17 yo Trayvon Martin Shot to Death by Neighborhood Watch Captain #33

[LambChop]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/26/justice/florida-zimmerman-money/index.html

WOW....let's hope he called the judge right away after MOM was through with this interview. I don't think Judge Lester will like hearing this second, third or fourth hand. jmo

 

[ynotdivein]

What's the tax rate on 200k income? 28% or 33%?

 

[badme102]

Quick quote from above link:
But criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos said Lester might not react benignly. "I know a lot of judges who would remand the guy back into custody immediately," he said. "If you've got more money stashed in an account and you could just pay the bond and be gone, that gives a lot of judges concern."

Rut roh...
Tomorrow's hearing should be verrrrry interesting indeed.

 

[katydid23]

I sure hope you're right, LC! It seems like he's bent over backwards for the defendant so far. Allowing him to wear his Sunday suit, allowing his witnesses to appear by phone, basing his bail on his family's ability to pay, etc.

IMO

It is the norm for the bond to be based upon the families income. He was not bending over backwards in that way.

And I think that the little incident with Spike Lee set the stage for the judge to allow thew family to come forward by phone. And it is not that unusual in controversial, high profile cases either.

He may have had the suit on, but he also had the waist chains on, so it was a draw, imo.

You seem to think his family needed to show up in court, in spite of the bounty publicly put out by the New Black Panthers. And he should have had a bond higher than what normally would be given , with their income level, and he should have been in the orange jump suit, even though it is not mandatory. Why should the judge go above and beyond what is required?

 

[grandmaj]

What's the tax rate on 200k income? 28% or 33%?

I believe 33%

 

[Adrienne37]

Why wouldn't he be profiled by his age and gender? There were recent crimes, included a home invasion, in that complex. And all of the suspects were YOUNG MALES. It is not illegal to be suspicious of someone who fits a profile of earlier crimes in the area.

Because Zimmerman had no business profiling anyone. He wasn't law enforcement nor was he a security guard.


~jmo~

 

[rossva]

Not exactly. 1)Florida has no income tax, and 2)Gifts you receive aren't considered income. It doesn't matter how large they are. You don't report them on your income tax return in any way.

LOL, since his website was not set up as a charitable foundation, he is going to have to pay taxes on those donations!

 

[Adrienne37]

It is the norm for the bond to be based upon the families income. He was not bending over backwards in that way.

And I think that the little incident with Spike Lee set the stage for the judge to allow thew family to come forward by phone. And it is not that unusual in controversial, high profile cases either.

He may have had the suit on, but he also had the waist chains on, so it was a draw, imo.

You seem to think his family needed to show up in court, in spite of the bounty publicly put out by the New Black Panthers. And he should have had a bond higher than what normally would be given , with their income level, and he should have been in the orange jump suit, even though it is not mandatory. Why should the judge go above and beyond what is required?

It's just been reported that the "family's income" was $200,000 by Zimmerman's own attorney.


~jmo~

 

[lauriej]

Hmm, so it sounds to me like Zimmerman didn't tell his attorney until yesterday about the donations from the website. Wonder why? I certainly hope that's the case because I sure wouldn't want anyone accusing O'Mara of lying at the bail hearing when he said his client had limited funds.

Donations pour in to Trayvon Martin's killer..

Orlando lawyer Mark O'Mara told CNN's "AC360" that George Zimmerman told him Wednesday of the donations as they were trying to shut down his Internet presence to avoid concerns about possible impersonators.

"He asked me what to do with his PayPal accounts and I asked him what he was talking about," O'Mara told Anderson Cooper. "And he said those were the accounts that had the money from the website he had. And there was about 200, $204,000 that had come in to date."

http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/26/justice/florida-zimmerman-money/index.html


~jmo~

--if omara just heard about the site on wednesday-----why was he already talking about it on monday?


http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/04/24/lawyer-says-george-zimmerman-afraid-his-safety

By Frances Robles The Miami Herald staff

George Zimmerman spent his first 24 hours free on bail "on his own" and in fear of his life, his attorney said in a television interview Monday night.


O'Mara said the security and housing were being paid for by Zimmerman's family. It was unclear how much has been raised from websites set up to collect donations, he said. One site has about $800 and another a few thousand dollars, but he was not certain that anyone had withdrawn any funds, he told CNN's Anderson Cooper.

 

[katydid23]

And what about that song and dance that his family had to desperately find ways to come up with the money?

But how much is the defense attorney going to charge them. I thought the money from the website was for the defense costs.

Why shouldn't they put their house up for the bond and use the money for the defense costs?

 

[Adrienne37]

Not exactly. 1)Florida has no income tax, and 2)Gifts you receive aren't considered income. It doesn't matter how large they are. You don't report them on your income tax return in any way.

So he's applied for and received tax exempt status in the state of Florida?



~jmo~

 

[grammieto5]

George Zimmerman: Attorney may not use Stand Your Ground defense....

"It's really too early to say until we see the facts, once we see the evidence, and we can come up with an idea as to what defense applies to it. Stand your ground, traditional self defense, We just don't know yet," said Mark O'Mara.

http://www.baynews9.com/content/new...icles/cfn/2012/4/26/george_zimmerman_att.html

This is what I'm waiting to see, evidence from the crime scene, evidence proving GZ had reason to fear for his life. Evidence proving GZ had the right to murder Trayvon, a boy who had only been 17 years old for 30 days.

 

[badme102]

--if omara just heard about the site on wednesday-----why was he already talking about it on monday?


http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/04/24/lawyer-says-george-zimmerman-afraid-his-safety

By Frances Robles The Miami Herald staff

George Zimmerman spent his first 24 hours free on bail "on his own" and in fear of his life, his attorney said in a television interview Monday night.


O'Mara said the security and housing were being paid for by Zimmerman's family. It was unclear how much has been raised from websites set up to collect donations, he said. One site has about $800 and another a few thousand dollars, but he was not certain that anyone had withdrawn any funds, he told CNN's Anderson Cooper.

You beat me to it! I was just looking for the same thing. Thank you.

 

[Adrienne37]

--if omara just heard about the site on wednesday-----why was he already talking about it on monday?


http://www.standard.net/stories/2012/04/24/lawyer-says-george-zimmerman-afraid-his-safety

By Frances Robles The Miami Herald staff

George Zimmerman spent his first 24 hours free on bail "on his own" and in fear of his life, his attorney said in a television interview Monday night.


O'Mara said the security and housing were being paid for by Zimmerman's family. It was unclear how much has been raised from websites set up to collect donations, he said. One site has about $800 and another a few thousand dollars, but he was not certain that anyone had withdrawn any funds, he told CNN's Anderson Cooper.

LaurieJ, do you have any links saved from last week where O'Mara addressed the website. I thought I did but can't find them anywhere.


~jmo~

 

[Kimberlyd125]

It is the norm for the bond to be based upon the families income. He was not bending over backwards in that way.

And I think that the little incident with Spike Lee set the stage for the judge to allow thew family to come forward by phone. And it is not that unusual in controversial, high profile cases either.

He may have had the suit on, but he also had the waist chains on, so it was a draw, imo.

You seem to think his family needed to show up in court, in spite of the bounty publicly put out by the New Black Panthers. And he should have had a bond higher than what normally would be given , with their income level, and he should have been in the orange jump suit, even though it is not mandatory. Why should the judge go above and beyond what is required?

And Roseanne Barr tweeting the ACTUAL CORRECT address of GZ's parents.

It's out of control. The fact they were able to call in was not special treatment in any sense of the word IMO.
It was for their safety.

 

[elementary]

Quick quote from above link:
But criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos said Lester might not react benignly. "I know a lot of judges who would remand the guy back into custody immediately," he said. "If you've got more money stashed in an account and you could just pay the bond and be gone, that gives a lot of judges concern."

Considering George likes to play by his own rules, is a loose cannon, who's to say he didn't consider that as an option, if things weren't going his way.

 

[suzihawk]

I think O'Mara was so focused on trying to blindside the Prosecution that he himself got blindsided by his very own client. tsk. tsk.

I think you're right, nora! There was a point in the hearing where I caught a really smug look on O'Mara's face while the SA was questioning SZ. Like the cat that swallowed the canary. It's right at the 28:00 min mark on the video. I can't quite catch what the SA said right before it. Sound is low and my speakers aren't that great. Maybe someone else can?

http://www.wral.com/news/video/11004815/#/vid11004815

 

[katydid23]

It's just been reported that the "family's income" was $200,000 by Zimmerman's own attorney.


~jmo~

I thought that money was for the defense fund. Isn't it supposed to pay for the attorney? Why can't they put their house up for the bond and use the donations for the attorney's fees?

 

[Gin]

So he's applied for and received tax exempt status in the state of Florida?



~jmo~

Great question. I seriously doubt it, too.

I would be interested to know on what basis someone would think GZ would qualify for and receive tax exempt status. Just asking anyone who thinks that is the case.

 

[Gin]

I thought that money was for the defense fund. Isn't it supposed to pay for the attorney? Why can't they put their house up for the bond and use the donations for the attorney's fees?

GZ was a renter in the condo community he patrolled.