Zimmerman Trial, Timeswatch

Try as they might the NY Times knows which side they are rooting for in the Zimmerman trial. Here is a sadly typical bit of reporting:

At Zimmerman Trial, a Tale of Pursuit and Attack

By LIZETTE ALVAREZ

SANFORD, Fla. — One of the prosecution’s star witnesses, the young woman who spoke on the phone with Trayvon Martin moments before he was killed, told the jury in the George Zimmerman trial on Wednesday that Mr. Martin was being followed and tried to get away from the man pursuing him.

As spectators and jurors looked on rapt, the witness, Rachel Jeantel, 19, a high school senior from Miami and a friend of Mr. Martin’s, told her story quietly, sometimes haltingly, sometimes with irritation, at times dabbing her eyes with a tissue. Asked by a prosecutor to talk about her final conversation with Mr. Martin, Ms. Jeantel drove home the state’s contention: as Mr. Martin was trying to avoid Mr. Zimmerman, he was accosted and wound up dead.

"He was accosted"? Wait a second - I thought Martin initated the verbal exchange. Wouldn't that be Martin "accosting" Zimmerman?

Ms. Alvarez, ignoring her own lead, confirms that:

“He say, ‘Why are you following me for?’ ” Ms. Jeantel recounted, quoting Mr. Martin. “I heard him, a hard-breathing man, saying, ‘What you doing around here?’ ”

Is that really unclear?

Next, a bit of what may be unexplained urban slang:

Then she said she heard a bump — the headset — and “the sound of wet grass.” “I calling, ‘Trayvon, Trayvon,’ ” Ms. Jeantel said. “I kind of heard Trayvon saying, ‘Get off, get off.’ Suddenly the phone hung up, shut off.”

Boring middle-aged white guys like me (or the defense attorneys) might think "Get off" meant that Zimmerman was on top of Martin. Keep up, and celebrate diversity! From the dictionary of Street Gang Slang:

Get off the gate - Get it on: to start fighting

Who knew? More to the point, did Martin or Ms. Jeantel employ this sort of slang? Maybe the defense could lighten her mood by giving her a chance to talk about a subject she can address with authority. Of course, that is tricky (asking an unfriendly witness questions to which the answer is not known is hardly viewed as Best Practice) but I do wonder how the defense might constructively explore this possibility.

Jeralyn Merritt has lots of detail on how attorney Benjamin Crump prepped Ms. Jeantel and then misled the court about it. Her thoughts on yesterday's performance is here. A snippet:

She's now impeached on several areas, especially GZ's response to TM after TM confronted GZ and asked him, "What are you following me for?" I'm so glad West brought this out, see my post here. Her first answer to Crump was that GZ responded with "What are you talking about" not "What are you doing around here." (Audio clip here.)Crump, immediately realizing that this was different than what she had told Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, stopped her and told her she had said something different to the Martins, and asked her to start over. She began again, and told it the Crump and Martin way.

 

Comments

[Extraneus]

Couldn't the defense request a translator?

They could if she was speaking Chinese.

[narciso]

'Oh stewardess, I speak jive' in other news

[narciso]

'Brawndo, electrolytes'

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/308109-obama-same-sex-marriages-in-one-state-should-apply-on-another

He might be doing this for effect, or he might not know any better.

[MarkO]

Apropos DoT's comment last night (no not that Kurtz part):

"She has quite a sense of self-entitlement. In a very funny segment, she castigates West for rescheduling her second deposition so that he could take Martin's brother's deposition instead. Both had been scheduled for a Friday. She pointed out that each took four hours and the Friday hours should have been her's, not Trayvon's brothers."

[Marlene]

After reading all the comments,I guess this morning's testimony is must see TV.

[narciso]

From the Horde, don't know the source;

On Thursday, President Obama said he has not gotten personally involved in the case of Ed Snowden, because he expects other countries to “abide by international law” and not provide harbor to a fugitive. At the same time, he indicated he does not plan to go to extraordinary lengths to capture the NSA leaker, saying: “No, I’m not going to be scrambling jets to get a 29-year-old hacker.”

[Jeff Dobbs]

Stupid typepad. Stupid, stupid typepad.

Everyone have a great day.

Especially Janet.

[narciso]

Well it's in a bunch of places;

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2013/06/27/obama-downplays-snowden-case-says-us-not-scrambling-jets-to-get-hacker/

[Marlene]

Happy Birthday Janet!

[narciso]

flexibility is interesting no:

"Libya’s government earlier this month released a key terror suspect who U.S. officials say was involved in planning the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on U.S. diplomatic and intelligence facilities in Benghazi.Faraj al Chalabi, (also spelled Shibli) an al Qaeda terrorist also linked to the 1994 terrorist murder of two German tourists, was detained by the Tripoli government in March.

[James D.]

narciso @ 8:59...

Every time I think Zero can't lower the bar for stupidity, I'm surprised.

Whenever he says something this dumb, I can't help but wonder if he really IS the Antichrist, and his popularity among the LIVs is due to demonic influence or something.

[MarkO]

Obama was elected by people with DD's IQ.

[MarkO]

DD, in her own handwriting:

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2013/3/29/george_zimmerman_cas.html

[narciso]

The problem is as rse's point has been, this is the response that constructivist approaches like Ignite and now Common Core, is designed to elicit,

[MarkO]

Maybe we are underestimating DD. Her reference to the sound of wet grass might just be a nod to "The Fantasticks."

"It begins in a forest where the woodchucks woo, and the leaves wax green, and vines intertwine like lovers; try to see it. not with your eyes, for they are wise, but see it with your ears: the cool green breathing of the leaves. And hear it with the inside of your hand: the soundless sound of shadows flicking light."

[narciso]

They might know passages from Wicked, where the evil witch is misunderstood, and the good witch is a snob, but the Fanstasticks, unlikely,

[Stephanie]

She's had some coaching since last night. I don't recall a single 'yes, sir' in any testimony I heard yesterday.

[pagar]

"Libya’s government earlier this month released a key terror"

http://joshuapundit.blogspot.com/2013/06/us-military-chief-genral-dempseys.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook

"US Military Chief Genral Dempsey's Latest Brilliant Idea - 'Let's Arm And Train Hezbollah!"

[Old Lurker]

Dumb as she is, people with DD's IQ have the votes to take money from me and spend it on themselves.

[Account Deleted]

Stephanie,

It appears as if the prosecution hit the sweet spot with the Ketamine dosage. That or Crump 'splained "no sweet talk, no dough, DeeDee".

[steve]

I can barely make out the person talking to me on a cell phone (especially cell to cell) and if the other person is on a headset, I hear nothing other than them (that is one of the points of a headset/mic, to eliminate extraneous noise, isn't it?). I marvel at her ability to not only hear GZ and make out what he was saying but to pick up his heavy breathing. And when the person I am talking to drops their cell phone, all I hear is some thumping, perhaps some static. She picks up the sound of 'wet grass'?

[narciso]

The Roo's got themselves a bigger set of boxing gloves I see,

[MarkO]

narc,

Maybe, but quote me a passage with "soundless sound" or leaves breathing.

I would still go to a production of the musical, by the way.

[bgates]

Wait a second

Why the rush? Is this some kind of rebranding?

[MarkO]

Natalie Tolomeo @NatalieTolomeo

Jeantel says Sabryna Fulton was sitting next to her when she had first interview w state attorney and law enforcement #Zimmerman #Trayvon

Well, she needs help.

[bgates]

“No. I’m not going to be scrambling jets to get a 29-year-old hacker.”

"I don't do it when my diplomatic outposts are attacked, and I won't do it here. Too much fossil fuel use. Besides, I might need them to serve as an escort in case I fly myself up to Merion for a round this afternoon."

[Cecil Turner]

I'm not sure if the strategy of annoying Dee Dee is the right answer. Bringing out the ridiculous level of coaching prior to getting her story out certainly is. Concur she's had coaching since last night, but the "yes sir" "no sir" doesn't hide the obvious disgruntlement. Gotta agree with her on one thing, though . . . it's hard to see how she could be an important witness. I mean, it's not like she actually saw anything.

[MarkO]

She's an ear witness. "Cracker" is not a racial term. She's exhibit A for Obama's America.

[narciso]

It's all been a fraud, from the get go, Cecil, she only knows what Crump told her to say,

[Threadkiller]

DD is stoned.

[Threadkiller]

Happy Birthday Janet!!

[Clarice]

She was directed not to speak to anyone about the case not even her lawyers while she's still on cross.

In today's WaPo Karen Tumulty writes a sanitized version of the mobocracy in Texas theother night. Porch would be livid to read it, and the paer's coverage of DD's time onn the stand is scrubbed up--

[narciso]

First they throw out the trial balloon, then the truth comes out, long after the first has been integrated into the journolist;

http://thehill.com/blogs/on-the-money/domestic-taxes/308131-ig-liberal-groups-not-targeted-like-tea-party

[Account Deleted]

"it's not like she actually saw anything"

Yet she's the linchpin for the State lynching team. I don't believe West is trying to annoy her. He's meticulously setting up the defense closing argument using the complete incoherence mixed with coached responses and outright lies of the State's "star witness".

It's pretty damned boring but it will be well edited for the close.

[DublinDave]

"Dumb as she is, people with DD's IQ have the votes to take money from me and spend it on themselves."

Oh it's so much worse than that. As minorities become political majorities they'll increase the amount of money they take out of your pocket forcing you to work longer hours just to maintain your standard of living, which in turn will impact the time you spend with your family and consequently the overall quality of life you get to experience.

While you kill youself with higher stress levels resulting in higher blood pressure levels minorities(now majorities) will sit around the house watching 'judge shows' and answering booty calls which will result in a sixth or seventh pregnancy that will add further burden on the state and your pocket which means you'll have to pay more in taxes and work longer hours...this is your fate, this is the fate of your children and your grandchildren and there's not a damn thing you can do about it.

btw...is it just me or is Rachel kinda hot in a sorta chocolate sundae/guilty pleasure kinda way???? She sucks ass as a witness but if I were a retail manager and she was a stocker, I bet I could impress her with my power.

[Extraneus]

DD, in her own handwriting:

But not her own words.

[Stephanie]

That's why I posted about the new use of 'yes, sir,' Clarice. She obviously had someone tell her to clean up her act.

Although, now she's getting snippy with the word 'sir.' Mockingly saying 'sir.' Dripping with contempt.

[Stephanie]

Per Drudge link to ABC:

A teenage friend of Trayvon Martin was forced to admit today in the George Zimmerman murder trial that she did not write a letter that was sent to Martin's mother describing what she allegedly heard on a phone call with Martin moments before he was shot.

In a painfully embarassing moment, Rachel Jeantel was asked to read the letter out loud in court.

"Are you able to read that at all?" defense attorney Don West asked.

Jeantel, head bowed, eyes averted whispered into the court microphone, "Some but not all. I don't read cursive."

It sent a hush through the packed courtroom.

Jeantel, 19, was unable to read any of the letter save for her name.

[Ignatz]

--this is your fate, this is the fate of your children and your grandchildren and there's not a damn thing you can do about it--

That's true in exactly the same manner it was true that Trayvon thought there was nothing little George could do about the beat down he was gonna give that white ass cracker.
The WeeDavey's of the world never seem to remember there's a prize at the bottom of the cracker-jack box.

[Stephanie]

She didn't read the transcript, she heard the audio of her testimony.

West is killing himself in asking her about stuff she read as she can't frigging read.

[bgates]

Althouse has several hundred words trying to puzzle out whether the "#ss" in "creepy #ss cracka" modifies "creepy" or "cracka".

She hypothesizes that "#ss cracka" could mean "rapist". So maybe Trayvon was concerned he was being followed by a rapist. A "creepy #ss-cracka".

I report; you...roll your eyes that anybody takes that broad seriously and go about your business.

[Dave (in MA)]

Hash tag ss?

[cc]

This trial is crazy. I pray for the Martin family.

[Extraneus]

So who wrote that letter?

[Ignatz]

Hit tried to post this but Typepad ate it so I'm giving it a shot for him as a kind of experiment:

The code:

First letter of the second sentence.

Only letter in the third word in the second sentence.

Third letter of the fifth word in the second sentence.

Third letter of the eighth word in the second sentence.

Last letter in the post.

First letter of the sentence TM uses to describe himself.

Second letter in the post title.

Sixth letter in the last name of the defendant (or the sixth letter in the last name of the blog author).

First letter in the post.

Middle letter in the word most often used in the post.

The last letter in the city named in the lead to the NYT article.

The last letter in the state abbreviation named in the lead to the NYT article.

The last letter in the state abbreviation TM uses for the source of the article.

The first, third and fourth letters in the last name of the "star witness", plus the fifth and sixth letters of that name reversed.
That TM is pretty damn clever.

[Stoccker]

if I were a retail manager and she was a stocker, I bet I could impress her with my power.
Posted by: DublinDave | June 27, 2013 at 10:10 AM

(swoon)

[Stephanie]

Good question, Ext.

She hand delivered it to Skittles mom.

[matt]

In other news Obama just pissed off 90% of Africa and especially the President of Senegal by making his speech in Dakar about gay rights. The man has the largest tin ear I have ever seen.

[Jeff Dobbs]

Thanks, Ig.

So, typepad just hates *me*, not necessarily what I am actually writing.

I probably deserve it.

[jwest]

I never realized how tiring it is trying to decipher mumbling.

[DebinNC]

I wonder why West isn't using a map/visual of the "T" area right now as he questions DD about where Trayvon said he was going and where he was as GZ was "following" him?

[Old Lurker]

In college...cannot read...Obama's America, indeed.

[maryrose]

I am absolutely appalled that our justice system allows a "skank" like DD to lie on the stand, be coached by---holes in an attempt to falsely imprison a person who was looking out for the residents of that community. Trayvon's approach initially, his RACIST, there I said it language toward Zimmerman and his attitude that he could administer a smack down to him had fatal consequences. Life is all about choices. In this case Trayvon made the wrong one and picked on the one person who would fight back after having his head slammed into the pavement numerous times. This is not justice.

[Clarice]

Happy birthday, Janet--the sweetest gal in Va.

[DublinDave]

Poor Rachel, I kinda feel bad for her. She's such an old soul, a gentle spirit if you will..... kinda wish I could reach out, hug her and tell her that the institutional racism she's presently experiencing will one day be legislated out of existence.

Nothing like a white man enjoying himself as he steps on a poor uneducated black woman.

[Verification]

No, hit, Typepad hates you.

[James D.]

Happy birthday, Janet!

[Clarice]

D looks like she might have a goiter and the way she licks her lips all the time I wonder if she's on an anti depressant.

[pagar]

"In other news Obama just pissed off 90% of Africa--"

Meanwhile Christie is upsetting some leftists, I'm sure.

http://www.politico.com/story/2013/06/chris-christie-doma-reaction-93483.html

"Chris Christie blasts gay-marriage ruling"

[centralcal]

Everyone - Rachael Dee Dee Diamond Eugene Jeantel stated clearly that a friend of hers wrote the letter for her that was given to Trayvon's mom.

The friend wrote it for her in cursive, which Dee Dee cannot read. She only signed her fake name, Diamond Eugene. She said "Eugene" is her mother's maiden name. And "Diamond" is one of her nicknames. She didn't want to use her "real" name, which ever one that is.

All clear?????

[maryrose]

matt:'
President Bush understood Africa and its need to fight Aids. He still remains the person who gave the most aid to help them fight this health issue. Bammy is as usual ,clueless and insults his forefathers by not visiting his country of Kenya. He denies his origins, hides his past and changes his name as it suits him. He probably at some point tried to pass as white to fit in better. We all know about his drug use. This is an example of a seriously, narcissistic, ineffective person. He is not my idea of a true patriotic president. Even at his worst-I could still listen to Clinton{Bill not Hil}. I loathe Preezy.

[Stephanie]

He's building to that Deb. Let her testify without visual aids and she's clueless. Show her the visual aids and she'll modify her testimony to fit the visual aids. Goes to further show that when she told her stories to the various individuals, she changed her stories to fit the situation and that she changes her stories to fit her preconceived ideas of what she thinks different people want to hear so she can 'help get GZ arrested.' 'Rushed the interview' with Crump cause he wasn't the po-po. Changed what skittles said because skittles mom was there. Changed her testimony again in another interview with the police. Changed her testimony again when she was 'under oath.' She also undercuts her own 'they didn't ask me about that' response by embellishing on her own on the stand when a shorter answer would do.

Plus, she's already put a substantial hole in the prosecution timeline by saying that skittles was almost home and could have simply just gone inside instead of doubling back to the T area to confront GZ. GZ didn't ask him to double back, so what motive was there to do so if he was so 'skeeered of the ass cracka'.

[maryrose]

Happy Birthday Janet! May you have a wonderful day. You are such a warm and giving person. I know your day will be celebrated with the joy you show every day.

[Ignatz]

--In other news Obama just pissed off 90% of Africa and especially the President of Senegal by making his speech in Dakar about gay rights. The man has the largest tin ear I have ever seen.--

Let's never forget what the "intern" in "Comintern" stood for, matt.

Buggerers of the world unite! You have nothing to lose but your #ss cracka.

[Patrick]

Jeantel, 19, was unable to read any of the letter save for her name.

Holy crap. I missed the testimony this morning, but that is pretty key.

In my very first jury trial, the plaintiff was just a terrible witness, lied poorly and often and I impeached the bejesus out of her. We took a break for the day, and the Judge kindly told me that if I didn't dial it back a bit, I might lose the jury. I don't think that was proper of the judge, but I took his advice. I wonder if that point is approaching in this trial

[jwest]

Someone with actual legal credentials can field this question...

How can a DA interview a witness in a potential murder case in the presence of the victim's family and lawyers?

I can't pretend to understand that one.

[Marlene]

She has to be on something. She can't read? This is awful. That judge is a b*tch.

[Clarice]

jwest, it is unheard of. Terrible investigative practice.

[Ignatz]

--I don't think that was proper of the judge--

I do, so long as it's limited to assisting someone being victimized by obvious liars in a meritless suit.

They already have such an advantage of using the system to harm innocent defendants it's pathetic.

[Stephanie]

Thanks cc, I missed the earliest portion of the testimony this morning.

[Clarice]

I like Christie's bravery on schools; I care less about his social issue positions than I do about his stands on economic issues and on those he might as well be a democrat. No Northeastern Republican it seems will really suit me.

[Clarice]

I figured Jeantel couldn't read--It took her about 10 minutes to scan a couple of lines in the transcript yesterday and her eyes were wandering around and her face showed no signs of understanding/

[Cecil Turner]

One other thing that sounded odd initially (and I'm feeling pretty slow about it). DD kept saying TM got "caught by the rain" as if he needed an excuse for something (she also keeps making excuses for herself about various things that don't really need excuses, as a sort of verbal tic), and then mentioning the "short cut." She did that a couple times when West was asking about the inordinate amount of time taken from the 7-11, even when it was clearly non-responsive (i.e., a short cut would take less time, not more).

It occurs to me that the reason he might actually need an excuse is that he actually was casing houses for extracurricular activity, which is why it took so long. No shocker there, but the point is that DD making excuses for it suggests they were perhaps talking about it on the phone?

[DebinNC]

Exactly, Stephanie, but I doubt the jurors can visualize TM's doubling back to confront GZ at the T, after telling DD he was "by his dad's house," without seeing a map of the area.

[Stephanie]

Oh they will see it later when it is used to underscore the assist that DD gave to the defense with her testimony. ;)

BDLR should have an interesting time trying to rehabilitate this witness and his timeline. Doesn't the prosecution get a redirect on its own witnesses?

[Clarice]

Maybe he thinks the map will be more effective in his closing argument.

[Extraneus]

All clear?????

Yes. So the note wasn't her writing, and obviously wasn't her words, and was written by a friend. Did she give the name of this friend?

[narciso]

Beck was citing the Senegal president's response, 'just because we haven't decriminalized
homozexuality' doesn't mean we're homophobic. Quradawi's aide, bin Allash (sic) probably would
speak about the color of the stone used, but Chick a fil, that is beyond the Pale.

[Stephanie]

Branca tweet:

Trial Day 4: Jeantel: When phone reconnect, TM said he was in back of his father fiance's home

[Patrick]

I agree with Stephanie at 10:11 that those "yes sirs" are nothing but contemptuous, and they seem to be getting worried.

She ain't got time for this.

[Ignatz]

Forget the reading part of it, apparently she can't even write. Why else have someone write a letter for you?
RSE's brave new educational world is here; no text keys no language.

[maryrose]

Avoid the justice system at all costs.This is a travesty. When I taught Spanish I had many seniors who were 19 and needed the credit to graduate. many were our star basketball players. Imagine Teaching Spanish to students who had trouble reading and understanding English grammer. I spent a lot of time explaining direct and indirect objects along with subject and verb agreement.oh , and the subtle pressure to keep the b-ball players eligible for Friday. night's game.

[maryrose]

Iggy:
Since texting and e-mail, spelling correctly is a lost art. Too bad. It was one thing I enjoyed immensely in school.

[Jane]

Fox news has disappeared from my TV. It's a plot.

[narciso]

Yes, I didn't mishear, so he's rewarding a president who staged a coup, in effect'

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2013/06/27/obama-senegal-visit/2462675/

[CR]

Hey, that investigative practice was good enough for the IG at the IRS wasn't it?

[Stephanie]

Someone needs to ask her what she means by 'get off.' In the hood it means start a fight. To a white ass cracker lawyer it probably means get off of me.

Crucial difference in the culture wars...

[Extraneus]

Did West ask her who wrote the letter?

[Jane]

If you can pull yourself away check out VDH over at NRO. It's chilling.

I also finally realized something this morning that I should have figured out in 2009: This entire administration is about revenge of the white person. I'm assume most of you got that a long time ago.

[centralcal]

Yes, he did and she told who the friend was (a gal from I gathered) - don't remember her name. West spent some time clarifying she had the friend write it in better grammar or something like that.

[maryrose]

Stephanie:
That is a very good point. Step up is another example of ghetto-speak. It is a crucial word usage in this case.

[hbcrow]

Long time lurker here who had to register to ask a question.

Is it normal for a judge to refuse sidebars?

Thanks,

Helen

[Danube on iPad]

he actually was casing houses for extracurricular activity

Or blowing a doobie.

[maryrose]

Jane:
I got my first clue when the words on a paper in Holder's wallet said "Black first".My dad, "God rest his soul would have foreseen this happening. I remember Bammy's visit to the Senate and House of representatives when it looked like he was the inevitable one not Hillary. He had his black posse with him at the time.
My son remains convinced that Hil will run and win in 2016 because the system is fixed.

[Old Lurker]

Maybe DD should join JEB's campaign as a good example of his rehab of FL education.

[Account Deleted]

"Is it normal for a judge to refuse sidebars?"

Not when she's captain of the prosecution team.*

*I don't know if it's "normal" but the judge is already giving West a great deal of time to cover and recover the bleeding obvious.

[DublinDave]

"Long time lurker here who had to register to ask a question.Is it normal for a judge to refuse sidebars?"

If you're too dumb and uneducated to know the answer to such a trivial question then you don't need to commenting on a political/current events group.

Stick to making cupcakes lovey and the next time I see you comment on anything other than how into me you are, i'll take you down.

[Porchlight]

Pay no mind to the babbling idiot troll, hbcrow. I can't answer your question I'm sure someone here can!

[narciso]

Fishwrap isn't even good enough at this point;

[Extraneus]

Did Crump or one of his associates ask her to write the letter, and coach her or the friend who did the scribing? The content of the letter seems suspicious even if she had written it herself. Now to find out that she can't read or write, didn't write it, and that there's no way she could have even dictated it, it seems even more suspicious.

Can anyone help a poor clueless person, unable to follow the trial? What was the value of the letter? Was it used as evidence in the suit against the Homeowner's Association?