Martin atty: Zimmerman should return to jail

[shawn703]

Source: CNN

The attorney for Trayvon Martin's family says George Zimmerman should be back in jail because he failed to tell a judge he had $204,000 during a recent bond hearing.

"They tried to portray themselves as indigent that they did not have any money," said Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump. "We think the court should revoke his bond immediately, and he should be held accountable for misleading the court."

Zimmerman, who is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of unarmed 17-year-old Martin, has been given about $204,000 from supporters his lawyer Mark O'Mara said Thursday.

The donations Zimmerman received will be discussed Friday at a court hearing in Florida, O'Mara said.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/27/justice/florida-zimmerman-money/?hpt=us_c2

[kitt6]

1. Lock him up!

And his dirty lawyer too. A young man is dead!

[naaman fletcher]

2. the purpose of bond is not to punish

You might remember that he is innocent until proven guilty. The purpose of the bond is to guarantee that he won't flee. Given that he didn't flee in the months before he was arrested, and he didn't flee after he became national news, and he didn't flee after it was clear he was going to be arrested, and he hasn't fled since, there is no reason at all to believe that he will flee now or that the judge made a mistaking in allowing his family to post bond.

As progressives, we are supposed to be above mass hysteria.

He is going to go to trial. while most of us think he is guilty, and I agree he is at least guilty of manslaughter (I think perhaps the 2nd degree murderis a stretch), the criminal justice system must still presume him innocent until proven guilty.

[jerseyjack]

3. Yes, he isn't likely to flee. But how about perjury if he falsified financials?

[naaman fletcher]

4. Sure

but it seems doubtful that was his intent. The guy had no money, so his parents/family are going to post bond. Meanwhile he has gone through different lawyers and real/fake attempts by different people to raise money for him.

sometime after the fact that he post bail he says he has 200K in a paypal account. When did that money come in? Is it the account he set up? when was it set up?

sure, ask the question, but i think you will find it highly doubtful that he had 200K in a paypal account that he controlled when he told the judge he had nothing.

[oilpro2]

6. According to the Miami Herald, the paypal and website

was set up April 10.

Zimmerman was in jail much of the time after that until his release last Saturday, April 21.

It's not difficult to set up a Paypal account, link it to a bank account, and then give the user name and password to a relative or a lawyer in a phone conversation or in a personal visit while in the jail.

When GZ was appearing in the court hearing, he had every opportunity in his nice blue suit and grey tie to give his attorney his paypal info and have the attorney look at the account and see the balance.

Unless all that $204,000 has flowed in AFTER the bail hearing, (unlikely), this GZ guy is the epitome of deception, as we can clearly see, now that this fact has come forward.

What discusts me is that GZ indicated to the court that he was without funds, when he clearly had the opportunity to find out if he truly was without any funds.

[naaman fletcher]

7. look we will see

you may be right and I hope he gets busted for lying, but I also just don't see this is a huge deal. the guy has shown no indication of fleeing.

[oilpro2]

9. He will not flee because he is afraid to. He is better off...

under bond and in a protected secret location.

With $204,000, I'm sure he's eating steak every day, probably somewhere close to a beach, with loved ones and friends close by or a phone call away.

I have no sympathy for him right now.

If you or I had put up a web page and asked for donations, wouldn't we both be curious to find out how much money had come in?

The issue now for me is not his flight risk, which is low, seeing that anyone could recognize him, were he to flee. The issue for me now is his habitual practices of deception. He knew he had a paypal account, and he knew he could find out on that court date just how much money was in it. He may not have expected it to be very much, but a simple request to his lawyer to look it up could have been done anytime before the bond hearing, (and probably was done).

[naaman fletcher]

10. yes..

and if he knew how much was in it and lied, that's a problem. I just see no need to rush to judgment. Remember.. he was in jail. I find it perfectly reasonable that the vast vast majority of the money came in after he was arrested.

[jwirr]

31. If he knew what was in it. No excuse. If he was on welfare he would have to report on all accounts

in his name. Surely the courts expected this. You may not know but if you have an account you are supposed to find out before you lie to the government.

[naaman fletcher]

35. I agree.

but bear in mind, he was in jail. It is not unlikely that the donations all came in after he was charged.

[pipoman]

12. If he is squandering the money

he is stupider than I thought. His defense will likely cost in excess of 200k.

[DallasNE]

14. He's Out On $15,000 Bail

As a result of his crying poor in court. Remember how they were saying the parents were going to have to take out a mortgage on their home. Did the $15,000 come from this Paypal account? There is opportunity for big time deception here. My understanding is that there will be a court hearing so some people are taking this serious.

[slackmaster]

37. His bail amount is $150,000

The bail bond company's fee was 10%.

If he jumps bail, the bond company can sic bounty hunters on him, and can go after him for the full amount.

The $15K is not refundable.

HTH

[DaveJ]

8. I don't think progressives are THAT open minded

I believe, as a progressive, that society should do everything they can do supplying basic needs, food, housing, and healthcare. I think even the most repugnant Republican should have those basic needs, including the naive who vote against their best interest, and everyone else no matter what.

But I do not think progressives need to empathize with someone who we believe is a murderer. I'm thinking more about the victims. I don't think everyone is 'good' and should be treated kindly no matter how despicable they are, wandering around a populated neighborhood at night with a gun.

I believe that sort of objectivity is the job of the judge.

[naaman fletcher]

11. I agree with you,

and I don't think we should sympathize with him. What I think, however, is that it's silly when we have been the champions of a right to a fair trial, legal advice, etc. for us to suddenly act like the guy should not be granted bail because we already decided he is guilty.

[obamanut2012]

28. Terrific post

I sure as hell don't sympathize with George Zimmerman, or even with the family of his we have heard from. They are horrible victim-blaming people.

[pipoman]

13. So few people understand

the criminal justice system. It is a shame, and should be a required high school class. I believe those most opposed to criminal justice education would be police and prosecutors. They depend on ignorance of rights and criminal process, and exploit the ignorance during investigations and prosecution.

[EFerrari]

16. There is nothing hysterical in pointing out that he lied to the judge at his hearing to set bail. n/

[naaman fletcher]

18. but we don't know he lied.. he was in jail

It's perfectly reasonable to assume that nobody bothered to donate before he was arrested.

There are many, many important points to this case. Specifically the underlying racism of society where Zimmerman was basically let free until a stink was made, when we all know that if the roles were reversed he would have been arrested on the spot.

These important things are going to lose importance in the public eye if all we focus on is the total bullshit hype.

[EFerrari]

19. Yes, we do know, because his lawyer reported that he was indigent.

He misrepresented his assets to a judge who was calculating his bail. That is serious and it speaks to his character.

[oilpro2]

20. Do you think his lawyer did NOT want to know??

How much money had been donated before the bail bond hearing?

I think it is quite possible that the lawyer thought that there was very little $ in that account and simply did NOT want to check it out until after the bail bond was arranged.

I imagine he was as surprised as GZ was!

But my point is that GZ could very well have found out before the hearing just how much money was in the account, even if he, himself, could not access a computer in jail.

OH, by the way, Paypal keeps track of when deposits are made, just as any bank does, and Paypal ALSO KEEPS TRACK OF access to the account, when GZ or someone he selected actually looked at the balance!!!

This whole case wreaks of deception on the part of the entire Zimmerman family and fan club.

[EFerrari]

22. As an officer of the court, the lawyer is obligated to instruct his client

to disclose his assets accurately to the court.

As a lawyer, who knows what he wants.

[naaman fletcher]

21. Huh?

He was in jail. Most likely 99% of the donations came in after he was arrested. It is possible he had no idea there was any money there. If he did then fry his ass over it, but there is a good chance that this is much ado about nothing.

[EFerrari]

24. If he was smart, he'd have his lawyer disclose the expectation of income from the site.

Because he had one or he never would have put it up.

As it is, the judge is apparently delaying a decision on it.

[naaman fletcher]

25. We will see

But I am not one of those who thinks every thing this guy has ever done is evil. I think this story is much more about a society at large that he was immediately believed by the police while we all know if the races were reversed he would have been arrested on the spot. I think it's about why did so many people identify with him that he got 200k without really trying.

If anything all signs are he wasnt at all a racist in any of the overt signs or manners.

To me this is very little about Zimmerman, and much more about society and

[saras]

27. That's the purpose of bond for right-wingers. Leftists commonly get punitive bonds

[DrDan]

5. many charged with 2nd degree murder are released on bond - and $150k is a typical amount

yes - a young man is dead - that is why there are charges. Now comes the trial.

[marshall gaines]

15. don't get it

I don't get it. Everyone wants this guy to get a fair shake. Ask Trayvon or his family if z was fair. All this beating the breast about how we are to let 'the system' work it out. The system allowed an unarmed teen to be murdered by a 'Callahan' wannabe. A bush and his state cronies appealed to the baser nature of man and got SYG passed. That's the system! Give me a break on this fairness s...Always has been and will be open season on black males in this country, no matter the age. Give me a break

[hack89]

17. So the alternative to a fair and unbiased trial is ...... what exactly?

"Always has been and will be open season on black males in this country" - what exactly does that mean? That whites are predominately the killers and black predominately the victims?

[marshall gaines]

32. please

learn some history, i'll get back to you

[hack89]

33. I know my history. I also know current crime demographics

hence my question. Do you believe that most blacks who are murdered are killed by whites? Simple question.

[marshall gaines]

38. don't

It is evident you don't know Amerikan history, so since you don't I won't legitimize that question with an answer

[hack89]

39. Knew you had nothing. Bye. nt

[Snake Alchemist]

23. Ready the gallows. nt

[uncle ray]

29. how long was Trayvon's trial again? nt.

[Snake Alchemist]

30. How long was Mohamed Merah's trial?

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/french-shooting-suspect-claimed-innocence-lawyer-says/story-e6frf7lf-1226317401020

[Life Long Dem]

26. Then he puts up the website and gets a million dollars donated

He puts up the million bucks, and after court gets his million dollars back to live on some tropical island drinking pina colada's.

As it is, he already has 200,000 in is pocket.

[oilpro2]

34. I think he will have some obligations to

his defense lawyer's office team to pay for all the work they do.

I bet there will be over $200,000 in legal expenses, not to mention the food and shelter costs he must pay for wherever he is hiding out.

That $200,000 will be gone in less than a year.

Of course, there will be another web site soon, and more $ flowing in.

[Life Long Dem]

36. O'mara

O’Mara, who had said he would do the case pro bono, said the defense could run up to $1 million. He normally charges $400 an hour, and already works 10 hours a day on the case, seven days a week.

He has been inundated with offers from people who want to donate funds, O’Mara said.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/04/27/v-print/2770968/zimmerman-attorney-to-tell-judge.html#storylink=cpy

[marshall gaines]

40. lynch him

a necktie party would be too good for this guy. there is precedent for it

[grok]

41. I wonder if these pronouncments actually help Z-man

Granted, they helped draw attention to the injustice and get Zimmerman arrested.

But after the arrest not sure they do much good.

A. They are not adding to the case. The defense is getting potential prosecution talking points for free.

B. the more interest there is the further the media does FREE investigations that actually aid Zimmerman. Humanization in front of potential jurors statewide for example.

C. The more he speaks, the more outraged racists send in their money. O'Mara has caught on and instead of diminishing Z-man's presence he is expanding it threefold to rake in the dough. O'Mara is no dummy.

And this is the result. http://gzlegalcase.com/

And if you think me wrong, here is Crump's site and throw a few bucks their way. Only 26K so far.

https://www.wepay.com/donations/3819