By Jueseppi B.
George Zimmerman (C) sits during his bond hearing with his attorney Mark O’Mara (L) in a Seminole County courtroom on June 29, 2012 in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman is charged with second degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. (Photo by Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel-Pool/Getty Images)
More dirty tricks with no regard for justice from Killer George Zimmerman and his shyster legal team headed by Mark O’Mara:
By Ms. Joy Reid of The Grio
Lawyers for George Zimmerman, accused of second degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, will seek a “stand your ground” hearing.
A statement on the website for Zimmerman’s legal defense confirms that Mark O’Mara is preparing for a hearing, which the website describes as a “mini-trial.” There will be no jury, however, and the judge alone will decide whether Zimmerman has proved that he was in reasonable fear for his life when he fatally shot Martin February 26th.
“Now that the State has released the majority of their discovery, the defense asserts that there is clear support for a strong claim of self-defense. Consistent with this claim of self-defense, there will be a “Stand Your Ground” hearing,” the statement on the GZLegalCase website read.
The statement continued:
There are significant differences between a “Stand Your Ground” hearing and a trial. In a “Stand Your Ground” hearing, there is no jury; the decision is made by the judge alone. In a criminal trial, the prosecution must prove the defendant’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, but in a “Stand Your Ground” hearing, the burden is on the defense to prove that the evidence fits the conditions of the “Stand Your Ground” law. If the Court rules in favor of the defendant in a “Stand Your Ground” hearing, not only are criminal charges dismissed, the defendant is also immune from civil actions related to the shooting. The primary focus of a “Stand Your Ground” hearing is whether George Zimmerman reasonably believed that his use of his weapon was necessary to prevent great bodily harm to himself at the hands of Trayvon Martin.
Zimmerman maintains he shot Martin after the 17-year-old attacked him. Zimmerman spotted the teen inside the gated community where he and his wife rented a townhome, and where Martin was visiting with his father from Miami.
O’Mara said preparing for the “stand your ground” hearing will take time.
The law has become controversial in the wake of the Martin shooting, and a Florida task force led by the state’s lieutenant governor is reviewing its application.
UPDATE: Lawyers for the family of Trayvon Martin released the following statement in response to the O’Mara “stand your ground” hearing announcement:
Let it be clear on the record, that we feel confident that the unjustified killing of Trayvon Benjamin Martin should and will be decided by a jury. Many of the legal architects of the Stand Your Ground law have already opined that it does not apply in this case. A grown man cannot profile and pursue an unarmed child, shoot him in the heart, and then claim stand your ground. We believe that the killer’s motion will be denied during the Stand Your Ground Hearing, and as justice requires a jury will ultimately decide the fate of a man that killed an innocent child.
There is only one version of this story that represents that Zimmerman was attacked by Trayvon Martin, and that’s Zimmerman’s self-serving version. Everyone will agree that the killer’s credibility is clearly questionable.
Trayvon’s parents do not feel that this is a man that feared for his life the night he shot and killed their child, this is a man whose only fear is spending his life in prison.
More coverage:
Zimmerman’s attorneys seek ‘stand your ground’ hearing, say evidence supports self-defense
MIAMI (AP) — George Zimmerman will seek to have second-degree murder charges dismissed under Florida’s “stand your ground” law in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, his attorney said Thursday.
The hearing, which likely won’t take place for several months, will amount to a mini-trial involving much of the evidence collected by prosecutors as well as expert testimony from both sides. Although the posting did not say so, legal experts say it’s likely that Zimmerman himself would testify since he is the sole survivor of the Feb. 26 confrontation.
“Most of the arguments, witnesses, experts and evidence that the defense would muster in a criminal trial will be presented in the ‘stand your ground’ hearing,” said the statement posted on Zimmerman’s official defense website.
Under the law, Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester can dismiss the charges if Zimmerman conclusively shows he fatally shot Martin because he “reasonably believed” he might be killed or suffer “great bodily harm” at the hands of the unarmed teenager. The law also says a person has no duty to retreat in the face of such a threat.
Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, shot Martin after a confrontation in Zimmerman’s gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford, where Martin was visiting. The case drew local and nationwide protests because Zimmerman was not arrested for weeks after the shooting.
Evidence released by prosecutors, the Zimmerman statement said, shows “clear support for a strong claim of self-defense.” The statement added that Zimmerman attorney Mark O’Mara “urges everyone to be patient during this process and to reserve judgment until the evidence is presented in the ‘stand your ground’ hearing.”
Martin’s parents have contended that Zimmerman singled out their son as he was returning from a convenience store because he was black and that it was Zimmerman’s aggression that led to his death. Zimmerman, who is free on $1 million bail, faces a possible life prison sentence if convicted of second-degree murder.
If his “stand your ground” claim succeeds, however, the criminal charges would be dismissed and Zimmerman could not be held liable in any civil action such as a wrongful death lawsuit. Prosecutors would likely appeal a successful self-defense claim.
A spokeswoman for special prosecutor Angela Corey declined comment Thursday. An attorney for Martin’s parents did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment.
Legal experts have said that Zimmerman’s credibility is a key to his claim and that he undermined his own cause by deceiving the judge about his finances during an April bond hearing. That alleged deception led to perjury charges against Zimmerman’s wife, Shellie. She has pleaded not guilty.
Lester, who will also decide the self-defense claim, said Zimmerman “flaunted the system” by making misleading statements about how much money the couple had raised through online contributions from supporters. The judge revoked Zimmerman’s initial $150,000 bond and had him returned to jail, then allowed him to be released on the higher $1 million figure with additional restrictions.
This case has had numerous extensions and prolonged new hearings, it’s time for this killing racist caucasian coward to go to trial.
Justice 4 Trayvon.
Filed under: Bad News, Causes, Court Room/Legal, Crime, Gun Control, Gun Violence, News, Racism, Trayvon Martin George Zimmerman, World News Tagged: | Angela Corey, CURT ANDERSON, Florida, George Zimmerman, mark o'mara, Martin Family, Murder, Racism, Saford, Sanford Florida, Stand Your Ground Defense, Trayvon Martin
Jueseppi B.
If Zimmerman would have listened to the Police Dispatcher there would not have been a reason for him to feel that his life was in danger !!!!!! there would be no ” self defense” or ” murder ” because Trayvon would be alive !!!!!!!!
Ms. Payne, that is the absolute truth. That was the start of all this pain and heartache.