This will be updated as the Florida Prosecutor, Angela Corey gives her press conference at 6 pm EST/3 pm PST.
The initial report is that George Zimmerman has been taken into custody in Florida. He had left the state of Florida, but returned.
Zimmerman voluntarily surrendered.
He will be represented by Seminole Attorney Mark O'Mara. O'Mara has the O'Mara law firm and was a news analyst for local CBS affiliate, WKMG Channel 6. He felt that there was bias against Jose Baez in the Casey Anthony Case.
Zimmerman is the self described neighborhood watch captain who shot and killed Trayvon Martin under suspicious circumstances in February.
Zimmerman provided statements that would have prevented prosecution under Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, but he was contradicted by the facts in the case and by several witnesses.
Yesterday, Zimmerman's lawyers engaged in a bizarre and rambling press conference where they revealed a disturbing amount of information as they announced that they had let Zimmerman go as their client.
Corey arrived at her decision last week. This means that Zimmerman was determined by prosecutors to have committed a homicide that was not an excusable or justifiable homicide.
Her repeated mantra "We prosecute based on facts".
She referred to the Martins as "That sweet family". She promised to seek justice for Trayvon Martin.
The family is the constitutional victim and has the right to information.
"Did not come to this decision lightly."
"We will continue to seek the truth."
A Capias warrant with a "no bond" request was issued.
"Charging 2nd degree murder." Maximum sentence is life in prison.
Zimmerman will appear before a magistrate within 24 hours and then formal prosecution will begin.
A bond or bail hearing will be scheduled. Zimmerman has the right to seek a bail hearing as soon as possible.
Will not tell where Zimmerman is in custody. Referred to the safety of him and everyone else as the reason for not giving the location.
Will not discuss evidence. Maintains that full investigation went on and will go on.
She is unaware that O'Mara is his defense attorney.
She will "fight stand your ground". She will fight that law if it is used as an affirmative defense. She said that she fights stand your ground laws hard when they are used as affirmative defenses.
From E-How, this is a good enough definition of an affirmative defense.
"An affirmative defense is a statement that admits that facts are true, but explains why your actions were not in violation of the law. For instance, an affirmative defense to civil battery may be that you were acting in self-defense. Write such an affirmative defense with the heading "First Affirmative Defense" and the line "Defendant alleges that Defendant's actions constitute self-defense, rending the actions not tortious."
Seminole county will be the original venue, but Cory will be the prosecutor, working in that county.
She is concerned about getting a fair and impartial jury.
She is concerned that a lot of "regrettable" facts and details got released in away that they were misconstrued.
April 12, 2002: Zimmerman had his first court hearing. He said nothing as advised by the court.
The judge gave no indication about bond, and the defense did not ask for it. But Zimmerman's attorneys hope that he will be freed at a later hearing to be held within the next two weeks once he has a "safe" place set up.
He has entered an affirmative defense, meaning that he thinks that he will skate by lying and pleading not guilty.
It was agreed by both prosecution and defense that certain records of the case would be sealed.
Mark O'Mara cited that witnesses' personal information, addresses and phone numbers have been sealed in other cases.
Actually Zimmerman may not make it to a court trial if the government determines that Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law allowed him to stalk and kill an unarmed person, to lie about the circumstances, then have evidence compromised by an obviously incompetent and corrupted responding law enforcement agency.
The precedent that is being established in this cae will aid anyone who develops a "fear" of Zimmerman, which is why he will have to go into hiding if he makes bail.
All other "fearful" people with guns need to pay attention and keep themselves under control.
In other upcoming events, there is still the weak possibility of investigations into the actions of the police department on the night that Trayvon Martin was murdered.
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Comments
Whatev!
A-fucking-men to the arrest.
she is dressed in red!
excusable or justifiable homicide...
that is the question...
which damn zimmerman did this, anyway? the handsome devil
or the...uh, mutt?
oh goodness what a show we are in for.................
where else? Florida.
ay
R
James E: The test must be whether a homicide was justifiable or excusable. That means that Zimmerman had no justification and therefore committed murder in the 2nd degree. That could be upgraded.
This will all die down in the news until the trial starts, but I will be there when it does.
Me & Dad were discussing this. The only thing we agreed on was that Zimmerman shouldn't have gotten out of his vehicle. What a mess.
It's like when the doctor puts in a patients notes that she is "a nice lady or a nice man". It sounds kind of dumb, but the phrase is descriptive of demeanor, character, affect and behavior.
It means that the family has suffered yet has been of good and patient character, and has a good affect despite the horrible situation.
You don't hear that phrase in every case when prosecutors refer to a murder victim's family.
Lezlie
-R-
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I know there will be more to it, but it doesn't look good for the wannabe cop, prosecutor, judge, jury and executioner...and now death entrepreneur. Maybe his fundraising will buy him enough cigs to keep him limited to being only one inmate's housewife.
I'd not be any better than him if I just wanted him convicted based on my own biases and prejudices. I want him, if convicted fairly and truly, to be made an example of, to others who abuse the privilege of gun ownership and act like they're some kind of wild west gunslingers.
I DON'T WANT some sort of questionable, unjust trial that will leave room for doubt in anyone's mind as to Zimmerman's guilt or innocence.
Let's push - HARD - for this to be done right.
Justice for Trayvon demands this much of us.
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As for Zimmerman getting a "fair trial", I am sick of hearing about the demand. I don't hear the same demand for the rights of victims or of non whites who are falsely accused of crimes.
Zimmerman has the support of many people who are like him and who want to see him get away with murder. They want to ease their own minds. I want to see him in jail for a long time. After that, I don't ever want him to walk free with a gun in his possession. He needs to be reminded until his last day of life that he did wrong and lied to cover up for it.