Shooting of Trayvon Martin - Page 65

Lawyers for George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer charged in the killing of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin, said on Monday they would ask a judge to release him from jail again after his bail was revoked last week.

The announcement came a day after Zimmerman, 28, returned to a cell in the Seminole County jail in central Florida, after a circuit court judge revoked his bond at a hearing on Friday and ordered him back into custody.

Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. revoked Zimmerman's $150,000 bond, posted in April while he was awaiting trial on second-degree murder charges, after prosecutors said both he and his wife had lied about their financial status at the original bond hearing.

They failed to tell the court about at least $135,000 that anonymous donors had contributed to help bankroll Zimmerman's legal defense, and also withheld one of two valid passports issued in Zimmerman's name, the prosecutors said.

The murder case has grabbed widespread media attention and sparked debate about U.S. race relations and guns and self-defense laws.

The lawyers had originally planned to file a motion on Monday requesting a new bond hearing for Zimmerman. But Donald West, one of the lawyers, said the motion was not completed in time and it was now likely to be filed on Tuesday.

The defense lawyers said in a statement posted on their website on Monday that Zimmerman, who went into hiding because of death threats after his previous release on bond, had been unfairly "thrust into the national spotlight as a racist murderer."

Zimmerman, who is white and Hispanic, is charged with fatally shooting 17-year-old Martin on Feb 26 as the teenager walked through a gated community in Sanford, where he was staying with his father.

Police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, citing Florida's "Stand Your Ground" self-defense law, but six weeks later a special prosecutor charged him with second-degree murder. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty and said he fired in self-defense after Martin broke his nose and slammed his head into a sidewalk.

Zimmerman's defense team said he acknowledged that he had "allowed his financial situation to misstated in court" in April. But they said Zimmerman had been "forthright and cooperative" in other regards.

"Mr. Zimmerman knew a significant sum had been raised by his original fundraising website. We feel the failure to disclose these funds was caused by fear, mistrust and confusion," the lawyers said.

"The gravity of this mistake has been directly illustrated, and Mr. Zimmerman understands that this mistake has undermined his credibility, which he will have to work to repair."

Zimmerman solicited money for his defense through a website, TheRealGeorgeZimmerman.com, that has since been taken down. It has been replaced by a new online site for contributions to Zimmerman's defense called gzdefensefund.com.

The Zimmerman lawyers said in the statement on Monday that $204,000 was raised through the original website and an additional $37,000 was contributed to Zimmerman's defense through the new site.

Shellie Zimmerman, wife of George Zimmerman, who killed Trayvon Martin, was arrested Tuesday on one count of perjury, the Seminole County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department said.

Deputies arrested Shellie Zimmerman, 25, about 3:30 p.m. ET, after they were advised by the office of State Attorney Angela Corey that a warrant had been issued.

She was booked into John E. Polk Correctional Facility and released on $1,000 bond, officials said.

George Zimmerman, 28, was charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting of Martin. He pleaded not guilty. Police say that he claimed on the night of the shooting that he acted in self-defense.

His $150,000 bond was revoked after allegations that during an April 20 bail hearing he and Shellie Zimmeran misled the court about their finances, neglecting to disclose they had raised at least $135,000 in a PayPal account.

The order issued Tuesday by Assistant State Attorney John Guy charged Shellie Zimmerman with knowingly making false statements during the April hearing.

Also Tuesday, the court released Seminole County Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester’s order revoking George Zimmerman’s bond.

"There are several factors that weigh against his release: this is a serious charge for which life may be imposed; the evidence against him is strong; he has been charged with one prior crime, for which he went through a pre-trial diversion program, and has had an injunction lodged against him.

"Most importantly, though, is the fact that he has now demonstrated that he does not properly respect the law or the integrity of the judicial process. Based upon these factors, this Court finds that revocation of the bond is appropriate."

On June 13 2012 07:59 Mohdoo wrote:
And now perjury. I'm so compelled to believe a single word this guy says.

On June 13 2012 08:00 dAPhREAk wrote:

he wasnt charged with perjury; his wife was.

On June 13 2012 09:08 Mohdoo wrote:


Right, but I think that a lot of people make a fair assumption that they were both involved or knowledgeable in the matter. Whether or not she is the one being charged, I'd assume he was aware of their financial situation as well and allowed said assumptions to be accepted.

On June 13 2012 09:17 dAPhREAk wrote:

well, it is a common theme in this case for people to judge guilt before they hear any evidence or know any facts. we don't know why the money wasn't reported, and because zimmerman himself wasn't charged (at least yet), i assume the DA has no evidence to show he was involved in the alleged perjury. i say alleged because she hasn't been convicted of anything. this recent step seems to be more of a bully move by the DA as part of a plea bargain (i.e., go after the wife to force the husband to plead guilty)--at least how i read it. i doubt this would happen in cases that aren't high publicity.

Details Regarding the Request for a Second Bond Hearing for George Zimmerman

on 04 June 2012.

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.

The audio recordings of Mr. Zimmerman's phone conversations while in jail make it clear that Mr. Zimmerman knew a significant sum had been raised by his original fundraising website. We feel the failure to disclose these funds was caused by fear, mistrust, and confusion. The gravity of this mistake has been distinctly illustrated, and Mr. Zimmerman understands that this mistake has undermined his credibility, which he will have to work to repair.

At the point of the bond hearing, Mr. Zimmerman had been driven from his home and neighborhood, could not go to work, his wife could not go back to a finish her nursing degree, his mother and father had been driven from their home, and he had been thrust into the national spotlight as a racist murderer by factions acting with their own agendas. None of those allegations have been supported by the discovery released to date, yet the hatred continues.

It must be noted that, when attempting to interpret George's actions regarding the funds, that he did disclose the existence of the funds five days after the bond hearing, during his first conversation with the defense about the fund. When the defense team learned of the funds, we disclosed this to the court and to the State Attorney's Office, and the money was transferred to the Legal Defense Fund which is now independently managed.

Of the original $204,000 raised by Mr. Zimmerman's fund, approximately $150,000 was transferred to the Legal Defense Fund. $30,000 was used to make the complicated transition from private life in Sanford, FL to a life in hiding as a defendant in a high-profile court case. The balance of approximately $20,000 was kept liquid to provide living expenses for the first several months as the legal process unfolds.

Since the independently managed Legal Defense Fund was established on May 3, supporters have contributed more than $37,000. Of this amount, $2,000 has been designated for household expenses. Less than $300 has been designated for fund management and fees associated with maintaining the conditions of the bond. None of the funds have yet to be allocated to legal expenses. Neither Mr. Zimmerman or the defense team has direct access to the independently managed Legal Defense Fund.

On June 13 2012 09:35 dAPhREAk wrote:
he doesnt really deny knowing about the funds according to his attorney.


http://gzlegalcase.com/index.php/press-releases/24-details-regarding-the-request-for-a-second-bond-hearing-for-george-zimmerman

On June 13 2012 09:50 nath wrote:

I know you're trying to play devil's advocate, but lets not actually become unintelligent here and allow ourselves to make assumptions that dont 'blindly trust' as you are doing.

On June 13 2012 09:17 dAPhREAk wrote:

well, it is a common theme in this case for people to judge guilt before they hear any evidence or know any facts. we don't know why the money wasn't reported, and because zimmerman himself wasn't charged (at least yet), i assume the DA has no evidence to show he was involved in the alleged perjury. i say alleged because she hasn't been convicted of anything. this recent step seems to be more of a bully move by the DA as part of a plea bargain (i.e., go after the wife to force the husband to plead guilty)--at least how i read it. i doubt this would happen in cases that aren't high publicity.

On June 13 2012 09:54 Boiler Bandsman wrote:


Agreed. The perjury charge really smells of coercion. Either they're trying to get her to testify against him or they're trying to squeeze him into taking a plea and avoiding the potentially embarrassing not-guilty verdict that a trial risks.

Judge Lester:
"There are several factors that weigh against his release: this is a serious charge for which life may be imposed; the evidence against him is strong; he has been charged with one prior crime, for which he went through a pre-trial diversion program, and has had an injunction lodged against him."

Am I the only one bothered by the judge describing the evidence as strong before the trial even starts? Is that just a normal comment, or is the judge getting swept along with the tide of anti-Zimmerman and possibly ill-informed public opinion?

Also, mad props to dAPHREAK's fact-finding and knowledgeable comments in this entire thread.

On June 13 2012 09:17 dAPhREAk wrote:
this recent step seems to be more of a bully move by the DA as part of a plea bargain (i.e., go after the wife to force the husband to plead guilty)--at least how i read it. i doubt this would happen in cases that aren't high publicity.

On June 13 2012 10:05 Kaitlin wrote:


Law enforcement and prosecutors do everything they can to "coerce" defendants into whatever they want, whether high profile or not. You just don't see it when it's not high profile, but it's standard operating procedure for them.

On June 13 2012 09:54 Boiler Bandsman wrote:


Agreed. The perjury charge really smells of coercion. Either they're trying to get her to testify against him or they're trying to squeeze him into taking a plea and avoiding the potentially embarrassing not-guilty verdict that a trial risks.

Judge Lester:
"There are several factors that weigh against his release: this is a serious charge for which life may be imposed; the evidence against him is strong; he has been charged with one prior crime, for which he went through a pre-trial diversion program, and has had an injunction lodged against him."

Am I the only one bothered by the judge describing the evidence as strong before the trial even starts? Is that just a normal comment, or is the judge getting swept along with the tide of anti-Zimmerman and possibly ill-informed public opinion?

Also, mad props to dAPHREAK's fact-finding and knowledgeable comments in this entire thread.

Update #26 Part 2 – Trayvon Martin Shooting – A year of drug use culminates in predictable violence…

We know from Trayvon himself that last summer, between the school years, in or around June 2011, Trayvon was engaged in DXM/Lean and Marijuana use. We also know there are multiple behavioral side effects from DSM/Lean use. Those side effects and impacts on cognitive judgement increase with prolonged exposure. The more you use, the worse the psychological affects are.

Trayvon was admittedly, according to his Facebook conversations, a user of DXM and Purple Drank/Lean since at least June 2011. He was also an admitted smoker of Marijuana which was found in both his urine and blood tests. His liver indicates the beginning stages of an unusual degrading known as “mild fatty metamorphasis”, and his brain tissue appeared compromised, both conditions symptomatic of DXM use.

In addition he was suspended from school three times in the past seven months prior to the shooting for behavioral issues. He was detached from adult supervision at the time in question, in a relatively unfamiliar place, and according to his father Tracy Martin, grounded. His girlfriend describes their phone call as Trayvon being “paranoid”.

Trayvon makes a trip to the store and buys two of the specific three ingredients needed to blend a drug cocktail he was well versed in making (Lean). And appeared slightly exagerrated, tenuous, and wobbly (swaying) when you objectively review his physical movements on the video of the store during the purchase.

He was a little more than a half a mile from home (Brandy’s house), yet he left the store at 6:24 and was first noted at the clubhouse at 7:09pm. If he intended to go straight home from the store, and under normal cognitive capacity, he should have made the 1/2 mile trip in well under 30 minutes, well under.

The facts, and new understanding, as it now presents itself, would certainly lend weight to the strong possibility that Trayvon Martin was motor impaired, or at least influenced, by some altering condition. At the very least this bears considerable merit for further inquiry, and a serious toxicological analysis for an understanding of exactly what metabolic influences may have been in place at the time of the encounter between George and Trayvon.

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2012/05/24/update-26-part-2-trayvon-martin-shooting-a-year-of-drug-use-culminates-in-predictable-violence/

On June 01 2012 04:37 DeepElemBlues wrote:


Defense attorney's dream case keeps getting dreamier and dreamier.

What an embarrassment this prosecutor is to the state of Florida and her profession.

George Zimmerman is worried about his wife's safety now that she has been arrested and her mug shot publicized, his lawyer told ABC News.

Zimmerman and his wife have both been in hiding since the neighborhood watch captain shot unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla.

Shellie Zimmerman, 25, was arrested this week on perjury charges for allegedly lying to the judge at an April 20 bond hearing about being destitute while her husband's online defense fund had $135,000 in it.

After her arrest, police released her mug shot, marking the first anyone has seen Mrs. Zimmerman who has been in hiding because of death threats against her and her family. Even when she testified at the bond hearing it was done by speaker phone because she wanted to protect her identity.

"Certainly now that she's been charged with a crime he's worried about her, and also worried now that she's out in the public eye," Zimmerman's attorney Mark O'Mara told ABC News after visiting his client in jail late Tuesday night. The lawyer said there are "legitimate safety concerns."

If convicted of the charge, Mrs. Zimmerman could be sentenced to five years in prison.

The move by prosecutors upset O'Mara because he says he was not given the professional courtesy of a warning beforehand.

Legal analysts speculate that Mrs. Zimmerman's arrest could be used as a tactic by the prosecutors to pressure her husband.

"They can always say, look, we won't prosecute your wife if you decide to plea to some sort of charge," legal analyst Mark Lippman told "Good Morning America" today. He added, "It seems pretty clear to me that this is not something they would do in a normal case."

Seminole County sheriffs picked up Mrs. Zimmerman at the home where she was in hiding on Monday, the latest fallout from a series of taped conversations that landed her husband back behind bars a week and a half ago.

On April 9, George Zimmerman had launched the website therealgeorgezimmerman.com and within weeks received more than $200,000 in donations to help with his legal expenses. But during the April 20 bond hearing, Zimmerman's wife testified that the couple was financially indigent.

During cross examination, Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda asked her, "In terms of the ability of your husband to make a bond amount, you all had no money, is that correct?" Shellie Zimmerman responded yes.

At a June 1 hearing that was called to discuss what evidence in the case against her husband should be made public, prosecutors presented evidence that included at least four jailhouse phone conversations in which George and Shellie Zimmerman were apparently discussing tiny amounts of money, but were allegedly referring to some of the $200,000 supporters had poured into his PayPal account.

At the time of the recordings, Zimmerman had just been recently arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old.

During one call on April 16, Zimmerman and his wife were taped discussing their bank accounts.

George Zimmerman: "In my account do I have at least $100?"

Shellie Zimmerman: "No."

George Zimmerman: "How close am I?"

Shellie Zimmerman: "$8. $8.60."

George Zimmerman: "Really? So total everything how much are we looking at?"

Shellie Zimmerman: "Like $155"

The prosecutor noted that Shellie Zimmerman actually meant $155,000.

He said the couple knew that their conversation was being recorded but that they were speaking in code and knowingly withheld from the court the amount of money brought in from therealgeorgezimmerman.com, a now defunct website.

Information provided by Zimmerman's attorney a week after he was released on bail showed that the couple had $135,000 in their bank account a day before the April 20 hearing.

The conversations landed her husband back in jail. He faces a second bond hearing on June 29 where his release is very much in doubt.

Also on Tuesday the family of Trayvon Martin appeared before a special task force appointed by Florida Gov. Rick Scott to review the controversial "Stand Your Ground" self-defense law that George Zimmerman is expected to invoke as his defense. The parents asked the state to create a "Trayvon Martin Amendment."

The family asked the 19-member panel made up of prosecutors, lawmakers, and law enforcement officials to add a provision making it harder for someone who starts a fight to end it with deadly force.

"You cannot initiate a confrontation and then turn around and say you are standing your ground," said Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump.

George Zimmerman contends that he shot and killed Trayvon Martin after the teen attacked him. It's unclear who initiated the confrontation between the two that night.