Posted on 04/10/2012 2:07:08 PM PDT by Justaham
This story will be updated as new events unfold
•Zimmerman's attorneys announced they have stepped down and are no longer representing him
•Attorneys say Zimmerman has not stayed in contact with them, scheduled media appearance with Sean Hannity on his own
•"It's no so much that we are resigning. It's that we cannot continue to represent him until he comes forward," said attorney Craig Sonner
•"He's got to reach out to us," Uhrig said
Despite stepping away from Zimmerman as a client, both attorneys say they continue to believe he acted in self-defense. "We frankly believe the correct decision will be to not charge him," Uhrig said.
The attorneys say they know of Zimmerman's location and have his personal phone number but have been unable to reach him directly for 48 hours.
"George can't go out and buy a Diet Coke. There's a bounty on his head," Uhrig said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
The lawyers on FOX said today that the Bounty was clearly against against FL law.
Yes, hoosiermama. I have followed it closely. I said in a previous post...a few posts ago...that the editing by NBC is one sticking point as far as a lawsuit would go. I am not sure they doctored the tape showing his head. ..they must be going to arrest him though. If not, they would announce that now. They would not make him wait three days.
Good! I hope they make an arrest. What are they waiting on??
I imangine they have him on a list. He can’t leave the state much less the country.
Fox is saying that the attorneys have never talked to Z face to face: Possibly because of the threats.
Behavior is highly unusual......Ya think?
Inciting Violence is a state and local issue.
Gathering evidence....Waiting to see if the threats have actions after the newsconference.....Setting up a “sting”.....
He is not under arrest. HLN reporting he has left the state. They may have told him not to though.
I just cannot imagine the special prosecutor putting him through three more days of misery if they are not going to arrest him. They have evidence. Stippling...gsr..the tapes..tests of voice on tapes...I cannot imagine what other tests they might be doing.
It is the “opposite” part that we have to worry about.
Husband just arrived home. I need to feed him. It was nice talking to you. I will look for you tomorrow. Maybe we will know more. Night.
Yes, they have the evidence, but they probably need the time to get all their ducks in a row to present it to the public, and also to prepare for the reaction to the decision. They can't afford to be sloppy about it.
I have yet to see a retainer agreement that doesn’t give all media communication decisions to the lawyer(s). You never see an accused, or any party to a lawsuit, appear on tv without his/her attorneys.
IF he made an agreement to appear on Hannity, he probably did so because he’d receive a more sympathetic audience; nonetheless, he shouldn’t have done it without his attorneys’ consent.
His father as an ex-judge should have advised him along those lines. It’s one thing for dad to appear on Hannity, quite another for George himself.
My pure speculation: If Corey we’re going to arrest GZ she would go get a warrant and he’d be in custody today. GZ has cut loose his advisors/attorneys because he already knows there won’t be charges. Corey will not wait till Friday day before weekend to announce no charges. She’ll do it Thursday am.
Rent the hall, give the MSM time to fly in, prepare the power point......Cancel ‘off days’ for police, Put sharp shooters in place....Usual things...;~)
Read between the lines? Seems like you are just making it up as you go. The attorneys said they were blindsided by the website. Not informed and then ignored. While the decision to do the web site is poor and speaking to Hannity and the prosecutor are bad moves, they are not what was cited as the basis for the attorneys dropping. The attorneys cited failure to reach the client for 48 hrs.
Clients do far worse all the time and keep counsel. I have no respect for attorneys who put their interest above their clients. Yes the clients may make their case more difficult but it is just that, their case. At the end of the day they live with their actions. The attorney gets paid (hopefully) and moves on to other clients.
Sounds about right. He may have gone “rouge” because he already know the results and as I said earlier is setting up the damage lawsuits.
He is the prime actor in the biggest case in the US right now. He will not be allowed to leave . There doesn’t have to be much to keep you grounded.
Hannity said he talked with a person who said he was GZ and he was NOT going to disclose the content of the interview.
Media will have a three hours heads up on the decision by Corey. Within the next 72 hours.
George knows he's going to be free.
Interesting. Sounds very likely.
“We are all Zimmerman”
####
All civilized Americans are Zimmerman.
However, some of us have no race card to play, nor protected “minority” status to deploy.
Apparently, George Zimmerman established his own website called therealgeorgezimmerman.com.
In it is the following statement: “It has come to my attention that some persons and/or entities have been collecting funds, thinly veiled as my “Defense Fund” or “Legal Fund”. I cannot attest to the validity of these other websites as I have not received any funds collected, intended to support my family and I through this trying, tragic time.”
Could it be that Zimmerman no longer wants these attorneys to represent him until this is sorted out?
As I said above, I have yet to see a retainer agreement where control of media and public communications aren’t in the hands of the attorney(s). A client can say or do exactly the wrong thing and hang himself beyond the powers of the attorney(s) to save him (or her).
I also have yet to see a retainer agreement where the client isn’t bound to be in communication with the attorney(s). That’s just how it works. Lawyers will drop a client *like that* if he doesn’t stay in touch, especially when there is urgent action going on involving your case.
Failure to communicate with counsel is a reason allowed by the courts for attorneys to withdraw, it’s considered that serious. Putting up a website or appearing on Hannity, however self-defeating, may not qualify as good cause for attorneys to withdraw.
This is not the time for George to figure out by himself what’s best for him.
Hmmm??? were the lawyers collecting money without GZ knowing how much or from whom? Is that legal?
No wonder he wasn’t answering. They keep the money. He’s running up the toll on his plastic.
Maybe Zimmerman is getting protection from the Mexican Maffia.
But then the American Mau-Mau would go after Steve Farese.
If, in fact, these guys are his lawyers, then they had no business talking to the press about why they are no longer representing him or whether or not they have spoken to him lately. Any communication (or lack of communication for that matter) between Zimmerman and his attorneys is privileged. I think Mr. Zimmerman will be better off without these clowns.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON/ Lawyers spoke to Zimmerman
MONDAY/ Zimmerman didn’t return calls, emails or text messages.
AND he talks to Hannity.
(Hannity will not release the content of their conversation)
Calls Corey’s office
(He shouldn’t have if the case was still being investigated BUT if he thought it was settled he figured no problem)
TUESDAY/ Lawyers drop him as a client. Were they told to keep the results under their hats, but if they told George Sunday. Then,
CONCLUSION:
a leak in Corey’s office/clerk’s office.
I’d say that Zimmerman knows he’s not being charged.
Hannity is not disclosing the conversation because he doesn’t want to expose the leak. This would also allow Corey to present her powerpoint to the media and disfuss some of the tension.
Any bets? $10 extra to freepathon if I’m right!
“He repeats himself incessantly, he turns every topic into something that is about him, and he constantly uses the same tired cliches”
And I thought I was the only one who thought that. Can’t stand to listen to him anymore. Click.
How are you going to show you were right, if all these confidants keep their yaps shut? Which one is going to say something that is sufficient evidence of a leak either from Corey's office or one of the two lawyers?
You might be right - I like the story. And the two lawyers going out is a big chuckle for them and for Zimmerman.
I'd almost bet that GZ (the one who wipes his shoes as he enters the police station) Was calling Corey's office to thank her.
One more thing how did the lawyers know that George called Hannity and Corey's office if he had not told them....Had his wife told them. Were they in contact with her? What IS the meaning of is....
I'm calling sham.
So, if Hannity says he knew on Tuesday, we'll know he got a heads up from some unauthorized leak.
Even Santorum’s action and North Korea's rocket launch took second place to unstable, emotionally stressed GZ tonight.
GENIUS!
Hannity will have the “first” interview with Z after the announcement is made.
Although Bork would be better than Kennedy we got Thomas who is lightyears better than Bork and the WH learned not to sit still for character assasination.
Considering this theory... Note that Zimmerman’s lawyers may have volunteered up to this point, having never had a face-to-face. No formal negotiations no contract. Surely, the lawyers have enjoyed the limelight.
Assuming Zimmerman knows there will be no charges...
Say, Zimmerman has now blown the lawyers off -while possibly negotiating payday; or, at least expenses and some editorial control on Hannity special? How would those lawyers react? No real day in the sun, no $$$. The lawyers day in the sun is already over and they haven’t made a dime. (They’re pissed!) It makes it easy for them to step away from Zimmerman…they probably feel slighted.
It all plays well for Zimmerman if the charges will be dropped shortly. Him not even having known representation when that happens.
How Zimmerman might know they have been dropped we might never know.
Anyway, I’m sure the libs and race hustlers think Zimmerman is wondering deservedly despondent in the woods or something. They’ll freak when no charges are announce and Hannity goes soup to nuts with Zimmerman that day and rips them all.
“He repeats himself incessantly”
You’re a great american
Let not your heart be troubled
for example. for example. for example
“he turns every topic into something that is about him”
exactly...as he interrupts & shouts over people.
I’m not sure why some people bother accepting the invitation.As soon as they wander into territory he doesn’t like, he starts the loud talking over thing.
For awhile it seemed the only people that would agree to come on were Newt, Dick Morris, and Coulter.
Is it possible that Zimmerman can go for a mistrial if charged, based on an inability to get a fair trial after the media altered the tape to bias the public against him?
the death threats are domestic terrorism
this is an outrage !
No argument there. They must be a protected group of thugs.
The only decision to which I am referring and the only decision which is legally relevant is the decision to defend himself. Long live Zimmerman.
I agree that one should NEVER talk to the police.
Zimmerman chased down an unarmed young man and shot him to death. If that happened to one of your kids...you would be singing a different tune. And I say this as a gun owner...and someone in favour of ccw’s. I am also extremely pro law enforcement...and this guy acted like a thug. He should not have had a ccw with his record. And it is a red flag for law enforcement that he tried three times to get on the police force and could not. So..he ends up on a cops watch....with a gun?? a gun?? You do Nothing on citizens on patrol except call the police. Period.
On the other hand, his lawyers acted unethically, NBC acted unethically and recklessly and the black panthers should be behind bars for what they have done to Zimmerman. My fear on the other side of this issue is he is going to be used as an example. My best hope is this prosecutor. I like her. She is tough but fair. And the charges are appropriate. First degree murder would not have been appropriate.
According to a source at RadarOnline, Trayvon's girlfriend was interviewed at an undisclosed location for more than two and a half hours.The source claims:
"Trayvon's girlfriend was interviewed by the two district attorneys that Special Prosecutor Angela Corey appointed to the case.Last week it was revealed that the Florida State Attorney's Office issued a subpoena for Trayvon's girlfriend to appear in front of the grand jury on April 10.She was interviewed last week and her mother was present throughout. She was very forthcoming and had pertinent information to the investigation because she was the last person that talked to Trayvon before George Zimmerman shot and killed him.
It was extremely emotional for her and her mother wanted to make sure it wasn't too much for her. She would be a very compelling witness for the state of Florida if criminal charges are filed against George Zimmmerman."
TY
The picture of TM with his little brother.....Who was taking care of the brother?
Was he left home alone while mom and dad partied and TM was visiting the 7-11?
Did TM deliver the snacks and then go back out?
How old is the brother? Was he interviewed? Is he really the source of the Skittle, AZ tea story?
You find an answer and I have more questions LOL
Mr. O'Mara, tell me your reaction first of all to the charges this afternoon.MARK O'MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN (via phone): Well again (INAUDIBLE) surprised that she would charge him with second degree but she knows the evidence, I don't yet, so it's sort of tough for me to comment on what I haven't seen yet. We'll just have to wait until the process works itself through.
FOREMAN: When you say you're surprised by that charge, why?
O'MARA: Well, because again, she knows the evidence but that type of crime sort of suggest that he did something truly unlawful and I think the evidence so far suggests that there was at least question and controversy over what happened. But quite honestly we really do need to wait to see what the evidence tells us.
FOREMAN: Have you had much time to really look over the case at this point or are you really that new to it at this juncture?
O'MARA: No sir, I truly am that new to it. I've seen only what has been shown in the media. I have had no other contact with the case, so it's really, really difficult for me to speak at all authoritatively about the evidence and it wouldn't be proper anyway.
FOREMAN: Having -- I assume you've had a chat with Mr. Zimmerman. Without getting into any of the attorney/client privilege, can you give us a sense of his mood?
O'MARA: Well, I think he's troubled by the fact that the state decided to charge him, but we're still going to prepare a defense. And I think that understanding what he has in front of him, he's doing
OK. FOREMAN: Would you say at this point the key issue here is a question of self defense because certainly that's what we've been led to believe so far.
O'MARA: It seems that way to me from everything that I've seen from the media. Certainly that's going to be one facet of the defense. I just have no idea yet.
FOREMAN: What is the next step right now, Mr. O'Mara? When do you go to court or what is the next thing that we should be looking for?
O'MARA: There will be a bond motion hopefully by tomorrow when a judge will review this -- at least some of the facts of the case and decide how and under what conditions to release Mr. Zimmerman.
FOREMAN: And then what would you expect after that? I mean one -- it has to go one way or the other, but do you prepare for the next phase, which I assume is at some point him entering a plea.
O'MARA: Well, he'll enter a plea of not guilty like any criminal defendant would do at this stage in the proceedings. Then we go through a round of discovery, which is where we actually find out about the case, which gives us a lot more information than I have now.
FOREMAN: And do you have any idea what kind of time schedule will be on for all of that? You obviously have a very steep learning curve at this point.
O'MARA: Absolutely. But I intend to get caught up to speed pretty quickly. The state is under an obligation getting discovery no less in the next -- after the next 15 days I intend to (INAUDIBLE) the prosecutor and I will be having conversations (INAUDIBLE) getting that information to me as soon as possible and we'll work through it.
FOREMAN: Are you concerned at all about the degree of public attention this case has had and in particular areas like Sanford where there have been marches in the street and rallies and people calling for justice?
O'MARA: Yes. Any high-profile case adds a lot of extra elements to it and a lot of extra problems to it. Whether or not the case can be tried in Seminole County is one and the fact that it gets so much focus and so much attention. People tend to overanalyze and micro analyze and so that every decision is suggested to have significance when it may not. It's just part of a lengthy process that's just now getting started. But I do need to run. I don't mean to cut this short, but I actually have many people right outside my office waiting for me to walk out the door.
FOREMAN: I'm going to interrupt you for a minute because we're going to dip in for a moment to this presser (ph) we mentioned just a minute ago with Mark O'Mara. He said something we want you to hear.O'MARA: -- emotions are just running high in all of central Florida, but we'll see. As we get closer to the point where we're resolving it, we don't even know if we're going to have a trial.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What's going to happen tomorrow in a Seminole County court room?
O'MARA: My hope, if I can get back in my office and finish the work that we're going to have a bond motion hearing set by a judge. An initial appearance will be held and at that point the judge can consider what to do with the then existing bond schedule of no bond, which is what Seminole County has as a bond schedule for second-degree murder and that we can convince him or her that a bond is appropriate.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What time is the hearing? Do you have --
O'MARA: It's not set yet. I think that --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) 1:30 when they normally have it?
O'MARA: It may be at 9:00, may be at 1:30. I do not know that yet. We'll know that in the morning.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mark, his former attorneys made him sound a little frantic. How did he sound to you? How was his voice?
O'MARA: He is troubled by everything that has happened. And I cannot imagine living in George Zimmerman's shoes for the past number of weeks. Only because he has sort of been at the focus of a lot of anger and maybe confusion and maybe some hatred. And that's got to be difficult. I mean truly it must be frightening to not be able to go into a 7-Eleven or into a store and literally to be in effect a prisoner wherever he was. So that would trouble all of us and I'm sure that he's wearing some of the, you know the fallout from that.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Did he sound OK, though? Did he sound like he's lost it?
O'MARA: He was rational to me. He understood what I was saying; I understood what he was saying. We're communicating well. We'll see. I have no idea other than that.
(CROSSTALK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) you know some people describe it as going rogue and wasn't returning calls and was putting up a website. Did you have that conversation, like if I'm going to represent you we've got to do this my way?
O'MARA: I think Mr. Zimmerman and I have a good understanding of what I can offer to him and how he can best allow me to be a good lawyer for him. And I think that there may have been some misunderstandings or confusions or maybe even some inaccuracies with the way the last couple of days went from Sunday to Tuesday. That doesn't sit well with me.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What advice did you give him today?
O'MARA: Stay calm, listen to my advice.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Which was what?
O'MARA: Which is to stay calm. And as I give you advice in the future, I sort of am the professional in doing this. And I'm only going to give him good advice after I think it through and we'll be working together. He's obviously a significant part of the defense team. And there's a lot that you know he can do to keep things on track as well. He seems very willing to listen and to, you know, do what we have to do to move forward.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark, are you going to visit him tonight or are you going to wait until tomorrow?
O'MARA: Again, he's in law enforcement custody right now so I don't have as much free access to him. They are going to grant me access as soon as we are within the same geographical area and I'm presuming that's going to happen hopefully tonight, but I don't know that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mark, as this moves forward, what do you do to make sure he stays safe?
O'MARA: I don't know. You know, the first thing is I reach out to the community and say he's been charged, he's been arrested, he's a criminal defendant now. Let the process work. Do not -- let's not prejudge anyone any longer. Let's just let the process work. There is a lot of high emotions. Maybe some of them have been (INAUDIBLE) by the fact that there has been an arrest, let's just let the process work. You know the worst thing that can happen in this case is that it doesn't get tried properly where it's supposed to. Because then no matter what the results (INAUDIBLE) the media, the public, whatever. It's not going to be a proper result. Give us our chance to do it the way it's supposed to be done.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Have they said (INAUDIBLE) he'll be in confinement when he gets to Seminole County?
O'MARA: I would presume because again of some of the high emotions of the case that they're going to have him in what they call protective custody, that they will keep him safe and separate until we get a better chance to figure it all out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you worried about your safety now?
O'MARA: No, I don't believe so. I'm a criminal defense attorney. I've done a long time. I'm doing a job. He is a client who has a lot of hatred focused on him right now. I'm hoping that the hatred settles down now that we're sort of moving forward. I truly hope none of it is focused on me. You know it's just -- quite honestly without getting on a soap box, this is what I'm supposed to do.
He's been charged with a crime. We have rules. We have laws. We have constitutions. The victim's family has absolute right to be involved in the process. He has rights to his own safety and to the case being tried properly in front of a judge, jury, prosecutor, negotiations, whatever. It doesn't need to be tried with somebody hating him or throwing, you know, something somewhere. Let's just try it where it's supposed to be tried.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mark, do you feel like in some ways --
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (INAUDIBLE) would you expect a bond would be set and a reasonable bond that they could afford? Would that be normal (INAUDIBLE)?
O'MARA: I would say if you looked at a percentage, that bonds are normally granted in second-degree murder cases. And we do know that there are questions about, just from what the media has stated, but there are questions about how it happened. So I think that also lends to the suggestion that maybe he should be out. I want him out because I need him out to help me in my defense. So very selfishly I want him around so I can have free access to him, because he's again an integral part. I think -- I hope he'll get a bond. That's out of my hands. It's up to a judge.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: But you'll ask for one?
O'MARA: Absolutely.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Mark, do you feel like in some ways Zimmerman is better off being charged, to let the system work? This is what people were screaming about.
O'MARA: Oh, I think he would be better off if they decided not to charge him.
(CROSSTALK)
O'MARA: But understandably, again, she had all the evidence and I trust her to have been a good prosecutor. I'm not going to second guess her decision when I don't even have any of the evidence. I'm not going to be presumptuous and I'm not going to jump up and say she's wrong. She's a good prosecutor, we'll see what happens.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: When will you start getting --
O'MARA: Basically within 15 days of the date that this has happened, we'll start having an information flow. I'm presuming that --
Step-brother Chad is 14. We don't know if he was home alone, but I would think so. No other names come up, there's no account of a kids party, etc.
I think Trayvon had the snacks on him when he died. Doesn't mean he didn't go home, but I don't think he went home.
I've never seen an interview of Chad, only second-hand accounts that Chad requested skittles and iced tea. I think Chad or DeeDee have to be the only first sources; and DeeDee is suspect as a possible true source because she didn't surface until after the skittles and iced tea report was in the news.
Did you forget the sarcasm tag? What I saw on the press briefing was disgusting. Corey could not have been more proud of herself. She looked like a high school cheer leader at a pep rally. Its clear she is a political whore.
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