George Zimmerman court affidavit: 'Zimmerman confronted Martin'

ctnow.com ^ | April 12, 2012 | Arelis R. Hernández and Susan Jacobson

[Free ThinkerNY]

George Zimmerman, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer arrested yesterday in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, faced a judge for the first time this afternoon.

Meanwhile, a probable cause affidavit has been filed in the second-degree murder case. In the two-page document, prosecutors offer little new information about the shooting.

However, they said in the affidavit that "Zimmerman confronted Martin," an apparent contradiction of Zimmerman's version of the events that led to the shooting.

The document says Trayvon's mother identified the screams for help heard in a 911 call as those of her son. It also reveals that investigators interviewed a "friend" of Trayvon's who was talking to him in the leadup to the shooting.

Based on the description, it appears the friend was the girl described by Martin family attorneys as his girlfriend.

"During this time, Martin was on the phone with a friend and described to her what was happening," the affidavit said. "The witness advised that Martin was scared because he was being followed through the complex by an unknown male and didn't know why."

Martin tried to run home, the affidavit says, but was followed by Zimmerman. "Zimmerman got out of his vehicle and followed Martin."

The affidavit goes on to say that "Zimmerman disregarded the police dispatcher" who told him to stop, and "continued to follow Martin who was trying to return to his home."

Zimmerman, the affidavit says, "confronted Martin and a struggle ensued."

According to the affidavit: "Trayvon Martin's mother has reviewed the 911 calls and identified the voice crying for help as Trayvon Martin's. Zimmerman shot Martin in the chest."

Zimmerman's first appearance began just after 1:30 p.m. He faces a second-degree murder charge in the Feb. 26 shooting, which sparked international outcry.

[Uncle Slayton]

Trayvon’s girlfriend was not there, is very young and could easily be confused or manipulated by those out to persecute Neighborhood Watch Capt. Zimmerman.

Robert Zimmerman is a retired judge and as a judge, he has a great deal of experience in getting to the truth of a matter.

[truth_seeker]

“Would Zimmerman give up his right to defend his life if he threw the first punch, started losing the scuffle, and ended up in a life threatening situation with his brains being splattered on the sidewalk?”

He would give up his legal claim of self-defense.

That will (likely) be the prosecution’s contention; ie. that Zimmerman initiated the conflict.

Further they will contend the police dispatcher advised him to not pursue. And the prosecution will establish Captain of Neighborhood Watch carries no police power or authority.

Prediction: Jury convicts on manslaughter of some kind (if that is how it works in Florida).

But there are a lot of variables to get there, including skill of lawyers on both sides, jury selection, evidence and handling thereof, etc.

Maybe Zimmerman can get Shapiro to defend him?

[thethirddegree]

I have read news reports that state that the semi-auto 9 mm that Zimmerman used was fired once without chambering a 2nd round, suggesting that something was impairing the function of the slide, possibly Martin trying to wrestle the gun from Zimmerman.

[hinckley buzzard]

This affidavit is the functional equivalent of a grand jury indicting the proverbial ham sandwich. While some of it makes no sense ("Martin was trying to run home"), some of it is just laughable (Martin's mother identifying the voice on the tape as Martin's.) Just what the hell would anyone expect her to say? "No that's not my kid screaming it must be Zimmerman?"

Gimme a break. This is Nifonging at its worst.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Seems the fix is in. Let the blackwashing begin.

[longtermmemmory]

in almost every courthouse in fl:

“We who labor here seek only the truth.”

not so much for the prosecutor seeking truth.

the probable cause affidavit can be challenged.

I think the prosecutor is trying to “be scarry” in order to induce a plea. She better have something much better in the works. If this is her best the case is done.

[mrsmith]

http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20100808/NEWS05/100806097/Jessica-J-Recksiedler?nclick_check=1

She seems competent but lots of Dem contributions by ‘Christopher’ Recksiedler of Sanford at FEC site.

[hinckley buzzard]

Shouldn't take long. About as long as Tawana Brawley's story held water.

[longtermmemmory]

prosecutors, in fl, have an affirmative duty to reveal exculpatory evidence.

This now INCLUDES the accident statement of the person signing the affidavit!

[Jonty30]

That’s the prosecutors job, to interpret the evidence in a way that prosecutes the accused. It is the job of the defense lawyer to present the exact same evidence to free the accused.

The prosecutor is just doing her job the way it is designed.

[srmorton]

Since I am from NC, I am SO reminded of the Duke lacrosse case! I’m actually encouraged by the fact that the decision to charge him was obviously based on information that the media chose to make public. Any lawyer worth his salt will be able to take the ENTIRE 911 call and the UNDOCTORED police video, along with the witnesses who support Zimmerman’s version of the story, and get him off at best or convicted of involuntary manslaughter at worst. If Trayvon’s “girlfriend” is not telling the truth, the cell phone records may show it or the defense may be able to get her to contradict herself. His lawyers will also be able to get an expert to analyze the tape and see if the person yelling for help was Zimmerman since Zimmerman is still alive. I would think an expert for the prosecution would have a more difficult time proving that the voice calling for help was Trayvon’s.

[hosepipe]

Martin attacked Zimmerman.. there was a witness(of the attack)..

The family must surely know Martin was an aggressive thugg..
They might be aggressive racist thuggs as well..
LYING thru their teeth to get that Honkified “cracker”...

NBC is running like a rabbit afraid of getting their PeaCock Sued OFF..
There are a lot networks whistling past the law offices of Bill, Padding & Howe LTD...
And not a few TV Anchors and Newspaper and Mag folks..

[hinckley buzzard]

Looks like the prosecutor took every possible pro prosecution version of the facts, in arriving at this charge.

This is what prosecutors do at grand juries. They present only one side of the case. That's why they can always get an indictment. Unfair? Of course. Nobody ever said our justice system was fair.

[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 Oklahoma just a few weeks 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?

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 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.

[calex59]

Yes, I saw that later. Once again I spoke to soon before reading everything. At any rate an affidavit is merely someone’s statement, it isn’t necessarily true or false(in this case false)but is the word of the person swearing to it.

[shhrubbery!]

Ms. Corey appears to have plagiarized the MSM’s false script.

[shhrubbery!]

Trayvon’s girlfriend was not there, is very young and could easily be confused or manipulated ...

Is it possible the girlfriend's "testimony" would have to be considered hearsay?

Two definitions of "hearsay" from dictionary.com:

1, [U]nverified, unofficial information gained or acquired from another and not part of one's direct knowledge...

2. Information heard by one person about another. Hearsay is generally inadmissible as evidence in a court of law because it is based on the reports of others rather than on the personal knowledge of a witness.

[Wizdum]

Yes, as I said on another thread that I was accused of being a DU plant, you can't have it both ways.

Once Zimmerman left his truck to follow Martin, he became the aggressor. If he stopped Martin and said anything, he cannot reasonably claim self-defense for initiating the contact, and then begin losing the scuffle, and shooting Martin.

Was Martin in fear for his safety and decide that the best defense is a good offense and attack Zimmerman?

The prosecutor has to have something more that we haven't seen,it could be the forensics. Those are factual based, not supposition.

[montag813]

So the prosecutor took the word of the mother that it was Trayvon screaming for help

Of course she did. This is the same unbiased prosecutor who said she "prayed" with Trayvon's parents and their lawyers when they first met!

[E. Pluribus Unum]

If they are going to file charges they can't use Zimmerman's version, because then there would be no cause to file the charges.

They have to accuse him of something.

This whole thing is to put the lid on a volatile situation. Period.

Most of those charges can be easily refuted.