What was the upside of letting him testify–a guy with a history of anger problems? The apology to the family should have been saved for after the win, or before the sentencing after the conviction.

Occam's Tool on April 20, 2012 at 6:55 pm

There’s no sense throwing a bone to a prosecution that had little if any, traction on the 2nd degree murder charge. Zimmerman ceded the act and even some ground in the circumstances surrounding the perceived threat to his life.

We have to remember that Zimmerman’s a Hopenchange liberal. He may be hoping for some form of mercy from the court?

P. Aaron on April 20, 2012 at 7:00 pm

That statement serves him in this way. The prosecution cannot make the case that Zimmerman profiled Martin. He didn’t assume that a suspicious Black male in a hoodie was carrying a weapon, as would be the sterotype they’d like to attach to Zimmerman.

Also, if Zimmerman indicated he had a strong feeling Martin was armed, it would be portrayed that Zimmerman was prepared very early in the encounter to use his weapon.

Now, it will look as if Zimmerman never thought he’d need to use his weapon until it was absolutely necessary.

J Martin Sain on April 20, 2012 at 7:26 pm

I used to do criminal law defense work when I started up my patent/trademark practice with no clients (I did not raid my prior firm’s client list, like some attorneys do).

Anyway, I have found that most prosecutors are not that competent and don’t have to be. All they have to do is wait for the defendant to open their mouth and start talking. They make the best witnesses against themselves, even those that are innocent.

Jonathan E. Grant on April 20, 2012 at 7:53 pm

The goods news from today’s hearing for Zimmerman was that if the investigator who prepared the worthless probable cause affidavit sounds as bad at trial as he did on the stand today, the prosecution is going to have a tough time proving its case against him. You have to remember, Debbie, that Zimmerman already voluntarily gave at least three statements to police before his attorney got to him. I suspect his attorney knows he’s going to have to call him to the witness stand to explain his previous statements that the prosecution will undoubtedly twist to their advantage. The prosecution has already said he gave conflicting accounts that changed each time they questioned him.

Gary Welsh on April 20, 2012 at 7:53 pm

I have wondered all along who this defense lawyer was and how and why he was selected. Zimmerman needed to get some advice and hire the very BEST defense lawyer available. He may not really think so, but he is PLAYING FOR HIS life because, even if he get a relatively brief prison term, he is unlikely to survive a term in prison. He will have no friends in prison. The blacks will hate him and seek to avenge “my man, Trayvon” and see Zimmerman some sort of racist monster. The Hispanics will be indifferent to him because he is a “white Hispanic” and has done nothing to assert his Hispanic heritage. The Neo-NAZI and skinhead gangs will see him as Hispanic and Jewish. Who exactly will want to watch his back in prison? Are you depending upon hostile state officials to take extra steps to keep him in isolation and protect him? He apologized today for Trayvon Martin’s death. What did he gain by that? Trayvon Martin’s family — advised by who knows whom — reacted with contempt that his comments were “self-serving” and the outrageous statements of a killer. If he had failed to apologize, they would have described him as “unrepetent” and “indifferent” to the devastating pain that he had caused by killing a “child.” He could not win. Was his apology meant to impress “Good Morning, America”? The bail seems appropiate for a second-degree murder charge, but this is a “political” case. The Trayvon forces probably do not think that ANY bail should have been allowed.

JOSEPH MCNULTY on April 20, 2012 at 7:57 pm

An attacker doesn’t have to be carrying a weapon to be a threat to your life. If they are bashing your head against the sidewalk, or just trying to blind you with punches to your eyes, or trying to kill you with repeated punches to your head….. you can shoot them in self defense.

Truth on April 20, 2012 at 8:31 pm

I do not know why you guys are acting surprised. Remember: Zimmerman’s erratic behavior forced his original lawyers to cut him loose. The guy not only disappeared, but broke their instructions to them not to speak to the prosecutors. His current legal only signed up for the case for the free publicity, not out of any concern whether he is convicted or not.

You guys fell for the whole trap in making this a black versus white/liberal versus conservative thing and because of this you have made Zimmerman your hero or cause. You are forgetting that this is the same guy who has been arrested three times in the past two years, once for assaulting a police officer. (Please, no pretending as if this isn’t relevant, or claiming that this is “dragging him through the mud” or “trying to tarnish his reputation” … like it isn’t just as relevant as the nonsense about Martin’s Twitter page. If it had been Martin with three arrests for violent offenses … well you know what would be said.) The guy has real issues controlling his behavior, and that is precisely why he ignored the police dispatchers’ instructions and chased down an unarmed teenager who was harmlessly minding his own business.

Zimmerman has really bad judgment. Maybe if he had been put in jail after one of his PRIOR ARRESTS (gee, why isn’t anyone talking about the liberal soft on crime judicial system in his case) it would have been a wakeup call. Instead, a teenager is dead and Zimmerman is going to do 20 years.

You folks are free to continue see Zimmerman as your hero who is being sacrificed to appease the liberal media and the race lords, but prepare to keep being disappointed. Zimmerman made his own bed with his recklessness and now he is going to have to lie in it.

Gerald on April 20, 2012 at 8:35 pm

It is unprecedented to put the defendant on the stand. However, cross-examination by the prosecution was limited to the testimony elicited on by the defense attorney.

I think that it was a PR move in a high profile case to allow the public to see that Zimmerman was a quiet, nice guy who would only kill in self defense.

slp on April 20, 2012 at 8:56 pm

You, I, nor anyone else were there that night. Let justice run it’s course. DS is correct from a legal standpoint that IMO is what she is saying.

Hollywood on April 20, 2012 at 9:26 pm

I have seen it before. It is the “I have nothing to hide.” defense. I think Zimmerman is pretty confident that he is winning the PR war.
It is a rare strategy, but I have won many cases on ‘rare’ strategies. I surely am not an insider here, having no more knowledge than the media, and well aware that the media, such as ABC and NBC are withholding information to make ‘white’ Zimmerman look guilty. His Hispanic side is innocent, of course.

pat on April 20, 2012 at 9:33 pm

Gerald, you certainly have dug you’re nails hard with a kung-fu grip on a case that many people STILL don’t know the truth about.

In a case that the Obama-Media has tried to manipulate to a DISGUSTING degree.

It’s your cause celebre and you are really embarrassing yourself.

Me, I would just like to know the TRUTH. But ABC tried to manipulate a 911 audio tape and another network tried to doctor a video-tape to make the man more sinister than the truth has pointed to.

We have the racist Black Panthers and various and sundry other nut-jobs of their ilk (Michelle Williams that racist lunatic!!!) calling for a citizen’s head with the Obama Justice Dept. ignoring their bounty/fatwa just as they do for other crimes committed by minorities (that’s why the Philly voter intimidation by the BLACK PANTHERS was not taken to the limit) against non-minorities. (LIKE that white dude beaten in Baltimore and stripped and the prosecutor saying “oh no….no hate crime here!!!” Like the white kid burned by his fellow black schoolmates).

You act like you were there. WE. DON’T KOW. WHAT. HAPPENED. This country has fallen so far and so low and I would be ashamed to wanna jump on a band-wagon that wants to lynch a man for something we STILL don’t know about.

But we do know that the Liberal Obama-Media wants blood from Zimmerman. I’m not gonna sell MY soul to such evil, political crap!!!

Skunky on April 20, 2012 at 9:56 pm

Right on Skunky!!! It’s an election year!!! Why do you think BHO just had a picture taken on the Rosa Parks bus? Remember the “I was conceived in Selma lie”?

Hollywood on April 20, 2012 at 9:59 pm

I wonder if his defense counsel is taking a dive? At best, Zimmerman’s comments about his not knowing whether or not Trayvon Martin had a gun calls into question how much of a threat Zimmerman actually thought Trayvon Martin was; His wildely premature apology to the Martin Family is an admission that his actions were either excessive or entirely unwarranted.If that is the case, a manslaughter conviction of George Zimmerman would be entirely warranted. Finally, the Martin Family has been enitrely mercenary in its approach to Trayvon Martin’s death. How many monthers, so shortly after their son’s death, file for a commercial patent in order to protect any marketing opportunities that might come her way. I suspect that the defense team is either taking a dive, or Zimmerman is running his own Trayvon Martin might be garbage, but George Zimmerman is rapidly losing my sympathy.

Worry01 on April 20, 2012 at 10:07 pm

Your article title says it all. I was wondering the same thing. I guess having a law degree doesn’t necessarily mean you have any smarts.

Tommy Thomas on April 20, 2012 at 10:20 pm

Debbie B’H I’m not a lawyer but I’m going to take a flyer on this one. The defense lawyer may not be a dummy. He already knows there are lots of statements his client has made on record. I think he may figure that he needs to prepare for an OJ style free for all, where normal rules of law won’t apply. This one may rely on staging. Putting Z on the stand for me accomplished two things. One Z’s apology made him a more sympathetic character and also made the Martin family look not so good. Two it allowed the world to see that Z is a respectable looking Hispanic man, not the nasty Caucasian slob the media was hoping for. Shabbat Shalom Debbie.

A1 on April 21, 2012 at 1:03 am

Gerald on April 20, 2012 at 8:50 pm —– “….Trayvon Martin only attacked Zimmerman because he thought that Zimmerman was trying to kill him….It is why Martin made that panicked, terrified call to his girlfriend…”
———————————-

If I was in genuine fear of my life,….I’d call 911 rather than my girlfriend.

J Martin Sain on April 21, 2012 at 9:55 am

Debbie is right on. Zimmerman is not in the right state of mind to be making statements. If the lawyer allowed anything to be said, it would only make sense that he allow him to repeat statements already made to prosecuters or Hannity. We do not know ALL the evidence, but I was fortunate to review what Sanford Florda had on their website before it got removed. I have heard accounts from 3 eyewitnesses, maybe there are more. Nothing that is public contradicts Zimmerman’s story. Period. Here is new evidence for those who may have missed it…. http://gothamist.com/2012/04/20/new_photo_shows_george_zimmermans_h.php
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/zimmerman-injuries-exclusive-photo-night-trayvon-martin-death-16178849

Visteo on April 21, 2012 at 10:59 am

One of the biggest problems was the defense attorney allowing the prosecuting attorney to continually refer to what happened as a “crime” since the trial will determine that. This should be grounds of prejudice or of trying to cause the judge and/or potential jurors to see Zimmerman as a criminal before even being tried.

Also, from what is seen or has been presented to the public that is believable, there has been a concerted effort to convict Zimmerman just like in the Anthony trial by a continual effort to hash out the case in the Media. Most people do not know, understand or even care about the intricacies of the Law and are easily swayed. Therefore, the judge would do well to keep the case closed to the public since it is such an explosive issue as far as society is concerned. If allowed to get out of hand, which may have already happened, it borders on considerations of implications with incitement to riot laws.

Even if Zimmerman is found not guilty of murder, as may well happen due to the laws connected with Concealed Carry, his life is still hanging on a thread due to the hatred that the Media has allowed to be pointed his way. If he is killed, I wonder what the law will say about it if it is a direct result of the New Black Panther influence. Will the “Law” (embodied in law enforcement and legal entities) be as aggressive toward that possible murderer and will the Media care as much as they do now and broadcast every person’s “educated” opinion? I sincerely doubt it. Most people will see it as true justice and the Law will then take another hit.

Goodbye Concealed Carry and the 2nd Amendment. Holder & Co. should be happy.

NoCrud on April 21, 2012 at 12:23 pm

In the late 1800’s, there was a church covenant printed that had a bit of advice for people who wanted to make a will. It still applies today.

The advice said that the person who wanted to write up a will should keep it as simple as possible, to put only the pertinent information in it and no more. It went on to say that any additional words will only give lawyers more to talk about.

There’s a lessen in that. It seems that most lawyers have not changed since then. It’s the gravy. They are wordsmiths of the worst kind as it often deals with a person’s life. When someone cares more about personal success and the Mercedes in his/her driveway than the client, then priorities are set for that attorney. Are they all that way? No, but the shame of it is that the good ones are too often lumped in with the Legal Cesspool and any attempt to clarify the record only looks like excuses to those outside of that crowd.

NoCrud on April 21, 2012 at 12:34 pm

The Media axiom has traditionally been “If it bleeds, it leads.” Most people are aware of this. However, where there is no blood, the Media is also known to find some somewhere, somehow.

The role of the Media needs to be brought to a high priority in this case. If it were done, it would also point to other pre-judging cases such as the Casey Anthony case where there are still people on Fox who consider her guilty even though Anthony was declared not guilty. And at least one of those who still “judge” Anthony guilty is a lawyer…

NoCrud on April 21, 2012 at 12:51 pm

Profiling is not a crime. It is a mental process one goes through based on judgements formed from some type of association. This process most often lead to erroneous conclusions.

Guilt or innocence in our system is for the courts to decide. This case was off course from the minute the courts were not bought into the process.

The Sanford Police Department had a history of not handling certain cases properly. The fuse was already lite. The Trayvon Martin shooting, ignighted the fuel.

Joe Flyde on April 21, 2012 at 1:47 pm

Quickly Debbie I do believe his attorney was correct as just in the OJ case Zimmerman is being tried by the pc media. I believe the attorney was trying to put a human face on Zimmerman. He appeared contrite, lucid, believable and NOT crazy.
The wagons have been circled, and unless there is a legal calvary is on the way this prosecutor will do her damndest to fold to pressure not only from an angry predominently urban black constituency capable of rioting as demonstrated, but to President Obama as well.
Appeasement is the name of this game in many states including Florida whose population is now close to a dangerous 50/50 of whites vs non-whites.
See the Arizona flag incident for more ludicrous egg walking on the flag now the floormat of a country once based on laws.

Ron Wolf aka "Columbo" on April 21, 2012 at 2:52 pm

Debbie,

Why didn’t Zimmerman’s lawyer object at the characterization of the events being a “crime?” Several times he stated, “when you committed this “crime!” I realize this is a preliminary hearing, but that went well beyond “Leading the witness.” It was a mischaracterization of the purpose of the hearing, to determine facts relevant to the events that had gone done. Zimmerman is to be presumed innocent until convicted. He is not to be assailed by an attorney who has set himself up as judge, jury, and executioner.

Dad on April 21, 2012 at 4:40 pm

@ Gerald – “Zimmerman had no skull fractures”

According to “Gerald’s” infinite wisdom, one must at least sustain a fractured skull administered by a thug before lethal force is justified.

Great thinking there, Ace.

DS_ROCKS! on April 21, 2012 at 4:51 pm

Sean R,

Really?

You said:

“Gerald, with all due respect my friend, nobody including Debbie herself ever said that Mr. Zimmerman was hero for gunning down Trayvon Martin.”

She said (27 March 2012):

“it’s becoming more and more apparent that George Zimmerman may have unintentionally performed a service to the world. How many more crime victims and sufferers of his violence would the world endure from this thug had he lived?”

C J Walters on April 21, 2012 at 8:27 pm

My understanding of the law is that the client has the ultimate choice of whether to take the stand, and that the attorney cannot withdraw just because the client will not take the advice. If so, then the proper question is: Why did Zimmerman choose to take the stand–because he was advised to by his lawyer or because he did not listen to his lawyer? That fact needs to be established before anyone can criticize counsel for “letting” his client take the stand.

Erik Smith on April 22, 2012 at 2:07 pm

Oh, So. I’m being blocked from commenting here now?

Nice.

I guess that’s the price I pay for trying to be friendly with a Jewish supremacist.

I wish you like, I really do.

Patrick in Michigan on April 22, 2012 at 5:05 pm

I meant Luck.

Patrick in Michigan on April 22, 2012 at 5:05 pm

According to a report in the Daily Rash, the New Black Panthers announced they’re going to use the George Zimmerman bounty money to visit Disney World. I think that’s sweet. http://www.thedailyrash.com/new-black-panthers-use-bounty-money-for-trip-to-disney-world

Holly on April 22, 2012 at 6:04 pm

Zimmerman could have been shot with his own gun. It was reasonable for him to assume his attacker would do so.

Dr Dale on April 23, 2012 at 12:48 am

man this bougust really doe i want to cry so badd………….

essy aka monkey on April 23, 2012 at 2:07 pm

You can kill by bashing a head on the concrete. It isn’t that hard to create a lifelong handicap or death. You DON’T NEED A WEAPON in order to kill someone. That is why guns level the ground during an attack, and why I’m so suspicious of those anti gun wackos. Whom ever cares that there was no weapon exposed, makes me sick to my stomach frankly.

d. on April 23, 2012 at 6:32 pm

Trayvon and George have same noses,eyes,eyebrows,mouths,chins and skin color,neither looks like President Obama.
He couldn’t be the father of either of them.

Samson Smith on April 23, 2012 at 7:38 pm

d, you are absolutely correct, you can kill someone with a paper towel.

CJ on April 24, 2012 at 1:32 pm

I read today on line that Barbara Boxer has blocked the Senate action on national concealed carry reciprocity because of the Trayvon shooting. That Zimmerman had some background that should have prevented him from obtaining a permit to carry. Anyway, as DS pointed out and I agree this case is about the stand your ground law. Boxer is invoking anti-concealed carry of a gun, probably with the counseling of the Obama administration, which is birthplace of stand your ground and castle doctrine.

If Obama gets in for a second term, concealed carry and with it stand your ground, etc. is doomed.

Panhandle on April 24, 2012 at 2:03 pm

If he was hit, you must acquit.

Tanstaafl on April 25, 2012 at 10:28 am

Zimmerman did a public service. He should get a medal, not charged and threatened.

DS_ROCKS! on April 26, 2012 at 12:26 pm

George Zimmerman is trashy thug too. He’s no victim or hero.

Matthew on May 3, 2012 at 6:40 pm

George Zimmerman is his own worst enemy. With his own mouth, he is doing more damage to himself than any prosecutor or any other adversary could hope for. In his re-enactment, he commits a Freudian slip by first saying he had his hand over Trayvon Martin’s mouth, then says Trayvon had his hand over HIS (Zimmerman’s) mouth. Now, how is it possible to have that happening while the same person is bashing his head against the sidewalk? And if he had shot Trayvon Martin while the latter was on top of him, wouldn’t there have been blood on his jacket? His stories just don’t add up, and Officer Serino clearly saw that. If even one of these scenarios had occurred, there would have been some of his DNA on this kid’s hands. If the purpose of releasing the video of this re-enactment was to help George Zimmerman, I don’t see how it did.

Anne on June 24, 2012 at 9:09 pm

A lot of you guys really do not understand the law. The state already has a solid case for second degree murder. The only question is will the defense of self-defense be available to Zimmerman. One important factor will be wether he tried to escape or did he immediatly shoot Martin. There is no evidence to say he made an effort to run away after getting Martin off of him, which will work against him. Since he had a significant weight and age advantage its hard for me to believe that he was ever in a life threatening situation. Zimmerman should have also said “stop I have a gun and will shoot” after he pulled his gun. The facts and the law do not support Zimmerman in this case so look for the defense to throw everything at the wall to see what sticks. Oh and FYI profiling is illigal if it is based on race or ethnicity and that is the only reason Zimmerman went after Tayvon. This is why Zimmerman was the agessor.

Rick on July 7, 2012 at 5:42 pm