Media coverage of the TM case

Thread for discussion of the media coverage of the TM case.

Thank you all for staying on topic in this thread!

The Curious Case of Trayvon Martin

Published March 16, 2012

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/17/opinion/blow-the-curious-case-of-trayvon-martin.html?_r=1

Trayvon Martin: Before the world heard the cries

By Daniel Trotta

SANFORD, Florida | Tue Apr 3, 2012 6:07pm EDT

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/04/03/us-usa-florida-shooting-trayvon-idUSBRE8320UK20120403

The Events Leading to the Shooting of Trayvon Martin

UPDATED June 21, 2012

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/04/02/us/the-events-leading-to-the-shooting-of-trayvon-martin.html

Sanford PD Says one thing in Public- and another to Prosecuters.
I'm completely perplexed why they would do this.
Was it covering all the bases? Something political or tactical?
Feeling the public didn't have a right to know? I am completely befuddled by their actions and admittedly grasping at straws.

Its relevant because I think it was their initial stance- that they had no options but to take GZs word as 'best evidence' that led to outrage and initial accusations of (institutionalized) racism in this case. Long before it was about GZ himself, it was about the confusing and apparently stalled investigation. I think that was really the entire race angle untill the NEN call came out and added fuel to the issue.

The SPD seems to have been in way over their heads.


http://news.bostonherald.com/news/national/south/view/20120709sanford_fla_police_took_one_position_on_trayvon_shooting_in_public_another_in_paperwork_to_prosecutors/srvc=home&position=recent

Frances Robles


George Zimmerman’s crude Myspace page from 2005 uncovered

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/01/2778234/myspace-page-is-latest-salvo-in.html

Trayvon Martin’s social media posts may come up at trial

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/02/2779667/zimmermans-attorney-trayvons-social.html#morer#storylink=cpy

IRRESPONSIBLE REPORTING


"A crucial element in Zimmerman’s criminal case is whether he racially profiled Trayvon Martin"

Not true.

State's Affidavit Probable Cause for Arrest does not mention race.


http://media.trb.com/media/acrobat/2012-04/69353440.pdf

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/05/02/2779667/zimmermans-attorney-trayvons-social.html#morer#storylink=cpy#storylink=cpy

KZ, I am not following this case so if I have this posted on the wrong thread, please move it to the appropriate thread.

Also, I did not post it in the Library because being that I am not following this case, I am unfamiliar with where this would be posted in the Library and I do not have time to figure it out.

Thanks!

Although the title does not include the interview with Mark O'Mara, he was a guest on Piers Morgan Tonight on 7/9/12.

Please scroll down almost to the end of the transcript. O'Mara was the last guest on the show.

Because of copyright, I will snip only a portion of the transcript.
~~~~~

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/09/pmt.01.html
CNN - Transcripts - Piers Morgan Tonight - 7/9/12

PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT

Taxes and the Race for the White House; Cruise, Holmes and Scientology

Aired July 9, 2012 - 21:00 ET


Snipped:

MORGAN: George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, is out of jail on one million dollars bond. But his attorney made a statement that's been pretty controversial. Joining me now in his first exclusive interview since he got his client released is that attorney, Mark O'Mara. Mark, welcome back.

MARK O'MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: Good evening. How you doing, Piers?

MORGAN: Your client is out. He got his bond. People have been a little bit surprised. I'm going to take this straight to you for your reaction tot his, about the strategy that you've adopted, which is to go public and say, if you agree that my clients' actions were with justified, then donate money to his defense funds.

Tell me about the thinking behind the strategy, and about the way that it's now blown up as a bit of a controversial thing for you to have done.

O'MARA: Well, it is a bit unique, again. And I'm a bit conflicted by it, to be honest. We try to deal with the reality that George does not have any funds of his own. He can only get those funds from his supporters. And a lot of those supporters, the comments they've given us have shown a variety -- a spectrum of support, a lot of which are those that believe that George did, in fact, act appropriately.

MORGAN: Right, but it is, as you say, a unique situation for a defense attorney to effectively say, look, you may believe he killed somebody, and he clearly did, but if you think he acted in self- defense and is justified, give us your money. It's something -- as critics would say, and there's some merit to the argument, it's slightly crude, isn't it? It's a sort of -- it's a very weird thing to be doing, isn't it?

O'MARA: It is. As I said, I was somewhat -- am somewhat conflicted with it, only because it is so very unique. This whole case has shown a lot of unique facets to it, one of which the fact that there is a criminal defense fund at all; secondly, that it's garnered such an amazing controversy and support throughout the nation and internationally. So it was a decision that we were sort of put in a position of having to do because of the bond amount.

As you remember, Piers, we had talked in the past that I had never really asked for money on George's behalf. And though we had the defense fund active, we never really pushed it. The reality is, however, that with a one million dollar bond, and a 100,000 dollar fee to get that bond done, we cannot do it without support from George's supporters.

MORGAN: How do you know, though, that there are no racist groups getting involved in this fund-raising? Are you vetting each donor? Do you know who they are? Clearly, the way this has been framed is an open invitation to any of the racists who raised their ugly heads at the time, to say, hey, this guy shot a black guy, I'm going to give him some money. How do you know that's not happening?

interesting he is justfying the fund by saying it's needed because the bond amount was so high. Did he forget the first bond hearing?
Nothing about how the fund itself- and lies about it were exactly WHY the bond was so high. That's a very deliberate lie.
He's rewriting recent history.

Ann - Tx wrote:

KZ, I am not following this case so if I have this posted on the wrong thread, please move it to the appropriate thread.

Also, I did not post it in the Library because being that I am not following this case, I am unfamiliar with where this would be posted in the Library and I do not have time to figure it out.

Thanks!

Although the title does not include the interview with Mark O'Mara, he was a guest on Piers Morgan Tonight on 7/9/12.

Please scroll down almost to the end of the transcript. O'Mara was the last guest on the show.

Because of copyright, I will snip only a portion of the transcript.
~~~~~

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/09/pmt.01.html
CNN - Transcripts - Piers Morgan Tonight - 7/9/12

PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT

Taxes and the Race for the White House; Cruise, Holmes and Scientology

Aired July 9, 2012 - 21:00 ET


Snipped:

MORGAN: George Zimmerman, the man who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, is out of jail on one million dollars bond. But his attorney made a statement that's been pretty controversial. Joining me now in his first exclusive interview since he got his client released is that attorney, Mark O'Mara. Mark, welcome back.

MARK O'MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: Good evening. How you doing, Piers?

MORGAN: Your client is out. He got his bond. People have been a little bit surprised. I'm going to take this straight to you for your reaction tot his, about the strategy that you've adopted, which is to go public and say, if you agree that my clients' actions were with justified, then donate money to his defense funds.

Tell me about the thinking behind the strategy, and about the way that it's now blown up as a bit of a controversial thing for you to have done.

O'MARA: Well, it is a bit unique, again. And I'm a bit conflicted by it, to be honest. We try to deal with the reality that George does not have any funds of his own. He can only get those funds from his supporters. And a lot of those supporters, the comments they've given us have shown a variety -- a spectrum of support, a lot of which are those that believe that George did, in fact, act appropriately.

MORGAN: Right, but it is, as you say, a unique situation for a defense attorney to effectively say, look, you may believe he killed somebody, and he clearly did, but if you think he acted in self- defense and is justified, give us your money. It's something -- as critics would say, and there's some merit to the argument, it's slightly crude, isn't it? It's a sort of -- it's a very weird thing to be doing, isn't it?

O'MARA: It is. As I said, I was somewhat -- am somewhat conflicted with it, only because it is so very unique. This whole case has shown a lot of unique facets to it, one of which the fact that there is a criminal defense fund at all; secondly, that it's garnered such an amazing controversy and support throughout the nation and internationally. So it was a decision that we were sort of put in a position of having to do because of the bond amount.

As you remember, Piers, we had talked in the past that I had never really asked for money on George's behalf. And though we had the defense fund active, we never really pushed it. The reality is, however, that with a one million dollar bond, and a 100,000 dollar fee to get that bond done, we cannot do it without support from George's supporters.

MORGAN: How do you know, though, that there are no racist groups getting involved in this fund-raising? Are you vetting each donor? Do you know who they are? Clearly, the way this has been framed is an open invitation to any of the racists who raised their ugly heads at the time, to say, hey, this guy shot a black guy, I'm going to give him some money. How do you know that's not happening?

Thanks Ann for posting/linking the transcript!

It's interesting that OM says they still have maybe another six months of discovery work, then will decide if going for SYG or trial.

I'm so sick of hearing his excuses for raising money, GZ is perfectly safe and accessible to the defense in jail. He doesn't HAVE to bond out, thus incurring all sorts of extra security measures and expenses.

--seriously, he (expects us to believe that) he personally reads through 1000's of posts, identifies the negative ones/tracks down their donation$$---and refunds their $$$upport? and what is a racist "from the white side" anyway?

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/09/pmt.01.html

MORGAN: How do you know, though, that there are no racist groups getting involved in this fund-raising? Are you vetting each donor? Do you know who they are? Clearly, the way this has been framed is an open invitation to any of the racists who raised their ugly heads at the time, to say, hey, this guy shot a black guy, I'm going to give him some money. How do you know that's not happening?

O'MARA: My true opinion is that I've reviewed thousands of the supporters' comments that have come to us. They have all been positive and I would say appropriate. There have been a very few that have been negative. Those monies have been returned.

So at least those people who are comments are doing it from their heart and from the right place. After all, there could be racist people on both sides of this fence. We have an enormous amount of hate mail that comes to us as well, from racists on the other side of it. Any racists from the white side, if you will, who do something like that, we go into -- rebuff them and not accept their money.

ellejay wrote:--seriously, he (expects us to believe that) he personally reads through 1000's of posts, identifies the negative ones/tracks down their donation$$---and refunds their $$$upport? and what is a racist "from the white side" anyway?

I'm so utterly dumbfounded by O'Mara's stupid comments, maybe he'll understand this:

O'Mara needs to work harder on policing those sites. Just read a couple of comments there or on the 'tree site' and it's like you're taken back in time to the pre-Civil Rights era, it's disgusting.

Jonathan Capehart: Zimmerman: Getting away with murder?

Yes, Trayvon had been suspended from school in Miami three times. Once for excessive tardiness and truancy. Once for graffiti. And once for being found with a plastic baggie that had traces of marijuana. There was also the case of campus security finding twelve pieces of women’s jewelry in his backpack that he said belonged to a friend, but refused to give a name to school officials. Trayvon’s parents say they didn’t know about this incident. But Miami-Dade Police told the Associated Press in March that none of the jewelry matched any reported stolen. Trayvon was never disciplined in that incident.


____________________________

Trayvon is a minor.

How is it that this information has been released and is allowed to be reported on?

It infuriates me and I consider it grossly irresponsible.

http://mobile.washingtonpost.com/rss.jsp;jsessionid=2A6DD1C4D75E51CD093630C92BB7EF3C?rssid=4222051&item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.washingtonpost.com%2fFragment%2fSysConfig%2fWebPortal%2ftwpweb%2frss%2fmobile%2fblog-entry.jpp%3fid%3d1001.4.3334667314&cid=-1&spf=1

serenaz1 wrote:Thanks Ann for posting/linking the transcript!

It's interesting that OM says they still have maybe another six months of discovery work, then will decide if going for SYG or trial.

I'm so sick of hearing his excuses for raising money, GZ is perfectly safe and accessible to the defense in jail. He doesn't HAVE to bond out, thus incurring all sorts of extra security measures and expenses.

--there are plenty of people accused of a crime that "don't have funds of their own"-------and they sit in jail awaiting trial/can't make bail/have been supplied w/ a court appointed attorney, (unless one came along and signed on pro-bono)---as o'mara did initially, until he $$$aw the money rolling in and went into his "i'm a businessman 1st.."

--( gzlegal mod pops by this a.m. to update the cau$e...

https://www.facebook.com/GeorgeZimmermanLegalCase

George Zimmerman Legal Case--"By the way. $4400 came in via mail today. That puts us to about $42K since Thrusday (thrusday?) last week. Thanks again for your support."

~~~~~~~~~~

MORGAN: Your client is out. He got his bond. People have been a little bit surprised. I’m going to take this straight to you for your reaction tot his, about the strategy that you’ve adopted, which is to go public and say, if you agree that my clients’ actions were with justified, then donate money to his defense funds.

Tell me about the thinking behind the strategy, and about the way that it’s now blown up as a bit of a controversial thing for you to have done.

O’MARA: Well, it is a bit unique, again. And I’m a bit conflicted by it, to be honest. We try to deal with the reality that George does not have any funds of his own. He can only get those funds from his supporters

ellejay wrote:--seriously, he (expects us to believe that) he personally reads through 1000's of posts, identifies the negative ones/tracks down their donation$$---and refunds their $$$upport? and what is a racist "from the white side" anyway?

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/09/pmt.01.html

MORGAN: How do you know, though, that there are no racist groups getting involved in this fund-raising? Are you vetting each donor? Do you know who they are? Clearly, the way this has been framed is an open invitation to any of the racists who raised their ugly heads at the time, to say, hey, this guy shot a black guy, I'm going to give him some money. How do you know that's not happening?

O'MARA: My true opinion is that I've reviewed thousands of the supporters' comments that have come to us. They have all been positive and I would say appropriate. There have been a very few that have been negative. Those monies have been returned.

So at least those people who are comments are doing it from their heart and from the right place. After all, there could be racist people on both sides of this fence. We have an enormous amount of hate mail that comes to us as well, from racists on the other side of it. Any racists from the white side, if you will, who do something like that, we go into -- rebuff them and not accept their money.

There is no way I believe he reads everything that is set in to the web sight, nor do I believe he turned down money. It sounds to me that other web sights have been read and he knows how people feel about statement asking for money. I would think more people were against his statement then far his statement and he can't have George or himself in any more bad light. IMO

Tamta wrote:Jonathan Capehart: Zimmerman: Getting away with murder?

Yes, Trayvon had been suspended from school in Miami three times. Once for excessive tardiness and truancy. Once for graffiti. And once for being found with a plastic baggie that had traces of marijuana. There was also the case of campus security finding twelve pieces of women’s jewelry in his backpack that he said belonged to a friend, but refused to give a name to school officials. Trayvon’s parents say they didn’t know about this incident. But Miami-Dade Police told the Associated Press in March that none of the jewelry matched any reported stolen. Trayvon was never disciplined in that incident.


____________________________

Trayvon is a minor.

How is it that this information has been released and is allowed to be reported on?

It infuriates me and I consider it grossly irresponsible.

http://mobile.washingtonpost.com/rss.jsp;jsessionid=2A6DD1C4D75E51CD093630C92BB7EF3C?rssid=4222051&item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.washingtonpost.com%2fFragment%2fSysConfig%2fWebPortal%2ftwpweb%2frss%2fmobile%2fblog-entry.jpp%3fid%3d1001.4.3334667314&cid=-1&spf=1

I don't how this is coming out unless it is thru the defense attorney. I am sure they will dig up what then can on the victim. I still don't see anything that he has brought up in his records as being violent, however George has a record of violence.

Tamta wrote:Jonathan Capehart: Zimmerman: Getting away with murder?

Yes, Trayvon had been suspended from school in Miami three times. Once for excessive tardiness and truancy. Once for graffiti. And once for being found with a plastic baggie that had traces of marijuana. There was also the case of campus security finding twelve pieces of women’s jewelry in his backpack that he said belonged to a friend, but refused to give a name to school officials. Trayvon’s parents say they didn’t know about this incident. But Miami-Dade Police told the Associated Press in March that none of the jewelry matched any reported stolen. Trayvon was never disciplined in that incident.


____________________________

Trayvon is a minor.

How is it that this information has been released and is allowed to be reported on?

It infuriates me and I consider it grossly irresponsible.

http://mobile.washingtonpost.com/rss.jsp;jsessionid=2A6DD1C4D75E51CD093630C92BB7EF3C?rssid=4222051&item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.washingtonpost.com%2fFragment%2fSysConfig%2fWebPortal%2ftwpweb%2frss%2fmobile%2fblog-entry.jpp%3fid%3d1001.4.3334667314&cid=-1&spf=1

It upset me too that info was leaked, even though it's not anything horrible, it's still private since he was a minor. I don't know how it got out, although I do recall hearing of hackers getting into an email acct of his, that had notes about going to college.

if no one at that slimy treehouse has got a refund, then he is completely full of it- again. I wish Porky or CB would go undercover there and report back.
I bet that's where GZs extra 7K of Peter Pan money came from!

And "racist from the white side" appears to be a dog-whistle - thrown in there so
the reader will be reminded that there are racists on the black side too. Sneaky, huh?

ellejay wrote:--seriously, he (expects us to believe that) he personally reads through 1000's of posts, identifies the negative ones/tracks down their donation$$---and refunds their $$$upport? and what is a racist "from the white side" anyway?

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/09/pmt.01.html

MORGAN: How do you know, though, that there are no racist groups getting involved in this fund-raising? Are you vetting each donor? Do you know who they are? Clearly, the way this has been framed is an open invitation to any of the racists who raised their ugly heads at the time, to say, hey, this guy shot a black guy, I'm going to give him some money. How do you know that's not happening?

O'MARA: My true opinion is that I've reviewed thousands of the supporters' comments that have come to us. They have all been positive and I would say appropriate. There have been a very few that have been negative. Those monies have been returned.

So at least those people who are comments are doing it from their heart and from the right place. After all, there could be racist people on both sides of this fence. We have an enormous amount of hate mail that comes to us as well, from racists on the other side of it. Any racists from the white side, if you will, who do something like that, we go into -- rebuff them and not accept their money.

Wee....me go undercover???? I am not a secret squirrel...
I read there once and was appalled....so count me out.

Yeah I don't have the ability to fake like those people. Yoo hoo, Porky! We have a job for you.

Chickenbutt wrote:Wee....me go undercover???? I am not a secret squirrel...
I read there once and was appalled....so count me out.

Ohhhhhh Porky!!!!!

serenaz1 wrote:

Tamta wrote:Jonathan Capehart: Zimmerman: Getting away with murder?

Yes, Trayvon had been suspended from school in Miami three times. Once for excessive tardiness and truancy. Once for graffiti. And once for being found with a plastic baggie that had traces of marijuana. There was also the case of campus security finding twelve pieces of women’s jewelry in his backpack that he said belonged to a friend, but refused to give a name to school officials. Trayvon’s parents say they didn’t know about this incident. But Miami-Dade Police told the Associated Press in March that none of the jewelry matched any reported stolen. Trayvon was never disciplined in that incident.


____________________________

Trayvon is a minor.

How is it that this information has been released and is allowed to be reported on?

It infuriates me and I consider it grossly irresponsible.

http://mobile.washingtonpost.com/rss.jsp;jsessionid=2A6DD1C4D75E51CD093630C92BB7EF3C?rssid=4222051&item=http%3a%2f%2fwww.washingtonpost.com%2fFragment%2fSysConfig%2fWebPortal%2ftwpweb%2frss%2fmobile%2fblog-entry.jpp%3fid%3d1001.4.3334667314&cid=-1&spf=1

It upset me too that info was leaked, even though it's not anything horrible, it's still private since he was a minor. I don't know how it got out, although I do recall hearing of hackers getting into an email acct of his, that had notes about going to college.

Family slams police for leak of Trayvon Martin’s suspension

March 27, 2012|By Curt Anderson and Mike Schneider

~Snipped~

Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, and family attorneys blamed police for leaking the information about the marijuana to the news media in an effort to demonize the teenager.

“The only comment that I have right now is that they killed my son and now they’re trying to kill his reputation,” Fulton told reporters.

The Sanford Police Department insisted there was no authorized release of the suspension information but acknowledged there may have been a leak within the agency. City Manager Norton Bonaparte Jr. said the source of the leak would be investigated and the person responsible could be fired.

“We do not condone these unauthorized leaks of information,” Bonaparte said.

http://articles.boston.com/2012-03-27/nation/31238990_1_chief-bill-lee-civil-rights-leaders-leak