Perhaps he plays Tekken?
;-P
Posted on 05/29/2012 4:15:16 AM PDT by marktwain
Several key witnesses in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin by Neighborhood Watch captain George Zimmerman have changed their original stories since first being interviewed by law enforcement, according to news reports about recently released evidence in the case. Some analysts cited in the media speculated that three of those revised accounts might hurt the shooter’s claims of self-defense as the second-degree murder prosecution goes through the Florida court system.
Experts in the field, however, have noted that later recollections — which could be impacted by external factors such as publicity, for example — are thought to be less reliable than earlier memories. And the addition of post-event information into the memory reconstruction process, normally unbeknownst to the person, is one reason why psychologists believe that eyewitness testimony can often be unreliable.
“To fill in gaps in memory, the eyewitness relies upon his or her expectation, attitudes, prejudices, bias, and prior knowledge,” explained University of North Dakota forensic psychologist Richard Wise. “Furthermore, information supplied to an eyewitness after a crime ... by the police, prosecutor, other eyewitnesses, media, etc., can alter an eyewitness's memory of the crime."
Once that happens, Wise told the site Life's Little Mysteries, those witnesses generally do not even realize that their memories of the event have been changed. Not only do they feel confident that they are remembering the incident accurately, it also becomes very hard or even impossible to restore their original memories about it, he explained.
Thus far, according to legal experts, much of the information released publicly — photos, witness accounts, medical reports, and more — has largely tended to support Zimmerman’s version of events. Essentially, he claimed to have fired his gun in self-defense after Martin attacked him, bashed his head on the ground, and broke his nose. Authorities originally declined to arrest him or press charges, at least until a national frenzy of misleading media reports and race-hate agitators sparked an outcry.
But since the mass coverage of the incident began — much of it, such as an NBC report carefully edited to make Zimmerman appear racist, demonstrably deceitful — at least four of the witnesses have altered their accounts in ways that could impact the prosecution. According to a report in the Orlando Sentinel, which first picked up the story, one woman abandoned her initial story completely, while three others’ recollections changed in “ways that may damage Zimmerman.”
One young woman who lives in the gated community where the shooting happened, known publicly only as “Witness 2,” originally told law enforcement that she had seen two men running. The pair eventually got into a fist fight, she said, but because she had just removed her contact lenses prior to witnessing the scene, she did not know who was hitting whom. The woman told similar versions of that story in at least three official interviews with local and state authorities.
But during follow-up questioning in late March by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement — after the shooting had garnered explosive national attention — she only remembered one person running. And she had no idea who it was. "I couldn't tell you if it was a man, a woman, a kid, black or white. I couldn't tell you because it was dark and because I didn't have my contacts on or glasses,” the woman was quoted as saying. “I just know I saw a person out there."
Another woman, known as “Witness 12,” first told investigators in late March that she saw two people on the ground after the fatal shot was fired, but did not know who had been on top. Other witnesses who spoke to the press about the incident said they were sure Martin had been on top. And the well-documented grass stains on the back of Zimmerman’s sweater, as well as the wounds on the back of his head, would tend to support that, according to analysts.
About a week after her first interview, however, “Witness 12” told prosecutors that she was sure Zimmerman had been on top. "I know after seeing the TV of what's happening, comparing their sizes, I think Zimmerman was definitely on top because of his size," she was quoted as saying in a recorded interview.
A man who reportedly lives just a few feet from where Martin was shot, “Witness 6,” largely corroborated Zimmerman’s story. He told police on the night of the incident that a black man was on top of Zimmerman "just throwing down blows on the guy, MMA[Mixed Martial Arts]-style," and that the man being pummeled — Zimmerman — had been calling for help.
Three weeks later, however, the same man told investigators that while Martin was definitely on top, he was no longer sure whether the black teenager was actually punching Zimmerman or not. "I truly can't tell who, after thinking about it, was yelling for help just because it was so dark out on that sidewalk," the man added in his later interview.
The fourth man to have changed his original story, “Witness 13,” spoke with Zimmerman right after the shooting. At the time, the man told police that a bloodied Zimmerman had asked him to call Zimmerman’s wife and explain that he had been forced to shoot Martin because the 17-year-old football player had been beating him up. About a month later, the witness told investigators that Zimmerman had acted like the shooting “was nothing.”
According to analysts, much of the eyewitness testimony is contradictory. Some people, for example, claimed to have heard a second gun shot — in reality, Zimmerman fired only one shot. Other witnesses said they saw shirts that nobody was wearing, the Miami Herald reported. And taken together, the inaccurate accounts show how unreliable witness statements can be — especially in situations like this.
“Memory does not function like a videotape that records everything and can be replayed at will,” Innocence Project eyewitness identification litigation fellow Karen Newirth told the Herald. “People remember pieces of events, and then fill in the blanks with what makes sense.”
Other experts have noted that the earliest accounts are probably also the most reliable. "All other things equal, earlier recountings are more likely to be accurate than later ones,” Stanford University psychology Professor Barbara Tversky was quoted as saying by the Scientific American. “The longer the delay, the more likely that subsequent information will get confused with the target memory."
The defense and the prosecution are both seeking to keep evidence under wraps for now, according to news reports. Zimmerman is currently out on bail and maintains that he is innocent. The next court date is scheduled for August.
Some legal experts such as Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz have blasted prosecutors and called for the murder charges to be dropped, but others say that there is presumably still some evidence that has not yet been released. Race profiteers who have staked their reputations on the case, political opportunists, and Martin supporters, however, are all insisting that Zimmerman is a murderer and should be convicted.
Next court date in August, just in time to riot before the election, call Marshall Law ....
How can a witness who changes their story 180* be considered a credible witness.?
Only to an OJ jury.
Leni
Um, that’s “martial law”...
Its “Marichal Law”, enforced with fastballs to the head.
An OJ jury is what Zimmerman will get. Only their verdict has been pre ordained to be guilty.
/8^)
“I couldn’t tell you because it was dark and because I didn’t have my contacts on or glasses,”
I see you wear glasses. Yes. Were you wearing your eye glasses when the killers exited the store. No. So, you were not wearing your prescription eye glasses when you identified my client. They reading glasses. OK, can you tell me the color eyes of the two defendants. Yes, hazel blue and brown. NO MORE QUESTINOS. Wow, he is a hard one.
1) Presume that Zimmerman is guilty until proven innocent.
2) Presume that there must be some evidence somewhere. I mean ... this couldn't be a total farce, could it? [/s]
I think they may be afraid to tell the truth.
I've always thought that FR should have a moderator with "Marshall Law" as his screen name. It would add a "Judge Roy Bean" flavor to some of the zots.
The defense will tear them limb from limb.
Dead wrong.
The defense gets to reject an unlimited number of jurors if it can show any cause - that is how the jury came to be. Zimmerman will construct a jury full of crime victims and recent immigrants.
Consider also that riots (if they can incite them) serve the goals of the left even better than a kangaroo court show trial.
Dead wrong.
The defense gets to reject an unlimited number of jurors if it can show any cause - that is how the jury came to be. Zimmerman will construct a jury full of crime victims and recent immigrants.
Consider also that riots (if they can incite them) serve the goals of the left even better than a kangaroo court show trial.
forensics will tell who was on top when the shooting occurred
forensics will reconstruct the struggle, and how Zimmerman’s head was battered
forensics will tell if lil’ Tray’s brain was damaged by robo-tripping on “lean”, accounting for his aggression
In all seriousness, I don't know of any "information" -- not speculation or racist wishing -- that does not support George Zimmerman's case. Am I missing something?
Nope, you aren’t missing anything. That’s how reality works.
Libs don’t live in reality, though, which is why they engage in “magical thinking” a lot, trying to use “nuance” to explain away reality...
They will take the deposition given the closest to the event. Otherwise it will be inadmissible if they have changed their story.
Defense Attorney: "Mr./Ms. Witness, were you lying when you gave your initial statement to the police, or are you lying now?"
“forensics will tell who was on top when the shooting occurred
forensics will reconstruct the struggle, and how Zimmerman’s head was battered
forensics will tell if lil’ Tray’s brain was damaged by robo-tripping on “lean”, accounting for his aggression”
Who controls “forensics”? The state. What is the outcome the state desires?
I hope that you are correct, for Zimmerman’s sake. The reality of the situation is that Zimmerman should never have been charged and if we had politicians with any principles and political courage, he would not have been. But since this is a trial for purely political and appeasement purposes, expect a political and appeasement verdict. To wit: Guilty. It will have the lynch Zimmerman mob on this forum orgasming estacticaly.
And that's exactly the type of jury both the state and Federal prosecutor will hope to impanel.
Where Johnny Roseboro was involved Marichal was a dual threat, enforcing his law with a Louisville Slugger as well. Lest we forget.
The autopsy report said that Trayvon had liver damage which is consistent with use of lean and related drugs. If Trayvon didn’t have diabetes or any underlying medical condition that might cause liver damage it seems Trayvon had a habit going - in addition to his marijuana habit.
Perhaps he plays Tekken?
;-P
several threads posted lats week, look for keyword “lean”
It was an eye opener
It seems Trayvon's face book pages alluded to his enjoyment of DMX concoctions aka “lean” and discussed his search for codeine as an ingredient
(Arizona) watermelon juice (NOT ICE TEA) and skittles being 2 ingredients....just add cough syrup
The blunts he apparently bought at 7-11 (another thread) t would make him mellow, but the “purple drank” has a side effect of aggression ...
bad choices by this kid, all around
Zimmerman may have shot him but the violent black hip hop street culture doomed him ... the same culture celebrated by the obamas
More people need to read up on this to protect their kids
On the other hand, I would not be surprised if EVERYONE in the system is not working on Zimmerman's guilt and concern for his family to cop a plea, take a dive, and never go to trial
This would give a “bad guy” to the howling rasist mobs and their pimps like Sharpton
and confer perpetual martyr status on the sadly seriously culturally damaged probably robo-tripping dead teenager
This trial is a back door attempt to have the self defense law changed!!!
Martin didn't buy the blunts.
While Martin's in the 7-11 there's an exchange in which Martin apparently asked the clerk for something behind the counter and the clerk asks if Martin has ID. Those who have worked with the audio claim the clerk give some kind of apology about how it's policy.
Anyway, Martin is denied the purchase of something he wants behind the counter.
As Martin carefully works to get money out of his pants pocket, he palms two dollar bills. He continues to hold those two dollars as he leaves the store in the different surveillance camera views.
There's a pause of, say, 90 seconds. During that time, Martin does not leave the 7-11 . . . or at least is not seen walking back past the window by which he arrived. Then three odd characters (whom you'll see referred to as the "Three Stooges" enter). They make some purchases that are paid for by one of them with a debit card. However, one of them comes in holding . . . two dollars. Some people speculate that Trayvon met them in the parking lot or at the door and asked if they had ID to buy him a blunt or two and he gave one of them money. The guy with money buys two blunts, then hesitates and orders a third, then leaves the counter and leaves the store as the other two stay at the checkout area. Then the other stooges leave after completing the purchase.
Shortly after this, you see Trayvon finally leave the 7-11 area, walking back past the window.
I think that's a fairly accurate description.
But Martin doesn't buy blunts - one guy out of three buys them immediately after Martin, walking in holding two bills, which Trayvon just walked out holding, and once he's bought the blunts, he walks out.
Another note: After Trayvon makes his purchase, he starts to leave, then comes back for a white bag left on the floor of the 7-11. One of my kids saw that and said - that must be the bag containing the cough syrup, purchased from another store, ditched when Martin ran back to Brandi's place.
And that, My FRiend, borders on politics.
Pet peeve of mine. ;) It’s martial law, not Marshall.
and so impressed by all that rapper hiphop crap that obama and moochelle celebrate at our WH
Not a werd from the community about how that crap culture is killing, just killing, their kids. The boys with drugs and violence in place of bonding, the girls with violence, promiscuous sex and lack of respect for and from men
yeah would the obamas want their girls up on stage gyrating and hip grinding and simulating sex with male dancers like their pal “Beyonce”? Would they want them dating guys like Trayvon?
Do you have a source for liver damage?
Are those observations unusual? Are they indicative of drug use? I have no idea.
No idea. I plan on wrecking my liver in the traditional manner and not with cough syrup. ;)
>> “Race profiteers” may take off as a new appellation <<
.
Just a new hat for the Poverty Pimps.
.
>> Its “Marichal Law”, enforced with fastballs to the head. <<
.
Thass a goood Juan!
.
>> “Zimmerman will construct a jury full of crime victims and recent immigrants.” <<
.
I guarantee that the judge will eliminate all of them. Been through that in jury selection before. The judge thins the herd first.
>> Who controls “forensics?” <<
.
Both sides will have their own forensic team and examination. Levitity cannot be fudged anyway.
Yeah..!
In fact, I much prefer “race profiteers” to the old “race hustlers”.
The word “profiteers” is much more of a thumb in the eye to the communist Democrats.
Excellent.
Why can’t ME’s and Physicians take a course in handwriting or at least have an assistant that can write up their reports so the average person can read them?! Argh......
It’s part of the mystique I suppose.
[Done in my best Raymond Burr]: "Were you lying then or are you lying now?"
I agree completely. I just had a discussion about this with a teacher friend who teaches in inner city Philly. He was stating how kids idolize rappers who talk about violence, women, drugs, and boos. That creates a huge social problem and is a very sad state.
Obviously forensics can show that the shot was fired into Martin’s chest at close range and not some other scenario such as in the back as he was running away. But can it really determine that Martin was on top, versus both men standing face to face? I am not questioning Zimmerman’s account, just asking if anyone has enough knowledge here to explain how that works. It seems to me the path of the bullet, powder burns, etc, could be the same in either case. Of course that’s assuming the bullet remained in Martin’s body, and did not exit to hit something else that would complete the retracing of the bullet’s path.
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