It didn't take long for Trayvon Martin's mother to retract, or at least restate what she said yesterday morning. In an interview she was quoted as saying that she thought her son's shooting was an accident, that things simply went out of control and if George Zimmerman could, he'd turn back the clock.
By the afternoon she was saying that her statement was "mis-characterized" by the media and others.
She released this as the buzz grew: "We believe George Zimmerman stalked my son and murdered him in cold blood. The accident I was referring to was the fact that George Zimmerman and my son ever crossed paths. It was an accidental encounter. If George Zimmerman hadn't gotten out of his vehicle this entire incident wouldn't have happened. My son was profiled and murdered by George Zimmerman and there was nothing accidental about that."
She might have also just read the affidavit filed in court by the prosecution. In part it says that just before the shooting Zimmerman complained to police dispatch that, "these assholes, they always get away." He also referred to Trayvon Martin and kids like him as "fucking punks."
Special prosecutor Angela Corey is going for the maximum and if convicted Mr. Zimmerman could spend the rest of his life manufacturing license plates at some Florida correctional facility.
Of course we are just at the start of what will be a very long haul. That whole speedy trial thing went out the window years ago.
There are all ready rumors that Zimmerman's attorney wants a new judge because of a conflict of interest. Then of course there are bond hearings, arraignments, and that evidentiary hearing where the Zim man will claim he is immune from prosecution under the Florida stand your ground statutes. And finally there could be a motion for a change of venue, although it will be hard to find twelve people anywhere in the U.S. who don't already have an opinion on this whole ghastly affair.
Most legal experts agree that Zimmerman will need to take the stand in his own behalf. Since there weren't any witnesses there isn't anyone else who can testify that his life was being threatened by Trayvon Martin.
The attorneys on both sides and whoever the judge ends up being are going to be picked apart by media analysts. The coverage will rival the O.J. Simpson circus. One can only hope the jurist running the show will be a tad more competent than Lance Ito was.
It is a new century and now we have a new trial of the century. Expect TV sets in bars nation wide to be glued to the action. Advertisers are probably lining up as I type. It is an American drama and everyone will want a piece of the action.
Somewhere during it all maybe justice will actually be served. We can always hope.
4-13-12
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