Posted on 07/13/2013 7:10:55 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
An employee of the Office of the State Attorney in Jacksonville, Fla., who testified that prosecutors withheld evidence from George Zimmerman’s defense team has been fired, his lawyer told NBC News.
Ben Kruidbos, who testified for the defense before the trial began and identified himself as a "whistleblower," alleged that his former employer concealed or was slow to deliver discovery information obtained from Trayvon Martin’s cell phone – including pictures of a hand holding a gun and a gun on a bed.
Zimmerman’s defense team has filed a motion of judicial sanctions against state prosecutors, alleging discovery violations. The state has denied these violations.
When reached for comment, state attorney’s office spokesperson Jackelyn Barnard confirmed that Kruidbos “is no longer an employee at the State Attorney’s Office.”
“Due to this being a personnel matter, there will be no further comment at this time,” Barnard said.
Kruidbos, the state office’s former information technology officer, testified at a June 6 pre-trial hearing that he discovered the photos after using software to analyze the raw data from the phone, put it all in a report and turned it over to Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda – who, he said, gave him mixed signals about whether he intended to pass it on to Zimmerman’s lawyers.
He said that in May he brought his concerns to Wesley White, an ex-prosecutor, who contacted the defense.
“I think all of the information being shared in the process is important to make sure it’s a fair trial,” Kruidbos testified, saying that he was concerned he would be held liable if he didn't share the information.
White, who resigned as a state prosecutor in December and now represents Kruidbos in private practice, shared with NBC News on Saturday a purported six-page termination letter his client received.
The letter, dated July 11, states: “It has come to our attention that you violated numerous State Attorney’s Office (SAO) policies and procedures and have engaged in deliberate misconduct that is especially egregious in light of your position as Director of Information Technology (IT).”
“Your egregious lack of regard for the sensitive nature of the information handled by this office is completely abhorrent. You have proven to be completely untrustworthy. Because of your deliberate, willful and unscrupulous actions, you can never again be trusted to step foot in this office,” the letter states.
The letter, signed by the state attorney office's managing director, Cheryl R. Peek, alleges that Kruidbos' intent "was not pursuant to any pure motive or genuine concern."
"Your feigned and spurious claim of possible liability was nothing more than shameful manipulation in a shallow, but obvious, attempt to cloak yourself in the protection of the whistleblower law," referencing the Florida statute that bars retaliation against state employees who disclose protected information.
The jury in the Zimmerman trial was deliberating for a second day Saturday with no indication of how long they might take to reach a verdict in the death of Martin.
Zimmerman, 29, who pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, says he shot Martin in self-defense when the teen attacked him after they crossed paths Feb. 26, 2012, in a gated community of Sanford, Fla. Martin, 17, was unarmed.
It's worse than just getting fired. Now the NSA and IRS will be all over his ass.
The employer had better gear up to defend this firing.
This farce will have political blowback for the hacks involved in bringing
this farce to trial. It’s not the end for Angela Corey, Bernie “The Roach”
and Pam Blondi, the politically blowback has just begun.
They cheated and still lost. :-)
Somebody re-post the ‘thug-pics’. I need to show them to people who still think mr martin was just an angel in all this.
I thought Pam Bondi was the darling of conservatives when she was running for office. What changed?
Wish that would have been the same result for the 2012 election. The cheaters didn’t lose that one.
We all thought Rubio was the man, as well. Cases like this can expose
serious flaws in people we once believed in.
This man set a good example for doing what’s right over what’s politically expedient. Good for him. Liberal elites are playing by Chicago rules. Goons fire people for their beliefs...
Has Pam Bondi commented on the case as far as her beliefs?
Yes. I have seen her on Fox several times commenting on this case.
Early on in the case.
Thank you!
The guilty always sacrifice the innocent ...
Any reason the Floriduh Governor has not step in to right this situation?
Angela Corey needs to be disbarred.
Angela Corey is a HACK who needs to be FIRED and brought up on charges!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=SF2YB4pGrjk#at=23
Jan 28, 2012
“I have been asked to be on Gov Romney’s task force, I am going to be part of his health care policy team when he is President.”
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1203/27/pmt.01.html
March 27, 2012
PAM BONDI, FLORIDA ATTORNEY GENERAL: Well, Piers, first let me tell you. I’ve spoken to Trayvon’s parents. They are amazing, sweet, kind people. My heart goes out to them. I’m actually friends with their attorneys Ben Crump and Daryl Parks. They’re wonderful lawyers who are representing them.
What my — I have no legal role as attorney general in the state of Florida. That authority is left to the state attorneys. But what I did do was I discussed with the governor the appointment of Angela Corey, a special prosecutor in Jacksonville who’s well removed from the case. She’s absolutely excellent. And the Florida Department of Law Enforcement are now involved in the case.
The reason, Piers, I can’t comment on “Stand Your Ground”, whether that applies here because there are too many unanswered questions. And, you know, that’s why the family is rightfully upset. When you have an innocent 17-year-old boy walking home with Skittles and an iced tea and he’s killed, you have to have answers, not questions. And that’s what we need in our state.
MORGAN: Yes, I mean, look, I am encouraged by what you’re saying. It’s good that a senior lawmaker in Florida is saying all this, but in the end, you know, I remain like many people absolutely bemused that somebody can shoot somebody in cold blood, an unarmed young teenager.
And so, I mean, I just think with your legal training and your legal background on what appears to be a very empathetic attitude towards this case, it might be quite powerful for the attorney general of Florida to say publicly, you know what? This guy should be arrested. He should be interviewed under caution and he should, if necessary, face charges. But he should be at stage one of the legal process of being under arrest.
BONDI: Well, what we’ve done is appoint a special prosecutor. And that’s what she’s doing. Conducting a thorough investigation because we need to get Trayvon’s girlfriend to cooperate which I don’t know if was happening previously. And they may have had good reason for that. But she’s cooperating now. And again, a thorough investigation is being done to ensure that justice is sought for that family.
But you can’t make an arrest until you interview all the witnesses, Piers. Nor do you want that to happen because a speedy trial could run. And — then that’s — we don’t want that to happen. And all I can tell you is we have a great prosecutor on the case. We have great law enforcement agencies. The Department of Justice is looking at this. And I firmly believe as you do that we need to have justice for the death of this innocent young man who was walking home to watch a basketball game with Skittles and an iced tea.
You are suppose to hand over discovery.
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