Zimmerman Trial: Prosecutors Endure 'Ground And Pound'

Although we are formally in the prosecution phase of the trial, the defense had yet another great witness called by the state today:

A resident of the Florida community where George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin last year after a confrontation took the stand Friday and described going out to investigate a noise and seeing one person straddling another and throwing punches down at the person on the ground.

John Good said he was watching TV with his wife when they heard a noise and he went out to investigate, despite his wife warning him not to. At first, he thought a dog might be attacking someone, but as he moved closer, he said he observed what looked like "a tussle" between two people.

"It looked like a tussle," Good said. "I could only see one person. At one point, I yelled out, 'What's going on? Stop it,' I believe," Good said.

Under questioning by Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda, Good said one of the combatants was straddling a man lying face up on the pavement, and throwing punches. The testimony appeared to corroborate Zimmerman's claims that he shot the 17-year-old African-American with a legally registered gun in self defense, as he was being pummeled.

"I could tell that the person on the bottom had a lighter skin color," testified Good, who also said the person on the bottom appeared to be wearing "white or red," while the one on top wore dark clothing. Zimmerman identified that day as Hispanic and was wearing a red jacket.

None of this is a surprise, since the testimony was consistent with his statements to the police and in news interviews. One does wonder where the prosecution is headed.

And I'll say it again - I'm proud to be an American, a great country that does a miserable job with show trials.

Comments

[peter]

Today is the 85th birthday of Hans Blix. I wonder if he found his own ass with two hands yet.

[Clarice]

Good was a perfect witness. Clear. Precise. Showed great respect for accurately testifying.

[MarkO]

Would someone make the case that this prosecution was brought in good faith?

[jimmyk]

Repeating from the last thread: Is it possible the state really wants GZ acquitted, but felt they needed a trial to make his innocence blindingly obvious? How else do you explain these witnesses?

[jwest]

"Would someone make the case that this prosecution was brought in good faith?"

That's what I want to see in both a civil and a criminal trial. How, other than to appease the racial pressures at the time, could the State bring charges based on the evidence they had in their possession at the time?

[Rob Crawford]

How to explain the witnesses: This is all they have. There was never a case, it should never have reached the point of charges being pressed, it was clear self-defense from the beginning.

If it weren't for the race-hate industry, the families would be getting on with putting their lives back together.

[Gus]

Has anyone seen the Salon Ragazine piece of DEE DEE??
We are in a world of hurt, when educated Americans cannot see Dee Dee for what she is.
Compare John Good to Dee Dee.

They should have asked Good if he can read cursive.

[Clarice]

Salon is so broke, that may be it's last issue.

[Gus]

Most businesses who hire mentally deficient employees go bust.

[Rob Crawford]

Gus -- they can see, they just won't admit what they're looking at.

[Clarice]

In Sunday's column I refer to Tawana and Mangnum and De Dee as victims in the black race hustlers war on women.

[Frau Steingehirn]

From your lips, Clarice.

[Jane]

I can't wait Clarice!

[MarkO]

Clarice, you are so right on that. My observation about the Duke LAX matter was that the Nifong knew the kids there had been no rape and was confident the kids get off but wanted to use Mangum and race to get reelected in the weird world of Durham.

He set her up.

[Frau Dolmetscherin]

It would have been cruel, I imagine, to ask Dee Dee if she can read printed words.

The insult to our intelligence was the Salon article that stated that Dee Dee is *multilingual*. It's a major abuse of the word "creole" to use it for this young woman's speech.

[MarkO]

Let me try this again. Cut and paste didn’t go my way.

My observation about the Duke LAX matter was that Nifong knew there had been no rape and was confident the kids get off but wanted to use Mangum and race to get reelected in the weird world of Durham.

If you know what I mean.

[Captain Hate]

I think you're exactly right, Mark.

[Captain Hate]

I have zero faith in Goodell to do the right thing: http://washingtonexaminer.com/nfl-should-say-no-to-obamacare/article/2532515

[jwest]

I believe this is the officer that Zimmerman said "I yelled for help, but nobody came".

If this comes out during the direct, the judge should end this now.

[centralcal]

Frau: West did ask Diamond Dee Dee if she could only read typewritten text and she answered yes.

[Gus]

Captain, the NFL is shitting bricks over it's anti-trust situation. If they don't play nice, the government comes down hard on them.
This is no different than Sebelius asking insurance companies to pay for propaganda on Obamacare. How did we get here. How do we allow our government to shake down business.

[jwest]

If Zimmerman is paying attention, now would be a perfect opportunity to get some jury sympathy along with setting the stage to ass-rape NBC in the upcoming civil procedure.

The prosecution just asked if the video of him arriving at the police station was a fair and accurate account. On cross, the defense could ask if the officer was refering to the full ABC version or the MSNBC version, that edited out an officer looking at the back of Zimmerman's head.

The defense could sneak in the narrative that the media was saying he had no injuries and the video of him at the station was proof.

[Captain Hate]

Well Gus, the IRS has been a monolithic force for shaking people and businesses down as long as I've been alive. If the GOP doesn't use the current opportunity to knock it down a few pegs, then what good are they to the average citizen?

[Bruce Hayden]

More devastating testimony today. Neighbor opening his door and seeing a black guy in a black hoodie over a white/Hispanic dude with red top, whaling on him MMA style. And one of the first cops on the scene having GZ tell him he was still armed, and removing GF's handgun in holster, and putting on his own belt to secure them. And then admitted that he couldn't see GF's concealed handgun until the jacket was pulled back. There goes the claim that Martin attacked GF in self-defense upon seeing the gun - if a trained officer didn't see the gun until it was pointed out to him, then Martin was even more unlikely to have seen it.

[cathy_f]

Bruce, the lynch mob theory of the case is that Zimmerman followed and accosted Martin, brandishing his gun. Martin tried to get the gun away from him in self-defense, and had almost won the fight for the gun when Zimmerman got it back and shot him.

Oh, and it's Martin who had the stand-your-ground right not to retreat when accosted by Zimmerman.

In that version, it doesn't matter that the gun was invisible when holstered.

[centralcal]

In that version, it doesn't matter that the gun was invisible when holstered.

Exactly, cathy.

[Gus]

Cathy, the Police Chief did tell Whitey Zimmerman not to leave his vehicle. I believe his actual words were "Whitey, under no circumstance do I want you to get out of your vehicle and follow Skittles". So there you have it, the Head of the Florida State Police, specifically told Whitey not to follow Skittles.
Whitey disobeyed a command from the Police.

[MarkO]

Gus,

The transcript has it as "Creepy ass cracker" not Whitey.

[peter]

You know there was a time when the New Yorker was considered to be a symbol of classiness.

[Frau Dolmetscherin]

OT - rse, mediocre teacher training programs are being criticized for not taking higher achieving students and

— Fewer than 1-in-9 programs for elementary educators are preparing students to teach Common Core State Standards, the achievement benchmarks for math and reading that have been adopted in 45 states and the District of Columbia. For programs preparing high school teachers, that rate is roughly a third of programs.

LUN

[Jane -]

Perhaps at the end of this, some Judge can declare Zimmerman "innocent".

I still think the entire case should have been dismissed when Obama tampered with the jury.

[Clarice]

I still think there was no reason to indict Zimmerman. And the trial proves that was true.

If mobs form outside the courtroom when Zimmerman is found not guilty, I think the bailffs should hane the crowd the prosecution team and anyone there from ABC.

[Frau Quatsch]

OT - The preezy and FLOTUS stood in the "door of no return," the revised history of which is a bunch of carp.
LUN (via Insty)

[centralcal]

lol! Totally agree, Clarice!!!!

[Ignatz]

--Would someone make the case that this prosecution was brought in good faith?--

With Good's testimony it seems to me all of the elements of a malicious prosecution have been met except for the conclusion of an acquittal.

What probable cause exists when their own witness, the ONLY eyewitness, precisely corroborates Zimmerman's story?

[cathy_f]

Fewer than 1-in-9 programs for elementary educators are preparing students to teach Common Core State Standards

This is one case where the general level of chaos, dysfunction and downright stupidity in college education departments and in state accreditors and certifiers is actually going to be a good thing.

[Rob Crawford]

Is anyone else amused at the absurdity of one of the latest theories, that the prosecution called all the defense witnesses to "defuse them" somehow?

I'm not a lawyer, but I've heard the rule about "never ask a question you don't know the answer to" -- it seems to me like the prosecution just didn't care. They had their "case" -- the fabrication they used to get the indictment -- and didn't care what any witnesses might say.

[OldTimer]

Is there any event, tradition or person Obama has touched, just in the last five years alone, that hasn't been tainted, misrepresented or completely ruined in some way?

[Frau Quatsch]

Second attempt to thank cc. I imagine Dee Dee was not asked to demonstrate her ability to read print other than texting and twitter.

As for her probable upcoming high school diploma: as a retired teacher, I weep; as a tax payer, I am angry at the waste of funds.
Will she find a job where "creole" is a requirement for employment?

[lyle]

You know there was a time when the New Yorker was considered to be a symbol of classiness.

It was PM. (Pre-Messiah)

[Rob Crawford]

Will she find a job where "creole" is a requirement for employment?

She'll get a nice, guaranteed government job.

(For as long as there is a government, at least.)

[Clarice]

Tob, I have no damned idea what yu are talking about.

[cathy_f]

...it seems to me like the prosecution just didn't care. They had their "case" -- the fabrication they used to get the indictment -- and didn't care what any witnesses might say.

Exactly so. This man has ALREADY been severely injured -- been falsely arrested and imprisoned, lost his job, been the subject of terroristic threats from the state and federal governments including the president of the United States. The important message has already gone out: the PTB can and will destroy anyone for any reason at any time, and your only hope is to constantly grovel and maybe you will be the beneficiary when someone else is destroyed.

Does anyone else see this as just another example of the systematic harassment of people Obama hates? Prosecutors, union thugs, the IRS -- they will destroy you if you get in their way.

[narciso]

They should be 'hanged' Clarice and hanged as well, for good measure.

[derwill]

I think the State deliberately way overcharged with the 2nd degree murder charge, hoping Z would be intimidated enough by the kind of sentence he would get if he were found guilty that his lawyers could talk him into pleading down to manslaughter. That way they would have been able to claim "justice" was done, without ever actually having to prove their case in court.

As it stands now, I don't know whether they're simply going with the precious little that they've got, hoping the jury will convict anyway out of some kind of "white guilt" thing, or they're deliberately throwing the case, knowing that they can blame the jury for an acquittal. Either way the cowardice and and perfidy exhibited by everyone involved from the governor on down is disgusting.

[Bruce Hayden]

In my defense, I had heard the theory that Martin had seen GZ's undrawn handgun, but will admit the drawn of the gun makes more sense, except, of course that there is no evidence whatsoever to support it. If Martin had survived, he might have testified to it, but no one else saw GZ confronting Martin with a gun, and Jeantel seemed to imply that Martin would more likely attack when he thought he thought he would win, and run when confronted with a gun.

[NJJan]

Clarice,Centralcal

Could we throw in a couple of MSNBC types when handing over to the mob?

[Captain Hate]

Does anyone else see this as just another example of the systematic harassment of people Obama hates?

Leaving aside the shameless caving of Scott, I can't imagine how to view it otherwise except I'd add in the willful complicity of the MFM.

[narciso]

They are the mob, starting, with Al 'Resist we Much' Sharpton to 'Touretts's syndrome, with supporting player like Melissa Ferguson, and the fellow iced in Terminator 2, sorry that was Miles Bennett Dyson.

[Porchlight]

Does anyone else see this as just another example of the systematic harassment of people Obama hates?

Yes. The dots don't even form a pattern anymore, they're so thick on the ground.

[pagar]

" the Head of the Florida State Police, specifically told Whitey not to follow Skittles."

I can't find anything that says that?
Anyone see a source for that?

[Annoying Old Guy]

pagar;

That was sarcastic hyperbole by someone mocking the prosecution's case.

[Bruce Hayden]

Derwill - my theory right now is that they knew from the first that 2nd degree murder was a stretch, and were really going for manslaughter, which they can probably get if they can overcome GZ's defense of self-defense. After all, Martin is dead by gunshot by GZ.

I think that the thing that was confusing for so long was that they didn't formally charge GZ with manslaughter, along with the 2nd degree murder. Apparently though in Florida, juries almost automatically get instructions for lesser included offenses, and manslaughter is a lesser included offense within 2nd degree murder (there is a chart of such). Think of it this way, assault with a deadly weapon plus death equals manslaughter (in this case), and manslaughter plus depraved mind (in this case) equals 2nd degree murder.

[Clarice]

If it was self defense, it wasn't manslaughter.

Ask the loudmouths defending TM if they were in trouble would they hire this prosecution team?

[narciso]

They seem to following the Captain Tupolev strategy, whose Russian version of Wile E Coyote's is typified by one of his crew's last words

'you idiot, you've killed us all'

[Captain Hate]

This isn't doing anything to advance bowelbusted and dumbassdave's fantasies about hispanic man rape.

[MarkO]

“Is anyone else amused at the absurdity of one of the latest theories, that the prosecution called all the defense witnesses to "defuse them" somehow?”

Amused doesn’t do it justice. A jury pays attention to the witnesses and testimony a party “sponsors.” When the State puts on a witness, the jury will see that witness as a State witness, not an independent observer. I believe the better notion is not to have a witness disclose harmful testimony as an act of “good faith.” There is time enough to defuse it when the witness is on cross examination. At that time, the testimony coming out is sponsored by the other side, including the explanation.

This is akin to how the Obama folks try to make his foolishness out to be sophisticated and “pragmatic.”

[Gmax]

Government employees mailing it in. We may have to send out a search party for Angie Corey. If I were here I would look for a graceful exit to private practice. I think her dreams of higher office, aint riding this horse...

[Clarice]

so you'd hire her,gmax? I wouldn't hire any of these people. I think some may be subject to ethics charges BTW for the games they played in dsovert.

[narciso]

It's a 'cunning, cunning' plan, MarkO,

[Rob Crawford]

I suspect the prosecution team will soon be working for the DoJ Office of Civil Rights.

[Danube on iPad]

Under FL law, does the jury have the power to convict on a lesser included offense, or is it all-or-nothing on murder two?

[boris]

Apparently from reading LI, the jury can convict manslaughter.

[narciso]

tHe notion that Corey is a Southern fried Fitx seems to suggest itself,

[narciso]

Steyn in an early entry;

Later in the day, Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota and alleged author of the Corker-Hoeven amendment to the immigration bill, went on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show and, in a remarkable interview, revealed to the world that he had absolutely no idea what was in the legislation he “wrote.” Rachel Jeantel, the endearingly disastrous star witness at the George Zimmerman trial, excused her inability to comprehend the letter she’d supposedly written to Trayvon Martin’s parents on the grounds that “I don’t read cursive.” Senator Hoeven doesn’t read legislative. For example, Section 5(b)(1):

[Gmax]

Clarice Who says I need criminal lawyers. She might be able to pick up some work for broke criminal defendants, and there is always wills and trusts...

[narciso]

You can rest relatively easily Captain;

http://washingtonexaminer.com/nfl-should-say-no-to-obamacare/article/2532515

[Extraneus]

What's the end-game in this disgusting history of race politics?

[narciso]

They are playing with dynamite, Ext, doused with gasoline.

[Carol Herman]

Dee-Dee isn't in the job market. She's still in high school. Next year she gets to go to the prom. And, maybe Harvard will figure out how to send her an application form?

[Gus]

I think when all is said and done, Rachel DeeDee da DA DA DA Jeanlet, will be hired to administer the PIGFORD handouts!!

[Ignatz]

She could be the poster child for Pigford.

[Gus]

Imagine the shock and chagrin DEE DEE is going to have when she heads back for her 6th year of high school, and finds Michelle Obama has had the SKITTLES vending machines removed. And no more DING DONGS for DEE DEE.

[Gus]

I wonder if it looks like this, when Dee Dee signs her assistance checks.

..........X..........

[MarkO]

"What's the end-game in this disgusting history of race politics?"

Violence.

[pagar]

A different view!

http://weaselzippers.us/2013/06/28/msnbc-hails-trayvon-martin-friends-articulate-use-of-black-english-while-testifying-in-zimmerman-trial/

You can't make this stuff up because no one would believe you.

[Threadkiller]

"Later in the day, Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota and alleged author of the Corker-Hoeven amendment to the immigration bill, went on Hugh Hewitt’s radio show and, in a remarkable interview, revealed to the world that he had absolutely no idea what was in the legislation he “wrote.”

RNC/DNC Consent Decree...

[Ralph L]

The Kangaroos have gotten smaller mittens, in the last two days.
Does this mean Australia will have a short winter?

[Laura White]

For my part, I am heartily sorry for her. She is self-evidently of below average intelligence (happens to 50 per cent of us) and has learned very little in her many years of compulsory schooling. Plus the prosecution, the Sharptons, etc., made their expectations clear--she knows little that could help her resist and a great deal (of non-knowledge) would lead her to shave the truth. A very sad case. "Court nails," indeed!!

[Laura White]

It's not very nice, but really to be so fat that at nineteen one has a muffintop in one's neck--where were her parents? The when thing is dreadful.

[narciso]

I don't know if this particular point has been raised.

[Ignatz]

She's smart enough to change her story in an attempt to railroad a cracker-Hispanic, consequently my sympathy is pretty minimal.

[Ignatz]

I'm with clarice; I'm guessing goiter.

[boatbuilder]

Since the prosecution has introduced testimony from its witness that one of the participants in the struggle had executed a mixed-martial arts maneuver, doesn't that open the door for the defense to introduce Trayvon's history of competitive fighting?

[narciso]

That doesn't seem to have been the swiftest move on his part, would Nelson let it in though.

[Captain Hate]

Kudos to McConnell and Cornyn for the letter they sent to Goodell. Very impressive.

What's the end-game in this disgusting history of race politics?

The concept of racial war has been a preoccupation of Billy Trustfund Bombthrower ever since he became known to people.

[Jim Rhoads f/k/a vnjagvet]

To give Judge Nelson her due, she apparently forced the prosecution to greatly redact GZ's past medical records and allowed it to introduce only very limited excerpts

[narciso]

Ayers, seems like Charlie Manson without the musical inclinations at time.

[Extraneus]

Did he have such a history, boatbuilder? I didn't remember seeing that.

People who don't know boys that age are probably thinking they're just kids and couldn't do too much damage to an adult. My son just turned 16, and I wouldn't be surprised if he could straddle somebody like Zimmerman and pound away like Trayvon did at 17.

Boys are pretty strong at that age.

[narciso]

It was on the videos on his Youtube and other social media, which the media denied were his,

[Extraneus]

Violence.

My late father bought me a .22 when I was a kid. He set up targets in the basement and taught me how to shoot. He told me there would be a "race war" at some point in my lifetime.

Those were the days of Billy Bombthrower, but I thought he was nuts.

[jimmyk]

"the drawn of the gun makes more sense, except, of course that there is no evidence whatsoever to support it"

If the prosecution really wanted to go that route, couldn't they have gotten DeeDee to say that TM told her "Cracka's gotta gun"?

Rob, when I asked about "these witnesses" I was mainly referring to Good. I can see how they would call DeeDee, but Good did nothing but corroborate GZ.

[narciso]

OT,you have to snorfle at this circumstance;

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2013/06/rare-bird-last-spotted-22-years-ago-reappears-then-is-quickly-killed-by-wind-turbine/

[narciso]

Good was a defense witness as is my understanding, Dorival, Mora, Surdyka were all prosecution witnesses.

[Extraneus]

Oh no.

J. Christian Adams brings up my wife's cousin.

Defenders of Rachel Jeantel Channel John C. Calhoun

I just posted about my father, son and wife. Yet I use an anonymous name...

Have mercy on me, NSA!

[Danube on iPad]

"doesn't that open the door for the defense to introduce Trayvon's history of competitive fighting?"

I hope so, but I doubt she'll let it in. When I read and heard about Trayvon's evident near-obsession with fight-club style brawling, it struck me as highly relevant, and it goes a long way in my mind toward explaining his actions that night. But there's no doubt it's prejudicial, and that may outweigh the probative value.

[Carol Herman]

You know, back at the time of Vietnam, one of the sages said that Black kids would come back knowing how to use their rifles.

It is BS! Blacks don't have leadership that could lead them towards any military victory. They'd be decimated. And, the world of the cell phones now take over. And, the media doesn't even have to show up!

Even the Rodney King Riots were very neighborhood specific. (Blacks went towards South Korean businesses.) Until the South Koreans discovered they should put their own snipers on what was left of their business rooftops.

Other neighborhoods just had people unlocking their gun cases. Neighborhoods that were armed didn't see rioters.

And, up on Walnut, above PPC's campus on Colorado. there are lots of car repair places. Their steel doors were down. And, quietly, they patrolled their rooftops. Around day #3, a contingent from Black Pasadena, was forming. The snipers watched. All it took was one shot. Aimed at the toe of the "leader." You never saw a crowd disperse so quickly. And, run back home.

After the riots were over, the central area of damage was where Black folk lived. Leaving them without stores. Little old ladies had to climb on buses to go at least 3 miles to shop. (When they got home, though, as soon as they got off the bus, they were attacked by youngsters who stole the groceries.)

[Jane -]

Does anyone else see this as just another example of the systematic harassment of people Obama hates? Prosecutors, union thugs, the IRS -- they will destroy you if you get in their way.

I'm telling ya, retaliation is the sole motivator on this administration. They are making sure payback is a bitch.

[Captain Hate]

,you have to snorfle at this circumstance

Idiots; but don't forget, fracking maybe maybe maybe isn't safe.

[Clarice]

No, narciso. Good--believe it or not--was a prosecution witness. The prosecution has not yet rested its case.