Zimmerman Case - Jeralyn Merritt's Perspective

Having reviewed the first wave of discovery Jeralyn Merritt lays out her best guess as to what happened on the night of Feb 26.

Do keep in mind it is a mix of "facts" (i.e., witness statements and physical evidence) and highly informed speculation.

Let me highlight this:

GZ did not have TM in sight when the dispatcher told him they didn't need him to follow TM. He responded OK. He didn't follow him after that. He didn't know where Trayvon was. He continued walking towards the front of the Retreat View Circle, where the first house is 2861, home to W-13 and W-12. He then turned around to walk back to his car. He just passed the T and the pet waste can when Travyon came up on his left. 

That is Zimmerman's story, as told by his father - crossed the top of the sidewalks 'T' from Twin Trees Lane to Retreat View Circle and then headed back.

However, several minutes elapsed between the end of Zimmerman's 911 call and the fatal encounter. Zimmerman had plenty of time to wander down and around the commons area, which was my guess at the end of March.

Legally, one might say, so what? It was dark, no witnesses saw him, and Zimmerman is legally free to walk around his neighborhood. However, it speaks to his credibility, and it seems to me that crossing the 'T' to Retreat View Circle and then heading back should not have taken as long as it seems to have taken.

Well. This may have inspired doubts in the minds of the police and we hope it helped motivate their investigation, but there comes a time when the state needs to move past a theory of the crime and start offering proof of a crime. I think the state is stuck at a theory.

Comments

[Ignatz]

--2 days out 365 is not near enough for veterans. Accept the thanks, we dont know how else to express the gratitude.--

It's not that I don't appreciate the thanks Gman, it's that I feel like I'm disrespecting the guys who died when I stand, and they can't.

[Captain Hate]

Hopefully nobody was listening http://weaselzippers.us/2012/05/28/bawney-fwank-invokes-trayvon-martin-during-commencement-address-tells-black-degree-recipient-you-now-have-a-hoodie-you-can-wear-and-no-one-will-shoot-you/

[Lee]

Daddy, no OWS at the Harvard commencement.
32,000 people in attendance, and a ticket is needed to get past the gate.

[Danube of Thought]

So the Terps are about to face off....

[Steg]

I hope you guys have seen this- if not, check it out. There is some more speculation, but we do get a lot of solid facts about Trayvon's life this past year.

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2012/05/23/update-26-part-1-trayvon-martin-what-were-the-last-18-months-like-for-him/

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2012/05/24/update-26-part-2-trayvon-martin-shooting-a-year-of-drug-use-culminates-in-predictable-violence/

http://theconservativetreehouse.com/2012/05/26/interesting-development-trayvon-martin-quid-pro-quo-at-the-7-11/

More stuff to think about.

[Jim Eagle]

Loyola v. Maryland. That one is a shocker. Hard to believe either of them much less both would be there this year but cream rises to the top. Should be a great game. Looks like it will be hot as hades as well.

You have to love the flyover - a Herc:)

[Jim Eagle]

How about that tribute to the two Lacrosse players from Navy and Duke who lost their lives in service to their country. Quite impressive.

"Where do we find such men?"

[Danube of Thought]

The guy from Navy was a SEAL named Brandon Looney. His academy roommate, Travis Manion, was a Marine who was also killed. They are buried side-by-side in Arlington.

[pagar]

"and no one will shoot you"

http://lubbockonline.com/editorial-columnists/2012-05-28/williams-should-black-people-tolerate-high-black-black-crime#.T8OzTsWwX3Y

From Walter Williams who I believe is in the range of 100s of times smarter than Barney Frank.

"By Walter Williams

Each year, roughly 7,000 blacks are murdered. Ninety-four percent of the time, the murderer is another black person."

Amazing!

[poppa india]

Travis Manion was from my home town. His name was read from the list of 19 KIA from our county in the war on terror, today at the veterans memorial ceremony at the local cemetery.

[Ranger]

TK,

I guess I missed the yes or no question you asked.

[Captain Hate]

Loyola up 5-3 at halftime and dominating everything except faceoffs.

[Strawman Cometh]

JiB,
A B-52 did the flyover at the Charlotte 600

[boris]

Is this the TK question?

Does anybody remember Ranger's rhetorical trick vs honest answer comment?

His wording was perfect and I wish to steal it verbatim.

[Jane]

OMG Poppa. That is awful. What was the reaction?

[Ranger]

Ah, well, that was in response to a certain person who would often claim to want dialog, then simply refuse to answer simple yes or no questions when he realized they would undermine his argument.

He actually called one such question a "rhetorical trick," and then broke off all discussion of the topic at hand.

[Ranger]

Ok, Bing is not helping me find the actual comment (and I refuse to use Google any more).

As best as I can remember, my comments were something to the effect of:

What does one expect from someone who calls a yes or no question where an honest answer works againt their argument a rhetorical trick.

[daddy]

"Well the good news is besides you Jim, the only folks who listen to NPR is crunchy granola liberals,"

Unfortunately our troops overseas are shackled with having to listen to NPR on AFN (Armed Forces Radio) constantly in all overseas locations where AFN exists.

A typical Sunday schedule:

"Sunday

1100-1200 NPR Car Talk (+ 1 617 353 6350)
1200-1400 APM A Prairie Home Companion
1400-1600 NPR Weekend Edition
1600-1700 NPR Justice Talking
1700-1800 NPR Fresh Air Weekend
1800-1900 PRI This American Life
Please note that Frankfurt 873 AM is a 150,000 watt signal that during the day covers central Germany with a strong signal and at night carries throughout Europe."

[poppa india]

Manion's father has an op-ed in the WSJ about his son and other's sacrafices. I found it linked at http://www.pagunblog. com
Not much reaction at the memorial service, since these names are read each year. Sadly, the list grows longer.

[Beasts of England]

Thanks to our Veterans here at JoM! In memory of my Dad, I'll share a brief quote from him. He rarely spoke of his actions - as is most often the wont of people possessing dignity and honor...

'I tried to give my life for our Country on three occasions. I was unsuccessful.'

[daddy]

Lee at 01:00.

Thanks for that info.

[Captain Hate]

Unfortunately our troops overseas are shackled with having to listen to NPR on AFN (Armed Forces Radio) constantly in all overseas locations where AFN exists.

Ugh, who made that decision?

[Ignatz]

--'I tried to give my life for our Country on three occasions. I was unsuccessful.'--

That's a great quote Beasts.
God bless our pops.

[daddy]

"Ugh, who made that decision?"

Same guys who tried to get Rush yanked from AFN for saying "slut" but had no problem with Ed (slut) Schultz following Rush, then being followed by NPR.

Here's their general Monday to Friday schedule:

"2000 Rush Limbaugh
2100 Ed Schultz
2200 - 0000 NPR All Things Considered – Live"

[Captain Hate]

Well having Rush on is balance of sorts but inflicting Ed Schultz on a foreign audience isn't what I'd consider smart diplomacy.

[Jim Eagle]

daddy,

From my experience most troops in country's like Germany versus Afghanistan or Iraq don't listen to AFN. They are watching local stuff or listening to local rock radio. All of Europe is like that. And the guys and gals in combat zones, know better than to accept the leftwing BS spewed by NPR and their ilk anyway. No harm no damage.

[narciso]

Continued exposure to Tommy Boy, might render one akin to consuming a pangalactic gargle blaster,

[daddy]

JiB,

I hope you're correct, but all In know is that when I'm over there sitting on the tarmac and firing up the ADF radio, I run through the dials, and almost the only stations in English, (especially in Asia) are AFN and All Thing's Considered. Whoever up above said it's the CNN of the Radio is dead on.

Our troops deserve better.

[daddy]

Captain,

Schults' spot used to be occupied by the Al Franken Show a few years back, so I suppose it's progress of a sort.

[daddy]

BTW Captain,

Looks like somebody at the UK Mail has the hots for Meghan McCain.

I didn't know you'd learned to Twitter:)

[Jim Eagle]

daddy,

Hey, did you notice that the one complementary defense of Meghan was from Tom Christopher:) Is that funny or what. The DM, of course, doesn't understand that TC is a Breitbart foil of specially foul substance. In Fact, MMcC and TC could be an "item" pretty soon.

[narciso]

The Daily Mail, has these 'curious' blindspots, it is strong on the AGW and other issues, but it can be as leftwing gossip in others,

[Captain Hate]

Schults' spot used to be occupied by the Al Franken Show a few years back, so I suppose it's progress of a sort.

Frick and Franken.

I didn't know you'd learned to Twitter:)

Believe me, unless I could come up with some better lines than she's been hit with, I'd let her wallow in her inanity. The biggest problem, which nobody seems willing to address, is that she's the MFM's go-to person as some caricature of a Republican in the same way that Excitable Andy Double Naught Groinocologist is a "conservative".

[narciso]

I sent them, this link for context;

http://pjmedia.com/tatler/2012/05/27/memo-to-meghan-mccain-al-sharpton-is-an-antisemite-with-blood-on-his-hands/

[GMax]

Meghan McCain can spout off all she wants on MSDNC since virtually no one sees the show. Who cares?

[narciso]

I don't know how he slipped through, Wehner and Kristol, to the red courtesy phone;

http://www.tnr.com/article/world/103654/egypt-election-muslim-brotherhood-morsi

[narciso]

'You're really not helping;

http://legalinsurrection.com/2012/05/time-for-jennifer-rubin-to-retract-her-richard-grenell-exclusive/

[Captain Hate]

Some people want a peek at the crop report http://thehill.com/homenews/house/228733-issa-might-not-have-the-votes-for-holder-contempt-charge-

[Ignatz]

--Excitable Andy Double Naught Groinocologist--

Heh. You have a one of a kind way with words, Cap.

[Amanda]

Why the &$@! Did George get out of his car........with a gun?

[xbradtc]

Gee, Amanda, I don't know. Maybe it's because the dispatcher said "let us know if he does anything else..."

[Beasts of England]

'God bless our pops.'

Posted by: Ignatz | May 28, 2012 at 05:03 PM

Indeed.

[Beasts of England]

'Why the &$@! Did George get out of his car........with a gun?'

Posted by: Amanda | May 28, 2012 at 08:01 PM

Because he had one with him?

[Annoying Old Guy]

Because it would be unsafe to leave a loaded gun in a car?

[MJW]

Someone on another site found copy of a telephone interview of DeeDee by Crump. Unfortunately, I can't understand what DeeDee is saying.

[Sara]

--Excitable Andy Double Naught Groinocologist--

Shouldn't that be Wombocologist?

[cboldt]

Trayvon Martin, victim of fatal shooting, told girlfriend, "I think this dude is following me," attorney says - By Julia Dahl - March 20, 2012

Much of the recording was inaudible when played Tuesday at a press conference in Florida, but attorney Benjamin Crump said that in it, Martin's girlfriend says that Martin told her "I think this dude is following me," minutes before he was shot by Zimmerman.

Thanks for the link to a WAV file of that interview. The sound quality is awful.

[Adult High School Diploma]

Gracias. A smile and thanks. A kiss. A hug.

[Ignatius J Donnelly]

Why are people posting this crap on a thread dedicated to the Zimmerman Martin case?

[Ignatius J Donnelly]

Who knows if GZ even walked to the street.
When he said that TM ran in between the houses I'm guessing GZ was talking about the common area. While legally it apparently makes no difference, going back to your truck , getting a flashlight and poking around in the dark back yards is not going right back to your truck.
The flashlight is probably what alerted TM to the fact that the old man in the truck was looking for him.

[Ignatius J Donnelly]

Mmmmmm It appears that some of the witneeses first hear the confrontation on
the sidewalk leading to the street. Then they hear what sounds like a scuffle which moved into the common area. GZ says he was sucker punched; no argument, no on your feet wrasslin'. Are these the types of inconsistancies that the state is hanging its case on?

[archon41]

I believe Ms. Merritt places the "confrontation" at the "T" formed by the intersecting walkways. Isn't this a "commons" (as opposed to public) area? There are signs in the "commons" areas of my subdivision warning that anyone who is unable to provide satisfactory evidence of residency may be asked to leave. Since we do not have a full-time security detail,the residents who most frequent the various commons areas have assumed responsibility for enforcing this rule. What advantage is there in a "gated" community if all and sundry are free to roam about at will? Should a visitor react with indignant hostility to being asked to provide identification, things would not end well.

I suppose some feel that Zimmerman was not appropriately deferential in his approach to Traylon ("What are you doing around here?" allegedly.) Perhaps he would have been less suspicious had Traylon not initially ran from him. In any event, the language employed could hardly have failed to put Traylon on notice that Zimmerman was concerned with his right to be on the property, nothing more. The notion that this represented an affront justifying an assault is most curious.