Wednesday, May 29, 2013

The George Zimmerman Murder Trial - What you should know

For over a year the George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin case has been in the news.  Most of what you have heard has been a slick campaign to railroad George Zimmerman in order to promote gun control and to force modifications to the Stand Your Ground laws in applicable states. The purpose of this blog entry is not to get into the messy reasons why this travesty of justice has come about (for that read my other blog entries), but to lay out the basis for the year long debacle, with solid sources and common sense before the trial begins. (Click "read more" below)



The 911 call and common misconceptions:
The call was to the non emergency number at the Sanford Police Department, not 911. Until the dispatcher asks George if he saw which way Trayvon went, George was in his truck.

Zimmerman Places Non-Emergency Call 7:09:34
Hey we've had some break-ins in my neighborhood, and there's a real suspicious guy, uh, it's Retreat View Circle, um, the best address I can give you is 111 Retreat View Circle. This guy looks like he's up to no good, or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about.
Dispatcher
OK, and this guy is he white, black, or hispanic?
Zimmerman
He looks black. (Notice here that George was not certain of Trayvon's race when he initially thought him suspicious)
Dispatcher
Did you see what he was wearing?
Zimmerman
Yeah. A dark hoodie, like a grey hoodie, and either jeans or sweatpants and white tennis shoes. He's here now, he was just staring.
Dispatcher
OK, he's just walking around the area…
Zimmerman
looking at all the houses.
Dispatcher
OK…
Zimmerman
Now he's just staring at me.
Dispatcher
OK-you said it's 1111 Retreat View? Or 111?
Zimmerman
That's the clubhouse…
Dispatcher
That's the clubhouse, do you know what the-he's near the clubhouse right now?
Zimmerman
Yeah, now he's coming towards me. (Why would someone scared go toward what they fear?)
Dispatcher
OK.
Zimmerman
He's got his hand in his waistband. And he's a black male. (First time George is sure Trayvon is a black male)
Dispatcher
How old would you say he looks?
Zimmerman
He's got button on his shirt, late teens. 
Dispatcher
Late teens. Ok. (There is controversy over this statement, some say George lied in court when he said he thought Trayvon looked about the same age as himself.  Remember how quickly this all went down, George's perception of Trayvon's age may have been altered by the events a few minutes after this statement to the dispatcher)
Zimmerman
Somethings wrong with him. Yup, he's coming to check me out, he's got something in his hands, I don't know what his deal is.
Dispatcher
Just let me know if he does anything, ok?
Zimmerman
See if you can get an officer over here.
Dispatcher
Yeah we've got someone on the way, just let me know if this guy does anything else. (an indication that it was perfectly ok with the dispatcher that George "watches" Trayvon until the police arrive)
Zimmerman
Okay. These ass-holes, they always get away. Yep. When you come to the clubhouse you come straight in and make a left. Actually you would go past the clubhouse. 
(This was a  follow-up to "let me know if he does anything else" because in the past the police arrived after the suspicious person left the property - without George giving chase or following)
Dispatcher
So it's on the left hand side from the clubhouse?
Zimmerman
No you go in straight through the entrance and then you make a left, uh, you go straight in, don't turn, and make a left. shit he's running. (2:11 on tape - this is the last time George sees Trayvon before the altercation)
(Another controversial statement due to George's  interview with Hannity.  He stated Trayvon was  "skipping", in an effort to describe a "walk-run" he perceived Trayvon to be doing)
Dispatcher
He's running? Which way is he running?
(Sounds are heard here which may be George unbuckling his seat belt and his door chime sounding. His voice changes and you hear the wind against his cell phone - this is obviously when he exited his vehicle to in order to answer the dispatcher's question - he got out to watch which way Trayvon was running.)
Zimmerman
Down towards the other entrance to the neighborhood. (He watches Trayvon from a distance and sees that he is headed toward the "back" entrance - click for map and crime scene legend of Retreat at Twin Lakes) 
Dispatcher
Which entrance is that that he's heading towards?
Zimmerman
The back entrance…fucking punks. (this was enhanced by NBC to sound like "coons", but the probable cause affidavit found this to be false) (the back entrance is right next to the house where Trayvon was staying with his dad's girlfriend)
Dispatcher
Are you following him?
Zimmerman
Yeah.
Dispatcher
Ok, we don't need you to do that.
Zimmerman
Ok.
Dispatcher
Alright sir what is your name?
Zimmerman
George…He ran. 
Dispatcher
Alright George what's your last name?
(At this point in the call it is obvious George has slowed down and you hear a clicking sound which some have speculated was George "cocking" his gun.  He carried a 9mm Keltec double action, when you pull the trigger the movement cocks.  George told Serrino he was banging his flashlight because it wouldn't come on.  The flashlight was found at the scene, which corroborates his statement)
Zimmerman
Zimmerman
Dispatcher
And George what's the phone number you're calling from?
Clicking  sound is heard again
Zimmerman
[phone number removed]
Dispatcher
Alright George we do have them on the way. Do you want to meet with the officer when they get out there?
(In Angela Corey's probable cause affidavit states the dispatcher instructed George to wait for police, this is obviously not true.  The dispatcher asked if George wanted to meet with police)
Zimmerman
Yeah.
Dispatcher
Alright, where you going to meet with them at?
(The knocking sound occurs several times during this exchange with dispatcher - not sure how many times one needs to cock their gun :)  )
Zimmerman
Um, if they come in through the, uh, (knocking sound) gate, tell them to go straight past the club house, and uh, (knocking sound) straight past the club house and make a left, and then they go past the mailboxes, that's my truck...[unintelligible]
Dispatcher
What address are you parked in front of?
(As George stated consistently, he was asked for an address, but where his truck was parked there is no address so he continued to the next street to find one)
Zimmerman
I don't know, it's a cut through so I don't know the address.
Dispatcher
Okay do you live in the area?
(By this time there are no sounds whatsoever to make one think George is running or walking fast, his breaths are even and the wind is only slightly heard on the phone's mic)
Zimmerman
Yeah, I...[unintelligible]
Dispatcher
What's your apartment number?
Zimmerman
It's a home it's [house number removed], (knocking sound) oh crap I don't want to give it all out, I don't know where this kid is.
Dispatcher
Okay do you want to just meet with them right near the mailboxes then?
Zimmerman
Yeah that's fine.
Dispatcher
Alright George, I'll let them know to meet you around there, okay?
Zimmerman
Actually could you have them, could you have them call me and I'll tell them where I'm at?
Dispatcher
Okay, yeah that's no problem.
Zimmerman
Should I give you my number or you got it?
Dispatcher
Yeah I got it [phone number removed]
Zimmerman
Yeah you got it.
Dispatcher
Okay no problem, I'll let them know to call you when you're in the area.
Zimmerman
Thanks.
Dispatcher ends call at approximately 7:15 P.M.
You're welcome. (Call ends at 4:07 - About 4 minutes minutes since the call initiated, and approximately two minutes since George last saw Trayvon run away)

As you can see, the claims that George was running after Trayvon and chasing him down like a dog, make zero sense.  Trayvon lived 70 yards from where George was attacked, why didn't Trayvon just go home if he was scared - a young man can make it 70 yards easily in mere seconds.  In four minutes he could run home and run back again.  In essence, Trayvon was only 2 or 3 yards from where George saw  him run/walk/whatever.  In two minutes Trayvon travelled 3 yards.  Why?
For more on this: The Beginning and The Crime Scene - Both of these were written in June 2012 and a lot has changed, but the supporting documents have not.  The Conservative Treehouse covered this story phenomenally since day one, a great primer for the case.

Case Documents