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George Zimmerman trial set for June 10, defense attorney says
George Zimmerman will go on trial June 10 for the killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, Zimmerman's lawyer said Wednesday.
The neighborhood watch volunteer is charged with second-degree murder. Zimmerman has claimed self-defense in the February 26 shooting, saying Martin charged him after the two exchanged words, knocked him to the ground and banged his head repeatedly against a concrete sidewalk.
Prosecutors say Zimmerman profiled Martin as a criminal and killed him, even though the teenager was doing nothing wrong.
Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty.
Martin's death sparked nationwide protests and inflamed public passions over race relations and gun control, as well as Florida's controversial "Stand Your Ground" law.
More details emerge in Trayvon Martin investigation
New documents shed light on Trayvon Martin killing'
FBI analysis - Zimmerman's 911 call (pdf - strong language)
- In Session's Jean Casarez contributed to this report.
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SARCASM ALERT********SARCASM ALERT********SARCASM ALERT********SARCASM ALERT
I am so happy that they have "finally" decided to run another story on George Zimmerman and Trayvon Johnson. It is so unbelievable that they have waited so long to pit the masses against one another again. After al, it's not like we have enough divisiveness already.
CNN please, please, please don't make us wait so long next time.
I find it amazing that you had to even have to put the *Sarcasm Alert* on...and you're right on the money where this story is concerned...
You can never be too sure with some people. It's better to put it in bold letters several times.
This is ridiculous that this Trial has been constantly delayed and delayed. Finish this trial and find Justice!
Hey dude, I was hiding under your couch. Sorry man.
Zimmerman is innocent but will pay the price from those seeking to right the wrong in the Casey Anthony case.
I'd still like to know why the judge banned all the pics of martin with gang tats and gold teeth...
Maybe because it has nothing to do with an idiot shooting him for no reason.
Sure Rick.
suspensions, drug use, stolen property and assault absolutely in no way indicate the kid will do any of those things again.
They are irrelevant, immaterial, and inadmissible.
You do realize that Zimmy assaulted a police officer and his GF, right?
He's no freaking angel, either.
We'll see what happens, but GZ doesn't pass the smell test, either.
The judge cannot exclude the autopsy pictures & report, so Mr Martin's gang style tattoos WILL be displayed at trial. All the defense has to do is question the coroner, & that prosecution maneuver will fall apart. Live like a thug........
Because that is how you look racist pig...
What's up with this? What happened to that speedy trial thing??
Most murder cases take between 1 and 2 years to get to trial...at least. High profile ones take 3 or more years. The many challenges to evidence requiring pre-trial hearing, the claims of insanity, the psych tests to support/rebut those claims, the defendent firing his/her attorney, new attorneys having to be found, bring new attorneys up to speed on the facts of the case, etc, all take time.
Speedy trial went the same way as presumption of innocence.
Why is the trial set so far in the future? Almost a year and a half after the crime? Surely they dont need THAT long to gather evidence. Ive heard of cases taking a long time to get to trial but those cases were when they didnt know who did it or didnt have enough evidence to go forward. This isnt like that. Talk all you want about whether you think he is innocent or guilty, but if you have the evidence to charge someone you should have the evidence to bring a case in a reasonable time frame too. And why is the defense announcing the schedule?
Maybe, their hoping that GZ's witnesses and friends will come forward (or die) and it can be a mistrial. Plenty of time for someone to mess up on the procedures (or find where there was an instance) and get it thrown out. It gives George time to completely "heal" from his ordeal and thereby not have any more evidence of a fight 18 months from the altercation than he did the day after. He can't prove himself innocent from the evidence so he needs time for folks to forget. Now, if he could get his brother to settle down, he might have it made. His brother is not going to get anyone disbarred now or in the future; but, if he keeps messing around, he might get a suit filed against him when this is done. That's what he should be waiting for. I think GZ is very guilty and I'll think it a year from now.
Rick, if that was true then why are those pics banned? Come on, if he does indeed have gang tats then I'm guessing he has gang mentality too like not backing down...
It is irrelevant. Ask any lawyer.
Past criminal or perceived criminal history is relevant. Goes to credibility and motive.
If you act like a thug, get suspended from school like a thug, dress like a thug, get tattooed like a thug, get caught with stolen property like a thug, brag about assaulting people like a thug, then get killed while assaulting somebody like a thug, then your history as a thug helps the defense prove you were likely to continue acting like a thug.
This is part of our culture. It is part of our community. If you don't like it then too bad. We had to join gangs in the early 1900s for protection against the white man. The tattoos show brotherhood and fellowship. We have faced hardship and desceimenatipn from you people for centuries When you have walked in our shoes then you can judge.
It does not matter if pictures of Mr Martin flashing gang signs on his nolimitsni**er web site are excluded to clean up his image. Autopsy photos cannot by law be excluded. Those gang inspired tattoos & his golden grill are still included in the physical evidence accessible by the defense. The prosecution did not win a thing by attempting to conceal this. This trial is just a waste fueled by parents who cannot accept the truth about their thug.
Dazmonique is cut from the same gheto-thug cloth as Trayvon.
No wonder Dazmonique wants Zimmerman on trial and in prison, it's not "justice" he wants but revenge.
Also, the African people enslaved the Jewish people for around 2000 years, as well as early Europeans for about 1000. So, we really are even.
This is why our justice system is so broken. It takes forever. We live in a world of highspeed internet but our legal system has not kept up. I dont know if he is guilty according to the law but I think it is ridiculous no one is trying to bring more speed to our legal system as a whole.
It's called a fair trial. They wait so they can attempt to find an impartial jury. Read a book.
An impartial jury is likely impossible after the media alteration of that recording, & the family witch hunt the media has exhibited for sensationalism purposes.
The facts are still clear. A person with a legal permit to carry was physically attacked & being beaten on the ground, without any avenue of escape, when he used the weapon to save himself, by firing only one shot.
If they do convict, it will overturn other self defense cases, until the only way to save yourself from jail is to allow an attacker to beat you to death or into a brain dead coma.
Like that other Hispanic guy who died after younger teenagers than Mr Martin played knock out with him. There is even that video to show another punch out attack on a guy right in front of a justice building. In that one; the teens laughed as they stripped the clothes from their victim. Plus we have internet footage posted from a cell phone of 5 teens attacking a disabled woman on her own stoop. Dragging her inside the house to use as a punching bag. If her attackers had been male rather than female she would be dead too.
Face it; a teenagers fists ARE a lethal weapon when gang like behavior calls for a beat down, for any reason.
que the CNN summer story 2013
That pretty much settles it, then. If the 'Stand Your Ground-Self Defense' gag had worked, there would be no charges, and no trial. The fact that they scheduled the trial proves that the Zimmerman claim of self defense won't work. As such, he is just a guy who gunned down an unarmed kid after stalking the kid. That won't please the jury. Zimmerman is likely to be convicted...unless he pleads down to a lesser offense; such as Manslaughter.
Because he is going on trial, it proves he is guilty?
This isn't Communist China prosecuting a "dissident". We have more than 1 verdict.
Setting a trial has absolutely nothing to do with an affirmative offense of "stand your ground" at all. The trial date is set for scheduling purposes. There may even be hearings before the trial date. One of those hearings is going to be a motion to dismiss from the defense (Zimmerman) claiming stand your ground as an affirmative offense to continuing the trial. No judge has yet adjudicated the stand your ground "defense". This is purely a scheduling date and nothing to do with guilt or innocence of any party to the action.
Ah, wonderful. "Stalking" and "gunned down an unarmed kid." Meanwhile, the locations don't add up to your story, following someone is not illegal, Trayvon was shot once (center-mass at close range), and George was injured.
This isn't going to trial because SYG or self-defense isn't gong to fly. This is going to trial because stupid people responding to emotional rhetoric have decided that they only way justice will be served is through the death penalty, a long jail sentence, or him George being beaten to death by a mob. That sickens me.
As I suspected, the SYG defense has not been offered and Zimmerman's attorney is expecting to raise it in April 2013 before the "trial".
From Bay New 9 (Tampa): Zimmerman's legal team said it will likely request a "Stand Your Ground" hearing for April or May 2013 to determine if the law applies to this case. If the judge finds it does, the charges against Zimmerman could be dropped.
Zimmerman is absolutely guilty and the forensic evidence proves it. 1. Trayvon was shot at "intermediate range". 2. None of Zimmerman's blood or DNA were found on Trayvon's hands, knuckles or under his fingernails (as per finger nail scrapings done). 3. The trajectory of the bullet traveled completely straight from front to back (impossible, if this kid was on top of him bashing his head in; it would have been a close range shot with an angular trajectory). 4. There are inconsistencies in the bullet entry between Trayvon's chest, his hoodie and his inner t-shirt (they do not align). So that tells me that his clothing was being pulled on/physically grabbed by someone/George Zimmerman while he (Trayvon) was attempting to get away. In the 911 call, we hear 3 clear heart wrenching "no's" (of which GZ never claimes he said) before the voice is silenced. I've never seen such disrespect launched at this kid by other citizens and the media who has aided in turning this into a disrespectful circus. I've been beyond appalled, but no matter how the late the trial date, I pray that God will pay Zimmerman back completely for the what he has done. RIP dear Trayvon.
When George Zimmerman is acquitted, sometime in mid-June 2013, it will be most amusing to watch your head explode.
You really sound as though you witnessed the incident. Nothing is impossible except for people like you that have such a closed mind. I cant say for 100% the zimmerman is guilty... Why? Because there is still doubt he killed the kid in cold blood, it could have very well been self defence.
I feel sorry for you.You are not analyzing this correctly.
Most people would realize that clothing layers do shift during a struggle. Gravity would make Mr Martin's shirt & hoodie hang down, but it would also bunch up with his lifted arms. This distortion to the fabric happened when he was on top, & pinning his victim on the ground with his arms extended to pound the victim's head on the ground.
Also; the abrasions on Mr Martins knuckles ARE consistent with a sucker punch. Unlike a flurry of exchanged blows, an unexpected knock down punch sometimes does not leave blood on the attacker due to to the rapidity of the blow. Even though there is the physical evidence of a fractured nose on Mr Martin's victim, blood can flow after the fist was gone. The blood flowing from the back of the victims head would be on the sidewalk from gravity, not on the attacker.
Mr Martin's father himself stated that the voice on that tape crying "no" was not from his son. There is actually a record of that interview.
Plus there is something else that blows your half baked theory right out of the water;
There was an actual WITNESS who actually SAW the attack in progress with the larger person(Mr Martin) on top of his smaller victim, beating him, just before the shot was fired. It is in the police statement taken from the witness that night.
Might I suggest you seek treatment or benefit of clergy, you do seem troubled.
@svann , they are delaying the trial because they probably realize that with the current tensions surrounding the case, he'll never get a fair trial in florida, so they are delaying the case in the hopes that the media storm subsides before the trial.
Overall though, this is complete BS. This should have never gone to a murder trial, there just isn't any conceivable way that the prosecution could actually prove that Martin wasn't killed in self defense. Mark my words, you're going to get a long drawn out trial that wastes alot of taxpayer money, and in the end, Zimmerman isn't going to be convicted. The justice system doesn't work based on public sentiment.
Just when we cannot afford the expense of such a trial. Voters will remember that if the prosecutor, or anyone else associated with this case ever attempts to run for office. Her career will certainly be washed up after this, with what she has used trying to force him to plea bargain.
When Mr. Zimmerman is found not guilty ( which we already know he is) watchout for martins brothers which are all these thugs and gang members to start rioting and looting.
Make sure you watch your back if you are hispanic or white. It's sad that I have to say this but history has proven it to be true.
If you don't already have a concealed-carry permit and a defensive handgun, get one and carry it every day.
And if you live within 20 miles of a Trayvon-infested 'hood, get yourself an AR15, a half-dozen GI magazines and a bunch of ammo.
If Trayvon did associated with this so called brothers, Zimmerman entire family woudl be DEAD. So stop accusing people of rioting, or causing mayhem, when you know no such things. You sound like Zimmerman, this kid is up to no good, he is on drugs or something. That kind of menatlality gets innocent people killed at a faster rate.
The Florida Stand Your Ground law is such that if the claim of self defense is judged to be legally valid, the case is dropped,and there is no trial. Going to trial means the self defense claim is judged-by a judge-to be invalid. That means there is good grounds to suspect a crime was committed, and there is no valid claim of self defense. So...without a valid claim of self defense, how does one get away with killing an unarmed person? One tends not to do so...especially in jury trials where perceptions of racism on the part of the killer crop up.
That is not how it works, and "going to trial" only proves that politically-motivated prosecution is still alive and well in Florida.
There is a big difference between "going to trial" and a docket sounding. This was a docket sounding (status conference for those who don't understand the lingo) where the attorneys agreed on a future date to complete all discovery and go to trial. This is the normal rule for criminal procedure for Florida. The attorney for Zimmerman also stated, which is not in the CNN report, that he will motion for dismissal on Stand Your Ground before the trial date. Unfortunately, this is just how the system works and how slow it is to actually get things done. The attorney, O'Mara, is not pushing the issue and asking for a motion for dismissal up front under SYG because he is smart and wants all the discovery completed first to make sure there is no evidence to trip this up and send it to a full trial.
Anyway... let's just wait and see how this plays out in a court of law.
Glad to see that the real thug will finally be going to trial for murdering Trayvon.
Since the witness statement actually places Mr Martin, as the attacker, on top of the smaller man bashing his head on the ground, with no other way out for Mr Martin's victim, it is really not likely to be pronounced murder.
It will be found to be justifiable homicide, resulting in an acquittal.
It is truly sad that a person with gang pretentions, tats, & dentistry who styles himself as a "no limits ni**er" does not meet your definition of wannabe thug. Such low standards you have.
Just because someone saw Martin on top doesn't mean he start the fight, he could have been protecting himself. Not one witness is going to say he saw Martin slamming Zimmerman's head. It's funny how NO DNA traces were found on Trayvon's hands or under his nails. The witness that was a for sure for Zimmerman, recanted, he said he couldn't tell if the person on top was throwing punches and couldn't tell who was yelling for help.
This case would be slam dunk if Trayvon had been a good student and stayed out of trouble. Since Trayvon used drugs and was suspected of theft a few times it throws his character into question. We will have to give Zimmerman the benefit of doubt unless the evidence indicates otherwise
Dont forget Zim has been accused of assault of gf and police officer. Why does everyone over look that? To me this is important for the fact that he has a history of aggression!!!
Without the media hype, & judging this case solely by the evidence, there should not even be a trial.
There is a witness who saw Mr Martin on top, pinning this guy to the ground, & smashing his head. Mr Martin was not stopping his attack. Mr Martin would have killed or maimed this guy. The guy had no other way to defend himself, & the weapon that was used even had a legal carry permit.
If you were attacked in the same way, & defended yourself, I would call it justifiable homicide.