Don't think this is how the "stand your ground law" works

[tnhawk]

I knew a guy in the Navy that could squeeze fluid out of his nipple. Don't ask how or why I came to this knowledge. We got bored out to sea, deal with it.

That's one of the reasons I enlisted in the Army!

Edited April 19, 2012 by tnhawk

[mikegideon]

Bond granted. $150k. Zimmeman's lawyer is good. I watched most of the bond hearing.

[raydog1]

New photo: http://abcnews.go.com/images/US/ht_george_zimmerman_head_dm_120419_wmain.jpg

Photo and more evidence supporting Zimmerman:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/george-zimmerman-case-exclusive-photo-shows-bloodied-back/story?id=16177849

[E4 No More]

Bond granted. $150k. Zimmeman's lawyer is good. I watched most of the bond hearing.

With a bondsman that's still around $15,000 gone out of his pocket. Pretty pricey cost to prove his case.

[QuietDan]

With a bondsman that's still around $15,000 gone out of his pocket. Pretty pricey cost to prove his case.

The judge is making a statement. Under the circumstances, $150,000, of which Zimmerman will have to pay 10 percent to a bondsman, is cheap, cheap, cheap.

[QuietDan]

Here's the story from the newspaper in the Sanford Florida area:

*****************************************************************************************

George Zimmerman granted $150K bond, apologizes to Trayvon Martin's family

12:36 p.m. EST, April 20, 2012|

By Rene Stutzman and Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel

After more than a week in jail, George Zimmerman found out today that he will be allowed bond on the second-degree murder charge he faces in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Judge Kenneth Lester set Zimmerman's bond at $150,000. He will be placed on GPS monitoring, and will not be released from custody today.

Zimmerman arrived in court about 9 a.m., wearing a suit and handcuffs, with a chain across his waist. Also in the courtroom were Special Prosecutor Angela Corey, Trayvon Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, and family attorney Benjamin Crump.

Minutes before the judge ruled on his bond, Zimmerman took the stand and apologized to Trayvon Martin's family. He was the last person to testify in court this morning.

"I did not know if he was armed or not," Zimmerman said of Trayvon Martin on the night of the shooting. He said he's sorry for the Martin family's loss.

Asked why he waited so long to apologize, Zimmerman said he was told not to reach out to the family.

After brief testimony from Zimmerman, his attorney argued that his bail should be set at $15,000. O'Mara cited Zimmerman's financial difficulties in arguing for the bond. He also pointed out that Zimmerman has been cooperative with law enforcement.

"He came in voluntarily and surrendered himself to law enforcement," O'Mara said. "He is well established in the community."

Prosecutor Bernie De La Rionda argued that the court should consider that Trayvon Martin "was minding his own business" when he encountered Zimmerman. He was not committing a crime, De La Rionda said.

He asked for either no bond or a bond of $1 million.

State Attorney's investigator Dale Gilbreath testified earlier. O'Mara questioned him about the probable cause affidavit he signed for the second-degree murder charge. Gilbreath said he did not expect to testify at the hearing.

O'Mara grilled Gilbreath on his use of the word "profiling" in describing Zimmerman's behavior that night, asking why he used the term. Gilbreath said the term indicates that Zimmerman saw the teen, then formed an opinion of him not based on any facts.

O'Mara asked Gilbreath about unattributed statements in several sections of the affidavit.

"'Zimmerman confronted Martin.' Those words, where'd you get them from," O'Mara asked.

"According to one of the witnesses that we talked with, there were arguing words going on before this incident occured," Gilbreath said. He said "confronted," the word O'Mara took issue with, was one of probably 30 he could have used.

Prosecutor Bernie De La Rionda then questioned Gilbreath. He asked is there was any evidence that Trayvon Martin shouldn't have been in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred, or was breaking any law. Gilbreath said no.

Gilbreath testified that there is video of Trayvon Martin buying Skittles and iced tea before the shooting. He also said that Trayvon was unarmed.

During further questioning by O'Mara, Gilbreath admitted that the state has no evidence who started the fight. There is also no evidence that Zimmerman didn't walk back to his car after chasing Martin on foot, as the defendant has claimed.

However, he said that Zimmerman's statements, as well as his description of the injuries he suffered, are contradicted by other evidence in the case.

De La Rionda bristled when questioned by reporters after the hearing about Gilbreath's testimony.

"I think you don't have all the evidence," he said. "Please be patient and wait for the trial."

As the hearing began, O'Mara surrendered Zimmerman's passport. Then, members of Zimmerman's family began testifying by phone, as had been arranged Thursday.

Zimmerman's mother, Gladys Zimmerman, said she's concerned for her son's safety, as the family has recieved threats.

Gladys Zimmerman testified that her son was active in protesting in 2010, when a Sanford police lieutenant's son was caught on camera punching a homeless man outside a bar. George handed out flyers advocating for an arrest, "so that poor man could have justice," she said.

She said her son is very protective of people, regardless of race. He also worked as a mentor for children in need, she said.

Zimmerman's father, Robert Zimmerman, said he would alert the court if his son failed to adhere to the conditions of his bond.

He said he doesn't have much money to help his son with bail, but would take a second mortgage on his home to help secure his son's release.

"I'm a disabled veteran, and don't have a great deal of income," the elder Zimmerman said. Of his son, he said, "I've never known him to be violent at all unless otherwise provoked, then he'd turn the other cheek."

Prosecutor Bernie De La Rionda then asked Robert Zimmerman about his son's finances. He also asked Robert Zimmerman about his son's prior 2005 arrest, in which he was accused of striking a law enforcement officer near the University of Central Florida.

He said his son has "always been interested in criminal justice," and is an honest man.

http://articles.orla...t-zimmerman-son

Edited April 20, 2012 by QuietDan

[mikegideon]

The judge is making a statement. Under the circumstances, $150,000, of which Zimmerman will have to pay 10 percent to a bondsman, is cheap, cheap, cheap.

Yep. Prosecution asked for a million

[E4 No More]

The judge is making a statement. Under the circumstances, $150,000, of which Zimmerman will have to pay 10 percent to a bondsman, is cheap, cheap, cheap.

If you were in his shoes and were innocent would you think $15,000 was cheap?

[QuietDan]

If you were in his shoes and were innocent would you think $15,000 was cheap?

Under the circumstances, yes. Unfortunate circumstances, outrageous circumstances, but the circumstances at hand. Cheap at twice the price.

With the national attention, some of this, if not all of this, will come from donations from well-wishers. One anonymous donor could write a check and consider it chump change.

[E4 No More]

Under the circumstances, yes. Unfortunate circumstances, outrageous circumstances, but the circumstances at hand. Cheap at twice the price.

With the national attention, some of this, if not all of this, will come from donations from well-wishers. One anonymous donor could write a check and consider it chump change.

True, I just don't think that way because no one's ever donated to my cause. Now if he's acquitted then everyone under the sun, (on here anyways), will claim to have believed that he was innocent all along. Out there will be riots like in the Rodney King case, and then Holder will step in to make sure he goes to prision.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

I think he was innocent all along.

[bubbiesdad]

I noticed that FOX maybe referred to it (bail hearing) in passing. While CNN/HLN/TruTV, were using the same feed with a different set of talking heads per channel. They also dragged it all day. Except for TruTV which went to their normal programs at 3:00 pm.

[QuietDan]

Just received a Breaking News Alert that says:

City commission rejects police chief's resignation in Fla. town where Trayvon Martin killed

expect additional news shortly.

[mikegideon]

Does that mean all the black folks are gonna riot again?

[QuietDan]

Probably.

[mikegideon]

Guess I'll start retreating right now.

[QuietDan]

The story itself is out, as important it is that the Sanford Police Chief gets to keep his job, the AssPress "buries the lede" in the second paragraph. Very cowardly and dishonest.

***************************************************

Now out of jail, George Zimmerman fades from sight

By KYLE HIGHTOWER, Associated Press – 5 minutes ago

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — George Zimmerman, who slipped out of jail on $150,000 bail in the early morning darkness, went back into hiding Monday and likely fled to another state to avoid threats as he awaits his second-degree murder trial for the killing of Trayvon Martin.

His release from jail came less than a day before the Sanford City Commission rejected by a 3-2 vote the resignation of Police Chief Bill Lee, who was roundly criticized for not initially charging Zimmerman.

Even though authorities can pinpoint Zimmerman's location with a GPS ankle bracelet, that he must wear round the clock, the public may not see him again for some time. Zimmerman has waived his appearance at his upcoming arraignment next month, so he can stay underground if he wants.

Zimmerman already has experience laying low: For more than a month before his arrest, he eluded the media and his whereabouts were not known. His attorney has suggested he had several options for where Zimmerman can stay this time, and a judge indicated he was willing to let Zimmerman leave the state.

Until the next time he must come before a judge, Zimmerman will have to skip such routine pleasures as eating in a restaurant or taking a long stroll outside, said Jose Baez, a former attorney for Casey Anthony. Anthony, acquitted last summer of killing her 2-year-old daughter, went into hiding after her release from jail.

"He may be free, but he's not free," Baez said.

First, Zimmerman must limit who knows his whereabouts to avoid the risk someone will give the secret away, Baez said.

"Unfortunately, the people you think you trust, sometimes you find you just really can't," Baez said.

The police chief is on paid leave. He had stepped aside temporarily in March to let emotions cool. Not too long ago, the commissioners gave him a "no confidence vote" that city Manager Norton Bonaparte said still stands. The shooting also led to the local prosecutor recusing himself from the case, and the governor appointing Angela Corey, who eventually charged Zimmerman.

The majority of commissioners on Monday blamed the polarization over the Martin case and its handling by the police department on outside groups. They said they wanted to wait for an outside investigation to conclude into the police department's handling of the case before accepting the resignation agreement drawn up by the city manager and Lee.

As for Zimmerman, in order to throw off curious onlookers and the media, he could change his look. Anthony went from a long-haired brunette to a bobbed blonde while serving a year of probation on an unrelated charge at an undisclosed location in Florida.

Next, Zimmerman needs to go someplace where he knows few people and they don't know him, said Evan Ratliff, who wrote the book (or at least the magazine article) on how to vanish in the 21st century. In 2009, Wired magazine challenged its readers to try to find Ratcliff, who deliberately vanished with the help of disguises, prepaid phones, fake business cards and software that protected his Internet identity, at least for a while. Ratliff eventually was caught because readers were able to trace him through the IP address of a computer he had used.

"He needs to be where he is not around people who are known to be close to him," Ratliff said. "Not a friend's house. Not a relative's house."

Zimmerman needs to refrain from making any public statements, whether via social media sites like Facebook or Twitter or his own website, www.therealgeorgezimmerman.com, both Baez and Ratliff said. Zimmerman is using his website to help raise money for his legal defense.

Early indications are that will be tough for Zimmerman to resist. After a judge agreed to release him on bond, a statement placed on his website said, "GZ hopes to be able to update the site in the next day or two, God willing. He sends his thanks for your thoughts and support."

If he just can't resist getting messages out to his supporters, Zimmerman may be better off using Facebook and Twitter instead of his website because it probably has much weaker security than the social media sites, Ratliff said. Someone could find out where he is by hacking his website or an email account, he said.

"Anytime you are on the Internet, you are potentially traceable," Ratliff said. "The best way to not be found by anyone is to not use any technology at all."

Whatever means Zimmerman uses to hide, it could get expensive.

Zimmerman has limited resources. He was working at a mortgage risk management firm but stopped working there after the confrontation with Martin because of the public attention. His wife, Shellie, is in nursing school and doesn't work.

His attorney, Mark O'Mara, did not return phone calls Monday but has ruled out Zimmerman getting a job while he is out on bail. And O'Mara wrote in court papers that Zimmerman "has no significant financial assets or savings."

Zimmerman at least has some experience hiding. He went underground after the Feb. 26 confrontation with Martin at the Sanford, Fla., gated community of townhomes where Zimmerman lived.

Martin was unarmed and was walking back to the home of his father's fiancee when the neighborhood watch volunteer saw him, called police and began following him. A fight broke out — investigators say it is unknown who started it.

Zimmerman says Martin, who was visiting from Miami, attacked him. Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense, citing Florida's "stand your ground" law, which gives broad legal protection to anyone who says they used deadly force because they feared death or great bodily harm.

Zimmerman was not charged for more than six weeks, sparking nationwide protests. Martin was black; Zimmerman's father is white and his mother is from Peru. A special prosecutor appointed by Gov. Rick Scott to investigate filed a second-degree murder charge earlier this month.

Martin's parents have a "heavy heart" now that Zimmerman has been released from jail, said Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the 17-year-old's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton.

"They hope his freedom is temporary because the pain he has caused this family is permanent," Crump said Monday.

As a condition of his release, Zimmerman cannot have any guns and must observe a 7 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew. He surrendered his passport and will have to contact his monitors every three days.

Given his success at eluding searchers before his arrest, Baez said he is confident Zimmerman will keep out of public view.

"Based on his prior actions, he seems to be a very careful guy," Baez said. "Based on his prior ability to lay low, he will be fine. He is going to do exactly what is required of him."

Schneider reported from Orlando, Fla.

http://www.google.co...dfafa2f9c5aabd3

Edited April 23, 2012 by QuietDan

[Mike.357]

Someone might know this right off,

But was Martin still in possession of his skittles and tea when he was shot?

and if not, where were they?

I don't recall.

[mikegideon]

Zimmerman ate the Skittles while he was waiting for the cops to show up.

[Mike.357]

So i am guessing if you don't know then the answer to that has not been made public.

[mikegideon]

I'm guessing since everybody agrees that he had them, they were found at the scene.

[Mike.357]

I just did not recall anything stating he had them on him or they were already consumed and discarded or at another location.

[mikegideon]

I think he had them. I may have even seen it documented.

[Mike.357]

Documented by who?

I pretty much distrust any media version.

Dunno why my question came to mind.

[mikegideon]

it was mentioned in the police report and the prosecution's document too, I think