George Zimmerman: Will he get a fair trial?
George Zimmerman: May now have his case dropped.
George Zimmerman plans to plead not guilty. But is he?
George Zimmerman has now turned himself to authorities after having being unaccounted for since the weekend and will face state charges of second degree murder. Currently held behind bars with no bond offered.
It is time for Florida to put on another court room trial drama. Move over Casey Anthony.…
Florida prosecutors have motioned that they intend to prosecute George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman over the fatal shooting of 17 year old Trayvon Martin, a young resident of a gated community Zimmerman was supposedly guarding for in Sanford, Florida.
The charges of second degree manslaughter come after a general uprising in the neighborhood where an unarmed Trayvon Martin was shot, accusing Zimmerman culpable of the death of the young boy who many believe was intentional and not the result of transgressive aggressive behavior on behalf of the young man as George Zimmerman has insisted.
If anything many have suggested the shooting has come as a result of race tensions in the region, a predominant predatory discrimination that many in the community claim that they have had to live with for years and most likely informed Mr Zimmerman’s decision to take no prisoners and shoot at the young man who he presumed had come to the community to cause trouble. An assumption many have predicated was based simply off the color of the boy’s skin.
On the night of the death of Trayvon Martin on February 26, George Zimmerman was handcuffed and brought in for questioning only to be later released by police, who at the time believed Mr Zimmerman was only acting in self defence against an aggressive intruder when he shot dead the youth.
Then things took a turn last month when it was learnt that the chief police officer investigator wanted to arrest George Zimmerman despite the reticence of the local State Attorney’s office who feared prosecutor’s couldn’t win a conviction.
Like most crime thrillers, things suddenly got precarious when Florida’s Governor Rick Scott faced with the rabid demands of the community who insist that the boy had only gone out to grab a snack before being hijacked prior to his returning to his father’s apartment by Zimmerman, to appoint special prosecutor Angela Cory on the case.
Ms Cory for her part this Monday announced she would not empanel a grand jury to determine whether George Zimmerman should be charged. Instead Ms Cory did an about face and reiterated that she alone would be making that decision.
Adding to the consternation of the case were Tuesday’s assertions from George Zimmerman’s attorney’s Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig that they had not heard back from their client, with neither texts or phone calls being returned. This then led to his attorneys declining to represent him with the feat that their recent client had in hiding, opining at the time quite possibly out of the state of Florida.
At present Mr Zimmerman will be represented by his new attorney Mark O’Mara who will seek this Thursday, a day after Mr Zimmerman is formally charged with second degree murder, to obtain bail for his client, who at present is being denied such terms.
During the days George Zimmerman was in limbo it is understood that he made contact with the state’s lead prosecutor, Angela Cory despite Mr Zimmerman’s attorney’s at the time advice as well Fox New’s Sean Hannity. It is not publicly understood what was said to either individuals. It is this contact with Angela Cory that facilitated Mr Zimmerman agreeing to turn himself this evening.
According to Florida state laws, George Zimmerman can not be charged with first degree murder because only a grand jury can bring such charges which had led to him currently being charged with second degree murder (perhaps the state learned their lessons from the Casey Anthony case and voted to get a more probable conviction then a first degree conviction which requires a higher standard of guilt). The penalty for second degree murder carries a maximum of life and a minimum of just under 17 years incarceration.
That said, many do believe that George Zimmerman can walk free if it can be shown that he only acted in self defense. Under Florida’s ‘Stand your ground,’ law defendants only need to prove that they held reasonable belief that they would be killed or severely injured upon having shot Trayvon Martin.
Police reports reveal that on the evening of the death of the 17 year old, Mr Zimmerman, who worked as a watch volunteer in the gated community had followed the teen only because he did not recognize the young man, as a result of him wearing a ‘hoodie.’
An assertion of which has drawn claims that the young man’s death was premiditated on racial overtones, as only African American youths are only supposedly known to wear such clothes.
At the time Mr Zimmerman called police whilst still following the young man who then according to George Zimmerman turned around sucker punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground.
It was only after the boy had threatened to kill him and had by now bashed his head on the ground that George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin.
According to police records, the following conversation was recorded between police and Mr Zimmerman:
‘This guy looks like he is up to no good. He is on drugs or something,’ Zimmerman told the dispatcher from his sport utility vehicle.
He added that the teen had his hand in his waistband and was walking around looking at homes.
‘These a*******. They always get away,’ Zimmerman said on a 911 call.
What is also worth pointing out is the fact that a dispatcher had told Mr ZImmerman to stany in his sports utility vehicle after having initially reported the incident of what he perceived to be an intruder, but instead, Mr Zimmerman once again resumed his pursuit of the young man (who can really say why as he was only a volunteer) where upon he was ‘suddenly’ attacked.
Underscoring the degree of tension the case has elicited, with many labeling George Zimmerman as a cold blooded racist killer (Trayvon Martin happens to be half hispanic and half white) George Zimmerman is said over the weekend to have put up a website, therealgeorgezimmerman.com where he decried that he ‘has been forced to leave my home and ultimately my entire life.’
The site which has received astronomical traffic also accused the media of inciting the general public as well as featuring quotes from writers and philosophers which are meant to justify Mr Zimmerman’s shooting of Trayvon Martin.
Interestingly the site’s homepage ends with the following: ‘I have created a Paypal account solely linked on this website as I would like to provide an avenue to thank my supporters personally and ensure that any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defence, in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment.
‘I will also personally, maintain accountability of all funds received. I reassure you, every donation is appreciated.’
Reiterated George Zimmerman’s father to local press last night:
‘Trayvon Martin said something to the effect of “you’re going to die now or you’re going to die tonight,” something to that effect’.
‘[Martin] continued to beat George and at some point, George pulled his pistol and did what he did’.
Zimmerman told cops he acted in self-defense, and that he had yelled for help before firing the gun.
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