Detective in Zimmerman case said he was pressured to file charges

miamiherald.com ^ | 12 July, 2012 | Frances Robles

[marktwain]

Records released Thursday show a federal law-enforcement agent accompanied George Zimmerman to his police interrogations, and FBI interviews did not turn up any sign of racial bias in the shooting of Trayvon Martin.

The lead Sanford Police investigator who sought manslaughter charges against George Zimmerman told the FBI that a sergeant and two other officers tried to pressure him into making an arrest in the controversial case — even though he didn’t think there was enough evidence.

Sanford Police Officer Chris Serino first made headlines when evidence released in the case showed he sought manslaughter charges against Zimmerman even while his chief publicly said there was no probable cause to arrest him. But a document released late Thursday casts doubt on Serino’s prior sworn affidavit seeking criminal charges, and raises questions about the credibility of the star law-enforcement witness in the murder case against Zimmerman for the shooting death of a black teenager, Miami Gardens high school junior Trayvon Martin..

Telling the FBI that he was concerned that people inside the police department were leaking information, Serino cited Sgt. Arthur Barnes, officers Rebecca Villalona and Trekelle Perkins “as all pressuring him to file charges against Zimmerman after the incident,” an FBI report said. “Serino did not believe he had enough evidence at the time to file charges.”

The summary of Serino’s statement does not mention the race of the officers who allegedly pressured him, but sources told The Miami Herald that Barnes and Perkins are black, and Villalona is married to an African-American man. All three, the source said, had been called in by their supervisor and questioned about leaking information in the case.

A request Thursday evening to the Sanford Police Department for comment about Serino’s statement went unanswered.

[marktwain]

Arresting someone because of extortion by racists of any color is wrong.

[dirtboy]

Smells like self-serving B.S. to me.

[lacrew]

Isn’t the real crime here the leaking of information, by police officers, concerning an active investigation.

If this trio had not broken the law and fed the media machine, we probably would have never heard of George Zimmerman....and he would have never seen the inside of a jail cell.

Seriously - when will the city of Sanford or State of Florida launch an investigation into the leaks?

[Mr Ramsbotham]

They keep saying that Zimmerman shot an unarmed youth. But if he hadn’t shot him, Martin would immediately have become armed ... with Zimmerman’s own pistol. Not only would he have been armed, but the evidence shows very clearly that he would have used the weapon against Zimmerman.

[ClearCase_guy]

For America, this may be a Dreyfuss Affair.

[the invisib1e hand]

Either way, the mob rules.

[Doogle]

Trekelle ...let’s see, I’m betting a star trek fan

interesting info on Trekkie

http://cops.htcreative.com/Officer/Details/164739

[oh8eleven]

Either way, the mob rules.
Sadly, you are correct. Maybe they can time the verdict to be announced during a mid-winter deep freeze and snow storm.

[Doogle]

Barnes:

http://cops.htcreative.com/Officer/Details/49861

[crosshairs]

Sadly, you are correct. Maybe they can time the verdict to be announced during a mid-winter deep freeze and snow storm.

Won't help Florida.

[maxwellsmart_agent]

This is an inversion of the way things were 100 years ago here in the south.

[Tallguy]

Bingo!

[Doogle]

Villalona is under investigation: SANFORD, Fla. — More Sanford police officers are under investigation for how they handled a violent attack on a homeless man, WFTV found out Thursday night. The list of officers includes the department's acting deputy chief of police, Captain Jerry Hargrett. Justin Collison, who is the son of a Sanford police officer, was not arrested for knocking out a homeless man until after Eyewitness News broke the story about a month after the attack. The officers included in the internal investigation didn't all respond to the scene where the beating happened in December, but they all played some type of role in the investigation. Along with Captain Jerry Hargrett, the list of officers includes Officer John Walsh, Officer Zack Glenn, Officer Donald Flowers, Officer Samuel McNeil, Officer Tim Smith, Sergeant Anthony Raimondo, Lieutenant Mike Taylor and Investigator Rebecca Villalona.

[oh8eleven]

Won't help Florida.
There are still possibilities for anyplace north of Frostproof :)

[Cowgirl of Justice]

On Channel 5 in Atlanta, the Trayvon story has been in the headlines the past couple of days.

They keep using the pic of that boy that shows him be be about 10-12 and not through puberty yet.

Anything to appease and arouse the masses. It is disgusting.

[Gay State Conservative]

Will some judge have the courage to put a stop to this travesty? If judges are elected in FL it probably won’t happen.Even if they’re not a judge would have to consider possible threats of harm to his/her family.However,these documents absolutely blow any case that the Feds thought they had out of the water so Zimmerman only has to worry about the state now.Well,the state and the “progressive” vigilantes.

[Uncle Chip]

The Miami Herald that Barnes and Perkins are black, and Villalona is married to an African-American man. All three, the source said, had been called in by their supervisor and questioned about leaking information in the case.

Three more officers who need to be put on night beat patrol. Pretty soon the whole department will be working night shifts.

[rawhide]

I am thinking that the police who pressure the cop to arrest Zimmerman might have done so to get back at Zimmerman for his past statements criticizing the police dept. In other words, payback, with Zimmerman's rights be damned! Just a thought of mine!

[SWAMPSNIPER]

ping

[Mouton]

Interesting this article comes out of Miami’s TASS, one of the prime sources for info on the lynch zimmerman side.

Could it be someone is finally trying to get on the right side of this issue?

I hope Zimmerman is not forced, by his attorney, into some plea to a lessor judge like involuntary manslaughter. That would be a laugh. Were I his attorney after seeing how the “non biased” judge handled this to date, I’d move for a venue change to somewhere up in NorthEast Florida.

The good news now is there is no evidence of any civil rights violation and the fed government call call off the dogs and send them to Philadelphia to watch the polling booths (sarcasm).

[Uncle Chip]

Marktwain, your excerpt is a perfect 300 words. You are to be complimented. As a reward for a perfect and meaningful 300 word excerpt that serves the reader and the author, I will now click on the link to the Miama Herald and finish reading the article [and even glance at one or two of their advertisements].

[TLI]

PING... for future reference.

.

[GladesGuru]

“Won’t help Florida.
There are still possibilities for anyplace north of Frostproof :) “

Speaking from “Occupied Miami”, please understand that there are still people here who read, accepted, and will defend the Constitution. That’s “Constitution” as in the ‘Original Document”, not the “Living Constitution” of Obama and the progs.

IMHO, the Zimmerman case may well trace back to Sanford area LEO’s using the justifiable shooting of “Saint Skittles of the Purple Drank” as a revenge on Zimmerman for Zimmerman’s loud and long fight to bring a member of the Boyz-N-Blu to an accounting.

Still, north of Frostproof is still American in a way that Miami will probably be generations getting back to.

Diversity is not our strength, not is multi-culturalism anything but a descent back down the path of cultural devolution into the savagery of tribalism.

I find it most disturbing that Florida (and America) could so quickly drop all pretense of following the core concepts of the Founding Documents.

This is proof of the success of Adorno’s “critical theory” and of Antonio Gramsci’s advice to communists to take a generation or two and take over education and the agencies of government.

As the commies in this case, from Corey to the Keystone Koppers in Sanford, are attempting to restrict/violate the Constitutional guarantees under cover of law, all must be tried, convicted, and jailed for a decade at least.

PS Were the laws actually enforced, the above is exactly what the law requires. Jail the Constitution violators!

[marktwain]

Thank you for the kind words. You are welcome.

[GOPJ]

The summary of Serino’s statement does not mention the race of the officers who allegedly pressured him, but sources told The Miami Herald that Barnes and Perkins are black..

This is the second time this morning I caught a MSM reporter - writing for a MSM newspaper - telling the truth. A non-PC truth. Hats off to Frances Robles - a person who remembers and respects old school journalism...

[MrB]

I think the whole paradigm that “blacks can’t have racial motivations” is collapsing before our eyes.

[GOPJ]

...an FBI report said. “Serino did not believe he had enough evidence at the time to file charges.”

Mark - here's more. My local paper reported that "Serino, a 15 year veteran of the department... was demoted last month to overnight patrol." The liberal lynch mob is getting pumped and primed...

[Uncle Chip]

Interesting this article comes out of Miami’s TASS, one of the prime sources for info on the lynch zimmerman side. Could it be someone is finally trying to get on the right side of this issue?

They had no choice but to try to get ahead of this. They had no idea until yesterday as to what Serino had said to the FBI investigators. No wonder the FBI came and went so fast.

This shows that Serino was the fall guy put on night patrol to keep the internal investigation away from these other three ethnic officers. Remember when this broke Gutman tweeted that Serino was his source at the department. No newsman ever outs his source. So his real source must have been one or more of these three. I think it was Sergeant Barnes who said he was a friend of former Cripster Tracy Martin.

There should be a full investigation of these three because Zimmerman has had his civil rights violated here -- big time. When your only reason for arresting someone is not that the evidence calls for it, but because the mob wants it, the police have lost the moral authority to wear a badge.

[Mouton]

“When your only reason for arresting someone is not that the evidence calls for it, but because the mob wants it, the police have lost the moral authority to wear a badge.” I agree with that 100%. One thing, I believe the police arrested him only after the DA filed the criminal information. I also recall during the bail hearing, the lead investigator was asked about things like medical records and he said he had not seen them. This was in furtherance of the contention there was no esculpatory evidence in the information filing. In other words, this was a lynching orchestrated by the mob and press through the DA’s office. Furthermore, he was also asked about whom was yelling for help and said “it was reported in the news that it was Martin”. Give me a break, reported in the news, since when is that lead material for a murder charge.

[treetopsandroofs]

The “Zimmerman is GUILTY” leftist freaks have quieted down a bit, but next time a “bombshell” like Big Media reporting that the Zimmermans were SKIMMING to MAKE A PROFIT while Zimmerman was in jail comes out, they will be back.

[BerryDingle]

Anyone handcuffed and taken to the police station and questioned has been arrested. Filing false charges without probable cause or evidence should be a serious felony as well as pressuring someone to file because they are racist themselves should be also.

[expat1000]

Interesting there are no photos anywhere of all 3 (that I can find). Must have been scrubbed.

[marktwain]

Anyone handcuffed and taken to the police station and questioned has been arrested.

You are absolutely correct.

[longtermmemmory]

this sounds like that case where a DUI/DWI task force officer arrested a chief of police for the same “reasons”.

The chief of police was tested as sober.

Makes you wonder if there is another line behind the thin blue line.

[treetopsandroofs]

“This is an inversion of the way things were 100 years ago here in the south.”

IT’S ABOUT TIME seems to be the philosophy of Racist Big Media.

[Uncle Chip]

I also recall during the bail hearing, the lead investigator was asked about things like medical records and he said he had not seen them. This was in furtherance of the contention there was no esculpatory evidence in the information filing.

Isn't it the least bit curious that judge Lester in his order for bail July 5th calls the evidence strong against the defendant because the defendant at the first bond hearing April 20th presented no exculpatory evidence.

Well hello, Lester. You do know why, don't you???

The prosecution was holding it hostage. It had all the exculpatory evidence in its grubby little hands, but would not release it until well into May, and since then it slow dripped it out.

[Uncle Chip]

Here she is:

http://www.raggledazzle.com/index.php

[longtermmemmory]

Angela Corey is famous for overcharging in order to force pleas. Imagine what her office does to unknown defendants.

can we all say Nifong?

[Mouton]

“Isn’t it the least bit curious that judge Lester in his order for bail July 5th calls the evidence strong against the defendant because the defendant at the first bond hearing April 20th presented no exculpatory evidence.”

Lester is a scumbag. He was playing to the audience with that one because there is NO requirement a defendent present esculpatory evidence, or any evidence not bearing upon his being a flight risk or assets, at a bond hearing. What is significant, is the PROSECUTION did not provide any in the original filing.

Furthermore, Lester showed his bias when he contended that Zimmerman could flee albeit he had not one shred of evidence or contention he would aside from his undisguised contempt for Zimmerman. I hope Lester gets his due when this is all done. Frankly, I’d like to see him inside the cross bar hotel along with a few others at the root of this travesty.

[Mouton]

“Isn’t it the least bit curious that judge Lester in his order for bail July 5th calls the evidence strong against the defendant because the defendant at the first bond hearing April 20th presented no exculpatory evidence.”

Lester is a scumbag. He was playing to the audience with that one because there is NO requirement a defendent present esculpatory evidence, or any evidence not bearing upon his being a flight risk or assets, at a bond hearing. What is significant, is the PROSECUTION did not provide any in the original filing.

Furthermore, Lester showed his bias when he contended that Zimmerman could flee albeit he had not one shred of evidence or contention he would aside from his undisguised contempt for Zimmerman. I hope Lester gets his due when this is all done. Frankly, I’d like to see him inside the cross bar hotel along with a few others at the root of this travesty.

[mass55th]

"There should be a full investigation of these three..."

I'd still throw Serino into the mix for an investigation. Initial evidence released shows him pursuing manslaughter charges, yet he never said anything about being pressured by those officers until interviewed by the FBI. Obviously the man has a problem with the truth.

It's interesting to note that these three officers were pushing Serino to charge Zimmerman, not based on the law and the lack of evidence, but because an arrest would keep the black community from rioting. It didn't matter that Zimmerman could be innocent of any wrong-doing. To them it was all about race. So how many other arrests have gone forward from this precinct simply because the victim was black, and the accused white or hispanic? If we had a true Justice Dept., this would be properly investigated.

[expat1000]

Ah, good find.

I have no idea what she is talking about regarding the cats.

“It takes a village to raise a child” is an old ‘phrase’ [sic]? I guess she means ‘saying’ or ‘adage’, but it’s one I never heard of. And who’s the child - the cats? Anyway, who cares..

[mass55th]

"I also recall during the bail hearing, the lead investigator was asked about things like medical records and he said he had not seen them."

If he claims he hadn't seen them, then he's lying. Any medical reports would have had to have been included in any report he submitted. When I worked as a Sergeant in NY's prison system, anytime inmates were involved in any kind of scuffle, they all had to be seen by facility medical staff, and a copy of their findings had to be included with whatever other paperwork I was required to submit to complete the package. And it all had to be done before I could go home that night.

[Cyber Liberty]

Isn’t the real crime here the leaking of information, by police officers, concerning an active investigation.

That's the way I see it, too.

[SeminoleCounty]

The prosecution case is totally crumbling

Its time for Gov Scott and AG Bondi to stop this nonsense they created. I will make sure they are primaried out in 2014. No conservative should vote for anyone who sides with Black Racists, and works with groups to take away our rights to Self Defense and the 2d Amendment

Free Zimmerman Now

[SeminoleCounty]

Judge Richard Lester is up for Election in 2014. As a Seminole County resident, I will do my best to make sure he is not re-elected.

Most likely, after this travesty blows up in his face, he will not run for re-election

[Cyber Liberty]

So, one of the cops actually involved in the beating of the homeless guy that Zimmerman stood up for is one of the officers who pressured Serino to file charges against Zimmerman? And is probably responsible for leaking the story to the press as well?

Oh well. Small town, right? Right.

[moehoward]

"Smells like self-serving B.S. to me."

It certainly does. They may have pressured him, but the Chief was agreeing with him. Now that Serino is outed, he wants to take a few with him.

[patriot08]

While the Zimmerman/Martin ‘white’ on black killing is covered 24/7 on the MSM with an outpouring of rage and charges of a racial hate crime, where is the concern- where is the rage about the home invasion, torture, beating, rape and murder of the elderly white couple by a gang of feral blacks in Tulsa, Oklahoma just a few months ago?

The 90 year old war veteran husband was beaten and his jaw broken. He was shot in the face numerous times with a BB gun and sent to the hospital in critical condition.

The 85 year old partially blind wife was RAPED and then BEATEN TO DEATH.

Can you just imagine the pain, the humiliation, the horror that dear old lady experienced being gang raped by that pack of feral animals?

(the autopsy states she was raped. Don’t think all of these animals didn’t all participate)

And can you imagine the pain, the horror of that dear old husband having to witness this?

Mr. Strait died from his injuries last week.

There’s a lot more involved here than a home invasion and robbery.

WHERE ARE THE CHARGES OF A RACIAL HATE CRIME??

90 year old husband’s jaw broken and shot in face with a BB gun numerous times?

85 wife year old semi blind wife RAPED and BEATEN to death??

Why does it take a foreign press to enlighten America as to this henious crime?

WHERE IS THE NATIONAL OUTRAGE?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2117695/Brutal-home-invasion-Oklahoma-couple-ends-65-year-romance-meeting-blind-date.html

__________________________

Have they caught the rest of the gang of feral blacks who raped, tortured and murdered this elderly woman? Are they even looking? Not a word about it in the media.

[Jaded]

His attorney made a comment to the effect of “when the discovery is released it will show a different picture of the events.” That may be why O’Mara is not the pit bull that people think he should be because like yesterday’s doc dump, it will disprove everything that has been bandied about in the LSM.