in court, saying, “I don’t read cursive.”
Jeantel’s tough turn on the stand left Martin’s parents shaking their heads in apparent dismay at times.
“She really doesn’t want to be here,” Jeantel’s lawyer, Rod Vereen, said before she took the stand. West got Jeantel to admit she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized. Pool/Getty Images West got Jeantel to admit she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized.
It showed. At one point, Jeantell responded to a question posed by defense attorney Don West by telling him, “That’s retarded, sir.”
That outburst came after West suggested Martin attacked Zimmerman.
And when West said Jeantel didn’t call the cops after Martin’s phone went dead because she feared he provoked the fight, she replied, “No sir! I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
On Wednesday, Jeantel told the court the last words she heard 17-year-old Martin say after he was confronted by wannabe cop Zimmerman were “Get off! Get off!”
But cross-examined by defense attorney Don West, Jeantel found herself backed into a corner when asked to explain why she didn’t tell Crump that those were Martin’s final words.
“I didn't think it was important,” she said. “They never asked me. They never asked me what happened about fight or nothing.”
When West scoffed at that, Jeantel lost it a little.
“Like I told you from the beginning, Crump was not law enforcement,” she said. “I said if they want me to talk to an officer I would tell the whole story. Crump is not an officer. You got it?”
Jeantel, a key witness for the prosecution, had testified that Martin had described Zimmerman as a “creepy ass cracker” before the killing on Feb. 26, 2012.
But on the stand Thursday Jeantel admitted she “cleaned” up Martin’s language during her initial interview with prosecutors because she didn’t want to say “ass” in front of the teen’s mother, Sybrina Fulton.
Jeantel was also forced to make the humiliating admission that she had a friend pen a letter about Martin’s death to his mother because she can’t write legibly.
A key prosecution witness, Jeantel said she signed it “Diamond Eugene,” which is one of her nicknames.
Jeantel’s often difficult-to-understand diction was also targeted by West. He insisted Jeantel said she “could’ve heard Trayvon” say, “Get off! Get off!” when questioned by prosecutors on April 2, 2012.
“I said, ‘Could hear Trayvon’,” Jeantel insisted.
Judge Debra Nelson then asked the jury to leave the court while they played the tape of that interview. Jeantel covered her face with her hands while it played.
West, in a bid to cast doubts about Jeantel’s credibility, got her to admit Wednesday that she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized.
Jeantel told the court the real reason was because she felt “guilty” and added, “I didn’t want to see the body.”
When Jeantel left the stand, neighborhood resident Jennifer Lauer was sworn-in and her 911 call was played. Two jurors covered their mouths and another burst into tears as the screams punctuated by a single gunshot echoed through the courtroom.
“The yells for help were from one person,” Lauer said. “They were desperate like they really needed help.”
Lauer said that while she’d heard Zimmerman speak before at neighborhood meetings, she couldn’t tell who was screaming.
Nor did she hear Martin yell “You’re going to die tonight,” as Zimmerman claims.
Prosecutors contend that Zimmerman racially profiled Martin and tailed him through his Sanford neighborhood after a police dispatcher advised him to stand down.
Zimmerman, who is 29 and is half-Hispanic, says Martin jumped him and that he shot the black teenager in self-defense.
Martin’s death outraged African-Americans because Sanford police refused at first to charge Zimmerman with a crime.
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder and faces life in prison if convicted.
The young woman who was on the phone with Trayvon Martin moments before he was killed got raked over the coals Thursday.
Rachel Jeantel was attacked by George Zimmerman’s lawyer for telling differing stories about the deadly encounter to Martin’s parents; to their lawyer, Benjamin Crump; and to prosecutors.
And in one especially cringe-worthy moment, the 19-year-old balked at reading a letter out loud in court, saying, “I don’t read cursive.”
Jeantel’s tough turn on the stand left Martin’s parents shaking their heads in apparent dismay at times.
“She really doesn’t want to be here,” Jeantel’s lawyer, Rod Vereen, said before she took the stand. West got Jeantel to admit she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized. Pool/Getty Images West got Jeantel to admit she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized.
It showed. At one point, Jeantell responded to a question posed by defense attorney Don West by telling him, “That’s retarded, sir.”
That outburst came after West suggested Martin attacked Zimmerman.
And when West said Jeantel didn’t call the cops after Martin’s phone went dead because she feared he provoked the fight, she replied, “No sir! I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
On Wednesday, Jeantel told the court the last words she heard 17-year-old Martin say after he was confronted by wannabe cop Zimmerman were “Get off! Get off!”
But cross-examined by defense attorney Don West, Jeantel found herself backed into a corner when asked to explain why she didn’t tell Crump that those were Martin’s final words.
“I didn't think it was important,” she said. “They never asked me. They never asked me what happened about fight or nothing.”
When West scoffed at that, Jeantel lost it a little.
“Like I told you from the beginning, Crump was not law enforcement,” she said. “I said if they want me to talk to an officer I would tell the whole story. Crump is not an officer. You got it?”
Jeantel, a key witness for the prosecution, had testified that Martin had described Zimmerman as a “creepy ass cracker” before the killing on Feb. 26, 2012.
But on the stand Thursday Jeantel admitted she “cleaned” up Martin’s language during her initial interview with prosecutors because she didn’t want to say “ass” in front of the teen’s mother, Sybrina Fulton.
Jeantel was also forced to make the humiliating admission that she had a friend pen a letter about Martin’s death to his mother because she can’t write legibly.
A key prosecution witness, Jeantel said she signed it “Diamond Eugene,” which is one of her nicknames.
Jeantel’s often difficult-to-understand diction was also targeted by West. He insisted Jeantel said she “could’ve heard Trayvon” say, “Get off! Get off!” when questioned by prosecutors on April 2, 2012.
“I said, ‘Could hear Trayvon’,” Jeantel insisted.
Judge Debra Nelson then asked the jury to leave the court while they played the tape of that interview. Jeantel covered her face with her hands while it played.
West, in a bid to cast doubts about Jeantel’s credibility, got her to admit Wednesday that she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized.
Jeantel told the court the real reason was because she felt “guilty” and added, “I didn’t want to see the body.”
When Jeantel left the stand, neighborhood resident Jennifer Lauer was sworn-in and her 911 call was played. Two jurors covered their mouths and another burst into tears as the screams punctuated by a single gunshot echoed through the courtroom.
“The yells for help were from one person,” Lauer said. “They were desperate like they really needed help.”
Lauer said that while she’d heard Zimmerman speak before at neighborhood meetings, she couldn’t tell who was screaming.
Nor did she hear Martin yell “You’re going to die tonight,” as Zimmerman claims.
Prosecutors contend that Zimmerman racially profiled Martin and tailed him through his Sanford neighborhood after a police dispatcher advised him to stand down.
Zimmerman, who is 29 and is half-Hispanic, says Martin jumped him and that he shot the black teenager in self-defense.
Martin’s death outraged African-Americans because Sanford police refused at first to charge Zimmerman with a crime.
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder and faces life in prison if convicted.
On June 28 2013 09:24 dAPhREAk wrote: did you guys know that jeanteal is represented by a lawyer? i wonder who is paying for the lawyer.
Trayvon Martin trial: Prosecution’s star witness, Rachel Jeantel, grilled by defense
The young woman who was on the phone with Trayvon Martin moments before he was killed got raked over the coals Thursday.
Rachel Jeantel was attacked by George Zimmerman’s lawyer for telling differing stories about the deadly encounter to Martin’s parents; to their lawyer, Benjamin Crump; and to prosecutors.
And in one especially cringe-worthy moment, the 19-year-old balked at reading a letter out loud in court, saying, “I don’t read cursive.”
Jeantel’s tough turn on the stand left Martin’s parents shaking their heads in apparent dismay at times.
“She really doesn’t want to be here,” Jeantel’s lawyer, Rod Vereen, said before she took the stand. West got Jeantel to admit she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized. Pool/Getty Images West got Jeantel to admit she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized.
It showed. At one point, Jeantell responded to a question posed by defense attorney Don West by telling him, “That’s retarded, sir.”
That outburst came after West suggested Martin attacked Zimmerman.
And when West said Jeantel didn’t call the cops after Martin’s phone went dead because she feared he provoked the fight, she replied, “No sir! I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
On Wednesday, Jeantel told the court the last words she heard 17-year-old Martin say after he was confronted by wannabe cop Zimmerman were “Get off! Get off!”
But cross-examined by defense attorney Don West, Jeantel found herself backed into a corner when asked to explain why she didn’t tell Crump that those were Martin’s final words.
“I didn't think it was important,” she said. “They never asked me. They never asked me what happened about fight or nothing.”
When West scoffed at that, Jeantel lost it a little.
“Like I told you from the beginning, Crump was not law enforcement,” she said. “I said if they want me to talk to an officer I would tell the whole story. Crump is not an officer. You got it?”
Jeantel, a key witness for the prosecution, had testified that Martin had described Zimmerman as a “creepy ass cracker” before the killing on Feb. 26, 2012.
But on the stand Thursday Jeantel admitted she “cleaned” up Martin’s language during her initial interview with prosecutors because she didn’t want to say “ass” in front of the teen’s mother, Sybrina Fulton.
Jeantel was also forced to make the humiliating admission that she had a friend pen a letter about Martin’s death to his mother because she can’t write legibly.
A key prosecution witness, Jeantel said she signed it “Diamond Eugene,” which is one of her nicknames.
Jeantel’s often difficult-to-understand diction was also targeted by West. He insisted Jeantel said she “could’ve heard Trayvon” say, “Get off! Get off!” when questioned by prosecutors on April 2, 2012.
“I said, ‘Could hear Trayvon’,” Jeantel insisted.
Judge Debra Nelson then asked the jury to leave the court while they played the tape of that interview. Jeantel covered her face with her hands while it played.
West, in a bid to cast doubts about Jeantel’s credibility, got her to admit Wednesday that she lied to investigators when she said she skipped Martin’s funeral because she was hospitalized.
Jeantel told the court the real reason was because she felt “guilty” and added, “I didn’t want to see the body.”
When Jeantel left the stand, neighborhood resident Jennifer Lauer was sworn-in and her 911 call was played. Two jurors covered their mouths and another burst into tears as the screams punctuated by a single gunshot echoed through the courtroom.
“The yells for help were from one person,” Lauer said. “They were desperate like they really needed help.”
Lauer said that while she’d heard Zimmerman speak before at neighborhood meetings, she couldn’t tell who was screaming.
Nor did she hear Martin yell “You’re going to die tonight,” as Zimmerman claims.
Prosecutors contend that Zimmerman racially profiled Martin and tailed him through his Sanford neighborhood after a police dispatcher advised him to stand down.
Zimmerman, who is 29 and is half-Hispanic, says Martin jumped him and that he shot the black teenager in self-defense.
Martin’s death outraged African-Americans because Sanford police refused at first to charge Zimmerman with a crime.
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder and faces life in prison if convicted.
The whole story seems to only make sense if Zimmerman was defending himself (not saying that he had´nt provoked Martin)
Zimmerman got the gun and the wounds. Someone yelled for help for 40 seconds for help, shouting ended with the shot. Zimmerman was the one who received a beating, Martin´s body showed no wounds other than the gunshot wound. Logic would suggest, Zimmerman got beaten upm while shouting for help. As the struggle for the gun started he grabed it and was at the right end.
If Martin was beaten up, why he showed no signs? Was he shounting for help, 40 seconds because he was held at gunpoint? Attacking and harming Zimmerman a desperate attempt of saving himselff giving him reason to shoot?
Since there is no evidence and no eye-witness, this will come down to the opinion of judge and jury. Was Zimmerman a racist wannabe cop, trying to get some action, probably failing to control the situation, or was Martin a wannabe "Gangsta" about to assault the guy following him for apperantly racist reasons, seeing a gun and ended up dead?
For me thats "in dubio pro reo" and Zimmerman is not guilty
On June 28 2013 10:04 Ubiquitousdichotomy wrote: Its next to impossible for this jury to convict Zimmerman on anything. I would bet my house on a not guilty verdict.
After seeing past decisions in the US in my lifetime, I would never rule anything out. There is a difference between having complete freedom of information and being on a jury with lawyers as the filter.
On June 28 2013 10:04 Ubiquitousdichotomy wrote: Its next to impossible for this jury to convict Zimmerman on anything. I would bet my house on a not guilty verdict.
It's next to impossible for this jury not to send OJ Simpson to the slammer for the rest of his life. I would bet my house on a guilty verdict.
On June 28 2013 10:04 Ubiquitousdichotomy wrote: Its next to impossible for this jury to convict Zimmerman on anything. I would bet my house on a not guilty verdict.
It's next to impossible for this jury not to send OJ Simpson to the slammer for the rest of his life. I would bet my house on a guilty verdict.
Unfortunately I'm feeling the same way. This is the state of Florida where everything is fucked up (I live here unfortunately) after the Casey Anthony thing I don't have confidence in this jury to make a correct decision. Though I think the jury system is stupid in general but that's another discussion.
On June 28 2013 10:04 Ubiquitousdichotomy wrote: Its next to impossible for this jury to convict Zimmerman on anything. I would bet my house on a not guilty verdict.
It's next to impossible for this jury not to send OJ Simpson to the slammer for the rest of his life. I would bet my house on a guilty verdict.
Not with a jury of 5 white women and one African woman. Two of which the Prosecutor threw off the jury but then the judge allowed them back on. This case wouldn't have been tried if it was not for the media hype. This case comes down to jury selection and the prosecutors went full retard. Their is 0% chance Zimmerman will be found guilty. Worst case scenario for Zimmerman is a hung jury
On June 28 2013 10:04 Ubiquitousdichotomy wrote: Its next to impossible for this jury to convict Zimmerman on anything. I would bet my house on a not guilty verdict.
It's next to impossible for this jury not to send OJ Simpson to the slammer for the rest of his life. I would bet my house on a guilty verdict.
Unfortunately I'm feeling the same way. This is the state of Florida where everything is fucked up (I live here unfortunately) after the Casey Anthony thing I don't have confidence in this jury to make a correct decision. Though I think the jury system is stupid in general but that's another discussion.
So what do you believe would be the correct decision?
The ONLY way I could change my opinion is if somehow it was actually proven that zimmerman was on top prior to the shot being fired. However, nothing has been presented to show that other than false testimony from people who couldn't actually see/know what they are claiming.
On June 28 2013 11:06 jeremycafe wrote: The ONLY way I could change my opinion is if somehow it was actually proven that zimmerman was on top prior to the shot being fired. However, nothing has been presented to show that other than false testimony from people who couldn't actually see/know what they are claiming.
They're not going to be able to prove that. In fact, they're probably going to have to concede that Trayvon was on top of Zimmerman at least once during the fight.
Also, my understanding of the forensics is that there are powder burns and other signs of the shot that Zimmerman took being point blank.
Yeah, I know, but the defense in cross examination of one of the preliminary prosecution witnesses made the specific point that the weight of the can pulled the hoodie away from Trayvon's body, and this would contribute to have the gun in contact with the skin, while not being pressed into the body. I guess the State must have contended Zimmerman pushed the gun into Trayvon, which the defense went to detailed effort to refute that it was only in contact with the sweatshirt, but not Trayvon's body.
On June 28 2013 11:26 Kaitlin wrote: Yeah, I know, but the defense in cross examination of one of the preliminary prosecution witnesses made the specific point that the weight of the can pulled the hoodie away from Trayvon's body, and this would contribute to have the gun in contact with the skin, while not being pressed into the body. I guess the State must have contended Zimmerman pushed the gun into Trayvon, which the defense went to detailed effort to refute that it was only in contact with the sweatshirt, but not Trayvon's body.
Even if the gun was up directly against Martin, the angle just doesn't make sense for Zimmerman to be on top. The bullet apparently hit a rib and splintered, going into the lower right portion of the heart and the lung. If I'm on top of someone with a gun in my hand, I'm not going to be aiming so low or even have the gun at that angle. I'm going to have it directly pointed at his chest, or even his head. Also, if I have a gun, why would I be scuffling with someone while on top of him when I have a gun? Just take a fucking step back and pull out the gun. Based on this, I would have to assume Martin was on top and Zimmerman got his gun out and shot hurriedly at an upward angle.
I totally missed Rachel's testimony that had Trayvon been about to get in a fight, he would have told her he'd call her back, that he wouldn't keep her on the phone when he was about to get in a fight. I totally missed that, maybe you guys discussed it, but it totally leads one to believe she has knowledge of Trayvon fighting before, since she knows how he would prepare. Interesting.
On June 28 2013 13:09 Kaitlin wrote: I totally missed Rachel's testimony that had Trayvon been about to get in a fight, he would have told her he'd call her back, that he wouldn't keep her on the phone when he was about to get in a fight. I totally missed that, maybe you guys discussed it, but it totally leads one to believe she has knowledge of Trayvon fighting before, since she knows how he would prepare. Interesting.
It's a good point. Who knows if the jury picked up on that though.
EPT
