From the Huff Po:
SANFORD, Fla. -- A judge has revoked the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and ordered him returned to jail within 48 hours.
Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester said Friday that George Zimmerman misled the court about how much money he had available when his bond was set for $150,000 in April. Prosecutors claim Zimmerman had $135,000 available that had been raised by a website he set up.
Prosecutors also say he failed to surrender a second passport.
The defense says the finances are an innocent misunderstanding.
Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and is claiming self-defense.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
SANFORD, Fla. (AP) – Prosecutors asked a judge Friday to revoke the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Prosecutors said in a motion that 28-year-old George Zimmerman and his family misled them about his finances when testifying during a bail hearing that allowed him to be released from jail on a $150,000 bond. Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda asked for the revocation during a hearing to help determine if prosecutors and the defense can stop the public release of certain documents in the case.
During the bond hearing in April, Zimmerman's relatives testified they had limited funds. Zimmerman's attorney said several days later that he had discovered his client had raised more than $200,000 from a website. At the time of the hearing, about $135,000 had been raised, and that money wasn't disclosed at the bond hearing.
"This court was led to believe they didn't have a single penny," said Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda. "It was misleading and I don't know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie."
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said it was an innocent misunderstanding and that Zimmerman wasn't using that money for his expenses and wasn't sure what he could use the money for. He said Zimmerman used the houses of his parents and grandmother as collateral for the bond.
Prosecutors also said in the motion that Zimmerman didn't disclose he had a second passport. Zimmerman turned his passport over to the court at the bond hearing as a measure that would prevent him from fleeing the country.
Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder and claims self-defense. Zimmerman shot Martin last February during a confrontation at a gated community of townhouses in Sanford, Fla., where Zimmerman lived and where Martin was visiting his father's fiancee.
The delay in an arrest for 44 days prompted protests nationwide and led to Sanford's police chief stepping aside so emotions could cool down.
At Friday's hearing, De la Rionda and O'Mara also asked a judge to stop the public release of witness names and statements made by Zimmerman to police officers. Those documents normally are part of the public record under Florida law.
"What's occurring, unfortunately, are cases are being tried in the public sector as opposed to in the courtroom," De La Rionda told Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester. "We are in a new age with Twitter, Facebook, and all these things I've never heard of before in my career. Everybody gets to find out intimate details about witnesses that never occurred before. Witnesses are going to be reluctant to get involved."
A consortium of more than a dozen media groups, including The Associated Press, asked the judge to ignore the request, saying such records are presumed to be publicly available under Florida law.
Rachel Fugate, an attorney for the Orlando Sentinel, cited the Casey Anthony trial as an example of a highly publicized case in which a jury was able to be seated despite intense media coverage. The Florida mother was acquitted last year of killing her 2-year-old daughter.
"Discovery in Florida has traditionally been open ... and Florida hasn't encountered problems seating juries and giving defendants fair trials," Fugate said.
O'Mara said Friday on a website that he doesn't expect the case to be ready for trial until next year.
O'Mara said he expects to call on 50 witnesses who need to be deposed before he decides whether to file a "stand your ground" motion which would ask for a hearing before a judge without a jury. At the hearing, Zimmerman would argue self-defense under the Florida law which gives wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat in a fight if people believe they are in danger of being killed or seriously injured.
Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester said Friday that George Zimmerman misled the court about how much money he had available when his bond was set for $150,000 in April. Prosecutors claim Zimmerman had $135,000 available that had been raised by a website he set up.
Prosecutors also say he failed to surrender a second passport.
The defense says the finances are an innocent misunderstanding.
Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and is claiming self-defense.
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
SANFORD, Fla. (AP) – Prosecutors asked a judge Friday to revoke the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Prosecutors said in a motion that 28-year-old George Zimmerman and his family misled them about his finances when testifying during a bail hearing that allowed him to be released from jail on a $150,000 bond. Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda asked for the revocation during a hearing to help determine if prosecutors and the defense can stop the public release of certain documents in the case.
During the bond hearing in April, Zimmerman's relatives testified they had limited funds. Zimmerman's attorney said several days later that he had discovered his client had raised more than $200,000 from a website. At the time of the hearing, about $135,000 had been raised, and that money wasn't disclosed at the bond hearing.
"This court was led to believe they didn't have a single penny," said Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda. "It was misleading and I don't know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie."
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said it was an innocent misunderstanding and that Zimmerman wasn't using that money for his expenses and wasn't sure what he could use the money for. He said Zimmerman used the houses of his parents and grandmother as collateral for the bond.
Prosecutors also said in the motion that Zimmerman didn't disclose he had a second passport. Zimmerman turned his passport over to the court at the bond hearing as a measure that would prevent him from fleeing the country.
Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder and claims self-defense. Zimmerman shot Martin last February during a confrontation at a gated community of townhouses in Sanford, Fla., where Zimmerman lived and where Martin was visiting his father's fiancee.
The delay in an arrest for 44 days prompted protests nationwide and led to Sanford's police chief stepping aside so emotions could cool down.
At Friday's hearing, De la Rionda and O'Mara also asked a judge to stop the public release of witness names and statements made by Zimmerman to police officers. Those documents normally are part of the public record under Florida law.
"What's occurring, unfortunately, are cases are being tried in the public sector as opposed to in the courtroom," De La Rionda told Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester. "We are in a new age with Twitter, Facebook, and all these things I've never heard of before in my career. Everybody gets to find out intimate details about witnesses that never occurred before. Witnesses are going to be reluctant to get involved."
A consortium of more than a dozen media groups, including The Associated Press, asked the judge to ignore the request, saying such records are presumed to be publicly available under Florida law.
Rachel Fugate, an attorney for the Orlando Sentinel, cited the Casey Anthony trial as an example of a highly publicized case in which a jury was able to be seated despite intense media coverage. The Florida mother was acquitted last year of killing her 2-year-old daughter.
"Discovery in Florida has traditionally been open ... and Florida hasn't encountered problems seating juries and giving defendants fair trials," Fugate said.
O'Mara said Friday on a website that he doesn't expect the case to be ready for trial until next year.
O'Mara said he expects to call on 50 witnesses who need to be deposed before he decides whether to file a "stand your ground" motion which would ask for a hearing before a judge without a jury. At the hearing, Zimmerman would argue self-defense under the Florida law which gives wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat in a fight if people believe they are in danger of being killed or seriously injured.
Hello Dog Gone,
ReplyDeleteI heard this tonight as I was headed to Denton, MD to help the Masonic Lodge there perform a 3rd degree. I was on the road when the radio news announced that George Zimmerman and his wife lied to the judge, courts, and even their own layer, and was being called back into jail on the judges orders.
The thought that instantly went through my mind when I heard this news was, “Typical of the Ultra Conservative types.” Lies, Lies and More Lies!! The truth just does not seem to apply to them because they are promoting Conservatism.
For me, this just proves that his version of what happened when he shot a young black kid headed back home based on Zimmerman’s racist views, well anything Zimmerman says happened that night cannot be believed. If he lied about his finances and extra passport, he sure in hell is going to lie about shooting the young kid.
I'm curious as to what consequences there are going to be for the lie about the passport. We have heard that Zimmerman acquired his second passport by claiming he had lost his passport, and at the same time, he is recorded as having confirmed with his wife that his passport was in their safety deposit box. He then LIED to the federal government to get a new passport. There is no way to 'spin' that with more lies about what he did. There are recorded conversations between Zimmerman and his wife about the money they claimed they didn't have, which appear to be planning to deliberately lie to the judge.
ReplyDeleteDid they lie to their attorney? I don't know how far client privilege extends on that. BUT it was highlighted that when Zimmerman's wife lied, he remained silent when he could have corrected the lie. And that he was not communicating with his attorneys was the reason given for the unprecedented public statements of his prior attorney's to take themselves off this case claiming they were no longer representing him. That to me suggests this is NOT an isolated incident, Zimmerman lying.
I'm wondering what the consequences from the feds are going to be for that lie, if any. It is presumably illegal to lie about your passport.
And will this attorney eventually get fedup and bail too? (pun intended)
I've heard that Zimmerman will likely get another bail hearing. If the case doesn't go to trial until sometime next year, and he doesn't get bail, or if the bail this time is appropriately higher -- this time a LOT higher, to reflect his lying. then Zimmerman could be facing a lot of months behind bars this time around.
And given that four important witnesses now have clarified or changed their story in ways that are not good for Zimmerman, even before these developments...... this guy has now shot himself in the other foot.
I did not trust this man's character for a variety of reasons from the very beginning. This Stand Your Ground law is not well drafted and is even worse in how unevenly it is applied. I think there could be a good case for it being overturned -- and if it is overturned here, the state where it started, it can be overturned e verywhere ----- and it SHOULD BE.
EoK, I wouldn't say every conservative lies, certainly, but clearly many of those who become part of legislative and political processes does.
ReplyDeleteThere are some corrupt liberals and democrats as well, notably a few who belong to ALEC. But the pattern of wholesale partisan corruption among conservatives is truly horrific.
There are honest Republicans; it was for example a Republican prosecutor who went after the corrupt election fraudulent Secretary of State in Indiana.
We have to look at individuals.
Dog Gone,
ReplyDeleteAs a Republican myself, I do agree with that not All Conservative Republicans Lie.....but it does seem to be a habit to most.
I do have a personal friend who is a Conservative Republican and I do think quite highly of him and he is a GOOD Man and a GOOD FRIEND.
I was just caught up in the moment with my disgust of Zimmerman.
This
ReplyDelete"Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said it was an innocent misunderstanding and that Zimmerman wasn't using that money for his expenses and wasn't sure what he could use the money for. He said Zimmerman used the houses of his parents and grandmother as collateral for the bond."
says more about Zimmerman's lack of character than his lying to a judge; that he'd allow/coerce his parents and grandparents to pledge their homes for his bond when he had funds to do so is clearly unethical.
I wonder if Mr. O'mara and his legal team are all going to continue to work for no fee, or if it's just O'mara that will do so.
I'm more troubled by him trying to dodge turning in his passports. I don't buy that he applied for one and then found the other, but only turned in one. Yeah, like he didn't know the reason for turning in his passport? And that he and his wife had conversations about keeping it secret -- that goes to deliberate deception.
ReplyDeleteI'm actually relieved that he has family members who have skin in the game for his bail. He wouldn't have as much reason to care about walking out on strangers donating money to his defense, but then again, we don't know that his family would oppose him running from the law at their expense either.
This is not a good man, this is not an honest man, and it sure sounds like he knows damn well that there was no justification in the harassment and murder of Trayvon Martin. I just wonder what else is going to come out about Mr. Zimmerman. I doubt we are at the bottom of things yet.