Trayvon Martin, Vigilante Justice

[crimresearch]

There are a lot of pundits out there who think she overcharged Zimmerman in order for him to plea down to manslaughter, which still carries a hefty penalty. I don't know if that constitutes a "false charge" or not.

That constitutes business as usual. Once you file a lower charge, it isn't so easy to upgrade it on the same set of facts, but no problem to lower it.

And one has to wonder, if the prosecution has time out from a murder trial to go after a spouse (and someone said something about a sister in law?) over perjury about chump change, does that mean that their case is so airtight that they are bored, or so weak they are desperate?

It isn't like we are talking about the Genovese crime syndicate hiding millions from the feds, now is it?

 

[Rare Truth]

It is bugging you because you fail to acknowledge Z and/or his wife were facing a life in hiding from the lynch mob, and the thought of living like that without any money and without the ability to work would be terrifying.

You don't get to tell me why it's bugging me.

Zimmerman was full aware of the ruse he was pulling over on the court, and so did his wife. The poor George didn't know or he was afeared so they lied act is nothing short of incredulous.

THEY put themselves in the situation they are in and THEY should suffer the consequences.

They have no one to blame but themselves.

 

[Rare Truth]

I'm so old I remember when conservatives lauded the ethics of personal responsibility.

 

[sgtbaker]

4/15 3:29 p.m. - George and Shellie discuss their finances and transferring money in a recorded jail phone call.
4/16 2:26 p.m. - George and Shellie discuss transferring money in a recorded jail phone call
4/16 2:32 p.m. - George and Shellie discuss paying the bond in a recorded jail phone call
4/16 - Credit union records show Shellie had two withdrawals from her account at $9,000 each
4/16-17 - Credit union records show more than $47,000 was transferred from George Zimmerman’s account to his sister’s
4/19 9:36 a.m. - George and Shellie discuss taking money from a safety deposit box
4/16-4/19 - Credit union records show Shellie made four different transfers of $9,990, two transfers of $9,999, and two transfers of $7,500 to George Zimmerman’s account
4/20 - Shellie Zimmerman testified at the bond hearing of George.
4/23 - George Zimmerman bonds out of the Seminole county Jail shortly after midnight
4/24 - Shellie Zimmerman transferred $85,500 from her account to George’s

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/new...icles/cfn/2012/6/12/george_zimmerman_s_w.html

I am not arguing against this or making any claims in either of their defense. I just don't get why they would discuss this over the phone, knowing it was being recorded. I get that neither are the sharpest knives in the drawer but really? Given the dynamics of this case, where a loss would cause serious backlash to the state, you think the are not going to listen in and dissect every word you say? Whether or not he has the right to remain silent at the bond hearing, matters only in the states ability to charge him with this, as well. Where he may have had a chance before, to testify in his own defense, I don't think there is getting around the deception, now. As far as most people are concerned, a lie by omission is still a lie.
His defense, IMHO, has always been reasonable doubt, but I would feel more comfortable, if he were to get an innocent verdict, if he took the stand and his version withstood the scrutiny of the prosecution.

 

[Rare Truth]

...

And one has to wonder, if the prosecution has time out from a murder trial to go after a spouse (and someone said something about a sister in law?) over perjury about chump change,...

It's a strange world one must live in where over $200,000.00 is "chump change" as a lawyer is in the process of declaring you indigent.

 

[crimresearch]

I will wager 25 cents that this will be used in plea bargaining on GZ.

Nothing would surprise me from this bunch...


"All right George, this offer is only good for 5 minutes, and don't listen to anything your lawyer tells you. Either plead guilty and go to jail for decades, or we'll make your sister in law spend a few hours in a holding cell... Tick tock George, tick tock"

 

[Cylinder]

It's a strange world one must live in where over $200,000.00 is "chump change" as a lawyer is in the process of declaring you indigent.

MOM is probably around $500/hr. Same for his co-council. Experts are going to range in the tens of thousands. Transcriptionists for depos will cost in the tens of thousands range in this case. The state budget for this prosecution in this case will be multiple millions.

 

[Noztradamus]

I pointed this out last week when O'Mara said Zimmerman acknowledges that he "allowed his financial situation to be misstated in court."

It is just another irony in a case chock full of ironies: the Neighborhod Watch captain wanna-be LEO Zimmerman had been trained to the tune of 10,000 in his most recent meanderings in full time employment world to do WHAT?

To pour over official financial applications to see if people committed fraud by misrepresenting themselves !!

http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/06/csi-housing-bust/8977/

How's that for a kicker?

Gamekeeper turned poacher.

 

[crimresearch]

You don't really believe that this is going to sway the minds of those that are committed to GZ's innocence.

I haven't seen a whole lot of posts 'committed to George's innocence', as opposed to posts pointing out the lack of proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

I have seen a lot of internet lynch mob type posts based on wild assumptions.

 

[GWCarver]

I'm so old I remember when conservatives lauded the ethics of personal responsibility.

Do you remember ever hearing the terms "compassion" and "extenuating circumstances"?

 

[Rare Truth]

MOM is probably around $500/hr. Same for his co-council. Experts are going to range in the tens of thousands. Transcriptionists for depos will cost in the tens of thousands range in this case. The state budget for this prosecution in this case will be multiple millions.

And? That doesn't give someone a right to lie under oath.

Why would you defend a felony?

 

[Cylinder]

And? That doesn't give someone a right to lie under oath.

Why would you defend a felony?

You asked how 200K would be chump change.

 

[Rare Truth]

Do you remember ever hearing the terms "compassion" and "extenuating circumstances"?

Do you have some bizarre notion those concepts give a person permission to commit felony perjury?

 

[crimresearch]

MOM is probably around $500/hr. Same for his co-council. Experts are going to range in the tens of thousands. Transcriptionists for depos will cost in the tens of thousands range in this case. The state budget for this prosecution in this case will be multiple millions.

Yep...

And note of course ( as has been pointed out repeatedly), Zimmerman wasn't declared indigent, with all that entails, like a court appointed attorney... the court didn't appoint O'Mara.

ETA: But hey, maybe if they seize all the assets of the entire Zimmerman family, Florida can balance its budget!

Of course, then George really will be indigent, and the state will have to pick up his tab... hmmmm

 

[Rare Truth]

And note of course ( as has been pointed out repeatedly), Zimmerman wasn't declared indigent, with all that entails, like a court appointed attorney... the court didn't appoint O'Mara.

O'Mara stated during the Bond hearing he was in the process of declaring Zimm indigent.

We've been through this before.

 

[TheL8Elvis]

You don't really believe that this is going to sway the minds of those that are committed to GZ's innocence.

Well, if people are committed to GZ's innocence, why would anything sway them ? Seems a bit self evident.

As for those who have not seen proof or been convinced of GZ guilt, I am not sure how bank transactions relate to the events of Feb 26th, so I doubt it would change their minds, either.

 

[Cylinder]

And note of course ( as has been pointed out repeatedly), Zimmerman wasn't declared indigent, with all that entails, like a court appointed attorney... the court didn't appoint O'Mara.

Yup. Pro bono isn't the same as indigent, though I wonder if attorneys get pro bono credit with the bar for cases with the paltry public defender rate. Remember that MOM started this case pro bono but stated at some point that the fund could be used to reimburse his fees.

 

[Rare Truth]

O'MARA to Z's Wife: Other major assets that you have which you can liquidate reasonably to assist in coming up with money for a bond?

SHELLIE ZIMMERMAN: None that I know of.

O'MARA: I discussed with you the pending motion to have your husband, George, declared indigent for cost, have I not?
S. ZIMMERMAN: Yes, you have.

O'MARA: Are you of any financial means where you could assist in those costs?

S. ZIMMERMAN: Not that I'm aware of.

O'MARA: I understand that you do have other family members present with you and I'll ask them questions of them but have you had discussions with them of at least trying to pool together some funds to accomplish a bond?

S. ZIMMERMAN: We have discussed that, trying to pull together the numbers of the family to scrape up anything that we possibly can.
[http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1204/20/cnr.01.html]

 

[GWCarver]

Do you have some bizarre notion those concepts give a person permission to commit felony perjury?

I believe that there is no justice without examining mitigating circumstances, and it is a good idea to apply those considerations in your personal life, as well. That is why I agreed early on that attacking the Martin's was an error in judgement that I needed to correct.

Oh, and who committed felony perjury?

 

[TheL8Elvis]

MOM is probably around $500/hr. Same for his co-council. Experts are going to range in the tens of thousands. Transcriptionists for depos will cost in the tens of thousands range in this case. The state budget for this prosecution in this case will be multiple millions.

It will be fascinating if we can get a good idea, at the end of this, what the total costs were, and what the difference in spending on the two sides is.