It's his understanding from George that George got out of the vehicle after speaking to the 911 dispatcher to look for an exact address to give police and that he was walking back to his vehicle when Trayvon approached him, saying "Do you have a problem?" and then punched him in the nose. He says Trayvon then got on top of George and started beating him for almost a full minute. They were on the concrete at this point and he was banging George's head into the cement. George was trying to get out from under Trayvon and get onto the grass, and his firearm became visible. He says Trayvon then said to George, "You're going to die now" or "You're going to die tonight" and kept beating on him. George pulled out his gun and shot him.
He says he and everyone who knows George knows absolutely it was George crying out for help.
He says George was not on patrol that night, he was going to the store when he saw Trayvon, and due to reports of recent burglaries in the neighborhood, called it in. He says George first called the non-emergency number.
He doesn't think Trayvon's girlfriend was on the phone with him at that last minute. He thinks the she and the lawyers are making stuff up.
He hadn't yet seen the video of George arriving at the jail. But he says his nose was broken, and his scalp cut in two places. He says George wasn't given medical attention at the scene but they may have cleaned him up.
He says George is not dealing with this well. He doesn't know if his injuries are primarily mental or physical, he's just not handling it well.
George was an altar boy, grew up in a Catholic home, and would do anything to help anyone. He's never heard any of his kids make a racial comment. He says George is color-blind when it comes to race.
He's met and talked to some kids that George mentored. Asked what their background was, he responds they were African-American. The kids told him George was their mentor. He asked them what that meant and they told him he takes them places and teaches them how to do things and they just love him. George continued to mentor them after the program ended.
He's sorry for all the hate that's going around from the Martin attorneys and everyone else, including the Congressional Black Caucus. They are just making things up about George. How he is being portrayed is just an absolute lie.
He says there are some people who no matter what happens will always portray George in a bad light and that can't be changed.
He was a magistrate judge for 8 years. He thinks Chief Lee did an outstanding job, but he's sure if police had it to do over again, police would have done some things differently.
He says the only ones who will come out well from this are the attorneys and some people in the media. He sees no good outcome for either family.
One of his final comments is that if Trayvon had gone home which was just a short distance, and George had stayed in his vehicle a little longer, we wouldn't be here tonight.
Does he sound biased in favor of his son? Of course. But so do the Martin family and their lawyers.
Conclusion: Everyone should just wait until the investigation is completed and results are released before picking one side or the other. If that's not possible, people should side with the presumption of innocence. That right, which is afforded to every person suspected of a crime in this country, is one of the hallmarks of our democracy. As the Supreme Court said in 1895, in Coffin v. United States:
The principle that there is a presumption of innocence in favor of the accused is the undoubted law, axiomatic and elementary, and its enforcement lies at the foundation of the administration of our criminal law.
The Supreme Court quoted a litany of sources, including the law of Ancient Rome:
"Let all accusers understand that they are not to prefer charges unless they can be proven by proper witnesses or by conclusive documents, or by circumstantial evidence which amounts to indubitable proof and is clearer than day." Code, L. IV, T. XX, 1, 1. 25.
And McKinley's case (1817), 33 St. Tr. 275, 506, where Lord Gillies says:
I conceive that this presumption is to be found in every code of law which has reason, and religion, and humanity, for a foundation. It is a maxim which ought to be inscribed in indelible characters in the heart of every judge and juryman.... "To overturn this, there must be legal evidence of guilt, carrying home a decree of conviction short only of absolute certainty."
Unfortunately, guilt sells in America. But not at this site. To those who are ready to proclaim George Zimmerman guilty based on news reports and self-serving statements of those personally invested in the case, give Nancy Grace a call. Such comments are not welcome here and likely will be deleted.
Thread is now closed.
