These assholes always get away.
George Zimmerman to a 911 operator.
Well not quite always. Trayvon Martin certainly didn't. That is why Mr. Zimmerman is currently in a Sanford, Florida courtroom. Opening statements were made in his trial this morning.
The prosecution contends that Zimmerman is the worst sort of cop wannabe who, thanks to the state of Florida, was able to legally arm himself and prowl his gated neighborhood as a "watch captain." That he saw Martin and immediately suspected the worst--in other words profiled him as a thug and potential thief because he was young, black, and wearing a hoodie. NBC quoted prosecutor John Guy as saying, "George Zimmerman did not shoot Trayvon Martin because he had to. He shot him for the worst of all reasons--because he wanted to."
On the other hand the defense claims that while yes, Zimmerman saw, Martin and called 911 to report someone suspicious roaming the community that it was Martin who initiated the trouble by assaulting their client. Their argument is that Zimmerman, believing he was going to be killed by the teenager, pulled the trigger in self defense. Attorney Don West put it this way, "George Zimmerman is not guilty of murder. He shot Trayvon Martin after being viciously attacked."
It is being called the George Zimmerman trial by the media. In truth it could just as easily be called the Trayvon Martin trial, because that is exactly what the defense is going to do. They are going to put Trayvon Martin on trial. In fact they started that process months ago when they released photos of young Mr. Martin flipping off the camera and a picture of a couple of guns
Of course I can personally offer up into evidence a photo of several young men who, in the fall of 1969, also thought it was cool to make obscene gestures at a camera. I'm one of them, a future Oklahoma District Judge is another, as is an eventual insurance company executive, while the fourth was a kid who turned out to be a successful and fabulously well to do real estate developer.
I don't have any photos of guns, but then no one, not even the defense, is maintaining Trayvon Martin was carrying anything more deadly than a bag of Skittles and a can of ice tea that night.
Although the judge has ruled the photos inadmissible, they are out there and there is no telling if any of the six jurors, or four alternates saw them or not.
On the other hand the judge ruled that the state cannot use the testimony of voice analysts because she felt their science was too inexact. However the 911 tapes will be played for the jury who will have to decide on their own whether the person on them screaming for help is Trayvon Martin, or George Zimmerman. Zimmerman claims it was him. The prosecution says it was Martin. Therein lies the rub and probably more than any other single factor this one will determine if Brother Zimmerman walks away, or is sent away.
Locally, The Oklahoman reports that a preliminary hearing will be held Thursday during which a judge will decide whether the state has enough evidence to bring Justin Adams to trial. Adams is accused of two counts of manslaughter in connection with the death of his wife, Jaymie Adams and her unborn child. Jaymie Adams went missing in December of 2011 after going to meet a "client" in Midwest City who she'd connected with through Craigslist. Her body was found in January of 2012 near Lake Stanley Draper in south east Oklahoma City. She'd been stabbed 29 times and her jaw was broken in three places.
Mr. Adams was originally charged with two counts of murder, but police and the D.A. couldn't make it stick. In fact they couldn't even come close. After months the charges were downgraded because, according to authorities, Justin Adams "aided and abetted Jaymie Adams in engaging in acts of prostitution that resulted in her death." A number of weeks ago police charged a man named Joseph Cyr with Mrs. Adams' death.
Meanwhile over in Italy a court convicted former premier Silvio Berlusconi of being a very dirty old man. Actually it found him guilty of having sex with an underage Moroccan prostitute and then using the power of his office to cover it up and get local police to release her after she was arrested. He was sentenced to seven years and banned from ever holding public office again.
The 76 year old Berlusconi was accused of doing the deed with Karima El Mahroug, aka, Ruby the Heart Stealer when she was at the tender age of 17. Both Berlusconi and Ruby deny they ever had sex. The defense claimed the premier got the cops to spring Ms. Stealer only because he believed she was the niece of then Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak and he was trying to avoid an international incident.
All this debauchery supposedly happened during one or more of the premier's wildly decadent bunga bunga parties. Those galas featured strippers who started out their routines dressed as nuns. During the proceedings a witnesses testified that one of the "dancers" was current Lombardy Councillor Nicole Minetti. Ms Minette owes her budding political career to Mr. Berlusconi who, at the time, was in complete control of his People of Freedom Party.
Wikipedia is a bit fuzzy on the term bunga bunga, but it appears it is not related to Kowabunga, or even Big Kahuna, both of which might have been appropriate during conversations if American diplomats had been attending the suarets.
NBC reports that even though Mr. Berlusconi was found guilty there are two more steps of appeals and it might take years for him to actually walk the yard in some prison.
So there we have it. A murder trial that will push every racial hot button in America, a sordid tale in the heart of the bible belt, and Italian politicos run completely amok.
Yes--and just think--it is only Monday.
sic vita est
6-24-13
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