If anything at all has been established so far in the trial of George Zimmerman, it is that Rachel Jeantel isn't the world's greatest witness.
That and defense attorney Don West knows how to get under your skin and make you sound like an angry idiot.
Ms. Jeantel is the woman who was talking with Trayvon Martin the night he was killed in a gated Sanford, Florida community. Her testimony seemingly contained only a few solid pieces of information. First, Martin, the unarmed teenager George Zimmerman is accused of murdering, told her over the phone he was being followed that night by a creepy ass cracker. At one point Martin told her he thought he'd lost the man, but then realized he hadn't. It was at that moment he turned toward the alleged creepy ass cracker and said, "What are you following me for?" Finally, Rachel Jeantel told the court that Martin's last words were, "Get off, get off." Then his phone went dead.
Beyond that she became bogged down by West over what she'd heard Zimmerman say in response to Martin and then what she herself said, didn't say; did and didn't do during the days after the shooting. West raised questions about what she claimed to have heard Zimmerman tell Martin. In one version it was, "What are you doing around here?" In another it was, "What are you talking about?" She admitted she'd initially lied about her age to the Martin family, claiming to be only 16 because she didn't want to become involved. Then she was compelled to admit that she lied about the reason she didn't attend Martin's wake. She had originally said she was in the hospital, but then said she didn't go because she couldn't stand to see his body. Finally she told the jury she didn't call the police immediately after the shooting because she thought they'd get in touch with her.
It doesn't get any better either. According to MSN her Facebook page claims she had attended the University of Miami Ohio and studied criminal justice. MSN contacted the registrar's office at the university and was told by the school it had no record of a Rachel Jeantel being enrolled there in the last few years. There are also reports she just recently deleted her twitter account of posts that bragged about drinking, smoking, and partying. Although, in all honestly, that shouldn't have a thing to do with the price of rice in China, the problem is you don't know what anyone on that jury thinks when it comes to the conspicuous and proud vices of a 19 year old black woman if they find out about them.
The fact is, what she said about Martin's conversation with her rings true. Having listened to some of the tapes previously it is clear that Zimmerman was convinced Martin was up to no good and would, "get away." And there is no question about Zimmerman also following Martin, at least initially, because on the tape the incredulous 911 operator asks Zimmerman, "Sir, are you following him?" Zimmerman said he was and the response was, "We don't need you to do that."
However the truth becomes a casualty at times like these. If the jury ends up convinced you're a serial prevaricator at some point you can bet they are going to dismiss everything you say, even if what you tell them is exactly what happened.
Indeed, reasonable doubt is all George Zimmerman needs at this stage of his life. It doesn't help the prosecution if the state's star witness provides a large dose of it.
Locally, The Oklahoman reports that Justin Adams went before Special Judge D. Fred Doak yesterday. Adams' wife, Jaymie was murdered in December of 2011 while meeting a "client." The D.A.'s office claims that because he aided and abetted his wife in her prostitution business Mr. Adams is guilty of manslaughter.
That seems a bit of a stretch, although Adams can certainly be found guilty of being one weird dude. Reporter, Tim Willert wrote that a computer expert testified Adams posted a number of not so subtle ads online trying to attract customers. According to the story, in one he offered to drive the family van around town while his wife performed various sex acts in the back of it with paying customers.
Defense attorney Irven Box maintained his client didn't cause Jaymie Adams death and he should be released. Judge Doak wasn't buying it. Willert quotes him as saying Adams was an "active participant" in what amounts to the family business and that he put Jaymie Adams, "in harms way."
Box says he will ask the trial judge to dismiss the charges.
Adams was initially accused of the murder because, yes, he lied to the police at the beginning of the investigation about what his wife did for a living. At about the same time he fessed up to that lie the OKC police misread, or misinterpreted cell phone reports and decided he was also lying about his actual location on the night Jaymie Adams was killed. Apparently the local authorities were so befuddled the FBI had to step in to correctly analyze the cell tower data.
Based on DNA comparisons gathered by the police, Joseph Cyr was charged with the murder in April of this year. There has been no word if the forensic people doing the DNA tests were local, or federal.
There we have it. The American parade grinds on.
We're just not too so sure about the justice for all part of it.
At least not yet.
6-27-13
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