Let me begin by saying 1) I had GZ guilty of manslaughter from the beginning; 2) I've listened to all but 1/2 hr yesterday and today because of my lunch break, so I've seen almost all the trial thus far. My statements aren't water cooler gossip or something I've just heard about or even read in the news.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
The "following at a safe distance" is an attempt to head off the "harassment" charge that would make it impossible for a self-defense kind of legal defense.
|
Read FL law, harassment doesn't apply; neither does stalking. I thought it may, but when I looked it up, I found that it didn't. The reason for "follow at a safe distance" was because the Pros has tried saying GZ stalked TM. And that's what I believed, too. Until I heard the testimony of the Sanford PD liaison and HOA President. Both said it was taught to follow at a safe distance. So, now that the Pros' demonization of GZ's following TM was blown up, the Defense doesn't seem to mind talking about it. Though, in the opening statement, the defense atty said GZ did not follow TM after the 911 op told him not to.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
Down here, the "water-cooler topic" is the insulting and low class joke of the defense atty.
|
I was floored. I couldn't believe any atty would attempt a joke in a murder trial. It was completely wrong to do so, and Mr. West should apologize. That one joke could set the jury against him - and GZ. In fact, one legal expert said GZ should ask the Judge for a mistrial, because it could taint the jury. It was awful. Disrespectful to the court, TM, GZ and the Jury themselves.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
Down here, the pros are looking good for their succinct presentation.
|
One reason for their "succinct" presentation is there hasn't been any big testimony that helps their case. Again, I was set against GZ, and thus far the Pros have done nothing to confirm my thoughts; while the defense has blown hole after hole in the Pros case. 3 Pros witnesses blew up on them. The Sanford PD liaison, HOA President, and some condo resident who was proven to be a liar and TM sympathizer.
The SPD liaison had nothing but good to say about GZ. Meek. Respectful. Courteous. She confirmed the training said to follow from a safe distance. And she agreed with GZ's instinct about TM...that TM's actions made him appear suspicious.
The HOA President couldn't keep his story straight, and definitely had a grudge against GZ. He told the Pros that they were told not to follow; but then admitted to the defense that they were told they could at a safe distance.
The last witness was a bloody train wreck for the Pros. Her testimony should have been impeached; however, it will help GZ to keep her testimony, since the defense absolutely ripped her apart. She said she heard movement from left to right, which would indicate GZ may have instigated the confrontation. When on cross, she couldn't remember if she had said that to SPD investigators or the attorneys during her interviews, but she was sure she did. Def brought out the transcripts to show she didn't after she insisted over and over that she did. Then she said she felt bad for both TM and GZ, but on FB only followed the "Justice for Trayvon" page. When asked if she signed a Change.org petition, "Help bring the killer of our 17 year old boy, Trayvon to justice," she said no. Def atty brought his laptop up to the stand to show her FB timeline, which included an entry stating she signed the petition. She was exposed as a liar and fraud. She changed her testimony to reflect better on TM.
It was a bad day for the Pros. Only a die-hard TM supporter would say otherwise.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
Down here, some are wondering why did the defense ever agree to getting the jury from Seminole county in the first place. Along with the stupidity of the defense atty, maybe they are aiming for a mistrial or maybe a new trial in the future if zim is convicted, based on the impossibility of an untainted jury from Seminole and bad legal representation.
|
This trial is like the Jodi Arias trial for one reason: everyone has heard of it. Especially since the good old Al Sharpton decided to turn it into a race issue. If, for some reason, the jury convicts GZ, they'll have plenty to appeal on already. With the JA trial, the Judge gave the defense huge leeway in defending her, so as to limit their reasons for an appeal. In this trial, the defense has had to fight for anything, and most of the time they've lost; which will give them plenty of grounds for appeal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
These are the things I've thought and heard.
|
From your comments so far, I'd suggest actually watching or listening to it for yourself. Or find someone else who has done so.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
Oh and the other thing is that some are saying that it was after listening to the other calls that zim made that made them think that he was paranoid, or in other wise, not in a good mental state to be armed and pulling an unofficial neighborhood watch tour.
He was paranoid. He was armed. He followed and confronted a 17 year old that was guilty of nothing wrong. The 17 year old "beat the stuffing" out of him and so zim killed him. |
I wish you actually watched the trial, especially the testimony of the SPD liaison. GZ was following exactly as he was taught. Everyone agreed that the condo has issues with break ins. He did as he was told. He wasn't paranoid, that's just crazy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson
The defense "zim's parents are grieving but they can't be here because of the security" was a play on the emotions. Heard that too.
|
Well, you heard wrong. Seriously. The reason has absolutely nothing to do with security. You need new sources. The reason GZ's parents can't be in the courtroom is because the Pros listed them as potential witnesses. So just because the Pros says they
might be called as witnesses, they cannot enter the courtroom until released to do so. Which is why there was a hearing about it yesterday, and why the Def mentioned several times in the opening statement that GZ's parents weren't there because the Pros labeled them; not because the don't support GZ.
Side note: in that hearing, TM's father was admonished (along with everyone else) after a witness took the stand accusing him of cursing at him in the court during a recess. Like father....you know. Just from that I have enough to believe TM could be like his daddy and start a confrontation.
As was stated above, once the emotional rhetoric is taken away, the Pros doesn't have a case. At the core, this is about a racial, emotional reaction.
Linear Mode
