A new report shows that the day after killing Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman passed a police lie detector test. He registered truthful in stating that he was afraid for his life before shooting the teen. The report does not materially affect the trial since such tests are not admissible but may explain the the resistance of local officials to bring the case. It also further supports the view, again, that Angela Corey overcharged the case. She was no doubt aware of the test which, while not admissible as evidence because their reliability is questioned, can be considered by the prosecutors in determining the appropriate charge. UPDATE: A police report shows a critical view of Zimmerman’s account and says that he missed two opportunities to defuse the situation.
Zimmerman willingly submitted to a computer voice stress analyzer (CVSA) “truth verification” on February 27 and the test “was classified as No Deception Indicated (NDI).” This included the question of “Did you confront the guy you shot?’ He answered, “No.” He was rated as telling the truth in both saying that he did not confront Martin and that he was in fear of his life.
Also released recently are further details from Zimmerman to the police. Zimmerman insisted that the teen knocked him down and began to pound his head in the sidewalk while telling him “You’re going to die.” Zimmerman claims Trayvon reached for the gun and that he grabbed it to protect himself.
Both the question of fear and the party responsible for the confrontation could be distorted by Zimmerman’s perspective and not accepted objectively by third parties. Of the two questions, however, the confrontation question is the most interesting. It is rare for targeted suspects to agree to lie detectors, though I have agreed to such tests in past cases.
Once again, this evidence does not rule out the basis for a criminal charge, but in my view strongly militates against a charge greater than manslaughter. In fairness to the local officials, the evidence also offers support for their view that no charge was appropriate. One can disagree with that conclusion, but they may have had solid reasons for opposing a charge. That does not excuse sloppy police work and there was still a basis to detain Zimmerman at the scene. However, the case has become more muddled with such new evidence. As a criminal defense attorney, I have always viewed this case as one with strong defense arguments for trial. While the odds always favor the prosecution, the factual record has a number of elements that could create reasonable doubt. Obviously, the trial itself can present facts in different light and the prosecution has yet to be fully heard in the case.
Source: NY Daily News
“SARI HORWITZ- The Washington Post (justice reporter) :..we saw the ballistics report that shows us exactly where Trayvon Martin was shot, the left part of his chest. We find out where the bullet went, through his heart, through his lung. It never left his body. We found out that there was close contact, that it was shot at very close range. It was like a contact shot…”
Trial date should be sometime in 2013 I think…
The babysitters will cooperate as long as the money holds up. The Bails Bondsmen will be paid a per diem or stipend plus expenses. But the NRA may supply contractors (from Xe Corp or DynCorp/CSC – ex-spooks) to replace them. The court appointed babysitters may like his wannabe-cop stories (for awhile) and Shellie will keep them in beer. GZ will love hearing their war stories from Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Africa, Granada, etc.
GZ’s OTHER atty (Don West) is trying to get the safe house out of state. I don’t think Judge Lester gives a rat’s a55. One less racist murderer in the world? Shellie is just as bad as GZ as she is a slick con-artist-type. She is apparently well aware of the grift-trade-craft.
Expect them to adhere to the 6PM to 6AM curfew – however, expect many sojourns to Miami area to purchase things just barely legal. Things to augment security and/or afford them a safe getaway when the time comes to “bounce” (aka exfiltrate). Maybe someone is setting up an anonymous timeshare in Bermuda? Did Shellie funnel a lot of the money to the Grand Caymans? Is someone looking for a puddle-jumper pilot to pilot a small Cessna out of an abandoned or little-known airstrip in Orlando area just in case the case doesn’t go well? I’m just spit-balling here…
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Donations up to $36,000
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Susan and David Engel of Engel Bail Bonds of Sanford FL (next door to courthouse) report to media that they don’t require any collateral on bonds. They have been very vocal to news media about GZ too. Are they the mystery Bails Bond company fronting GZ’s $900k? They’d better have a crack retrieval team on standby like Dog The Bounty Hunter when these clowns bounce.
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Here’s the mystery phone calls between GZ and Shellie about the money. This was decoded by USAG Eric Holder’s office (US DoJ). Its an hour 33 minutes long:
Does the bullet match Georges gun? Just curious if any ballistics tests were done that we could know about.
Is there any indication of the trial date yet? So interesting about this 900 large and where the equity may have come from. I agree the NRA is the most likely source.
I cannot imagine George staying out of trouble in such a closed environment where he will have to be under supervision for very long.
I bet his babysitters are going to change their view of this guy with such close association. The paid bodyguards will be able to tolerate him for a price…..
I didn’t think about Taaffe and Oliver setting up there own PayPal campaign for GZ. However, I would think they would show up in my open source data mining. I mean that’s something you want the world to see – right?
Regarding GZ’s gun: State has it locked up in evidence. His permit has NOT been revoked. However, the FBI has been snooping around gun dealers in the area and they would be insane to sell him ANYTHING. That includes Shellie as her picture is out on the Internet now. That doesn’t stop his friends, brother, other relatives, and father from sharing their weapons with him (or at least buying one for him).
Dad’s Lake Mary house is NOT worth $1m. Seminole County Assessor’s office lists it at around $150,000. When you look at the house on Google Earth is is quite small and unpretentious. I really think the NRA put up the collateral for GZ as no sane Bails Bond Co. will do it on credit. The NRA is the only pro-GZ group that has that kind of money. They only need to put up $900,000 (equity) as the $100,000 (cash) comes from GZ’s PayPal campaign. This means that GZ is under a microscope by several entities (electronic & physical surveillance).
I think its like Grand Central Station at his so-called safe house. Crown Vics, Chevy Suburbans, Hummers, Dodge Sprinters, etc. all trying to look unobtrusive all up and down the road – all with 80% tint and guys with Oakley sunglasses with strange bulges on their waste bands.
Did you see those two THUGS protecting GZ? That fat one with the black shirt and Oakleys had a US Army rutsack – ex-Army Ranger?
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Malisha – you are right that the TM “haters” are sending money as they are buying GZ’s version of the incident. They also paint TM as a thug (violent criminal) because they saw him with a gold tooth, heard about his tattoo, and saw his rapper wannabe Internet debut. How does that mean he was a violent criminal (thug)? These people are experiencing transference. They are transferring their primal fears of being molested or attacked by a violent black thug in a dark ally onto this scenario. They are totally missing the point here – Trayvon was NOT a threat to Zimmerman. TM was defending himself from a potential pedophile on his way to his temporary home. GZ was overstepping his authority and CONFRONTED Trayvon in a very arrogant fashion. Taaffe was probably also there egging GZ on and probably took GZ’s gun away from him and fired on TM in cold blood – execution style – as one eyewitness is saying but being put down by SPD as being misatken.
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If I had to guess where the SAFE HOUSE is I’d say it’s on Rt. 46 near Seminole State Forest at a RV Park. I hope the news media patrols that road until they find the circus of spooks hanging out there. How do I think that? it’s what I would do – I guess. Yes I don’t care if his safe house is no longer safe. Don’t worry he’s got help. Trayvon didn’t…
Here is the exact statement from O’Mara, who knows George did not pay his legal bills in the past, so possibly just wants to make sure he is not on this case for charity. Zimmerman is now saying all his money is gone, gone with the wind….How did George spend over a 100 grand already?
Oh, yea, there is a huge black market in guns, I bet Zimmerman is exploring that as we speak, or maybe his wife went out to buy some firearms for herself?
Judd Legum on Jul 5, 2012 at 5:18 pm
Today, Florida Judge Kenneth Lester set a new bond of $1 million for George Zimmerman. Lester said that Zimmerman, whose bond was originally set at just $150,000, was “manipulating the system” and, but for GPS monitoring, “would have fled the United States with at least $130,000” that he failed to diclose to the court.
In a posting to his website after the new bond was announced, Zimmerman attorney Mark O’Mara sought more donations from people who also would have shot and killed Trayvon Martin:
“For those who have given in the past, for those who have thought about giving, for those who feel Mr. Zimmerman was justified in his actions, for those who feel they would do the same if they were in Mr. Zimmerman’s shoes, for those that think Mr. Zimmerman has been treated unfairly by the media, for those who feel Mr. Zimmerman has been falsely accused as a racist, for those who feel this case is an affront to their constitutional rights — now is the time to show your support.”
O’Mara said Zimmerman would pay an additional $85,000 to a bail bondsman to secure his release but, combined with other expenses, would wipe out his current legal defense fund.”
Now is the time to give George some cold hard cash!
I would expect his family and his LAWYER to tell him no weapon. (My mind works faster than my fingers.) A responsible dealer would have probably have video of the transaction, and if s/he had any smarts, would go to a back room and call someone to find out if it was ok to sell to him. In any case, to report the transaction if it was carried out. And the electronic bracelet would put him in a shop. I see his only option would be from an individual.
Putting the second passport in a bank box would not likely be found if police executed a search warrant for some reason.
Zimmerman may be an accomplished liar and creatively duplicitous but he really isn’t the brightest bulb in the chandelier.
What’s happening at the stately manor? I can’t find the url.
Oh, also from a current news article: “A second passport Zimmerman acquired after the shooting has also been seized by the state.”
This means that AFTER THE SHOOTING, Zimmerman went and got a duplicate passport. Thus, his having turned in ONE out of the TWO passports he had when he was first out on bail was no mistake, further destroying his already damaged credibility.
Zimmerman really does believe that he should be above ALL the laws.
Current news article says: “Mark O’Mara, Mr. Zimmerman’s attorney, wrote that donors have been lining up for several reasons – that he’s been unfairly treated by the media, that he’s been falsely labeled a racist, and that donors, if they were in a similar position, would likely have done the same thing.”
O’Mara has hit upon it: “Donors, if they were in a similar position, would likely have done the same thing.” That is, if they were in the position that George Zimmerman now SAYS he was in. That apparently includes people who “believe” George Zimmerman’s account of the encounter. For quite a while, I have believed that the pro-Zim blogging camp has been composed of people who would have LIKED to kill Trayvon Martin, and anybody else they thought of as being “suspicious” and “up to no good.”
These people feel threatened if they cannot rid the world of people who make THEM feel uncomfortable. People who, perhaps, do not accept THEM as the authorities. People who, perhaps, would defend themselves if someone like George Zimmerman came upon them without officially recognized authority and yet tried to dominate them. That’s not just who donates; that’s who feels that Zimmerman was wronged by being charged with a crime. They think his word should be accepted without challenge, and that he should be accorded martyr status for his two scrapes (Serino called them “capillary lacerations”) on his noggin, for his scratch on his nose.
If you look at the other two comments that O’Mara says motivate people to donate money to his client, they are also interesting. One reason is that Zimmerman has been “unfairly treated by the media.” Obviously, that’s part of the outcry we hear whenever reports do not line up behind the Zimmerman story. People like Dershowitz and Merrit believe that since George’s story is entitled to unquestioning belief, it is “unfair” to report a different version of the story. And it circles back to BELIEVING ZIMMERMAN. O’Mara goes on to say that Zimmerman has been “falsely labeled a racist,” which is also interesting, as a motivation for contributions. Most of the people (like Frank Taaffe) who claim that George is not a racist back it up by suggesting that Blacks tend to commit more crimes than whites. So they are saying that Zimmerman was “not racist” because his belief that a Black kid was likely to be a criminal was not “racist” but “accurate.” They’re actually not saying that he’s not racist; they’re saying he’s RIGHT to be racist. They’re not defending Zimmerman; they’re defending their own racism, their own belligerency and homicidal feelings, and their own wish to be held harmless and blameless in spite of their behavior, no matter what they do.
They want to live in the world where killing some unarmed kid they don’t like is still OK. It was like that in the South 100 years ago; they want it to stay that way today. They may succeed, actually.
Shano, I had not thought of that. When I read that he was “not a danger,” I immediately disagreed, but didn’t make much of it. Now it’s really getting my attention. I think George has the potential not only to be dangerous right now, but to be psycho-dangerous right now. In fact, he should not have been let out without careful forensic psychiatric data. Who’s to say, if he gets involved in serious gunplay now, like a TV-style shoot out, that it was either “Defending himself against threats from Black Panthers” or “Yet another rampage because he needed groceries”?
I would expect his family and his to tell him no weapon. otoh, he may feel the need to protect himself from Martin supporters. How strong is his paranoia and his need to be in control?
btw, I’m impressed with the judge.
I read the bond conditions and nothing about Zimmermans conceal carry gun permit. Is he still armed? If so, he is still dangerous, imho….
Well, here is Judge Kenneth Lester’s view of George Zimmerman’s credibility:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/99228805/George-Zimmerman-Bond-Order
I believe that my prediction that “O’Mara cannot risk putting George Zimmerman on the stand” is correct. I think it will be correct going forward; I don’t see a way for Zim to “correct” the image that his credibility equals (approximately) his obvious fitness for the job of “protector of everyone in his neighborhood.” Both at zero, so far.
I thought the parents’ house was not worth a million; I believe millions are coming in through unnamed PayPal accounts and through Taaffe, Oliver, and maybe others.
Malisha, They raised an additional 20,000. maybe a bit more by now. He needed to post only 10% of the million for the bondsman. His parents put up their house to cover the million. If he bolts, the bondsman gets the house. Either way, I think the bondsman gets to keep the 100 grand.
Those PayPal accounts came up with the cool million in a quick minute.
They’re buying Zimmerman a little island to go live on. No “suspicious guys” allowed there.
BettyKath – “Vincent” has also been in and out of the Florida justice system too.
The court says GZ only needs to come up with $85,000 as he already has $15,000 on account with bail bondsman in last bond. If he gets out they will put him up at a obscure motel (“safehouse*”) probably on the edge of seminole state forest. Some place out of the way and they will rent the ENTIRE motel. Someone who won’t talk and can be bribed easily. An RV/Trailer park sounds do-able too. They only need to buy a cheap RV or trailer. GZ prolly already has a Reese Hitch on his Honda Ridgeline. If not U-Haul can mount one for under $200.
* http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2012/07/george-zimmerman-has-safe-house-and-lots-new-money/54271/
BTW – GZ left for the safehouse TODAY at 3:26 PM EDT!!! He’s out!
I hope the news media finds the “safehouse” and keeps the “heat” on these unrepentant murderers. Something better happen in TM’s favor before the testosterone* starts to flow next month in the sweltering heat of central Florida. Remember St. Petersburg, Florida 1996? How about Miami in 1980 and 1982? Next Sanford 2012?
* http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode.cfm?id=testosterone-promotes-agression-aut-12-06-09
You’re right Malisha they just setup http://www.gzdefensefund.com/ in the last day or so and have collected $20,000 in just ONE day!
Apparently Taaffe’s arrests also include trespass and PETTY THEFT!!!!!
Who’s the suspicious guy NOW?
sonofthunder, thanks for the confirmation of Vincent. I used quotes around his name b/c it hadn’t been verified. From the domestic abuse, orders of protection, etc. Frank is one bad dude. Lot of anger/violence issues. and a friend of Zimmerman