Posted on 04/02/2012 3:04:40 PM PDT by Cboldt
Roy Austin, Deputy Assistant Attomey General
U.S. Department ofJustice, Civil Rights Division
950 PeMsylvania Avenue, NW
Washin&on, DC 20530-0001Dear Mr. Austin:
Pursuant to our previous meeting reSarding the United States Department of7ustice's review of the shootinS death ofunarmed teenager, TraWon Martin, at the hands ofarmed gunman, George Zimmerman, you informed us that you and United States Attorney Bobby O'Neill would be leading the investigation on behalfofthe department. You told us that the department plaMed to review the tragic circumstances ofthe shooting incident itself, in addition to the Sanford Police Department's investigation and conduct. During our meeting you instructed the family and thei? 1/2 attomeys to contact you ifwe became aware ofpertinent information related to this matter.
Since our last meeting we have obtained new information which is ofpar_mount importance in considering whether or not a fair and impartial investigation was conducted by the Sanford Police Department. In particular, we learned that on the night of February 26, 2012, within hours ofthe shooting in which TraWon Martin was killed, Sanford Chiefot_Police Bill Lee met with State Attomey Norm Wolfinger. We also believe that family members ofshooter George Zimmerman were present at the police department. It was i? 1/2Mher revealed that State Attorney Norm Wolfinger and Chi? 1/2efBill Lee oveMled the recommendation ofthe lead homicide investigator, cms Serino, who recommended that George Michael Zimmerman be arrested for manslauShter for killing TraWon Benjamin Martin. More poi_antly, Mr. Serino filed an affidavit stating that he did not find Zimmerman's statements credible in light ofthe circumstances and facts surrounding the shooting. merefore, we respecthlly request that the United States Department of7usti? 1/2ce ilIvestigate the circumstances surrounding this meeting between ChiefBill Lee and State Attorney Norm WolfinSer, in which they disregarded the lead homicide investigator's recommendation to arrest George Zimmerman for manslaughter.
We look forward to your thorough and comprehensive review ofthe suspicious circumstances surrounding this meeting, and the decision to disregard the recommendation ofthe lead homicide investigator, Mr. Serino, who felt compelled to prepare an at_fidavit memorializing his recommendation to arrest the shooter George Zimmerman.
I suppose that if he thought any of that letter were false, I can understand why he would have such a response. But it’s still not clear what in particular he is denying. I suspect he’s not denying all of it.
He is trying to remain credible by letting Corey handle the case, and by distancing himself from the case. It might work, particularly if Corey decides to indict. Then the focus will be on her.
>> “ This incident has been so politicized and racially divided by the media I don’t think the real truth will come out. IMHO” <<
.
The “real truth” has come out, but you apparently are a leftie race baiting troll.
Martin was casing the place for burglaries, and was infuriated that Zimmerman got a good look at his face, and could then identify him in a lineup, so he set out to kill Zimmerman but Zimmerman’s weapon ended Martin’s crime spree.
As I posted on another posting - How can the State of Florida or even the Federal Government empanel a jury, with alternates, that haven’t pre-judged this case?
IMHO the LMSM have polluted any possible jury pool with their over the top reporting and malicious alternations.
This claim has been repeatedly used by defense attorneys in cases with a much lower profile (no wanted posters and high value rewards) so why not here?
Neighbor defends George Zimmerman
The neighbor is talking for the first time about what he saw on George Zimmerman’s face less than 24-hours after Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon Martin.
“I saw George. He was banged up. His head had two big bandages, that weren’t flat, had a bump on them,” the neighbor, who did not want to be identified, said.
He described where the injuries were.
“I seen him have a big bandage on his nose and his nose swollen. On the side, where his eyes were at, it was swollen,” he said.
He points out exactly where on a picture.
http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/neighbor-defends-george-zimmerman-03302012
Why would they have met the night of the shooting to make decisions about an arrest contrary to what cops had decided when it was weeks away from being a big deal?
Anything the Martin parade puts out there is taken as gospel. Disgusting.
I agree ... still digging. Right now I'm looking for an early or original source of "Wolfinger got out of bed and drove 40 min. to go to the station" or similar.
-- It might work, particularly if Corey decides to indict. Then the focus will be on her. --
Of course. If there is an indictment, "mission accomplished" as far as Crump is concerned. And Crump wants to avoid focus, if there is not an indictment. Blame everybody, Corey, feds, Wolfinger, Lee, and the current occupants of those offices.
The argument is that Serino would have had an arrest, because his position would be persuasive to the police chief, Lee. But Lee didn't want to arrest Zimmerman (for whatever reason - some claim it's a personal favor of some sort, or racial animus, etc.). Given a conflict at the station, Lee calls Wolfinger either for support, or to make the call.
All of that drama could play without thinking this was a national issue. Sanford may be a racial powder keg of its own right.
the media creating another lie to try and steer this story?
why that is shocking I tell you SHOCKING! / mega S
BTW they’ve been quite courageous so far, lets just hope these guys in FLA don’t buckle to the media PC pressure.
In addition, the way the article is phrased, it brings into question the existence of the Serino affidavit.
On that topic, this is something interesting, I think, regarding Serino and the "affidavit."
Investigator Chris Serino of Sanford police said Friday the agency has worked closely with prosecutors, and have not arrested Zimmerman because prosecutors have consistently told them they do not have enough evidence to win a manslaughter conviction.That story is from March 17th. Certainly there is no reason for Serino to expressed any doubts he may have had in a public statement, but I'm not sure what obligation he had to make any public statement at all.
That's because Zimmerman says he was defending himself, something he's allowed to do under Florida law.
The best account of what happened came from Zimmerman, Serino said. Other witnesses who saw or heard parts of what happened corroborate his version of events, the investigator said.
Agreed. Every piece of material falsehood I've picked up so far comes from Crump or his sidekick.
I think there is enough evidence to indict. You can indict a ham sandwich, as they say. We really don’t know what happened between the time that Zimmerman began chasing Martin and the time that Martin was shot. All we’ve got is Zimmerman’s story, and the broken snipets of a few eyewitnesses. So they can get an indictment.
They can probably overcome a show cause hearing. Whether they can get a conviction is quite another matter. And what happens after he’s acquitted is as well.
I could have sworn I read in an early story that police consulted by telephone with an assistant State Attorney who advised them not to file charges. It was presented as a criticism of the process, because normally a prosecutor comes to the scene, and this was only done by phone - and it definitely was not Wolfinger they were talking about - pretty sure it was a woman.
I still don’t understand why these people would be involved with what was considered rather routine that night...wasn’t it?
Well, despite similar publicity, OJ managed to get a "fair" trial. I'm sure a similar jury could do the "right thing" in this case.
Trayvon shooter will surrender if charged - Tuesday April 03, 2012 (yes, that's the date on the webpage): Reuters
ABC News reported last week that Sanford police detective Chris Serino, unconvinced by Zimmerman's story of self-defence, wanted to charge him with manslaughter, but was overruled by Wolfinger's office.A separate report by news website TheGrio.com, unconfirmed by Reuters, said Wolfinger left his home the Sunday night of the shooting to meet with Sanford police in person.
Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for the Martin family, asked the Justice Department in a letter on Monday to investigate those reports. Though the letter reported the events without attribution, Crump told Reuters his information came from the media reports and he did not have independent verification.
I'm getting a sense that the black folks have some local axes to grind. Lots of tidbits in this article.
Governor calls for special prosecutor - Dara Kam - Palm Beach Post Staff Writer - March 22, 2012
And the governor's announcement came the day after several Democratic black state lawmakers asked him to remove Seminole County State Attorney Norman Wolfinger, whom they accused of being too close to Lee and the sheriff's office. ..."We want an arrest, we want a conviction and we want him sentenced for the murder of my son," Martin's father, Tracy, said.
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