Zimmerman - Waiting For More Discovery

While we wait for the next round of discovery in the Zimmerman case, we note, by way of Google News, this amusing commentary in the South Florida Times:

Brace for worst in Trayvon Martin case

Written by Donald Jones

Sanford police arrested George Zimmerman after he shot and killed Miami Gardens teenager Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26. Then they gave him back his gun.

No drug tests were done to see if Zimmerman was under the influence of drugs at the time.   Perhaps the most critical evidence that was lost was the clothes Zimmerman wore when he shot Trayvon. The police allowed him to wear the clothes home.  The critical Crime Scene Investigation forensics that should have been done immediately   were not done.  No real investigation would begin until more than 30 days later.

The state, in prosecuting Zimmerman, is like a basketball team 30 points behind before the game begins.

On the bright side, I like the basketball metaphor! However, Zimmerman's clothes were held by the police (his wife brought him a change before he went home) and the police have held onto his gun.

I worry that Mr. Jones is sitting in Marlin's Park waiting for the next Heat-Celtics game.

 

Comments

[narciso]

Didn't the tests, show Zimmerman, had temazepam and adderall in his system, as Martin had traces of marijuana, why should
we read any further?

[jimmyk]

Seems like the South Florida Times may need to administer drug tests to its contributors. Is that a real newspaper?

[narciso]

yes, and he is a law professor at UM.

[narciso]

It's sort of the counterpart to the New Amsterdam Times, jimmy, to give you a reference point.

[Ignatz]

--Donald Jones is professor of Law at the University of Miami. He may be reached at [email protected]

Apparently he invites comments, presumably because he is too stupid to read.

[Ignatz]

Most of the commenters have this clown's number.

[Clarice]

It's an AA paper. I sent the link to the author and the paper. There's no excuse for such sloppy reporting.

[Carol Herman]

Blacks make up about 12% of the electorate.

Obama actually got caught out supporting Trayvon in the beginning. As he did right as he started his presidency ... with his remark against Sgt. Crowley of the Cambridge police department, for arresting his crazy pal, the Harvahd professor Gates.

Same old story.

Drudge doesn't follow this one. So it must be a dead story. Who shot the story down?

[Tom Maguire]

Apparently he invites comments, presumably because he is too stupid to read.

Well, I tried to leave a comment there but after six fails with his Captcha I felt like the dupe in the old "How do you keep an Irishman busy? (over") gag.

[matt]

Which basketball team are they like? The New Orleans Hornets? The Charlotte Bobcats? The Celts when they were beat down by Miami?

This analogy cannot stand, dammit!

[Rob Crawford]

BTW -- does Donald Jones have to be a member of the Bar to teach law? I ask because if he's a member of the Bar, that article warrants complains to them. It's utterly unethical in its disregard for the facts.

It's disgusting.

[Rob Crawford]

It's an AA paper.

Ah. So the intention is to keep the anger going.

I hate the Black Klan as much as the White one.

[Ignatz]

--It's an AA paper.--

I assume you meant African American clarice, but my first read was Affirmative Action which seems a lot more apt.

[hit and run]

If Obama had a son who went to law school and became a professor, he would look just like Donald Jones...

D. Marvin Jones: Thinking of playing hooky for this law professor’s class? Don’t do it — “hooky” is a little too close to “hooker.” He’s allegedly “just a horny guy,” who allegedly loves prostitutes (and is prone to suing over it).

Click that first link for all of Above the Law's posts on ol' D'Marv.

[Rob Crawford]

Same guy, hit. The picture has the same smug, vacant expression.

[Rob Crawford]

Oh, and dig a little more and he tried suing the Above the Law people for reporting his little peccadillo.

[Ignatius J Donnelly]

I thought you meant Alcoholics Anonymous

[iqvoice]

I was bracing for the worst from the horny, prostitute-loving Marvin Jones, and I wasn't disappointed. What a dingbat.

Never let facts get in the way of the narrative, Dr. Jones!

[AliceH]

So... no one thought "All American" then.

[Ike]

No, a law professor doesn't have to be admitted to practice law anywhere in order to teach law. Knowing something about the real practice of law might be a handicap, I think. Not in Texas, for certain. One of my Constitutional Law professors had been convicted of a burglary when he was in college and was therefore ineligible to practice. How did he get to be a law prof you ask? Good question. Answer: he was a relative of LBJ. Got it? You and I go to prison; relatives of "Our Lords and Masters" get probation and a law school professor's job.

[Rob Crawford]

You and I go to prison; relatives of "Our Lords and Masters" get probation and a law school professor's job.

Or hundreds of thousands of dollars in "charity" donations and contracts from the State Department.

Or named to various boards and tenure on an "education" faculty.

[Rick Roberts]

Is the law the law or not? Why do they get to play these games?

[Ignatz]

--One of my Constitutional Law professors ......

Posted by: Ike | May 31, 2012 at 02:06 PM--

First lawyer named Ike I've ever run across. Pretty cool...unless his last name is Turner.

[Redbrow]

I find it hard to believe the writer of this article could have passed the bar exam let alone be appointed a professor of law. His unfortunate students should demand a full refund.

[MJW]

Unfortunately, news of an impending data dump was apparently a mistake. On TalkLeft, Jeralyn Merritt says:

I got email on May 25 from the state's attorney press person saying there would be a new release soon we would get 24 hours notice and have to our money to them by the next day.

For the second discovery release, the SAO office will send an email alert 24 hours in advance of records being available. If your agency would like immediate access, the payment needs to be at the SAO before the set deadline.

I got another email on May 30 from a different public records person requesting money saying the money had to be received by June 1. I fedexed it immediately.

Then today I got a confusing voicemail from someone at the State's Attorney saying something about her putting me on the wrong list and they would treat my check as an advance against the next release, but needed me to call to authorize them to deposit the check. She was apologizing for an error, but didn't say what the error was. I left her a voicemail telling her to deposit the check.

I later emailed the person who had sent out the first email and got a reply nothing was being released today.

So apparently, what they sent me 2 days ago (and cost me $25.00 in fedex fees, aside from the payment) was meant for someone else who hadn't previously purchased the discovery and mistakenly sent to me. I thought it was my 24 hour notice to get my money in.

Sorry for any confusion. I hope I can keep up with the fedex fees -- it's odd they don't take credit cards and give only 24 hours to have the money physically in their office. On the other hand, I'm grateful to be able to have the access.

[MJW]

(I hope Jeralyn doesn't mind me quoting her entire comment.)

[Cheap New Era Hats]

ZBY020120601 Life is real! Life is earnest!
And the grave is not its goal;
http://www.neweraonlineshop.com

[cboldt]

I would think that the next round of publication of discovery will be held pending Judge Lester's order in light of the state and defense motions to withhold, and the press motions in opposition.

The press motions are available at 18th Circuit Court Media Advisories.

[pagar]

"it's odd they don't take credit cards and give only 24 hours to have the money physically in their office."

What are these people paying money for?

[Cecil Turner]

...unless his last name is Turner.

Hey, hey . . . easy there.

(I hope Jeralyn doesn't mind me quoting her entire comment.)

She has been particularly good on this. (With some commenting help from JOM regulars, particularly cboldt.)

I would think that the next round of publication of discovery will be held pending Judge Lester's order in light of the state and defense motions to withhold, and the press motions in opposition.

Makes sense. If I'm reading that link right, it looks like the hearing is today at 1:30. He made his last ruling (on the gag order) four days after the hearing. This looks to be a bit more complex, so I'd guess Tuesday at the earliest.

[cboldt]

MJW has been commenting quite a bit at Jeralyn's place, too.

-- This looks to be a bit more complex, so I'd guess Tuesday at the earliest. --

I agree. Judge Lester did promise to dispose of public disclosure issues in an expedient fashion, and there are several categories of information (and associated argument) that should be dealt with.

O'Mara has put new material up at GeorgeZimmermanLegalCase.com, that leads me to conclude he's going to ask for continuances beyond the August 8 date for having disposed of all pretrial motions.

Presuming there will be at least fifty witnesses (and all witnesses, such as experts, have not yet been identified) the process of depositions will take a few months. Only after the depositions are complete will we be in a position to decide if there are motions (such as the oft mentioned 'stand your ground' motion) that are appropriate to file and have heard.

[Ignatius J Donnelly]

Bond was revoked. He has 48 hours to come in.
Duplicate passport and wife hiding money.

[MJW]

As everyone's probably heard, Zimmerman's bond was revoked. He will, I believe, have a chance for another bond hearing.

[liontooth]

Could Zimmerman's legal team use that article as an excuse for a change of venue? Or to ask potential jurors if they ever read the paper to dismiss them?