CNN Breaking News: Judge in Zimmerman's Trial To Allow Testimony of Trayvon's Toxicology Results (1335 hits)
Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch volunteer, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Martin in Sanford, Florida, on February 26, 2012. He told police that night that the teenager looked suspicious and that there had been several break-ins in the neighborhood. The two got into a physical altercation, and Zimmerman said he was forced to draw his gun and kill Martin.
Zimmerman's attorney Don West said Monday the medical examiner says that THC from marijuana would have had some effect on Martin's thinking. He also points out that Zimmerman said Martin looked like he was on "drugs or something."
The defense told Judge Debra Nelson it plans to have a witness testify on this matter Tuesday. Nelson said the prosecution will have a chance to cross-examine t he witness and call rebuttal witnesses.
Also Monday, a group of defense witnesses testified about the 911 call made the night Martin died. It has become a key point of contention in the case. Five witnesses said that they recognized the screams on the 911 call as Zimmerman's voice.
If the jury believes Zimmerman was screaming on the 911 call, it could buttress his claim that he was forced to shoot the teenager in self-defense. On the other hand, if the jury believes Martin was screaming on the 911 call, the jury may decide Zimmerman murdered the teenager.
The trial ie on its 11th day today.
Get complete coverage of the Zimmerman trial across all platforms of CNN and HLN
This case is moving rapidly along. The family really want true justice and hopefully it will lead to a just and true sentence.
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 at 8:40AM
MIISRAEL Bride
I hope and pray that justice will prevail for this child.
I bet if they checked out the drugs in Zimmerman's system during court, they would find he has been given something to make him look sane(lol)
Wednesday, July 10th 2013 at 12:48PM
Helen Lofton
Here's what happened: A tragedy that was waiting to happen,( like so many that are waiting in the wings) when you take a group of people who are a minority, who have power over a majority( non-whites), this is the highest form of racism by the way. Dr. Francis Cress Welsing tried to tell you about this almost 40 years ago, but now you are beginning to open your eyes and see where she was coming from. ( read : The Isis papers- The Keys to colors) and get hip. This was a case of "Justifiable Homicide". Which incidentally has a law in place to back it up. If you don't know by now, Black people everywhere must begin to understand why the black collective, and black males in particular, have been under attack for the past 2,000 years. My God, My People, Indeed, Jesus was a Black male who was lynched by uniformed white Roman soldiers 2,000 years ago, as a result of the same war that has continued into the present day extension of the same Roman (white) empire. You need to know that this particular form of murder and slaughter is called justifiable homicide. Finally we need to open our eyes to that which the environment is presenting to us and stop B.S. Ing about it because this is REAL! We, at this time need to have a disciplined, self-and group- respecting response to the specific war being waged against us and when you say nothing it must be alright with you. WE BETTER RECOGNIZE WHATS GOING ON! The jury in this case has already come to a conclusion and by using the gun, ( the greatest equalizer) it was attempt to achieve a sense of manhood and security which makes perfect sense to them. We are presently trapped and if we can't see what's happening, I don't know what to tell you. Seriously? what is it going to take?
I find it difficult to listen to this case. I'm heart broken for Trayvon's family. It's a really difficult case when you stand back without racial glasses.
I think Zimmerman was the one who started the confrontation in the sense that he confronted Trayvon first. I don't know why things got out of hand, because if you ask someone what they are doing in the neighbourhood all one would need to do is say my family lives in the area. Trayvon was a child and a scared child at that time. I wished he'd dialled 911 instead of that silly girl who botched it up for Trayvon to get justice!
Hindsight is 20/20. We as Black people need to learn better communication skills. If Zimmerman wins on a lesser charge, I believe this case was lost based on the immaturity of the main witness for Trayvon. Yes, she is a child but she was a poor witness?
"We, at this time need to have a disciplined, self-and group- respecting response to the specific war being waged against us and when you say nothing it must be alright with you."
I'm afraid they're going to let this bastard go.
Thursday, July 11th 2013 at 2:21PM
Adam Fate
I think Rachael Jeantel did admirably. There was a creepy ass cracker stalking Trayvon, and that is the heart of the matter.
Thursday, July 11th 2013 at 2:25PM
Adam Fate
@ Steve,
This guy's commentary/thoughts convey what many feel, but will not say. 'Rachel Jeantel Makes Trayvon Martin Look Like A Racist Young Black Thug'... http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WqRN0WqQYmQ&f...
Zimmerman jurors get another option: Lawyers try to close the deal"Oh my God. Just when I thought this case couldn't get any more bizarre," said George Zimmerman's lawyer amid wrangling before closing arguments.
..."Our behaviors forces us into the sanity of hoping and begging which keeps us further away from already having and receiving. The price of being free...is being it."...
We really need to be paying close attention: Key in closing argument- "Others have gotten away".
Black people are going to have to change their behaviors. Many of us do not understand deep self-respect but are going to have to learn the meaning of it and practice it. We're going to have to stop thinking that rhyme and rhetoric will solve problems. We are going to have to stop crying, complaining, and clowning and be quiet so that we can THINK. All these things and more, have nothing to do with addressing the challenges and conditions of the open warfare being waged against the Black collective. Our behaviors forces us into the sanity of hoping and begging which keeps us further away from already having and receiving. The price of being free...is being it. We think being connected in the church is the answer while all along...WE are the church! This, our churches, are the campuses where all this hoping and begging escalates-as opposed to the sanity of analysis, specific behavioral pattern design and specific conduct (in all areas of people activity: economics, education, entertainment, labor, law, politics, s*x and war). You would think that our churches would have progressed to this by now but have turned into a "Den Of Thieves" instead and is not really changing behaviors. Another thing we need to stop is permitting Black children to play with parenthood. I'm saying all of this because without critical thinking, however there is no self respect. Without self respect, there is no courage, no self defense, no justice, no peace and no progress. We must evolve our own behavior ( in all area of people activity) as previously mentioned, that will eventually checkmate this global necessity and injustice that is happening. Black men must work and provide support for their families, which this has prevented them from doing. Males who do not demand and fight if necessary, to have jobs cannot become husbands or fathers. We'll need to begin the healing process at some point and it all begins with telling the truth. The truth about EVERYTHING!
Where there is no vision the people perish Proverbs 22:1
Thursday, July 11th 2013 at 7:17PM
Min.Dr.LaDonna Blaylock D.D.
I hope that we as a community will learn from this case that poor communication skills will get one Nowhere fast!
Ahaa-men Jen Fad
Thursday, July 11th 2013 at 9:07PM
Earl Brown
Shame on George Zimmerman, he shot Trayvon in the heart because he didn't want him to live to tell what really happen. Trayvon's last words would have been more powerful if he had said "I'll be back". People would think twice about killing people that might haunt them(lol)
Friday, July 12th 2013 at 5:40PM
Helen Lofton
Again, here is where we need to also be paying ATTENTION. I will reiterate, because of our behaviors in how we communicate, there is much to learn. This is not a time to get mad, this is a time to learn something! I can only break this down a little from my understanding of it and feel it's high time we as a people need to at some point in time get educated with the laws of the land if we're going to live in it. ( You think?) There are only 3 things the jury will rule it's verdict on: guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of manslaughter and not guilty. We need to know the multiple types of murders established by state law and understand the differences among them. There is a distinction on degrees and this varies by state. ( this is Florida) 2nd degree is a non-premeditated killing resulting from an assault in which death of the victim, ( Trayvon), was a distinct possibility. Generally, a depraved mind issues the assault. Manslaughter: There are 2 distinct categories, Voluntary and involuntary and both are lesser charges than murder. Again, the definition differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. ( Florida) Voluntary Manslaughter is when the accused intended to hurt or possibly kill the victim, but extenuating circumstances influenced the situation. This is a used classification if the accused was mentally compromised when committing the crime. Involuntary is unpremeditated and of course we all know the meaning of not guilty. I'm no expert in this field but there's enough of us who are that need to be sharing what they know but as you mentioned Sister Jen...we don't communicate with each other well and in my opinion spend too much time hatin. This is going to be very interesting how it unfolds and we also need to take into account that after a year, the "Stand your Ground law or any gun laws haven't budged. I mentioned about the justifiable homicide, and the greatest equalizer, ( the gun) and both were mentioned in the closing arguments. Now I'm going to mention that it will be: Voluntary Manslaughter. The nation is in a vulnerable state right now, why risk the slaughter of many from the action of one?
Saturday, July 13th 2013 at 1:33PM
Min.Dr.LaDonna Blaylock D.D.
Jurors in the case of self-appointed neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman, have found him NOT GUILTY of second-degree murder. Zimmerman claims he shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in self-defense in February of 2012. http://blackamericaweb.com/145147/breaking...
Yes, God is on the throne and we can not lean on our own understanding. Justice will be served and I will be the first to say that I didn't see this verdict coming. This tragedy and outcome has opened the eyes of many for change and at least we know where we still stand.
Sunday, July 14th 2013 at 11:48AM
Min.Dr.LaDonna Blaylock D.D.
TOP TWEETS: ZIMMERMAN NOT GUILTY ... @donnabrazile: "I respect the verdict, but I still believe that #Zimmerman had the upper hand and chose to profile, follow & later kill an unarmed teenager"
... @JeffreyToobin: "Trayvon got the death penalty for buying Skittles in a hoodie. I understand it, but still" ...
@EWErickson: "Bad choices were made by both George Zimmerman and by Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman is not guilty, but he still killed" ...
@daveweigel: "The outrage in 2012 was that Zimmerman wasn't being tried at all. He was tried. This is how the system works." POLITICOstorify mobile-friendly link http://bit.ly/1aEzowi
The family can always file a civil lawsuit like the Brown's did in the O'jay Simpson Case if they still want get some kind of justice, but I doubt they will.
