Posted on 04/27/2012 9:24:49 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
SANFORD, Fla. - A judge has refused the prosecution's request and will not issue a gag order on those involved in the murder trial of George Zimmerman, who's accused of murder in the death of Trayvon Martin.
Saying he wouldn't entertain the state's request at this time, Florida Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester said Friday he would not stop Zimmerman's attorneys from talking to the media if they chose.
"Attorneys, specifically the defense counsel, are still commenting about the facts of the case," state prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda said.
"I've been very careful. ... I don't have the evidence (in the case) yet," said O'Mara, referring to the fact that the state's evidence has not yet been provided to him.
O'Mara also said in court Friday that his client's case is the "most significant media event in the country."
Before ruling that a gag order would not be considered at this time, Lester said both state and defense attorneys have been conducting themselves professionally.
Zimmerman is accused of second-degree murder for the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. The case has drawn national attention because Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch volunteer when he shot Martin, who was unarmed.
Zimmerman was not charged for more than six weeks because he claimed self-defense.
The hearing also dealt with several media organizations, including The Associated Press, asking the judge to unseal documents from Zimmerman's court file. The issue of Zimmerman's finances were also discussed.
Mark O'Mara, a former Local 6 legal analyst who now represents Zimmerman, informed Lester that his client had raised more than $200,000 via a website. O'Mara said he only recently learned about the money and was still gathering facts about the account associated with the website.
Zimmerman did not appear at the hearing.
He ought to be comparing them to Nifong every chance he gets. He ought to be calling them out for their real motives. He won’t get them to drop it, but he might make it more likely that the judge will find his way on a pretrial motion and kick the case out. You can’t treat these prosecutors like professional colleagues; they are scumbags trying to send a victim of crime to jail for murder.
Translation-no case.
I disagree. There is going to be ongoing litigation in this case for years, and it will be far better when O'Mara goes after them that they have no defense that he was the instigator. They are doing such a good job of undermining themselves and proving the wilfulness and recklessness in this frivolous case that these two clowns won't be able to russle up bus fare home.
If Zimmerman was truthfull regarding his actions that night, then we have another Richard Jewel type situation.
If the prosecution has proof that he lied, that needs to come out swiftly, because the media version has already been refuted.
If OTOH, we have a media/politically induced malicious prosecution, based solely on perceptions of “racial injustice”, absent clear proof of 2nd degree murder...the backlash has the potential to explode violently against the orchestrators.
Trevor Dooley's SYG defense against manslaughter charges is not going well for him, as I read in local press reports of the trial.
Not much media or political attention was applied when a 69 year old black man shot and killed a 41 year old white man, in front of witnesses...
It's going to be a long hot summer in Florida.
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