Verdict Watch Thread Saturday July 13

[MeeBee]

BBM

I understand your point and I think in other circumstances, this would make perfect sense. I wish I could find a reference for this, but I recall Tracy saying that he wasn't worried until the next day when he realized he was still not home.

The thing about this particular incident that is troubling is that Chad expected him home that night at 7pm, Trayvon told him he was coming home, there were police all over that courtyard investigating that night, this was not Trayvon's home, he was 17 and on suspension from school and this was not his neighborhood. Adding up the totality of what was going on with him, is why it seems so weird to me and some others.

IMO

That makes sense. Maybe a better parent would have worried sooner. I have trouble judging other parents so that's why I have trouble judging the Martins too harshly. I have a mom who wouldn't might have been the kind of mom to wait until the next morning thouhg i don't know for sure. Depends. But I think in this case people are a little too hard on Tracy. Maybe because when I hear that call I feel nothing but sympathy because he has no idea that he's about to find outthat Trayvon is dead. Whether he wasn't the best father or not, you can tell he still loved him. It makes me so sad to hear that call.

 

[Just Sailing Thru]

Just an FYI Kathi Belich, WFTV @KBelichWFTV
The judge says she will let the jury decide how late to work and when to take breaks. No limit unless they're hung. #Zimmermanon9

 

[TorisMom003]

Is that really what you heard? I heard a man telling NE 911 that the guy I wanted you to check out is now gone. That he was disappointed, because like always, this one got away. He honestly thought the guy was gone....not for one minute did he come across as he was going to make sure he didn't get away. You can't add words to the 911 call that weren't there. You just can't......unless you are Corey, the city manager, the mayor, CNN, or someone that just wants to distort the facts. And when I say "you", I'm not talking about you.....I'm talking about anyone that distorts the facts.

Except that Zimmerman makes the statement "these a@@holes, they always get away" before Trayvon takes off running, Zimmerman gets out of his car and follows Trayvon. So yes, I agree that Zimmerman was not going to let this a@@hole get away like the others have. Zimmerman admits to following Trayvon. Why did Zimmerman follow him?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbONzvgI3nE"]Zimmerman call to non-emergency police line - YouTube[/ame]

 

[missmazzy]

Although not studying criminology, David Westerfield also talked to LE without lawyering up. I know someone who knew DW for years and he said DW always thought he was just a little smarter than everyone else.

To me, then, speaking to LE without lawyering up is no proof of innocence. It could very well simply mean the person thinks they can talk their way out of the situation. :twocents:

Omg! You just gave me the creeps! I watched that trial. He actually tried to blame his son.. I hope his life is wretched on death row. :twocents:

 

[nnglas]

They did not get to check Trayvon's cell phone record because Tracy Martin refused to give LE the passcode in order to unlock Trayvon's phone.

This is why they could not check his cell phone records.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com...rge-zimmerman-special-prosecutor-angela-corey

The phone is registered to Trayvon's father. According to police records, on March 1, an analyst with the Seminole County Sheriff's Office told Sanford police he needed the security code to unlock the data on the phone.

Sanford police Detective Doris Singleton contacted the carrier, T-Mobile, asking for the code. The company told her they could get to the information if they had the PIN to the account. On March 5, Sanford police Sgt. Joe Santiago asked Tracy Martin for the PIN, according to a police report. Tracy Martin said he'd check with his attorney.

Martin never got back with police. At a March 8 news conference in Orlando, Tracy Martin told reporters he would not help police download information from the phone.

They had already decided not to charge GZ. Remember they were done with him by the next day.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[kimlynn]

I watched it within the last 2 hours, as I said, because I had my own doubts, and he does tell the detective that he was pushing TM away from him and that is how they ended up in line with JG's back door (rough generalization of the area).

I'll have to watch it again later.Have to run for now.

Thanks again for you response.

IMO

 

[MeeBee]

There were other photos they could have used, like the one where he is on the horse etc.

IMO, they used the younger photos of Trayvon in order to garner sympathy from the public and the media so an innocent man would be arrested and charged.

JMO

Maybe it was the nicest one they had on hand. Maybe it was their favorite picture of him. We have NO idea why they used that pic in particular and to just assume there was a shady reason is an assumption. People are letting their emotions get the best of them. Things that normally wouldn't bother them are suddenly being nitpicked and chastised.

 

[Wolfpack Fan]

IMO, Tracy Martin didn't check on Trayvon that might because he thought Trayvon never left the house. His father had ordered pizza and asked Trayvon if he had the money to pay for it. When Trayvon said that he did, his father said that he would see him when he got back. Why would Trayvon leave the house if his father had just ordered pizza? Tracy then mentioned something about Trayvon being at the back of the house.

 

[yolorado]

Zimmerman (says he) was alert about Martin because there had been a lot of burglaries in the neighborhood, and there had been. So he was on the look out in general for people who seemed out of place and MIGHT be there to cause trouble. When he thought he possibly had spotted such a person, Zimmerman called the police. Isn't that what citizens are supposed to do? So, why the criticism that Zimmerman was watching for potential problems in an area where there had already been problems? How many times has our government told us, "If you see something, say something?" What happened later is for the jury to decide but I find criticisms I've heard, in court and in the media to be confusing and overzealous. Some seem to be saying that neighbors watching their 'hoods' is somehow wrong and a dangerous situation to be avoided. I disagree.

 

[dani]

GZ's dad was a Magistrate Judge and his Mom work/works for the courthouse. I would think GZ wanted to follow in his Dad's footsteps, as many young men do. It was clear that the door to law enforcement was closed to him for a number of reasons. That must have been frustrating for him to accept.

When GZ's physical instructor said GZ was soft in the defensive tactics, I believe him. I don't think GZ ever stepped out of that car to kill TM. I think he just wanted to keep TM from getting away until LE arrived and that was a fatal mistake on both TM and GZ's part. What bothers me is GZ admitting he was concerned they always get away and the act of getting out of his car to make sure he had a visual contact with TM in case he headed toward the back gate. This ironically was the exact direction TM was headed. Even if TM were up to no good and was headed toward the back gate if he had not been involved in a crime LE would have no choice but to let him go. So GZ's pursuit served no purpose unless he saw TM climbing in a window or breaking into a house.

The biggest mystery for me are those approximate 40 feet past where GZ said he was first attacked. GZ has never given a clear explanation as to how they managed to get from the T to the area where TM's body was found. This information could clear up a lot of what really happened. GZ could have slipped and hit his head at the T because he did say he went down. Could it be he does not remember because he hit his head? There is a lot of missing information and the information on the ground covered from the time of the first encounter until TM was shot. To cover that distance someone was moving down closer to where TM was staying. With the information we have it makes no sense and the only one who could give us that information is GZ.

If he is found guilty I would hope it would be for Manslaughter. GZ was ill equipped to handle any situation the night he decided to get out of his car instead of waiting for LE. jmo

BBM: Manslaughter and 2nd Degree Murder both carry a MINIMUM of 25 years if a firearm is used:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_punishments_for_murder_in_the_United_States#Florida

 

[cityslick]

GZ's dad was a Magistrate Judge and his Mom work/works for the courthouse. I would think GZ wanted to follow in his Dad's footsteps, as many young men do. It was clear that the door to law enforcement was closed to him for a number of reasons. That must have been frustrating for him to accept.

When GZ's physical instructor said GZ was soft in the defensive tactics, I believe him. I don't think GZ ever stepped out of that car to kill TM. I think he just wanted to keep TM from getting away until LE arrived and that was a fatal mistake on both TM and GZ's part. What bothers me is GZ admitting he was concerned they always get away and the act of getting out of his car to make sure he had a visual contact with TM in case he headed toward the back gate. This ironically was the exact direction TM was headed. Even if TM were up to no good and was headed toward the back gate if he had not been involved in a crime LE would have no choice but to let him go. So GZ's pursuit served no purpose unless he saw TM climbing in a window or breaking into a house.

The biggest mystery for me are those approximate 40 feet past where GZ said he was first attacked. GZ has never given a clear explanation as to how they managed to get from the T to the area where TM's body was found. This information could clear up a lot of what really happened. GZ could have slipped and hit his head at the T because he did say he went down. Could it be he does not remember because he hit his head? There is a lot of missing information and the information on the ground covered from the time of the first encounter until TM was shot. To cover that distance someone was moving down closer to where TM was staying. With the information we have it makes no sense and the only one who could give us that information is GZ.

If he is found guilty I would hope it would be for Manslaughter. GZ was ill equipped to handle any situation the night he decided to get out of his car instead of waiting for LE. jmo

The big mystery to me is how did TM wind up near the T when he had a 4 minute head start on GZ and according to RJ (if you believe her) he was at or very near his daddy's house.

 

[MeeBee]

It would have been more accurate, IMO, but I get your point. :seeya:

True. But IMO there's not much difference, appearance wise, between Trayvon at 12 and at 17. In fact, he looks exactly the same to me. Maybe the family thought it wouldn't matter.

 

[gauntlet]

Although not studying criminology, David Westerfield also talked to LE without lawyering up. I know someone who knew DW for years and he said DW always thought he was just a little smarter than everyone else.

To me, then, speaking to LE without lawyering up is no proof of innocence. It could very well simply mean the person thinks they can talk their way out of the situation. :twocents:

BBM. Good point. Jodi Arias did the same

 

[Love Never Fails]

Whether the prosecution refers to a minor as a child depends on whether they're the defendant or a victim. Corey had no problem earlier trying a 12 year old as an adult.

Thank you.:seeya:

 

[Luzianne]

In his call to the police, Zimmerman said "these (expletive), they always get away". He was going to make sure this one didn't.[/QUOTE]


That's pure conjecture on your part. You can't convict someone based on what you THINK was going on in their mind.

 

[gxm]

Except that Zimmerman makes the statement "these a@@holes, they always get away" before Trayvon takes off running, Zimmerman gets out of his car and follows Trayvon. So yes, I agree that Zimmerman was not going to let this a@@hole get away like the others have. Zimmerman admits to following Trayvon. Why did Zimmerman follow him?

Zimmerman call to non-emergency police line - YouTube

BBM.

So that he could tell LE which direction TM ran in. There is no evidence that GZ actually wanted to confront TM. TM does the confronting, not GZ. JMO. OMO. MOO.

 

[cityslick]

True. But IMO there's not much difference, appearance wise, between Trayvon at 12 and at 17. In fact, he looks exactly the same to me. Maybe the family thought it wouldn't matter.

What???

 

[JusticeJunkie]

Kathi Belich, WFTV ‏@KBelichWFTV 42s
We were told the alternates who've been excused can't talk until the verdict is in by court administrators. #Zimmermanon9

 

[TorisMom003]

Yea he's sitting there but he wasn't actually his counsel at that time so he couldn't tell him what to say.

Please watch the interview with Sean Hannity that I posted. Mark O'Mara was in fact Zimmerman's lawyer during the time that the interview was done. Unless of course one thinks that Sean Hannity lied in saying that Mark O'Mara was Zimmerman's lawyer and neither Zimmerman nor O'Mara bothered to correct him.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

The things he said in the Sean Hannity interview make me think GZ is less than human. He said, "It was God's will." He says there is nothing he would do differently if he had it to do all over again. That's disgusting! (IMHO)

Zimmerman Says it Was God's Will, No Regret For Trayvon's Death - YouTube

Hi Dani.

I believe GZ is innocent of the charges and I did not like that statement either. It actually made me gasp.

Saying that, I'd like to clarify, after I thought about it, this is my take...

I think it's a religion thing. Without going into a religious discussion of what is right or wrong I will say this. Some people, believe that everything in life is God's plan. They are taught and believe it is not right to question it or to want to change it.

I have a problem with that. I struggle with it. I question God a lot but do feel guilt afterwards.

Anyway, that's my 2 cents.

I totally understand people's issue with that statement.

JMO