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Zimmerman bail revoked

Zimmerman bail revoked

Just breaking, via USA Today:

A judge has revoked the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and ordered him returned to jail within 48 hours.

Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester said Friday that George Zimmerman misled the court about how much money he had available when his bond was set for $150,000 in April. Prosecutors claim Zimmerman had $135,000 available that had been raised by a website he set up.

Prosecutors also say he failed to surrender a second passport.

The defense says the finances are an innocent misunderstanding.

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Comments

Have an idea for you, George. Hire Brett Kimberlin as your attorney.

BTW George, do you have a scintilla of Cherokee blood?

    EBL in reply to JP. | June 1, 2012 at 4:14 pm

    Ouch!

    JackRussellTerrierist in reply to JP. | June 2, 2012 at 4:45 am

    Heh. Yeah.

    What I really want to know is why is there no judicial review/preliminary hearing of the affidavit, evidence and charges. When did we start with the prosecutor saying whatever they want in an affidavit to get a warrant without an indictment, and going straight to trial without any review of the prosecutor’s allegations as to proof a crime was committed and evidence against the defendant as being the perpetrator?

Rags,
About that criminal justice system you have so much faith in…

    Ragspierre in reply to creeper. | June 1, 2012 at 3:56 pm

    Totally intact, creeper.

    I will repeat my caution about the use of “criminal justice system”. It ain’t that. It is a legal system…on a good day.

    Here, there was evidence that was pretty compelling that either…

    1. Zimmerman,

    2. his attorney, or

    3. both

    screwed up. Or, just possibly, there are explanations for some of the evidence that will show this was innocent.

    It is the job of a good attorney to do due diligence to keep his client out of the grease. Sometimes, clients lie to attorneys, but you still have to do what you can to get the right poop.

    Note I said there was “evidence”. This isn’t over.

    But the showing by the State was convincing to the judge today. Before long, this issue will be revisited, and the defense will have had time to punch holes in the evidence, and understand what happened from Zimmerman.

    A new application for bail will be filed.

      creeper in reply to Ragspierre. | June 1, 2012 at 4:16 pm

      “Before long, this issue will be revisited…”

      I hope Zimmerman is still breathing when it is.

      The transcript of the bail hearing on April 12 shows that the court was aware of that defense fund. It is discussed with Mrs. Zimmerman, who told the court she did not know how much was in the fund but that her brother would and that she could get him on the phone. Lester blew it off. If it had a bearing on what his bond should have been, why didn’t they pursue the issue at the time?

      I’ll tell you why. Because they were laying the groundwork for this move.

      You may retain your faith in our legal system but mine is sorely strained right now.

        Ragspierre in reply to creeper. | June 1, 2012 at 4:25 pm

        I expect the money was only a complicating factor, with the two passports, and maybe some of the things passed between Zimmermans, being a lot more significant.

        The court has a duty to maintain custody of anyone changed with a crime, and Zimmerman…ON THIS EVIDENCE…posed a flight risk.

        But note, too, he has 48 hours, which is ample time (I think) for his defense attorney to get his ducks in a row and ask for a rehearing.

          Neo in reply to Ragspierre. | June 1, 2012 at 4:26 pm

          It was quickly determined that the second passport was a procedural gaffe by Zimmerman attorney Mark O’Mara, and the judge found it easy to forgive that minor transgression as a mistake.

          Ragspierre in reply to Ragspierre. | June 1, 2012 at 4:33 pm

          Neo, that is from some guy’s blog. Which is not to say it ain’t so, but get something from a primary source, please.

          ars21689 in reply to Ragspierre. | June 1, 2012 at 5:15 pm

          It’s so. I watched the hearing on television and the judge compared the second passport to losing a DL, getting a new one, and then finding the DL that was lost.

          creeper in reply to Ragspierre. | June 1, 2012 at 5:44 pm

          From MSNBC:

          “In revoking bail, Lester said he was not swayed by arguments about the second passport, often routinely obtained by people who lose their passports.

          Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, said it was his fault the court did not have the second passport earlier.”

          It appears Mr. O’Mara may have an explanation for this. I’ll wait to hear it before jumping on the “Zimmerman was stupid” bandwagon.

          I consider myself a law-abiding citizen but if I were subjected to the scrutiny leveled at George Zimmerman I’d be in jail forever.

          The legal system is being used to railroad George Zimmerman. Maybe he WILL some day be out from under this, just as I am now, finally. But who will reimburse me for the tens of thousands of dollars it cost me to have these malicious filings thrown out? Where do I go to get back the three years of my life I spent in fear of losing everything? Who will explain to people that the RICO charges filed against me do not make me a card-carrying member of the mob?

          You’ll have to forgive me if I have a hard time considering what happened to me “justice”. I expect George Zimmerman has the same problem right now.

          JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Ragspierre. | June 2, 2012 at 4:48 am

          That’s a quotation of an impression expressed by an MSNBC reporter, a cable channel full of Zimmerman haters.

      Kerrvillian in reply to Ragspierre. | June 1, 2012 at 10:11 pm

      What I don’t understand here is the insistence upon a higher bond.

      Zimmerman had months in which to flee the nation without doing so. When charged he turned himself in. He has cooperated 100% with appearing to the cops, to the court.

      Bond is insurance against flight. If the defendant’s actions don’t speak to his commitment to cooperate then what does? Just money?

      Or is the real goal here punishment? Bonds are often set so high that no one will have that much cash on hand and must borrow from a bail bondsman. That incurs interest on the loan that is NEVER paid back to the accused. It is a financial loss that can not be used for legal defense or any other debt. The other option is sitting in jail.

      If bond is about punishment then this prosecutor’s actions make sense. If it is about ensuring that Zimmerman shows up then his good-faith actions so far should count for far more than money alone.

        JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Kerrvillian. | June 2, 2012 at 4:16 am

        It seems to me that money raised for a legal fund is just that – money for Zimmerman’s defense. Is he supposed to turn that money over to the court or a bondsman, thus denying him access to it for the purpose for which it was established and donated to? Are they going to re-arrest him and haul him in every time there’s a meaningful increase in the fund balance?

I found this line a bit troubling:

“Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda said the state has recorded phone calls proving that Zimmerman and his wife were transferring defense fund money and failed to disclose it before the bond hearing.”

They were wire tapping a 2nd-degree murder suspect ?

We knew the state would do everything it could to destroy Zimmerman’s credibility.

I just hope Zimmerman isn’t helping them do it.

1. Now maybe Zimmerman can be charged with a “process crime” related to something they can’t prove he did. Like Martha Stewart. And he’s back under the State’s thumb

NB: I may be getting way ahead of myself regarding something I lack expertise on. However, the conduct of the Zimmermann prosecutors so far has not been confidence-inspiring, to put it mildly.

But if info about the money was withheld from the defense attorney who is working pro bono, that could be a different kettle of fish.

2. If, per the link, the case will not be tried until next year, the impact on the election will hopefully be minimal.

2nd Ammendment Mother | June 1, 2012 at 3:52 pm

I have no doubt that an unsophisticated defendant would screw up while trying to organize their finances to pay for an attorney, raise money for a bond and establish a safe home for their family.

As has been noted, most people commit 3 felonies a day, I imagine it’s much more problematic when you’ve got the NBP offering a dead or alive bounty on your neck.

Still – screwing up is a problem because no matter why you did it – you’re going to condemn yourself.

    JackRussellTerrierist in reply to 2nd Ammendment Mother. | June 2, 2012 at 4:25 am

    One of Zimmerman’s big problems was not getting an attorney right out of the gate. He’s been TOO cooperative and TOO talkative for his own good.

    Law enforcement, especially prosecutors, are notorious for employing lies, distortions and manipulations when it is politically beneficial to them. Anybody walking around with blind faith and true belief in our legal system is naive. They are some truly rotten bastards in the system.

    NEVER TALK TO THE COPS WITHOUT A LAWYER WHEN YOU OR YOUR ACTIONS ARE THE SUBJECT OF THE INQUIRY!

Look, you have to understand the nature of legal defense funds. They are just that…accounts set up to pay the cost of defending yourself. That does not extend to bonding out the defendant.

There is no doubt in my mind that Zimmerman never for a moment considered that money his.

I have walked that road…twice. My legal defense fund did write checks directly to me BUT ONLY UPON PRESENTATION OF MY ATTORNEY’S BILL.

They’re making it sound like Zimmerman could’ve written a check for $135,000 to the court. It just does not work that way.

This is beyond sickening. They’re going to get that man killed yet.

    n.n in reply to creeper. | June 1, 2012 at 4:24 pm

    It sounds like legal extortion. Is bail set according to an individual’s financial means, or according to the severity of the crime committed and further risk posed by the defendant?

      Ragspierre in reply to n.n. | June 1, 2012 at 4:28 pm

      Yes. All those factors and several others come into play.

      For instance, the guys charged in Chicago in connection with the NATO conference thingy had bond set at 1.5 million bucks.

    Left Coast Red in reply to creeper. | June 2, 2012 at 1:20 am

    “George Zimmerman misled the court about how much money he had available…”

    So you contend that the legal-defense fund was not technically “available” to Zimmerman, or at least he did not think it was? Seems not a high bar to establish that.

    Though I haven’t heard the Zimmerman-wife conversation (transcript)which may indicate otherwise. Anyone have a link to that?

      JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Left Coast Red. | June 2, 2012 at 4:36 am

      People who get arrested and post bail or buy a bond most often continue to make money. In theory, their wealth continues to increase, yet they are generally not hauled back into court to have their bail re-examined. Perhaps if they had a huge windfall, they might.

      A legal defense fund should not extend to bail. There could be a million dollars in that fund. So what? That’s what our wonderful legal system has made adequate defense cost. The Duke lacrosse boys each spent a million or more on their defenses to a crime that never even occurred. The prosecution, the race baiters and the media have made it impossible for Zimmerman to live in safety such that he can participate in his own defense without using some of that money for security. To that extent, the money should be available to him. The fund certainly was not donated to for the purpose of establishing or posting bail.

      Further, Zimmerman has never demonstrated any indication that he intends to flee, although I wish he had.

One way or another, this lynching of George Zimmerman will continue by hook or crook. There was no compelling evidence for a trial so now the state in order to save face will pull out every trick in the book.

I seem to remember that citizens are entitled to a speedy trial. So what has happened in this case???

    lichau in reply to GrumpyOne. | June 1, 2012 at 5:31 pm

    One way or another, this trial will be delayed past the elections. The powers that be don’t want a national blow up over an acquittal. The problem with their little plan is that his life is in serious jeopardy–especially if he is in jail.

    this is just a delaying tactic.

    Glad Robs is happy with the “system”; I agree that it works most of the time–unless you get caught in some ambitious prosecutors net. Duke lacrosse players, Scooter Libby, John Edwards. Martha Stewart vs Jon Corzine. The latter probably broke the law, but the law was written by politicians to govern politicians–those laws always seem full of holes. Wonder why?

And the Twitter lynch mob has regrouped and come out in force. Again.

Sigh.

If even one of these threats had been made against Kimberlin, the person who’d made it would’ve been tracked down and be in gaol by tomorrow. As it is, though…

Bail IS a form of legal extortion.

It’s the court putting what you’ve got into hock to make you show up for your trial. The goal is to make it painful enough that you don’t just run to a non-extradition country and live out your days sipping pina-coladas on the beach.

Traditional bail is that you have to present the entire amount, and you get it back if you show up for trial.

Society has devised a product called a “bond” where the person only has to put up 10% to the bonding agent and the agent writes a personal guarantee to the court that you will show up (a surety). That 10% IS THE COST, and you don’t get it back. If you no-show, the bonding agent has to pay the entire bail amount and they execute on the liens that you signed over to the bonding agent on your personal promise to the bonding agent to appear. Then they hunt you down like a stray dog.

That’s why bail is variable. It has to be sufficiently large per the individual circumstances to get you to show up.

stevewhitemd | June 1, 2012 at 4:49 pm

See Bob Owens’ comments, which are interesting and different than here.

I’m no legal expert, but if the Zimmermans lied about the money and got caught, the very LEAST this does is destroy their credibility. As Owens points out, good luck persuading a judge to drop the charges before the trial now.

    Estragon in reply to stevewhitemd. | June 1, 2012 at 11:40 pm

    Owens is a bit precipitous in that judgement. As others have pointed out, without evidence of the underlying crime, this doesn’t convict anybody of anything. There is still nothing on Zimmerman.

    In fact, the judge going along with revoking bond may even improve his chances of getting the case dismissed, as he threw the prosecution a bone on this by doing what they wanted. The website fund was known earlier. By not questioning it when they could, the prosecutors essentially invited the Zimmermans to transfer some money out of it, like a trap.

    When it all comes out, it will probably turn out GZ was trying to get enough out of the fund for his family to live on before the lawyer took it all. That isn’t going to make anyone hate him (who doesn’t already).

So what country issued Zimmerman’s second passport? Indonesia? Peru? Zimbabwe?? Oh, wait; I know, it was … Nation of Islam, right?

    Milhouse in reply to Ike. | June 1, 2012 at 5:54 pm

    The USA, actually. It was a replacement for a lost passport that was subsequently found.

Trayvon Martin was talking on his cell phone when he was shot and killed in February.

No he wasn’t. He was beating the shit out of Zimmerman.

jeannebodine | June 1, 2012 at 5:22 pm

Here’s the Judge’s Motion. Stupid but I still find it hard to be too harsh on these people, never having been demonized & hunted down by a large portion of my own countrymen.
http://www.clickorlando.com/blob/view/-/14428744/data/1/-/dqx47yz/-/Zimmerman-Motion-to-Revoke-bond.pdf

    Ragspierre in reply to jeannebodine. | June 1, 2012 at 5:49 pm

    Just for clarity, that’s the State’s motion to the court.

    And, if the allegations are supported, they are damning.

      As a libertarian I have an animus against prosecutorial overreaching. However, if true, today’s charges cannot be called trumped-up.

They’re setting him up to be killed.

Why do I think that the DOJ hand is involved in this?

Anything to stir up the black community…ya think?

So is the correct amount of bond money for an accused 10% more money than they have, or 95%? 200% 900%?

If I didn’t know better, this would look like the Judge/Prosecution putting Zimmerman into a situation where he will either be killed by other inmates, or terrorized into confessing to a crime he did not commit, either of which would take great pressure off the State.

    JackRussellTerrierist in reply to georgfelis. | June 2, 2012 at 5:00 am

    I would say tht the state is maneuvering to prevent GZ from being able to afford an adequate defense – suck the life out of his defense fund by forcing him to use it for bail instead of defense…..and the physical security he needs so he can participate in his defense.

TrooperJohnSmith | June 1, 2012 at 5:59 pm

Surely no one could suppose for a minute that the State might be railroading this guy. I mean, we’ve all but been promised by the Usual Suspectsthat short of a guilty verdict, we’ll get a reset of the Rodney King riots.

/sarcasm

After looking at the motion and its support, if I represented Zimmerman, I fire his ass today.

He knew he had a second passport. And he DAMN well knew this was an issue.

He knew he had control of a LOT of money (NOT in trust with his lawyer). So did his wife.

He damn well knew he was not “indigent”, which is what he represented to the court.

Both Zimmermans show mens rea by their “cute” conversations.

This means NOTHING as pertains to his guilt or innocence of the charges.

It means he is not someone I could represent, if I asked him the questions I WOULD ask, and he lied to me.

    1. After looking at the motion and its support, if I represented Zimmerman, I fire his ass today.

    The motion might be inviting O’Mara to do just that: it explicitly disclaims misconduct on his part. Perhaps a gentlemanly signal within the guild? Mark, I respect you every time we cross swords. Do you need this aggravation?

    2. Have they dug up anything else on Zimmerman?

    3. I hope my speculations do not cross the line into unsupported and irresponsible accusations. Per Rags, today’s events add no evidence that Z is guilty of murder; nor do they indicate a government conspiracy to have him killed.

      Ragspierre in reply to gs. | June 1, 2012 at 7:07 pm

      gs, who knows? Different attorneys are different. Some would not care about a client lying to them…or anything else…as long as their fees are paid. I do.

      Could be a lot of respect between the members of the criminal bar involved. I sure think I’ve seen that reflected in their language and decorum. Dunno.

    BannedbytheGuardian in reply to Ragspierre. | June 1, 2012 at 6:59 pm

    “I fire his ass today”.

    2 ‘damns – one in BIG letters.

    Their “cute” conversations.’

    You have no involvement in this case whatsoever. Your emotion laden & nasty invectives towards Zimmerman are unhinged.

      Ragspierre in reply to BannedbytheGuardian. | June 1, 2012 at 7:12 pm

      Two “damns” is “emotion and invective-laden”…?!?!?

      Son. Do you type with your pinkies extended?

      Thing is, I really don’t like people who lie. It seems apparent Zimmerman and wife DID. (Is caps there an invective?)

        BannedbytheGuardian in reply to Ragspierre. | June 1, 2012 at 7:30 pm

        So you have decided they are liars and now you don’t like them & you will not represent .

        Seems to me you have not been asked.

        Two “damns” is “emotion and invective-laden”…?!?!?

        Oh, cripes. Well the jury was out on that on, almost certainly leaning in your favour, but than you went the full double-interrobang on us. The interrobang 250, actually.

        ?!?!?

        See what you did? You went and compounded what appeared to be a simple case of Benign Hyperbole with a further charge of Crimes Against Punctuation there. If your state has capital punishment, things aren’t lookin’ good for you mate.

        #Protip: Whatever happens from here on in, just don’t lie to your fricken lawyer. I hear they don’t much like that 😉

          Ragspierre in reply to s_dog. | June 1, 2012 at 7:37 pm

          Yah, dude. I spent most of my life in the oil patch and on construction sites.

          We kinda make it a point of honor to do violence to LOTS of things…including (but least of all) punctuation.

          !!!!

          And I spit on the milk of the radiator of my state’s punk-to-a-tion laws…! Aussies ought to get all that…

          BannedbytheGuardian in reply to s_dog. | June 1, 2012 at 8:13 pm

          Not so S_Dawg. An Australian lawyer of Rag’s advanced age would have been educated in a strict grammatical curriculum right through to Bar Exams.

          Rags is no Geoffrey Robertson .

          Texas also has some impressive attorney types – from his outbursts Rags is not among them.

          Ragspierre in reply to s_dog. | June 1, 2012 at 8:57 pm

          Ah, thing is, I’m a baby lawyer, despite my years. You forget, I’ve been to the fair and seen the elephant…LONG before I went to law school.

          Unlike my younger section-mates, I was under no delusions that I knew every-damn-thing. But I do know what I know…

          BannedbytheGuardian in reply to s_dog. | June 2, 2012 at 1:06 am

          Rags – cheer up . Texas might get another chain saw massacre & you will be in your element.

          But this case is for Florida Bar peeps. Everyone else is just an observer.

      JackRussellTerrierist in reply to BannedbytheGuardian. | June 3, 2012 at 6:04 am

      I must chastise you for understatement. 😉 “Unhinged” doesn’t begin to cover it. “Delusional” and “hysterical” are closer to the mark.

    JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Ragspierre. | June 2, 2012 at 5:03 am

    Given your unwarranted faith in the legal system, it’s unlikely that an innocent person would retain you, so you don’t need to fantasize about what you would do if you were GZ’s attorney.

Escaped from RI | June 1, 2012 at 6:43 pm

I’m not normally a conspiracy theorist, but wouldn’t it be convenient for all parties concerned (except of course Zimmerman) if he were to accidentally run into a shiv in the yard or something, before his trial? That would save the Martin family from hearing about Saint Trayvon’s fight club, drug use, drug selling, explanations for why it took him an hour to walk half a mile etc.

Juba Doobai! | June 1, 2012 at 7:15 pm

When Zimmerman is killed in jail and the New Black Panthers pay their bounty, will Obama’s and Holder’s DOJ file charges against the NBP?

Zimmerman is being jailed for what the court knew about and refused to examine closely. This is lawfare by the State. They will likely be unable to convict, but to set him up to be killed?

BannedbytheGuardian | June 1, 2012 at 7:41 pm

I think Zimms favourables have risen dramatically in Miami & he should be quite safe inside.

Fellow in mates are thinking – Thank the f**k its not that Zombie.

playing devils advocate here but were they maybe thinking those funds weere NOT supposed to be used for (or calculated in) the bail process?

    Thinking along the same lines, here. Is there any way possible under FL law donated Defense Fund funds are not fungible? Or is it reasonable to believe that’s the case? Even if wrong?

        creeper in reply to Ragspierre. | June 2, 2012 at 12:47 am

        How handy. They left out this exchange between Judge Lester and Mrs. Zimmerman, from the April 20 hearing:

        Q. Okay. Were you aware of the website that Mr. Zimmerman or somebody on his behalf created?

        A. I’m aware of that website.

        Q. And how much money is in that website right now? How much money as a result of that website was–

        A. Currently I do not know.

        Q. Who would know that?

        A. That would be my brother-in-law.

        Q. And is he…I know he’s not in the same room as you, but is he available so we can speak to him, too, or the Court can inquire through the State or the Defense?

        A. I’m sure that we could probably get him on the phone.

        Q. Okay. So he’s not there now?

        A. No, he is not, sir.

        The transcript I have of that hearing seems truncated at the end but there seems to have been no effort on the part of the judge or the persecution to ascertain either a./ the amount of money in the fund or b./ who controlled it.

        For a guy whose responses are usually quite measured you seem surprisingly willing…even eager…to accept all the allegations in this motion to revoke bond, Rags. Whatever happened to hearing both sides?

        http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/news/documents/2012/06/01/BondHearingTranscript.pdf

        JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Ragspierre. | June 2, 2012 at 5:09 am

        This came from the same group of people who prepared the case thus far and wrote the affidavit in support of the arrest warrant.

        They have no credibility. They distort and leave out salient, exculpatory information.

        But if you want to hang your hat on their every word, more power to you.

Robert_Frank | June 1, 2012 at 9:25 pm

PLEASE SIGN AND SHARE THIS PETITION TO HAVE CASEY ANTHONY TRIED IN FEDERAL COURT. CREATED 4/14/12.

Double jeopardy is subject to the dual sovereignty doctrine. It states that a person can be tried for the same crime twice if he or she is being tried by more than one distinct, sovereign government. This means that a person could be tried by the federal government and by a state government for the same crime. Both entities are distinctly sovereign units that have their own sets of laws and their power derived from different sets of people.

The petition addresses the DOJ policy that guides them in deciding whether or not to bring federal charges against someone after a person has already been tried by a state.

http://www.change.org/petitions/lanny-a-breuer-assistant-attorney-general-criminal-division-try-casey-anthony-in-federal-court-for-the-murder-of-her-daughter

Or go to change.org and search for BREUER

Midwest Rhino | June 1, 2012 at 9:54 pm

Well you experts know things, but I distinctly remember the lawyer stating how much money Zimmerman had, but also noting he did not know how much was in that fund being collected online.

So it was known that money was being collected, the only question was how much was there. Why did the judge or lawyers NOT pursue that issue at the time? Did the judge say … well, if there are ample funds in that trust, this will change? The judge was made aware of a fund with an unknown quantity of funds … he failed to stipulate any conditions … but now Zimmerman must go to jail?

And GZ’s lawyer failed to qualify, that if excess funds were in the fund, what would be the bail requirements … negligence?

    Estragon in reply to Midwest Rhino. | June 2, 2012 at 12:12 am

    The reported conversations definitely indicate they were talking about transferring the money and using a simple code to avoid being overheard. That indicates they knew they were doing something at least shady.

      JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Estragon. | June 2, 2012 at 5:21 am

      Given the arrest warrant affidavit, it follows that GZ and his family know the prosecutor and her gang are not on the up and up. With that in mind, most people would fear what unfair and malevolent tactic the state would employ next. That alone would drive them to try to preserve what few advantages they have through secretiveness. This defendant has no real money and few assets. They are being hunted and hounded by blacks while the government stands idly by and lets them get away with terrifying this man and his family. Their very lives are in serious jeopardy, yet GZ has cooperated (to his detriment) with them every step of the way. Once you wise up to the fact that they’re out to get you and couldn’t care less about truth and justice, there’s no going back.

      Would YOU trust these treacherous cowards with knowing details about your financial options when you need that money for your legal defense and safety?

        Trust the prosecutor? Of course not!

        But I wouldn’t be giving instructions on transferring funds out of the “legal defense fund” account using code language, or talking about hiding my extra passport in a safe deposit box, either.

        He was supposed to surrender his passport, but gave up the old one only, which expired in May, and kept the duplicate which is good through 2014. I think his actions on that night were justified, but this just sounds like a guy keeping open the option of fleeing the country.

          Ragspierre in reply to Estragon. | June 2, 2012 at 9:45 am

          Yeeeup.

          JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Estragon. | June 2, 2012 at 2:58 pm

          Was it clumsy? Yes. Zimmerman is not a sophisticated deceiver (unlike the prosecutor, I might add). My point is that, cooperating in full faith after having legally defended his own life while simply trying to protect his neighborhood, his home and hearth/turf, so to speak, from being victimized by marauding thugs yet again, got him nowhere and nothing except a jail cell and serious death threats and public distortions about his background and character. He is in tremendous jeopardy, legally and physically. In the space of one month, the state has taken his freedom, his assets, his safety and that of his family. He’s a simple man with an unsophisticated background and knowledge base. He is no match for those he is up against. They used his good will and cooperative spirit against him to throw him in jail for their own political well-being. At some point he wises up and stops cooperating. This event is the manifestation of that. I hope we see many more, only better played.

          He should have used that passport to seek political asylum in another country.

Midwest Rhino | June 1, 2012 at 10:08 pm

My personal experience tells me not to trust those most trusted in our system. The honest are buried and the conspiring criminals are colluded with for extra profit. It’s the Chicago way evangelical crime syndicates, taking over … the tsunami wave that has overwhelmed the unsuspecting.

I don’t know George, but I don’t blame him for thinking he needed a way out of the lynch mob mentality.

SmokeVanThorn | June 2, 2012 at 12:21 am

If the judge applied the same standards to the prosecution, bail would have been unnecessary. But that’s not what happened, and not what will happen. Apologists for the system that manufactured the pending charges will continue to criticize Zimmerman for his alleged lack of candor while ignoring the greater injustice being perpetrated.

    JackRussellTerrierist in reply to SmokeVanThorn. | June 2, 2012 at 3:09 pm

    That’s exactly correct. I will add that they will continue their failure to understand that the state’s treatment of GZ has led to his obvious epiphany about the malfeasant and perverted methods the state used in maneuvering him into his present position of extreme legal and physical jeopardy.

      SmokeVanThorn in reply to JackRussellTerrierist. | June 3, 2012 at 4:00 pm

      Your comments are there for anyone to see.

      For example, you reacted to a reasonable comment from JackRussellTerrierist regarding your lack of knowledge about Zimmerman’s state of mind by labelling him a “loon.” You doubled down by comparing him to a Mumia supporting loon – essentially equating a convicted cop killer with Zimmerman.

      An apology or an admission of disingenuousness is certainly in order – but not from me.

I would use the phrase “lying weasels” to describe their conduct in hiding this money from their lawyer and the court, but “scheming, lying weasels” seems more apt. And I could add “stupid”, too.
—Tom McGuire

But that was greatly complicated by the second passport.

And, don’t confuse the judge’s being cool with HAVING a second passport with him being OK Zimmerman deliberately concealed he had it KNOWING that was pivotal.

    JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Ragspierre. | June 2, 2012 at 3:05 pm

    You have no idea what he knew or thought.

      Yah. I do. Cuz’ I can read, and I’m not a conspiracy loon who hates her country, so my cognitive skills work pretty much without impediment.

      He sat in court and heard what everybody said. And he sucked his teeth when he heard his family lying for him, along with his attorney.

        SmokeVanThorn in reply to Ragspierre. | June 2, 2012 at 7:06 pm

        Right on cue.

        JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Ragspierre. | June 3, 2012 at 5:53 am

        You are correct that you are not a conspiracy loon. You lack the flair required for it.

        You’re a common, ordinary, run-of-the-mill loon, unimaginative, and striving for mediocrity while kissing government butt and failing to conjure even one original thought during the entirety of your small-minded life.

        I don’t hate my country – I just hate the jackass commie functionaries running it..er..ruining it.

          You’re just the flip side of the Mumia Abu-Jamal loons.

          Same belief in some grand political conspiracy, doing someone wrong.

          Same lack of faith in our people and our legal system.

          Where should your Poor Stupid George(tm) go for political asylum? Cuba?

          SmokeVanThorn in reply to JackRussellTerrierist. | June 3, 2012 at 9:29 am

          You elicited a statement that anyone who doesn’t share your opponent’s faith in the very system that is railroading Zimmerman is the “flip sdie of the Mumia Abu-Jamal loons.” If I were you, JRT, I’d rest my case.

          Nice straw-man, Smoke. Is that how you got that name?

          SmokeVanThorn in reply to JackRussellTerrierist. | June 3, 2012 at 2:12 pm

          The record speaks for itself.

          So, the record says that I stated that anyone who is not unitary with my views is the flip side of the Mumia loons?

          That is your straw-man, Smoke. I kinda think there are some notches on the gear between my position and the loony-tunes pom-pom girl for Zimmerman violating his word and the law.

          So, I’ll challenge you to put up “the record”, apologize, or be exposed as a liar.

          JackRussellTerrierist in reply to JackRussellTerrierist. | June 3, 2012 at 3:57 pm

          Rags, get over it. You lose. Nobody is going to waste their time proving their point AGAIN by re-posting your idiotic ramblings. Wahwahwah – quit whining. Real Texans don’t whine…..and they don’t worship government.

          And there’s nothing to apologize to you for because the truth never needs an apology, so re-double your efforts to least appear rational by stretching your few reliable brain cells to get over your puny little self and move on, jackass.

          SmokeVanThorn in reply to JackRussellTerrierist. | June 3, 2012 at 4:05 pm

          This was posted above but was meant to respond to your 2:23 pm comment, which is itself damning:

          Your comments are there for anyone to see.

          For example, you reacted to a reasonable comment from JackRussellTerrierist regarding your lack of knowledge about Zimmerman’s state of mind by labelling him a “loon.” You doubled down by comparing him to a Mumia supporting loon – essentially equating a convicted cop killer with Zimmerman.

          An apology or an admission of disingenuousness is certainly in order – but not from me.

          I know what Zimmerman DID, and what he SAID, because I can read.

          I was not willing to rationalize that conduct away like JRT, who bent herself double in apologia. (See her Poor Stupid George[tm] post above.)

          I equated her loony conspiracy theories and hatred of this nation with the Mumia people, not Mumia and Zimmerman.

          You are a liar.

          As the record shows.

          SmokeVanThorn in reply to JackRussellTerrierist. | June 3, 2012 at 10:38 pm

          I rest my case.

        JackRussellTerrierist in reply to Ragspierre. | June 4, 2012 at 6:02 pm

        Hey, Ragsy, here’s what GZ knew and thought, just as I said the other day, and this was published just today: http://gzlegalcase.com/index.php/press-releases/24-details-regarding-the-request-for-a-second-bond-hearing-for-george-zimmerman

        Put that in your piddle pipe and puff on it.

          “While Mr. Zimmerman acknowledges that he allowed his financial situation to be misstated in court, the defense will emphasize that in all other regards, Mr. Zimmerman has been forthright and cooperative.”

          Except for that, Mrs. Lincoln, did you enjoy the play?

          “The audio recordings of Mr. Zimmerman’s phone conversations while in jail make it clear that Mr. Zimmerman knew a significant sum had been raised by his original fundraising website.”

          You are delusional, lady.

          It was just as I said.

[…] » Zimmerman bail revoked – Le·gal In·sur·rec·tion Just breaking, via USA Today: A judge has revoked the bond of the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin and ordered him returned to jail within 48 hours. […]

As many know I am a big believer in “who watches the watchers”. As a former career detective, I knew there were tons of people over me watching my actions from IA, to judges, to FDLE. I was fine with it. What bothered me was that judges and lawyers have no real accountability. That makes them dangerous to your due process, as we see here.

Zimmerman is a political arrest. The Special SA received political cover, and she is not the one to have it as her personality and actions have shown. I think she is a little power mad. Having known SA for my career in Florida, I know there are more than a few here that fall into that category.

Now the judge wants his fifteen minutes of fame by showing all he won’t be fooled with either. Sadly, his complaint happens all the time and nothing, NOTHING is ever done about it. Bond isn’t about setting it one dollar more than someone can raise. This isn’t a game. We are guaranteed bond unless a serious threat.

But George is George and he is a pinata. He did nothing wrong, was set up by a pissed off detective in the Sanford PD working with some very serious race baiters. Now the situation is scary to weak willed people like Rick Scott, who is apparently willing to trade honor and ethics and justice for the hope of keeping a race riot from happening here. Zimmerman was arrested because a Governor blinked.

It is the first political arrest I’ve seen down here, but probably not the last. Once the powerful taste this kind of absolute power, they’ll be driven to taste it again.

That is because there is nothing above them to watch them or stop them.

Shame on the judge, the SAO, and the governor. Will he arrest ten white people next time if someone threatens a riot? Or will he arrest ten black people if whites threaten to riot.

This is why most sane governments have a policy not to negotiate with terrorists. There is no going back once down the road, even if the terrorist is named Al.

Florida has a law prohibiting the recording of a audio conversation with out permission of all parties in the conversation.Since Mr.Zimmerman.s rights have not been taken from him just because he was arrested and also since he is a very important member of the defense team.His speaking to a potential witness, his wife I know, how is it legal.I did not follow the bail hearing but was Mr.Zimmerman asked about how much readily available funds he had and since the question was asked to his wife she herself had nothing to do with the defense fund.

If he is jail, he has no expectation of privacy. They record all conversations, which makes you wonder what kind of “code” the SAO thought they discovered.

I know they do ease drop on jailhouse conversations except when the conversation is between lawyer and accused.What I do not understand is since the accused is part of the lawyer’s defense team and he can, before trial, become his own lawyer by petitioning the judge.There has been many a defendant who has fired their lawyers and defended themselves.By questioning Mr. Zimmerman’s honesty and making this public, the very least should happen is the judge recuse himself from the case.His action shows a severe lack of impartiality, if in his opinion, the whole case hinges on what Mr.Zimmerman’s ethics are and not what the evidence proves beyond a reasonable doubt.