Image 01 Image 03

Defense Attorney Mark O’Mara Opens Up About Influence of Race & Politics in Zimmerman Case

Defense Attorney Mark O’Mara Opens Up About Influence of Race & Politics in Zimmerman Case

O’Mara on the issue of civil rights: “Get your crosshairs off George Zimmerman and I will join you.”

In an exclusive interview with CNN’s Martin Savidge, Mark O’Mara – defense attorney for George Zimmerman – opens up and answers some difficult questions, now that the case has gone to the jury.  Below are some of the highlights.

[Savidge’s questions noted in bold]

How much of this was politics?

“It’s guesswork on my behalf but if I enter into this formula an element, an ingredient, of politics, a lot more makes sense. A lot more about the way this was handled early on, the way it was turned into a racial event when seemingly and now positively it wasn’t. When a special prosecutor is brought in when there doesn’t seem to be any reason why [Florida State Attorney] Norm Wolfinger as a sitting prosecutor, perfect opportunity to handle this case, matter of fact I’ve deposed three of his assistants who were busting their butts on this case, so they were ready to go forward and we had a grand jury set. So when a special prosecutor comes in then waives a grand jury and then files charges that most good legal analysts, including Alan Dershowitz, say that’s an abomination, you have to wonder if there’s not some outside influence in pressuring decisions.”

O’Mara then responds to questions on the issue of race surrounding the Zimmerman case.

Much has been made about race in this case. Where do you see this in this case?

“I see race being injected into this case in the first week that it existed and I see that it’s never left this case, even though time and time and time again, race has been proven not to have been an element in George’s consideration that night.  I see attorneys who say, four weeks ago, that this is the most significant civil rights trial of the century and then I see a partner who’s, a week ago, saying race has nothing to do with this case. So, I only wish that they would have said race has nothing to do with this case in, let’s say, March 15th or March 16th, which was the day that they heard the tape.  Anytime before they allowed the pressures and animosities to foment to the point where there was at least concerns over civil unrest, disobedience, riots, whatever you want to call it.”

This case to many is a cause, it’s not just a case.  These would be people who are very much in support of Trayvon Martin, who believe that there was great wrong here, and in essence, that this is a civil rights case. And I mean that in the full sense of advancing civil rights. You are perceived as a man standing in the way of this civil rights case.  How do you handle that?

“Right. Very simply.  I will walk over to that side, put my arm around those people and walk with them on civil rights issues.  I’ve represented young black males for thirty years, I know better than most people, better than most of the people who are complaining, how young black males are treated in the criminal justice system and we need to fix it.  We need to address those problems, it’s not just in the system, it’s in the schools, it’s in the churches, it’s in the families , it’s in the homes, we need to address it.”

“Get your crosshairs off George Zimmerman and I will join you. Keep your crosshairs on George Zimmerman then don’t tell me that I’m getting in the way, because you are.  Because you’re the one sitting back telling me that this is a civil rights case when George had nothing to do with civil rights. This was an unfortunate event between two people.  I want to walk down that path, I want to have a conversation, I’ve been asking for that conversation for over a year, let’s talk about it.  This is a great opportunity for that conversation.  Even if we didn’t do it right, even if George Zimmerman was not the poster child for racial improprieties towards young black males, now that the conversation is raised to the forefront, let’s have it.  But don’t let that conversation override Mr. Zimmerman’s rights to a fair trial.  He’s just not the racist you thought he was, and my fear is that now that they’ve connected that conversation to his conviction, that his acquittal is going to be seen as a negative for civil rights. Absolutely untrue.”

Martin Savidge asks O’Mara about the influence of Martin family attorney Ben Crump on the case; O’Mara also discusses how he believes Zimmerman was falsely portrayed as “a racist” and “a murderer” by a publicity campaign to smear his client.

Do you think that George Zimmerman would have even been charged had Ben Crump not been pulled into this?

“No. Ben Crump or someone like him.  Because had Ben Crump not gotten involved in the case, maybe for some good reasons to begin with, if he believed that there was something here that was being swept under the rug, then get on into it, I’m very OK with that.”

But you didn’t quite say it that way, you made it sound like it was Ben Crump, George Zimmerman would be free at this time and he would not be on trial.

“That’s correct.  I think it was a made up story for purposes that had nothing to do with George Zimmerman and that they victimized him, they complain about Trayvon Martin being victimized, George Zimmerman was victimized by a publicity campaign to smear him, to call him a racist when he wasn’t, and to call him a murderer when he wasn’t.”

So Angela Corey and the governor and all those that had a hand in bringing about this prosecution, they were all manipulated by Ben Crump?

“Oh I don’t know that it was Ben Crump doing all that manipulation but I’m very surprised that the prosecution team decided not to take this case to a grand jury when one was sitting, empaneled and ready to take on the case in the state of Florida vs George Zimmerman and determine whether or not there was enough evidence and enough information to charge him with any crime.  Rather than do that, which was the default position that could have happened, they decided to have a press conference, pray with the victim’s family and then announce second degree murder charges.”

Savidge addresses with O’Mara what life will be like for Zimmerman if he’s acquitted.

Do you think that George Zimmerman, your client, if he’s acquitted, what kind of life will he have?

“Not a good one.  I think he has to live mostly in hiding, he’s got to be able to protect himself from that periphery that still believe he’s some racist murderer or acted in a bad way, and that you don’t know who they are, you don’t know if they’re down the street or you don’t know if they’re across the country.  I think that he’s probably concerned about living still in central Florida and never having a normal life.

His life will never be the same?

“Never, ever, ever be the same.”

Never, like, be able to go to work or have a regular job?

“I don’t know how he gets a job where he’s out in public without having the fear of somebody finding out where he works.”

And you think some will continue to want to hunt him, even if a jury says ‘you are not guilty.’

“Well we know there are crazies out there, I mean I know there are people who don’t listen to common sense and who act irrationally.  I can show you a couple dozen emails from people who are vicious in their hatred for George Zimmerman, and for me.  It’s absurd.  But they’re there.  So I don’t know which is the one who’s going to walk down the street the same time George does.  They know what he looks like, he doesn’t know what they look like.”

O’Mara had some criticisms of prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda’s discovery perspective.  But as an attorney who has “known Judge Debra Nelson for years,” he has a great deal of respect for her.  “She doesn’t hate me or the defense,” he said.

DONATE

Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.

Comments

Great Interview. Thanks for outlining it Mandy. Moo!

Lo and behold A CRAZY..

Adam Weinstein / Gawker:
This, Courtesy of MSNBC, Is Trayvon Martin’s Dead Body. Get Angry. — A reader of mine sent me this photo last night. As the murder trial of George Zimmerman wheezes to its conclusion, the TV networks dutifully pipe in live pool video from the courtroom, as if it is force-fed …

http://gawker.com/this-courtesy-of-msnbc-is-trayvon-martins-dead-body-753370712

theduchessofkitty | July 12, 2013 at 7:03 pm

“Do you think that George Zimmerman, your client, if he’s acquitted, what kind of life will he have?”

What “kind of life”? He won’t have a life!

That alone should be enough reason for this attorney to arrange for a safe passage out of the country in the event of an acquittal, for GZ and his family.

Heck, maybe he can ask such foreign country for asylum. He has a darned good reason: “If I go back there, they’ll kill me!”

(It’s very sad to see that the United States of America could well become a country to run away from…)

    Ragspierre in reply to theduchessofkitty. | July 12, 2013 at 7:14 pm

    C’mon, DK. He could live a perfect peace in Texas.

    He could work in the oil field as a mud-logger or directional drilling tech, and live in any number of towns where nobody would EVER mess with him or his family.

    I’ve said it slightly tongue-in-cheek, but he could live all over Alaska, but sure right next door to the Palins.

    He’d do great in New Mexico or Colorado, Utah, Idaho, etc.

      caseyanderson2112 in reply to Ragspierre. | July 12, 2013 at 7:19 pm

      Unfortunately MR Zimmerman couldn’t live safely in most of Colorado. My home state has been infested with refugee Californians who have carried their toxic ideology and voting patterns with them ad they fled.

      George, if you’re reading this, stay OUT of Colorado.

        Ragspierre in reply to caseyanderson2112. | July 12, 2013 at 7:21 pm

        Not in a city. There is STILL a WHOLE lot of open space in Colorado.

        Uncle Samuel in reply to caseyanderson2112. | July 12, 2013 at 7:22 pm

        Magpul, the firearms mfg., has pulled out of Colorado.

        Where did they move?

        Arizona and Sheriff Joe would welcome the Zimmermans.

          I get letters from Sheriff Joe frequently. He complains that the Drug Cartels are after him. But he is a big supporter of the cartels. Oh. He pretends to be against them. But without him they couldn’t stay in business.

          How did we put the gangster alcohol cartels out of business? It worked once. It can work again.

      Elliott in reply to Ragspierre. | July 12, 2013 at 7:25 pm

      I don’t think there is anywhere in the US where there are not crazies who have bought the Crump narrative. Would they kill him everywhere. Probably not but they would make his life a living hell. Loss of reputation is one of the most terrible things that can happen to someone. You cannot make a living, your family is not safe, and there is not a damn thing you can do about it. In some ways he is lucky that his mother was born in Peru, is bilingual and going there is possible for him and them. All he can do is try to be compensated for having his life ripped away from him. A new identity might be possible but it would be expensive.

      TrooperJohnSmith in reply to Ragspierre. | July 12, 2013 at 7:53 pm

      I agree. In west Texas, the oil-fields are booming, and he wouldn’t be the first guy to go out there and start over. It’s still a culture where your character, your work ethic and your word matter. I’m sure that goes for any other oil-boom town or state.

      kittycat in reply to Ragspierre. | July 12, 2013 at 8:43 pm

      Ragspierre,

      Amen. My state, TX, born and raised here, would be a great place for you, George. Too bad that he can’t read all the support that he has here.

      He shouldn’t go to the huge cities like Dallas and Houston, Austin, but there’s plenty of places that would love you to join in their city.

      Someone mentioned West Texas, well, that might be good.

        healthguyfsu in reply to kittycat. | July 12, 2013 at 9:23 pm

        It only takes one nut that doesn’t even live in the places you are ascribing to track him down and exact their misguided revenge.

        This one nut is also completely nameless and faceless as of now while Zimmerman is the poster boy of racism for the hustlers and baiters.

      Henry Hawkins in reply to Ragspierre. | July 12, 2013 at 11:04 pm

      Sheeeit, come to NC, George, and we’ll run you for US Senate against Kay Hagan.

      I agree GZ can find a place to live, but I have to think he’ll be looking over his shoulder a long time.

“She doesn’t hate me or the defense,”

Very politically astute. I don’t think he really believes that she didn’t have animus towards Zimmerman, but what else could he say while she still controls the trial?

Uncle Samuel | July 12, 2013 at 7:04 pm

Here began the CRIME of Holder, Obama, Bondi, Crump, Corey, et al:
“Oh I don’t know that it was Ben Crump doing all that manipulation but I’m very surprised that the prosecution team decided not to take this case to a grand jury when one was sitting, empaneled and ready to take on the case the state of Florida vs George Zimmerman and determine whether or not there was enough evidence and enough information to charge him with any crime.

Rather than do that, which was the default position that could have happened, they decided to have a press conference, pray with the victim’s family and then announce second degree murder charges.” (emphasis mine)

    Uncle Samuel in reply to Uncle Samuel. | July 13, 2013 at 5:47 am

    The reason for this: Sybrina Fulton’s brother is a big ‘Community Relations’ boss in Miami. He got the race industry creeps involved.

MOM must have incredible endurance. . . .after a trial like that I would take at least a few days off before going to take a grilling on TV shows. . . . .

Everyone is saying this case is about race, but I don’t buy it.

This case is only mildly about race, and really only because of the race-baiters. The only truly racial slurs documented in this trial were from TM and his lovely girlfriend.

This case is all about the right to defend yourself with deadly force (a gun).

GZ is as “not-guilty” as it gets. He’s a poster-child for proper self-defense behavior.
He did pretty-much everything right. He phoned 911 in advance. He took a beating for 40 seconds before pulling the trigger. He called the cops on himself. He complied in every way. He didn’t lawyer up (ill advised, by the way). His story has really never changed, and it has stood up to scrutiny.

He showed amazing restraint, really. Would you take 40 seconds of beat-down from somebody who just said they were gonna kill you before pulling the trigger?

So … if somebody as squeaky clean as Z is convicted it will send a strong message to anyone who would defend themselves against thugs with a gun. That message is: You should not defend yourself. You must simply take your beat-down and hope you’re not killed. BECAUSE – if you defend yourself your life will be over and you’ll be some prison thug’s bee-och for 20 years.

This is why the 1,000 brudda-on-brudda killings in Chicago are not getting the time of day in the liberal press. The current administration can’t stop illegal gun violence, and they don’t have time to care if some pimp kills some crack dealer.

However, they want to put the fear of God into you, the conservative right, about defending yourself with a gun.

This is all part of the Dem/Obama anti-gun transformation of America.

    Uncle Samuel in reply to Twanger. | July 12, 2013 at 7:37 pm

    I’ve read that O’Mara has already filed some motions/complaints about the trial and prosecution’s shenanigans.

    If there is an appeal, or a retrial, the velvet gloves will come off and the truth about Trayvon will come out – in court. O’Mara will stay classy, but will not give as much latitude or deference.

    He has, by being always polite and unruffled, and not exposed the actions of the opponents, given them a chance to do the right thing. The powers on the side of the Martins could use their influence and Trayvon’s name to stop kids from falling into the gangsta lifestyle that killed Trayvon. Depends on whether they want real justice and truth or just blood and vengeance, fame and money.

    There is always a great potential for good, even from tragedy, if people’s hearts are right, if they are repentant, willing to love even their enemies and forgive…as Jesus taught and requires.

    It will be interesting to watch these people in the future. I pray the very best for all. May good things arise from the ashes and with God’s help, that can happen.

    wyntre in reply to Twanger. | July 12, 2013 at 7:41 pm

    I was thinking the same thing, today. It’s another opportunity to shred the Second Amendment.

    WMMC in reply to Twanger. | July 12, 2013 at 8:07 pm

    This case is indeed about race and nothing, but race. Do you seriously believe that if a black man shot and killed trayvon under the SAME circumstances, there would have been any outcry from the black community, if the shooter was not arrested? In fact the opposite would most likely be true. The black community would cry that an injustice has occurred if he were to be arrested and tried for murder.

    gxm17 in reply to Twanger. | July 12, 2013 at 8:50 pm

    While I like your comment, I disagree that this case is not about race. After listening to RJ’s testimony, I now believe this case is very much about race. It seems likely that TM had made it “home” but then decided to double back and give the “creepy cr****r” a beat down. A beat down the white Traybots (which appears to be the majority race among Traybots) feel was completely justified. The Zimmerman witch trial appears to work as some strange act of vicarious self-flagellation for these folks. Talk about dysfunctional. I’ve never seen the level of willful ignorance these people stoop to in an effort to cling to their false narrative of hate. To put it bluntly, these folks are batshit crazy and they are so steeped in their own racism that it’s all that they can see.

    Michiguy in reply to Twanger. | July 13, 2013 at 1:15 am

    This travesty probably started out about race, but has had an anti-gun agenda grafted onto it. I do agree wholeheartedly with Twanger about the chilling implications of a guilty verdict, however. In addition to the obvious very bad implications for GZ of course.

    The Crumps, Sharptons et alia and their opportunistic allies-of-the-moment, such as Ms Corey, are what they are, no need to say more. But unfounded white guilt seems to travel hand-in-hand with hoplophobia. It’s sort of like when a patient shows up with gonnorrhea you must also automatically treat for chlamyidia. The difference that one group are people who should be deeply ashamed of themselves and their irresponsible actions, and the other group are just people with an STD.

    guycocoa in reply to Twanger. | July 13, 2013 at 1:17 am

    I’ve stated it before on this forum and I’ll state it again: GZ’s biggest mistake was opening his mouth. As MOM stated in his closing, if he had been called on the night of the shooting the first thing he would have told his client would have been to “hush up.” Just about the only evidence the state had were GZ’s own words. If he had kept his mouth shut the state would have had nothing. Opening his mouth, not his actions, may cost him the rest of his life in prison.

27 pages of jury instructions for this jury here:

http://www.flcourts18.org/PDF/Press_Releases/Zimmerman_Final_Jury_Instructions.pdf

(Sorry, don’t know how to do tinyurl)

jayjerome66 | July 12, 2013 at 7:23 pm

I heard him live earlier. And it’s sad that the racist narrative was continuing outside the Seminole County criminal courthouse, as he was speaking. Black’s loudly protesting for ‘justice’ while the jury was deliberating inside.

Here’s a video:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/trayvon-martin/os-george-zimmerman-trial-scene-20130712,0,2192412.story

Isn’t this a form of jury tampering? I believe I heard a CNN or HLM commentator earlier today who said she was inside the courthouse and could hear them. Even if the jury is in a sound-proof area, there’s a chance they could see or hear the pro-Trayvon protestors when escorted away for the evening.

O’Mara’s comments that Zimmerman will never have a normal, safe life is disheartening. I hold the MSM to blame for perpetuating their faulty narrative of Zimmerman’s guilt: and they’re still doing it today; I heard a pocket of anti-Zimmerman commentators on MSNBC continuing to repeat the factually discredited story of George getting out of his car AFTER he was told that wasn’t necessary.

I hope George isn’t convicted of anything, but I’m not as confident of it as I’d like to be.

Uncle Samuel | July 12, 2013 at 7:27 pm

O’Mara on the issue of civil rights: “Get your crosshairs off George Zimmerman and I will join you.”

There are true civil rights workers and leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, and then there are corrupt people who use the veil of civil rights to cover for their own greed, ambition and nefarious ideology (mix of Marxism, Fascism, Communism, Black Supremacy, Islamism).

We all know who is who.

This whole affair became political when the decision of the Sanford Police Department’s decision not to pursue the case due to the lack of credible evidence to do otherwise.

In came the race baiters, politicians and other unsavory types who initiated a character assassination of an individual who just did what he had to do and the role of politics and political correctness forcefully vacated the role of common sense.

This is not a proud moment in the history of this nation…

It’s a shame rhe media has just now chosen to show Channa Lloyd, the young African American 3-L who sits at defense table… she said she knows that GZ Is not a racist…. and that he’s also innocent.

    Uncle Samuel in reply to graytonb. | July 13, 2013 at 6:07 am

    Channa Lloyd is a celebrity of sorts and a good role model. It may be important to have her say on a national media interview that George Zimmerman and his team are not racist.

    African Americans have grown up and out of the hood and can see through Jackson/Sharpton/Farrakhan/Crump/Holder/Obama political manure.

‘the ‘

I’m not surprised….. they would never have returned a true bill.
(and I have to apologize for yet another errant thumb that accidentally gave you a downding… please disregard).

I saw that interview. O’Mara is a class act.

This comment was spot on:

“George Zimmerman was victimized by a publicity campaign to smear him, to call him a racist when he wasn’t, and to call him a murderer when he wasn’t.”

And this:

“I’m very surprised that the prosecution team decided not to take this case to a grand jury when one was sitting, empaneled and ready to take on the case in the state of Florida vs George Zimmerman and determine whether or not there was enough evidence and enough information to charge him with any crime. Rather than do that, which was the default position that could have happened, they decided to have a press conference, pray with the victim’s family and then announce second degree murder charges.”

JackRussellTerrierist | July 12, 2013 at 7:41 pm

I understand why, but I think MOM overdid the diplomacy in this interview.

    TrooperJohnSmith in reply to JackRussellTerrierist. | July 12, 2013 at 7:59 pm

    Hey, he still has to work in that county. You can’t exactly scorch earth, no matter how upset you might be. In fact, I’ll wager that he has some bills that need to get paid, and old Georgie ain’t exactly rolling in dough right now.

      kentuckyliz in reply to TrooperJohnSmith. | July 12, 2013 at 9:40 pm

      How/where does one donate to GZ’s defense fund? I know it’s over*. I will contribute regardless of the jury’s decision.

      * I know, if convicted, there is more ahead, with appeals etc. And defending against Holder’s DOJ.

      I think the defense did a great job (although I would have coached them to emphasize certain points that would make it clearer and resonate well with this jury).

      I pray for acquittal…rather than the Festival Of Reversible Errors (FORE).

What a class act! He is a bigger person than me, so gracious under pressure.

Forgive me if I am plowing old ground, but I just listened to the Dee Dee direct again.

She said that on Tuesday at school she hears that Trayvon is dead and she asks (okay she axes) what time did he die because she looks at her phone that says 7:16 and wondered because that was the time “just a fight” the fight broke out.

Okay… how did she know Trayvon was in a fight with the creepy ass cracker and N….r (I missed that TM called GZ a N….r in addition to a C…r)

When did TM tell her he was going to get into a fight with the GZ?

    Bryan24 in reply to Judyt2013. | July 12, 2013 at 8:44 pm

    I felt her testimony was contrived, probably just learned and re-hearsed. She was mis-represented from the moment we knew a “witness” existed.

      Uncle Samuel in reply to Bryan24. | July 13, 2013 at 6:11 am

      Retired Officer Dennis Root said he could not use Jeantel’s testimony in assessing the incident because it did not align/jive with any of the others.

    Browndog in reply to Judyt2013. | July 12, 2013 at 8:49 pm

    Further, how did all that ruckus–a shooting, cops, flashing lights for hours, Trayvon gone for hours, not draw any attention from the Martin residence?

    (Gee, I wonder what’s going on outside?,,Hey, where’s Trayvon?)

    ….to the point Martin’s dad had to file a missing person’s report the next day??

    gxm17 in reply to Judyt2013. | July 12, 2013 at 9:02 pm

    RJ’s testimony was a goldmine, and not for the state. It was her testimony that convinced me beyond doubt of GZ’s complete innocence.

      kentuckyliz in reply to gxm17. | July 12, 2013 at 9:44 pm

      There are details of value to be mined from RJ’s testimony–those unguarded bits that don’t serve to make TM look good or innocent. Narrative breakers. Statements against interest. Those are the ONLY believable parts. And they are damning of TM.

        gxm17 in reply to kentuckyliz. | July 12, 2013 at 10:08 pm

        Exactly. The truth among the lies. They actually stood out in stark comparison, if one was listening with an open mind.

caseyanderson2112 | July 12, 2013 at 7:53 pm

I was so jazzed by your closing argument Mr O’Mara, and you ruined it with this absurd interview.

As long as the Traythugs get rid of the crosshatches you’ll join them? Knowing that they are advocating utter lawlessness? Knowing that they would rejoice to see George Zimmerman, a man you claimed this morning to be “absolutely innocent,” dead in the streets? To quote you, “really?”

There’s a very simple solution to the problem of black male incarceration: black males STOP COMMITTING CRIMES at rates triple their proportion of the population.

You said this morning that you’d never before told a jury that your client is “absolutely innocent.” Yet to read this interview one would think you represent innocent black males all day every day. If so, why aren’t you claiming them “absolutely innocent” during their trials? Or do you know they’re guilty yet somehow transfer a portion of that guilt to people who have precisely nothing to do with those individuals and their crimes?

The leaders of this attempted lynching are as corrupt as the corpses lying in the graveyard, you acknowledged this as fact. Yet you’ll gladly join them if only they tone down their rhetoric toward George Zimmerman?

What a complete and total disappointment as a man you’ve turned out to be. You are masterful in court but otherwise your ideology and rhetoric are a sliver of a degree removed from Angela Cory.

    jayjerome66 in reply to caseyanderson2112. | July 12, 2013 at 8:09 pm

    You need to take a chill-pill.
    You’re way overreacting.
    Your assessments may have validity, but in the interview O’Mara did in fact mention that black families needed to do more to raise their kids better. He’s a class act. It’s not his style to rant and holler and bad mouth anyone. That’s more Bernie’s schtick.

      caseyanderson2112 in reply to jayjerome66. | July 13, 2013 at 9:14 am

      I never expected Mr O’Mara to rant and rave. If he had, I’d have lost what little respect I still have for him. What I expected was continuity. During the closing argument I believed that Mr O’Mara believed what he was saying. Turns out he didn’t, or at least not completely.

      For example, the interviewer’s question about “civil rights.” Did Mr O’Mara even have to go there? Based upon his closing argument I anticipated an answer along the lines of, “every person living in America has civil rights and George’s civil rights have been violated from the outset of this event by a corrupt state government, incompetent or corrupt prosecutors, corrupt media and corrupt lawyers looking to make a buck by lying to the world about my client and this case. This corruption threatens every single person living in the United States whatever their race.”

      But no, Mr O’Mara takes the corrupt lawyers’ and corrupt state’s position on the question, wiggling out of the obvious contradiction by saying, “oh but don’t bring my client into this. In this case it doesn’t apply.”

      One could be forgiven for reading this interview and concluding that Mr O’Mara is more concerned about his inclusion in the right cocktail parties than in the law and justice and Constitutional rights of all Americans.

      I agree that he’s masterful in court. I was glued to all three plus hours of his closing argument. He was compelling, no question, and when he used the words “absolutely innocent” over and over I was cheering after I picked my jaw off the floor.

      But after listening to him quote John Adams, etc. I thought he believed what he was saying, as opposed to using whatever he thought effective on the jury. Perhaps it’s naivete on my part but what a complete disappointment.

TrooperJohnSmith | July 12, 2013 at 7:56 pm

After some good plaintiff’s lawyers get finished with CNN, NBC, the State of Flawwww-rida and maybe the U.S. Just Us Department, old Georgie might be able to retire in a guarded compound, living like a combination of Elvis and Salman Rushdie.

Carol Herman | July 12, 2013 at 8:00 pm

Oy. And, the “sisterhood” is not far behind.

How did it come about that women were gulled, perhaps by their emotions, to lean so heavily into the liberal whirl?

I still can’t wrap my mind around that while John Guy was giving his rebuttal to O’Mara’s close, that one of the jurors was seen wiping a tear from her eye. Waz-up-wit-dat?

Sure, the gals can acquit on Murder2. But then as they go down the list they “see” through half-nelson’s eyes. And, a compromise looks good to them? Maybe, they’ll hang?

The real villian: Rick Scott. For appointing Corey. But I gotta ask, how did the republicans fall into bed with the democraps? What’s happened to our country?

You know there’s a reason Betsy Ross never said: We’d better hang together, or we’ll all get hung separately.

    Browndog in reply to Carol Herman. | July 12, 2013 at 8:36 pm

    You’re smart enough to understand that men have been wussified.

    From bubbling idiots on commercials/sit coms to Ritalin laden boys, kicked out of Kindergarten for acting like boys.

    Women are to replace them. Equal. The same. Hell, superior.

    That is, until the sun rises the next day, and women are fragile, weak, victims. Exposing the lie that is the religion of Progressivism.

      consnyer in reply to Browndog. | July 12, 2013 at 10:41 pm

      Full disclosure: I AM A WOMAN!
      I absolutely despise radical feminism & all it stands for ..years ago being a wife & mother were respected lifestyle choices. Now they are dirty words…kids came home from school day to a supervised home, a snack & mom willing to help with homework ..then saw mom cook dinner for dad returning from work. Now children are shoved in daycare at 6 weeks. Dad is usually only someone they see everyother wknd because feminazis have convinced women they don’t need a man & family court rape men for child support that never seems to trickle down to children. I see a lot of single mothers who bought their lies & struggle like hell & wind up lonely & bitter…with kids that have no family structure. SAD!!
      FEMINISM IS A F’N LIE!!
      KIDS NEED MOM & DAD EQUALLY! (BLEEDING HEARTS -I AM NOT TALKNG ABOUT ABUSIVE CASES)
      PLEASE TEACH YOUR DAUGHTERS THAT RESPECTING YOUR HUSBAND IS NOT A SIN!
      I am a divorced mother of 2 successful daughters… why? Because I put any bitterness aside, made friends with my ex for MY KIDS! IT was not always easy but my children deserved it. My current husband says he would never had been able to respect me had I bought into the ” screw the ex” club mentality …my husband &my ex are good
      friends now. I am proud that I sacraficed big house & new car every year so I could be home for my kids. They will be a positive assest to society…not a welfare drain on it!
      Trayvon& his gettho thug gangsta friends are a resulsult of parental selfishness& the democrats teaching the handouts victim “gibsmedat”mentality!!

      The GOVERNMENT IS NOT YOUR BABYDADDY!
      STOP HAVING CHILDREN YOU CANT AFFORD! ! BIRTH CONTROL IS FREE!

Men/women like Mark O’Mara are everywhere.

Your neighbor. Your church. Your carpenter. Your dry cleaner. Your fireman. Your grocery clerk.

Meaning, there are men/women from all walks of life that give their current profession/trade respectability, because of who they are, not what they are. They don’t make the news.

Seems whenever we see a Mark O’Mara we feel the need to celebrate, as if they are rare.

Maybe they are, and I hold onto yesteryear.

So long as I keep my towel, thinking Americans are by and large good honest people, I’ll not throw it in.

Not yet.

    Ragspierre in reply to Browndog. | July 12, 2013 at 8:15 pm

    I agree.

    But, when you do see fine people, it is always a good thing to acknowledge them, if for no other reason than to highlight the example for others.

    Also, you have to allow as how this case has presented some very sharp contrasts between several pretty repellent human beings, and some we’d be proud to know.

Hmmmmmmmmmm…
Zimmerman Jury Adjourns For Night
http://www.foxnews.com/

    Anchovy in reply to JP. | July 12, 2013 at 8:34 pm

    Notice: Fridays spontaneous “Justice for Travon” riots have been cancelled. Check back here often for scheduling information on the next spontaneous “Justice for Travon” riot.

tarheelkate | July 12, 2013 at 8:30 pm

Zimmerman needs to change his name to Meza, after his uncle Jorge, and move to Texas. He’d do fine.

O’Mara has been a class act throughout.

    Browndog in reply to Uncle Samuel. | July 12, 2013 at 8:40 pm

    All that energy, emotion, planning….

    ..has to go somewhere, even with a guilty verdict.

    “Oh, nevermind.” is not is the cards, I’m afraid.

This case was about money. Everything else was constructed to further that. Wrongful death money was the goal. All of the rest was a narrative constructed to extract money from the HOA, the city and anyone else that could be tangentially connected. It is an old game. If the assault had been in the middle of the street and Zimmerman was an illegal alien there would have been no money and no case.

Keith Vlasak | July 12, 2013 at 8:55 pm

If they didn’t find him innocent in all of about 1 minute, I’m afraid he won’t be found innocent. If, however, he is acquitted (in this trial or upon appeal), he should sue not only the state of Florida, but also the United States Justice Department, President Obama, and the Judge.

    Harperman in reply to Keith Vlasak. | July 12, 2013 at 9:00 pm

    I think you are wrong. I think he will be acqutted. As others have pointed out, even if every member of the jury thought he was innocent before they even entered the jury room they still have to give at least a show of reviewing the “evidence”. That way the can legitimately point to a lack of it.

      mariner in reply to Harperman. | July 12, 2013 at 9:33 pm

      I wish I could have your confidence.

      I don’t.

      Keith Vlasak in reply to Harperman. | July 13, 2013 at 9:53 am

      I do hope you are right! I wasn’t wishing I was fearing (and still fear) a surprising bad result — like the Supreme Court and Obamacare or the same court saying that the federal government can’t decide on gay marriage for the states … and then letting a lower court ruling overturning California’s gay marriage ban. Or OJ being found innocent. Sitting at home seeing what is obvious isn’t always the same as what those there think and feel. The prosecution seems to have been bad, but their case against Zimmerman could possibly conveyed as their stealing the reasonable doubt defense and maybe convincing the jury that there’s reasonable doubt Zimmerman is innocent, so they must convict. When have you seen Justice done in America (or, rather, when has the MSM allowed the truth to be conveyed to America when it doesn’t fit their politics)?

Y’all are going to like this:

“Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz says the prosecutors in the George Zimmerman murder trial should be charged with “prosecutorial misconduct” for suggesting the defendant planned the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.”

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com

http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/dershowitz-zimmerman-trayvon-martin/2013/07/12/id/514847

As many of the commenters here know, I am an old(er) retired trial lawyer with several hundred contested trials under my belt. I am still alive, and had a pretty good run. I have trained and mentored approximately 100 trial attorneys working with me over a period of over 40 years. I have watched this trial from start to finish courtesy of Bill and Andrew. Here are my impressions:

MOM is a good man and a good attorney. He started out prosecuting, and, from everything I have read, has a wonderful reputation in Central FL as a defense lawyer of many years standing. He displayed great judgment in associating Don West, exhibited superior media, tactical, strategic and trial skills throughout this highly publicized case under the scrutiny of, among others, every talking legal head and analyst on national and international news, not to mention every gas bag lay commentator in the national and international media.

Has he done things I would not have done? Sure. Would I have advised him to do a few things differently? Of course. Trial lawyers, including me, do not park their egos at the door. But he is the guy with responsibility for defending GZ, and his judgment as lead trial counsel is all that counts. He and his team have done an outstanding job IMO.

The worst part of a trial for me was always awaiting the verdict. I always second guessed myself and beat myself up throughout what seemed an interminable period of time. I find myself doing that in this case, vicariously worrying about the jury being rolled by emotion without regard to following the law on self-defense. Looking over the jury make up, I would be catatonic about now if I were in MOM’s shoes. Even though I am many miles away, and have not tried a case in over six years, I have a pain in the pit of my stomach worrying about a compromise verdict. That pain is why I quit defending criminal cases in 1968. Even though I never lost a contested defense, I couldn’t take the constant emotional pain of thinking about an innocent client being convicted on my watch.

Sorry for the long post, but I had to get this off my chest, and this seemed like the best place to do it.

    Baker in reply to Jim. | July 12, 2013 at 9:35 pm

    Jim – From an average citizen with no direct legal experience thank you so much for your perspective. You have reaffirmed my assessment of MOM.

    kittycat in reply to Jim. | July 12, 2013 at 9:49 pm

    Jim,

    Thanks for your story. It’s a help to us who are waiting.

    DollzWize in reply to Jim. | July 12, 2013 at 10:54 pm

    Jim, Thank you so very much for sharing your story. I was deeply impressed with O’Mara and West and have just donated to the GZ legal fund. I can’t even imagine what they are all going through, but your insights and experience is very much appreciated

    Ragspierre in reply to Jim. | July 12, 2013 at 11:12 pm

    Amen, Jim.

    It is mind-boggling to think of this trial with a lesser defender than O’Mara. Zimmerman would simply have been rolled.

    I sweat bullets over civil trial outcomes, some of which involve little kids and their parents. I have to allow that I made a very clear decision NOT to practice criminal law BECAUSE I would not care to have someone’s liberty in my hands.

Mark O’Mara was absolutely superlative this morning. Perfect Pitch for that female jury. I was morbidly amused by the blathering heads after his summation. So many of them were soooooooooo ‘puzzled’ and ‘disappointed’ and ‘confused’ because Mark stayed low key, steady, consistent, well reasoned, logical, non-aggressive and non-dramatic. They b’yotched that he’d been without passion, blah-blah-blah… NONSENSE. His 3-hrs were pluperfect for THIS Jury. It was truly inspiring to watch.

    Bryan24 in reply to NeoConScum. | July 12, 2013 at 9:45 pm

    I’m venturing a guess that the jury completely ignores BDLR’s closing. Women don’t like getting yelled at for 2.5 hours.

    MOM’s tone was perfect as far as I was concerned. He used the evidence presented VERY effectively.

    Guy’s rebuttal was very effective, as far as his demeanor and strategy. Didn’t yell and appealed to emotion.

    Note – The prosecution never used the phrase “the evidence proves”. Not a single time. If you stop and think about that, that is so jarring as to just leave you….. gobsmacked, as I’ve seen mentioned here several times(g).

    The prosecution never used the phrase “the evidence proves” in 3 hours of closing arguments in a murder case. (Slowly just shaking my head in amazement)

    Ragspierre in reply to NeoConScum. | July 12, 2013 at 11:19 pm

    Anyone who asserts that O’Mara was passionless needs to watch that closing again.

    He WAS passionate. He was ANGRY at points. He just kept everything in the limits of great persuasive argument.

    The guy is what I think of as a “gentleman”. I think that will serve his client well, in the end.

      NeoConScum in reply to Ragspierre. | July 13, 2013 at 11:24 am

      Entirely agree, Rags. Mark was, I believe, entirely attentive to this particular jury from the outset. He never patronized them. He gave them respect and always the ‘assumption of intelligence’. Perfect Pitch, I strongly believe.

      The Blathering Heads at HLN this a.m. are beyond cartoon figures. Still b’yotching about Mark’s “lack of passion”!
      They believe this Female Jury is as vapid, ADD, entertainment oriented and silly as themselves. SORRY, Doofuses, I don’t think so. These “analysts” are going into my Daily Memoir entitled:”You CANNOT Possibly Make This S*** Up!!”

[…] interview with Mark O’Mara.  And Mandy Nagy at the indispensable Legal Insurrection has a related article as well.  You’d also be well served by visiting Andrew Branca’s informed comments on the […]

healthguyfsu | July 12, 2013 at 9:38 pm

It’s been said on here that O’Mara should have never let him go on Hannity.

The law expert (forgot his name…older gentleman, balding, white beard, glasses) on the linked feed today mentioned that O’Mara was not even brought on board when Zimmerman’s commitment was made and he was unable to convince Zimmerman not to go on having just been retained as counsel.

Zimmerman is definitely not a “pre-meditative criminal mastermind” if he didn’t know ahead of time that he should for no reason at all ever go on tv to do an interview before trial.

I think the racist angle was just cover for something even more monstrous: this was about chilling the law-abiding citizen’s desire to police their own neighborhood. Can’t have that in a Nanny State.

Uncle Samuel | July 12, 2013 at 10:55 pm

The reason so many black males are committing crimes and going to prison – is that they have not been taught any better by their parents, grandparents or school system.

Trayvon was not killed because he was an innocent child, but because he was violent and aggressive – partly due to drugs, partly parental modeling and partly due to the black gangsta culture.

It’s not the fault of the white man’s law as Louis Farrakhan and the Black Panthers say. It’s the problem with street and ghetto law or lawlessness – moral and civil.

    Uncle Samuel in reply to Uncle Samuel. | July 12, 2013 at 10:57 pm

    In other words, by the time they get to Mark O’Mara’s law office, it’s too late. It’s not the fault of the justice system, it’s the fault of the black community and the parents of these young men.

      Uncle Samuel in reply to Uncle Samuel. | July 12, 2013 at 11:03 pm

      My daughter-in-law spent her first year of teaching at an inner city school in Jacksonville. The first parents night, only one parent showed up….drunk or high.

      She learned a lot that year. The kids would come to school with their heavy coats and layers of clothes on and all their treasures, because they did not want their parents to sell their stuff for drugs while they were at school…and they did not know where they would be staying that night.

    “The reason so many black males are committing crimes and going to prison – is that they have not been taught any better by their parents, grandparents or school system.”

    For one thing we have 30% of the black male population under control of the justice system or in prison for prohibition violations. That is self defeating. The right just loves prohibition.

    I was kicked off the Conservative Tree House for mentioning these issues in their “talk about what interests you” posts. No great loss.

    But there is something else. The lower your IQ the more likely it is that you will commit a crime of violence. And blacks as a whole are 15 IQ points below average.

Unfortunately, I think the result for black kids is not necessarily within the control of the parents. My kids go to a charter school in a suburb between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. It is an outstanding school. The teachers are devoted and enthusiastic. The parents of all races, colors and national origins participate (they are required to) and for the most part the kids do exceedingly well. The only group which does not do as well are the African-American kids. They are the most frequently held back and must repeat grades. They don’t do as well as other kids on standardized tests. They are the most frequently disciplined. Their parents seem just as devoted as any other group and just as well off financially, but the kids cannot keep up academically.

This is typical Alinsky (communist) tactics that obamatollah learned well during his ACORN daze…

When will patriots stand up and call out these communists as the racists that they are? When?

“Evil succeeds when good men do nothing” – Edmund Burke

Uncle Samuel | July 13, 2013 at 8:53 am

There are some who say Mark O’Mara has not fought as hard or ruthlessly as the Prosecution and has been too PC in handling this case…not using the drugs and Miami Police Officer testimonies about Trayvon’s school and criminal records (drugs, hitting a bus driver, stolen jewelry, burglary tool).

“The school history together with MDSPD officers’ testimony and a competent toxicologist should ‘ve been brought to the court no matter what. There are no “feelings” on the opposite side other than desire of $$$. I ‘d love to see JDN denying police officer testimony like she denied the phone.” (commenter @ Conservative Tree House)

I am disturbed and puzzled that O’Mara did not reveal on record the truth about Trayvon’s character. This was pertinent to the motive and proof of Zimmerman’s account of the incident.

The young IT employee of Corey’s office who was the whistleblower abou the phone evidence was fired yesterday. Hopefully, his career, those of the law enforcement and George Zimmerman’s life are not being sacrificed for Mark O’Mara’s political and financial aspirations, to political correctness and political pressure.

We have had enough of that stench and bullying.
This is America…but more than that, the truth is the best healer. America needs to face up to the fact that too many young black children are being recklessly created, abandoned and turned into deadly monsters at a young age.

The smart solution would be mandatory DNA ID of the father if there is a welfare application followed by his wage garnishment and/or mandatory vasectomy, tubal ligation after 2 babies if mother is on welfare and if either parent is on drugs.

Adoption and sterilization are better than abortion and better than increased welfare rolls and children being destroyed by broken homes and unstable parents, growing up to be Trayvons.

    randian in reply to Uncle Samuel. | July 13, 2013 at 9:47 am

    I am disturbed and puzzled that O’Mara did not reveal on record the truth about Trayvon’s character.

    He didn’t because the judge disallowed all character testimony regarding Trayvon, including the texts on his phone about his fighting.

    The young IT employee of Corey’s office who was the whistleblower abou the phone evidence was fired yesterday. Hopefully, his career, those of the law enforcement and George Zimmerman’s life are not being sacrificed for Mark O’Mara’s political and financial aspirations, to political correctness and political pressure.

    What does this have to do with Mark O’Mara? Blame Angela Corey for firing him.

An interesting statement on Zimmerman, from Curtis Silwa, founder of the Guardian Angels:

“Zimmerman is Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. He’s a nut. He’s a complete nut job who thinks he’s on a ‘mission,’ and this young black man ended up on his radar screen, and then dead.

“Because I deal with the wannabes who want to join the Guardian Angels, I see right away what this guy Zimmerman is: a self-appointed guardian. It’s him determining who is and is not a threat. Forget laws, forget standards, forget the police.”

    Narniaman in reply to archtyrx. | July 13, 2013 at 6:41 pm

    From Wikipedia; “In May 1977, Sliwa created the “Magnificent 13,” a group dedicated to combating violence and crime on the New York City subways. At the time, the city was experiencing a crime wave. The Magnificent 13 grew and was renamed the Guardian Angels in 1979. The group’s actions drew strong reactions, both positive and negative,[1] from the police, public officials, residents and the media. Throughout the early 1980s the group’s distinctive uniform, a military type red beret and white insignia t-shirt, became recognizable as the group grew and courted media attention. . . . Sliwa admitted that he had fabricated several of the Angels’ exploits, including a false allegation that he had been kidnapped in 1980 by off-duty transit officers. As well as admitting to “faking several kidnapping attempts on himself to make himself seem more valuable to the public” he said in later statements.[3][4]. . . . .”

    Interesting. . . . I can see why some people would probably consider Curtis Silwa as a “complete nut job who thinks he’s on a ‘mission’. . . . .” I’m pretty sure that since Zimmerman turned down the opportunity to wear a uniform and drive an official car with flashing lights that he’ll never be in the same league as Curtis Sliwa, founder of the “Magnificent 13” and those nifty red uniforms complete with berets.

[…] the text of the interview , below [links to the interview are for Legal Insurrection ' s post [here] , and at CNN.com [here] […]