Today we will again be covering the Zimmerman Trial live, all day, with streaming video. Continuing commentary will be posted in the Twitter feed of selected contributors below the first video feed, below.
This morning is the charging conference, in which the State and defense will argue about the specific charges on which the jury is to be instructed. The options are second degree murder, manslaughter, and aggravated assault. The defense wishes a charge only on second degree murder, the State prefers the latter two charges also be considered.
The State is scheduled to begin its closing argument at 1:00PM today, and the defense tomorrow morning. By tomorrow afternoon the jury should have been charged and begun their deliberations.
We also have brief summaries of the previous day’s events Zimmerman Defense Rests, Closing Statements Start Tomorrow along links to detailed more posts below the second video feed at the bottom of this post.
Defense attorney Don West and George Zimmerman
In addition, last night Professor Jacobson posted an analysis of the racial politics driving the Zimmerman prosecution, here:
Racial politics supported by State power come down on George Zimmerman
Also, a quick note, in thanks to the Professor and all of you I’ve put in place a 10% discount/free shipping coupon for Legal Insurrection followers interested in “The Law of Self Defense, 2nd Edition”–use code LOSD2-LI at checkout.
Live Stream Video
WITH COMMENTARY FROM CHANNEL 9 IN SANFORD
[For live-stream video without commentary, see NBC live feed at bottom of this post.]
Twitter Feed:
(My tweets can be identified as coming from @lawselfdefense, or @lawselfdefense2 if I’m in Twitmo–follow both!.)
Tweets from @LegInsurrection/zimmerman-trial
Live Stream Video Alternative
LIVE-STREAM WITHOUT COMMENTARY FROM NBC
Thursday, July 11 Commentary
During the lunch recess, or immediately thereafter, we will TRY to post a mid-day update. We’ll then follow up with the usual detailed end-of-day wrap up, including video and embedded Tweets, at the usual time in the evening.
For all of our prior coverage on day-to-day events in court, as covered here at Legal Insurrection, click here:
ARCHIVE: Zimmerman Trial LIVE coverage all day, every day
For all of our prior coverage on issues specific to the Law of Self Defense as covered at my own blog, click here:
Law of Self Defense Blog: Zimmerman Trial
(NOTE: If you do wander over to the LOSD blog, be sure to come back to Legal Insurrection to comment, as nearly all my time is spent here for the duration of the trial.)
Andrew F. Branca is an MA lawyer and author of the seminal book “The Law of Self Defense,” now available in its just released 2nd Edition, which shows you how to successfully fight the 20-to-life legal battle everyone faces after defending themselves. Take advantage of the 20% “Zimmerman trial” discount & free shipping (ends when the jury returns a verdict). NRA & IDPA members can also use checkout coupon LOSD2-NRA for an additional 10% off. To do so simply visit the Law of Self Defense blog. I have also instituted a similar coupon for Legal Insurrection followers LOSD2-LI(Coupons works ONLY at www.lawofselfdefense.com.) “The Law of Self Defense, 2nd Edition” is also available at Amazon.com.
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Comments
Even the letter to the mother is only alleged, not certifiably proven, to be from Rachel Jeantel, aka Diamond Eugene, etc.
Drink x 6 woe we should all be toasted in about 10
I am deep in prayers that MOM & WEST have their ducks all in a row!
Fortunately I’m just having my tea.
Prosecution…
GZ=Charles Bronson, 1974, Death Wish…LOL
Paul Kersey….
He was smart enough to not call the NEN before he shot the thugs.
Oh, I do have a question for you guys. Do you think this prosecutor really believes all the BS that he’s spouting? What do you want to bet that he doesn’t.
What a sad day for our justice system! I must say that I admire GZ’s restraint – I would be jumping out of my chair!
I might have walked out.
From the twitters above he’s losing some jurors
Yes! Thank you for the heads-up, I just saw that! Oh no Bernie…
I wonder if the defense asked any of the juror what their thoughts are about guns in general.
“Ms. Sudyka and Ms. Bahadoor said, and I think it lines up with what Ms. Jeantel told you…”
Amazing! The three most obviously mistaken (or lying) witnesses agree with each other!
in what world are the words “no” and “a little ‘get off'” consistent?
They probably had a pow-wow so they could all tell the same lie and it would be consistent.
This is a joke. O’Mara should just throw out the Chewbacca defense for kicks and end this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwdba9C2G14
Really?? BDLR “poor pudgy guy”
I don’t think I can take this much more! Honestly! The only reason I am watching is out of sympathy for GZ!
It is awful that a loss of life occurred here.
But if our parents do their jobs we are taught at the earliest age that we are accountable for our actions & that we should not put ourselves in situations that could cause us harm….
clearly this concept never occurred in the mind of TM! This kid was clearly a victim of bad parenting- not of GZ!
There is no evidence he was chasing him. None.
Bahaha!
“Does the defendant have the right to self-defense in this case… ‘scuse me, does the victim have the right to self defense in this case, if he’s being followed?”
Camera has John Guy in the shot when BDLR makes this mistake, and Guy immediately put his face in his hands.
So if your being followed you can be the hell out of someone. I liked to get in front of BDLR someday walking down sidewalk and say what you following me for. POW,
HOODIE!!”
Diana Tennis says something sensible for a change:
“DEFENSE lawyers use questions during closing. And don’t qualify with my recollection- tell them what to believe!!”
She’s right. Prosecution attorneys state facts. They say things happened. They don’t guess, and they don’t qualify. It’s the defense that questions, and qualifies, and hypothesizes.
Of course, this is really no different than the rest of the trial, so at least the State is consistent.
Too bad the state is talking about assumptions instead of facts
A little blood on his nose?!
His NOSE WAS BROKEN YOU MORON!’
DID MATT PASS OUT? (snickers)
BDLR wants the jury to completely ignore the state’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. He’s saying that no matter how unreliable the witness testimony (e.g., Jeantel), you can believe that witness testimony and find him guilty if you want to. Similarly, no matter how reliable the witness testimony (e.g., Lauer, Good, etc.), you can discount or ignore that witness testimony if you want and find him guilty. Incredible.
Nvm. I see you now!
TM’s hands were weapons. And he was a thug fighter, which is too bad that the defense were not allowed to get into that.
He’s still going? What is he talking about, there is no evidence. It should have taken at most 15 minutes to sum up the states “case”. Is he saying poor innocent Trayvon just skipping home after buying his brother Tea and Skittles was assaulted by big scary white hispanic GZ and screaming for life when he was shot down.
Who predicted the “Trayvon Zombie “?
You win the day!
Bernie is acting as though he doesn’t know the actual length of Zimmerman’s cuts. Earlier, he acted like he couldn’t remember the exact cracka comment Jeantel testified about. He sad, “white ass cracka” or something like that. The jury and anyone who has followed this trial is familiar with “creepy ass cracka” at this point.
He also implied that not omitting that comment demonstrates her honestly. She already showed she had no trouble saying it when she stated that was just how they refer to white people. Racial insults and bias towards white people are just accepted in her community.
She told the Defense attorney one of his questions was retarded, but hey she said sir so at least she was trying to be respectful.
Actually, her exact quote was, “Creepy, white… excuse my language… cracka… creepy ass cracka.”
LOTS OF STRAW GRABBING HERE!
muffled yells indicate lying by GZ
but his comments of soft F’ging punks as opposed to the yelled comments by the prosecutor imdicates hate ill will and spite?
MR L- DOES ANYONE MAKE SURE IN COURT THAT NO ONE TOUCHES THE JURORS ‘ NOTES?
If Bill Schaeffer is saying Bernie sucked. Bernie must have really sucked.
You know you are in trouble when you are arguing to the jury that common sense is more important than the law!
I can’t remember this, but can the defense in closing talk about TM’s pot smoking? I guess they can’t say anything about the fact that he was into fighting, right?
Nope, none of that is in evidence 🙁
Andrew, saw your tweet about sister’s cocker spaniel and Judge Nelson. A dog may have been a better judge in this trial.
OHHH I FOUND THE SMOKING GUN – GZ CALLED NEN NOT 911- IF HE TRULY HAD PROFILED MARTIN AS S CRIMINAL HE WOULD HAVE CALLED 911 RIGHT AWAY! AS ANYONE WITH ” GOD GIVEN COMMON SENSE” would!
What’s with Branca’s twitter comedy routine?
“And that’s the last time anybody ever saw BDLR alive.”
It’s distracting in a disconcerting way.
FOX showing 12 yr old photos of TM! STOP!
Diana Tennis @TennisLaw
Bernie going over check list: facts proven-not yet; elements of crime- not yet; scream f bomb – check check and check.
ROLFMAO!
Commentator Bill Schaffer really sucks. He’s almost as bad as BDLR is in his job.
He’s pretty awful. There’s been a bunch of times when he’s done the “this is good for the prosecution” thing when that ran completely counter to what most other legal sources were saying.
The “it could have happened differently than he said” argument is proof of nothing.
If you don’t know the street name you’re guilty
Why did all the cops believe GZ’s many statements he made without a lawyer. Do a walk through without a lawyer. Yet experienced LEO’s all believed he was honest .
Doooeeessss
So now he wasn’t ordered and he obeyed???
Holy crap man this getting ridiculous
No Bernie the Defense doesn’t have to convince anyone of anything.
You are required to convince beyond a reasonable doubt
BDLR is testifying as a witness now! Is he next going to claim that he has a time machine & he went back to witness entire thing?
the only time that matters about fear is at the time of the shooting not minutes before or driving around or at initial contact
only when TM goes for the gun – is the EXACT time that one fears are important
SHAMELESS!
I don’t think he said he didn’t realize he had shot him, he said he didn’t realize he was dead.
Ok so BDLR wants us all to believe that GZ got up that morning & decided to kill an unarmed man but he would call the police first? ?
HOODIE!
SKITTLES!
HOODIE! again
/getting trashed
DRINK. 8.9.10.12.F IT! finish the whole thing!
done
Once again, Zimmerman is guilty because Martin liked skittles. Really?
It’s obvious he hates rainbows of fruit flavors.
GZ is not only a racist he’s a homophobe
So, PMSNBC stated something about how the State will “come out guns blazing” in their rebuttal to the Defenses closing arguments, that they are saving the “good stuff” until then.
Is there a rebuttal to closing arguments? I’ve never seen this.
“Is there a rebuttal to closing arguments?”
Prosecution goes first, then defense, then prosecution, and done.
(I think this advantage is afforded to the prosecution because it bears the burden of proof, though you wouldn’t get that from this abomination of a trial).
is the prosecution limited to addressing the defense’s closing arguments, or can they try to bring up something BDLR might have forgot and not covered by MOM
MATTY?
I’ve given up. I’m still listening, but only with half an ear. It’s just a complete web of lies supporting a pile of crap.
No doubt the jury has done the same thing!
It also looked like Bernie had a pretty big bag of skittles. Maybe one’s innocence can be determined by the number of skittles they possess.
Damn there is so much reasonable doubt as to innocence
Oh Beanie! UH I mean Birdie! Uh ..nevermind just (hiccip) drink
I’m starting to actually feel sorry for BDLR. This is a terrible closing argument. Even though the state’s evidence is weak, he could have done a better job of attempting to weave a coherent story/argument around it. Sadly, I’m coming to the conclusion that he is overall a very average trial lawyer, and not even remotely in West and MOM’s league.
I might feel bad for him if I didn’t think he was such a douchebag. He is doing everything he can to put an innocent man in jail by any means necessary.
You’re right, Bernie is not in the same league as O’Mara and West. I feel sorry for the other poor guys out there who didn’t do anything wrong having to face Bernie and company with a public defender. Zimmerman is really fortunate to have such good representation.
I think he has made a fool of himself with all of the anger and furious speaking he has done this morning. The jurors are all women and usually women do not like to hear constant anger or feel like “Can’t we all get along”. I have found with my wife and daughter that keeping a calm and unemotional voice gets me a lot further than anger.
Don’t feel sorry for this puppet
When TM drops the you gonna die tonite Mofuckah
Bernie politely shortens to M-F’r
MIND I noticed that too!’ The kinder gentler Choir boy routine?
Wonder how much Wrigley paid BDLR for the Skittles product placement?
After listening to BDLR shrieking in his closing argument, I’m starting to think that the voice screaming for help on the 911 calls could have been him!
KV I just spit my drink. Lol
LOL!
He said he could not remember the name of the street, not that he didn’t know it…I don’t find that all that unusual. I live in a three street cul de sac and I have no reason to ever be on one of the streets. It would take me awhile to come up with the name.
At least one of the state’s own witnesses who lived in the complex couldn’t name that street either.
I was stationed at Maxwell AFB in Oct 2011, staying off base for about 4 months. I heard 3 shots (unlike one of the witnesses in this case, it REALLY was 3 shots) outside my window. I called 911, told them my street and despite living on the corner, I could not for the life of me remember the dang cross street name!!! Any other day, I could have rattled it off instantly…but in that high intensity moment…I hadn’t a clue and was a bit frantic.
Luckily, I felt more reassured by having my Mossberg 590A1 Blackwater 12 ga with 8 rounds of 00 buck with me. 🙂
But seriously, I can totally related to not knowing a street name in a critical moment. My 2 cents.
DENNIS – thank you for your service! ! & all of you who keep us safe!
I appreciate that. Thank you.
I wonder how Trayvon would feel about being called “boy” over and over again by this bald cracker…
And just now BLDR referred to Trayvon as a 17-year old man! It’s like he doesn’t even believe his own BS.
According to BDLR Zimmerman is the most diabolically brilliant liar the world has ever seen.
Can anyone else imagine having to sit there & listen to their husband, son, friend be slandered like this?
I think I would want to give Bernie a good “ground and pound.”
Where is the EVIDENCE?
EVIDENCE? We don’t need no steenkin evidence.
You can’t handle the evidence – thus I have introduced lies – just like GZ lied to investigators
MOM should play the tape of GZ saying “thank God” when told the altercation was on video .. and close
RE: No signs of defensive injuries on GZ’s hands
TM was a fight club type fighter, had bragged about bloodying opponent’s noe, etc. In a street fight, and also in MMA, one effective tactic is the ‘blitzkrieg’ type attack, wherein once you’ve decided you’re going on attack, you go whole hog, all or nothing, complete total offensive windmilling attack. No squaring off and measuring opponent.
If TM did this to GZ, of whom the evidence shows was no athlete and no fighter, GZ would be immediately overwhelmed, taken down, and ‘ground and pounded’, which is consistent with testimony. There would be no damage to GZ’s hands if he never got a punch in.
I haven’t listened to much of the State’s closing arg., but it sucks. When is BDLR going to argue from the trial evidence that points to murder and absence of justifiable self-defense?
Replaying George’s videos seems to give the jury yet another chance to hear defense-favorable evidence.
“He does not want to admit that he is following or chasing or profiling him.”
Maybe because that’s not what he’s doing?
People who burglarize the neighborhood ARE assholes, aren’t they?
I love our troops!
He’s suspicious because he has Skittles – we’ve established that already
BDLR is getting AWFULLY close to letting “racial profiling” slip out. That’s the inference and it’s not proper to imply it, no evidence of it.
Angela looks ridiculous! Some professional huh? Who elected her?? Geez!! Talk about buyers remorse
She elected herself! 🙂 The Dems didn’t put up a candidate. So her one vote got her elected.
I AM GOING TO PUKE! This is a kangaroo court at best!
The problem with all these discrepancies BDLR is trying to point out is Mr. Good’s “ground and pound” testimony. It negates everything else if accepted by the jury.
What’s wrong with pursuing him to keep an eye on him for the police?
BDLR also isn’t explaining why someone intent on killing TM would have called the police first???
What’s truly sad about this closing is that Traybots are watching this thinking BDLR is doing an awesome job of convicting GZ
Even folks who believe TM was murdered would have a hard time saying this is an effective closing. Can’t count the talking heads on TV cause they’re just trying to sell the product (i.e., their programming) and keep their jobs so they’ll say anything that keeps the drama going.
By the way, why is BDLR screaming at the jury???
Is he angry with them or trying to browbeat them or what???
Didn’t BLDR already establish right off the bat that following him was perfectly fine? Yet he keeps hammering the point.
WOW!
The doll again? That worked so well for them last time.
I believe the doll gets them off.
Burnie screams THE TRUTH IS NOT LIES. Maybe he is not sure.
lies or truth or questions is the definition of reasonable doubt
I love the way Bernie keep calling Martin a “man, oops teenager.”
I know we spend lots of time joking about this here… please don’t mistake us for insensitive to the seriousness of this trial. Its a coping mechanism for this sham of a trial.
You’re exactly right. It’s black humor, because the only other option is to cry.
“a perfect shot to the heart”. It was not well aimed, but center mass. If anything, I suspect that GZ would be hard pressed to aim at anything in particular given the situation.
The state has argued during the trial that aiming at the hear was itself evidence of ill will, malice, and hatred.
You don’t have to be a Marksman from 0 meters.
The quote from The Matrix comes to mind, “Dodge this”.
How many arms? Attack was over 40 seconds. I would love to get 40 seconds w/ BDLR
I hope the jury realizes that this case has been bass ackwards from the start. Instead of the prosecution presenting a case that the defense can challenge to create reasonable doubt, the prosecution is trying to create reasonable doubt about the claim of self defense. It is truly bizarre.
I haven’t watch much of this clown but every time I take him off mute he’s yelling. Me thinks BDLR has watch too many crime dramas and movies. Has he done a Aha moment yet?
I’m so disgusted! I can concur this trial is meant to discourage citizens from defending themselves & they are using GZs life as the sacrificial lamb!
No mother doesn’t know all about this trial… I find it unreasonable that the jurors did not hear about this before this trial. If they covict no one will feel safe defending life or property again & we will be in a nannystate of epic proportions!
That’s the point.
Seriously this the most juvenile powerpoint I’ve probably ever seen.
It honestly looks like a template I saw used in a training presentation 12yrs ago
THE JUDGE NEEDS TO STOP BDLR FTOM TESTIFYING
This guy sucks. Angela Corey must be so proud.
THANK GOD HE IS DONE! but he timed it so jury hes to sleep on his pile of crap tonight!
The judge constructed it this way. No accident. Her decision.
There needs to be a big hook come out from the side of the screen and drag him off.
PLEASE I need to know if the jurors ‘ notes are protected from anyone touching them? ?!
I wouldn’t put it past Corey-Nifong or other prosecutors sneaking in at night and editing them.
Well, that closing was less than spectacular!
If the state is exaggerating ONE thing, you can’t believe ANYTHING!!!
the state made the defense’s case for establishing reasonable doubt.
FOX commenters saying “innocent kid” This was no “innocent” kid! Its been shown quite well that this kid was a gettho thug!
Well that was amusing. Does BDLR realize he needs to layout the elements of the crime not raise reasonable doubt. He is the prosecutor not the defense.