State pushes to keep Trayvon Martin's past out of George Zimmerman trial

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Quote:

ORLANDO, Fla. -

State prosecutors in the case against George Zimmerman are pushing to keep Zimmerman's attorneys from bringing testimony about Trayvon Martin's past during the trial.

The state said in motions filed on Friday they want to prevent Zimmerman's attorneys from bringing up Martin's personal life, including his school records, previous suspension from school, fights, text messages sent prior to his death unless related to case and his social media use....

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Type: Discussion • Score: 12 • Views: 15,710 • Replies: 225
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Yts want to ruin Obongo's dreamchild reputation.

1 Reply

@Pamela Rosa,

Sure! The kids dead. Lets kick the **** out of the dead kid. Its the republican way.

3 Replies

@RABEL222,

Why are speaking of Obama's son that way, shame on you.

0 Replies

Waterman seems to be following me around. I hope he isent carrying his gun around with him. I sure wouldn't want to be shot in the back.

2 Replies

@RABEL222,

I'm trying to get upwind, but you keep scampering away...

Armed?, but of course.

Relax, you're no threat to me.

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@RABEL222,

I guess you guys are afraid to find out about his past. Does he have a past of starting fights with people for no reason? If Zimmerman's past is up for discussion then so should Martin's.

4 Replies

@Baldimo,

Martin had recently tried to punch out a school bus driver. Even most street people would be ashamed to admit knowing the guy.

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@Baldimo,

Baldimo wrote:

If Zimmerman's past is up for discussion then so should Martin's.

So it would seem, and regardless of what actually happened.

1 Reply

@roger,

roger wrote:

Baldimo wrote:

If Zimmerman's past is up for discussion then so should Martin's.

So it would seem, and regardless of what actually happened.

Roger, what difference, at this point, does it make?

1 Reply

New Evidence Shows Trayvon's Life Unraveling
http://www.americanthinker.com/2013/05/m-new_evidence_shows_trayvons_life_unraveling.html

0 Replies

@H2O MAN,

Is that your Hillary Clinton imitation?

0 Replies

@Baldimo,

Zimmerman is the one on trial. Zimmerman is the one who got out of a car and followed Trayvon Martin and shot an unarmed man. From what I can understand, in order to present evidence of Trayvon Martin's past, Zimmerman would have had to know of his past when he started going after Trayvon Martin on the night in question. Zimmerman has said he didn't know Trayvon Martin before that night. Also from what I can understand, the defense can bring it up if the door is opened up on it during the trail. Zimmerman's lawyers knew all this, they knew Florida law, they just wanted to muddy the jury pool. (been watching it)

What are they trying to say anyway, anyone who has smoked pot or who owns a gun or who has gotten in fight is allowed to be chased and shot down dead?

1 Reply

@revelette,

You're right--nothing about Martin's past is relevant to why George Zimmerman shot him, since Zimmerman knew nothing about Martin and he couldn't have been acting on the basis of such past information. Also, some of the past info is based on hearsay, which could also make it inadmissible.

Of course, Zimmerman's lawyers would prefer to trash Martin's character and reputation. Attacking the victim, and discrediting him, to try to justify the crime committed against him, is a well known defense strategy in criminal cases. But, in this instance, the prosecution moved to prevent the admission of such evidence to try to keep that from happening. Unless the prosecution opens the door to the presentation of evidence relating to Martin's past, it will likely remain out of the trial. It is definitely out of opening arguments.

The judge made a number of rulings in the prosecution's favor.
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/28/18556018-judge-denies-delay-bars-evidence-in-george-zimmerman-trial-for-now?lite

I'm not sure I agree with the judge's decision not to have the jury sequestered. In these very high profile cases, with wall-to-wall media coverage, I really tend to think that juries should be sequestered.

3 Replies

@firefly,

Quote:

I'm not sure I agree with the judge's decision not to have the jury sequestered. In these very high profile cases, with wall-to-wall media coverage, I really tend to think that juries should be sequestered.

Maybe she thought sequestering the jury is a bit like shutting the barn door after the horse has already gone? I mean its been on the news for well over a year.

1 Reply

@RABEL222,

RABEL222 wrote:

Waterman seems to be following me around.
I hope he isent carrying his gun around with him.
I sure wouldn't want to be shot in the back.

(More likely aim for the medulla oblongata.)
He has no need to follow u around.
He has excellent long-distance sniping equipment,
but I suspect that he has higher value targets in mind than u,
for his ammo (maybe snakes).

David

0 Replies

@firefly,

Quote:

You're right--nothing about Martin's past is relevant to why George Zimmerman shot him,

Martin's state of mind that day is highly relevant...which is why coroner inquests tend to include the state of mind of the dead one in their fact finding.

1 Reply

@revelette,

Quote:

Maybe she thought sequestering the jury is a bit like shutting the barn door after the horse has already gone? I mean its been on the news for well over a year.

What's gone on in the news thus far is mainly a factor in trying to find an unbiased jury pool. But, once the trial begins, this case will be tried in the media and in the court of public opinion, and all the evidence will be thrashed out in the media, people will be talking about it, and it's those things that can contaminate an already seated jury.

It's not just the pre-trial publicity, a lot goes on at trial, out of earshot of the jury, that the media reports on, along with everything else they can dig up. And the jury is not supposed to be exposed to it, they are honor-bound to avoid it. Sequestering the jury, helps to reduce the possibility of exposure to such influences--including hearing family or friends discussing the case, and the temptation to talk about the trial with others.

1 Reply

@firefly,

Quote:

It's not just the pre-trial publicity, a lot goes on at trial, out of earshot of the jury, that the media reports on, along with everything else they can dig up. And the jury is not supposed to be exposed to it, they are honor-bound to avoid it. Sequestering the jury, helps to reduce the possibility of exposure to such influences--including hearing family or friends discussing the case, and the temptation to talk about the trial with others

finding a sound justice process in Florida is only slightly more likely than finding it in Texas, or Louisiana.

0 Replies

@firefly,

firefly wrote:

You're right--nothing about Martin's past is relevant to why George Zimmerman shot him,
since Zimmerman knew nothing about Martin and he couldn't have been acting on the basis of such past information.

O, really???
What if decedent had sworn to beat Zimmy 's head against the street, before the attack??

If decedent had a known chronic history
of getting into a lot of fights, if that was his MMA hobby and his way of life,
then it is relevant to whether he started his LAST fight, against the hapless Zimmy,
who was exercising his free speech rights, in a naborly effort to reduce the number of burglaries.
( I don't pretend to know the law of Florida. )

David

1 Reply

State pushes to keep Trayvon Martin's past out of George Zimmerman trial

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