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MuffyBee
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« Reply #20 on: June 05, 2012, 02:35:32 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/04/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
George Zimmerman Back in Jail
Aired June 4, 2012 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


VELEZ-MITCHELL: ... absolutely our responsibility to help. And so today, we can help those on the other side of the world, thanks to social media. Amazing.

And now, tonight, George Zimmerman`s own words helped send him back to jail. Are his recorded conversations with his wife proof that he lied to the court or did he make honest mistakes under the mounting pressure of a second-degree murder charge? You will hear all the details next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL (voice-over): Tonight, Neighborhood Watch volunteer George Zimmerman forced back to jail after he`s accused of lying to the judge about being broke. Was Zimmerman speaking in code with his wife in jailhouse tapes to hide $130,000? Is this like the Casey Anthony case, where what happens in lockup doesn`t stay in lockup? Trayvon Martin`s family`s attorney and Zimmerman`s good friend debate it next. And I`m taking your calls.

Plus, did cops catch the Butcher of Montreal? The self-described porn star accused of brutally killing and dismembering his former lover sparked an international manhunt. Tonight, I`ll talk to the "Playboy" Barbi twins, who say they`ve been ignored for years in their battle to catch this monster.

And health guru, Nancy Preston back in our adventure to slim, sharing her secrets on how to snack and still lose weight.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Zimmerman surrendered yesterday and is now back in jail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is in custody now; he`s going to remain there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A judge revoked his bond Friday, saying he misled the court about his finances and an unsurrendered passport.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They also accused the couple of speaking in code somehow about the donations from a Web site that he set up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the jailhouse calls the defendant made to his wife.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Doesn`t it tell you where his mindset is: "I can skate. I can just kind of convince them that I`m telling the truth"?

BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Zimmerman, who had been living in an undisclosed location due to threats on his life, is charged with second-degree murder.

MARK O`MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: He`s worried about himself. He`s worried about his wife. He`s worried about his family.

CRUMP: We`ve always believed if the shoe was on the other foot, that Trayvon Martin would have been put in jail on day one, and he would not have been given bail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this wasn`t relevant to bond, then why did they lie about it?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Jane Velez-Mitchell, coming to you live from New York City after a brutal court battle.

Shooter George Zimmerman is back under lock and key tonight as we speak. Take a look at his new mug shot, the second in as many months. Did he sabotage his own case by talking in code with his wife back when he was in jail the first time?

Zimmerman shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin back in February. After a national uproar, he was finally arrested in April, but he was in jail for only 12 days. He walked out after paying just 15 grand in bail. Now that bond`s been revoked.

Look at this new video of Zimmerman as he turns himself in to police just yesterday. The reason he was sent back to the slammer? Prosecutors say he lied to the judge. As proof, they produced conversations between Zimmerman and his wife, Shelly, where they appear to be talking in code. They were recorded by the state when George was in jail the first time around.

George Zimmerman asked her: "In my account, do I have at least 100?"

His wife responds, "No."

"How close am I?" George asks.

"Eight dollars," says his wife. "Eight sixty."

George says, "Really?" And then asks, "So total everything, how much are we looking at?"

His wife responds, "Like 155."

Prosecutors contend when she said "155," she was talking in code and really meant $155,000, which would mean George knew he was rolling in money when he told the judge he was flat broke.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The bottom line is, we believe, and he allege, that the defendant and his wife misled the court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Today Zimmerman`s lawyer wrote, quote, "The failure to disclose these funds were caused by fear, mistrust and confusion. The gravity of this mistake has been illustrated, and Mr. Zimmerman understands he`s undermined his credibility, which he will work hard to repair."

What do you think? Call me: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297.

Straight out to Natalie Jackson, the attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family.

Natalie, George Zimmerman wants a new hearing. He wants to get back out of jail again. Some suspect he will argue, "Well, I really didn`t think the money was mine. I thought it was the defense team`s money, because it was raised for my defense." Will that explanation hold water, Natalie?

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY (via phone): I`ll tell you, Jane, George Zimmerman, he has a right to file this motion and to ask the judge, appeal to the judge and ask him for a new bond.

The judge in this case, you know, he`s going to -- he`s going to think about George Zimmerman`s credibility. Now, the credibility is just whether or not he`s a truthful person. It doesn`t really go to a bond.

So -- but this case is about the justice system and making sure that everyone gets a fair shake in this justice system. So if we think about it fairly, you know, George Zimmerman and his attorney, they have every right to file for a new bond. However, his credibility has been damaged.

And it`s not -- it`s not truthful or even -- it`s not an honest conversation, as we say that it`s excusable to lie to the court just because you`re scared and mistrustful of the justice system. If that were true, then everybody, you know, who`s ever been done a wrong, and they find themselves a criminal defendant should be able to lie to a justice -- to a judge, and that`s not the way our system works.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Frank Taaffe, you`ve been George Zimmerman`s neighbor and you are his defender. What do you make of this pretty, I would say, heavy-duty proof that they were talking in code and that, as prosecutors say, he lied to the judge about how much money he had?

FRANK TAAFFE, FORMER NEIGHBOR OF GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: Well, hello, Jane, and think you for having me back on your show.

To answer that question, I didn`t know that -- I heard that they were speaking in code. No, I -- George has never lied to me. And it`s a mistake. Mr. O`Mara clarified it for him. And we have to go according to what Mr. O`Mara is speaking for his client now.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, let`s go at another jailhouse conversation between George Zimmerman and his wife, this one just four days before that absolutely crucial April hearing where George argued through his attorney that he was flat broke.

George: "If the bond is more than 15, pay the 15. If more than 15, pay 10 percent to the bondsman."

Wife: "You don`t want me to pay 100?"

George: "I don`t know."

Wife: "All right. Just think about it."

George: "I will."

Wife: "That`s what it`s for."

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, Daryl Parks, Martin family attorney, as well, out of Atlanta, how can they argue that they didn`t really think the money was theirs, because it was being raised for the defense when they are caught on tape discussing whether to use the money?

DARYL PARKS, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: I can`t think they can, Jane. I think that, given what we know and what happened in court there, will tell you the prosecutors clearly saw that knew they had the money and they had other intentions.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now listen, when I look at this, I always put my shrink hat on. Michelle Suskauer, you`re a criminal defense attorney and you`ve been known to defend George Zimmerman.

To me, this is part of his psychological dysfunction. We all know he was a cop wannabe. And some would say that he was playing cop when he was walking around toting a gun that night, wondering who belonged, who didn`t belong, as if that was his role which it wasn`t.

And now I think we`re getting a glimpse into his mentality with this speaking in code. It strikes me as juvenile. It strikes me like now the game he`s playing is spy master. And I think it reflects on his lark of maturity.

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: It may reflect on that, but the court is -- the court obviously has expected a lot more and expected a lot of honesty.

But the court has to look at two things, Jane. The court has to look at whether or not Zimmerman is a flight risk and whether or not he is a danger to the community. And I think the court is probably going to address those two issues. And ultimately revisit whether or not he feels, because of that dishonesty, that George Zimmerman is a flight risk.

I think ultimately he is going to potentially set a much higher bond based on the change in financial circumstances and let him get out. Because he did, Jane -- he cooperated. He came and gave statements. And look, when the judge revoked his bond, he came back before the deadline.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonya Acker, attorney, you agree?

TONYA ACKER, ATTORNEY: No, I don`t, I think that there`s really a more disturbing narrative that comes out here. I don`t think that it`s really appropriate to give him credit for finally doing what the law requires.

The night that he killed Trayvon Martin, law enforcement officials told him to go home. He didn`t do that. He then went to court and was required under penalty of perjury, as was his wife, to be honest and truthful before the court. That is nothing -- there`s no exception in the law for lying to a judge because you`re afraid. There is no such thing.

And so he decided again to take the law into his own hands and come up with his own narrative of his finances. And whether or not he`s a flight risk really goes to what his resources are. And until we know what those resources are, you remember: there are a lot of people out there who are willing to give this guy some money, because they think it was heroic. So we`ve got to get to the bottom of that.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Michelle.

SUSKAUER: You know, I -- this does not change the fact that this is someone who was -- who was tied to the community, who cooperated over and over again with law enforcement, who turned himself in when the court asked him to, who turned -- when law enforcement filed charges, and who turned himself in again.

So I think I agree. I think the court has to get to the bottom of what the finances are but then is going to set a higher bond and let him get out. Because he is entitled to a bond.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O`MARA: The second passport, which they did not believe they still had, was found and turned over literally within a minute or an hour of him finding it. That came to me; I presented it to the court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right so, this whole question of whether or not George Zimmerman is a flight risk, which he will obviously have to argue if they have another bond hearing that he is not. But they caught him on tape discussing a second passport with his wife.

George Zimmerman, "Do you know what? I think my passport is in that bag."

Wife: "I have one for you in the safety deposit box."

George Zimmerman: "OK, you hold on to that."

Wife: "For you."

So they`re going to have to figure out whether that conversation was an attempt to keep from the court the knowledge of a second passport or, as Mark O`Mara, Zimmerman`s attorney, Contends, "Oh, no, nothing to see here. He handed it in. "I accidentally held onto it for a while longer than I should have before handing it back to the court.

Let`s go to the phones. Hi, Christine.

CALLER: Yes, hi, Jane. I love your show.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.

CALLER: You know, George Zimmerman has shown no, you know, compassion or truth for the law at all. From the beginning. If he had listened to the officers from the beginning and not gotten out of his car, this would never have happened.

I live in Florida where we have the law stand your ground. To me, that -- you know, he did not stand his ground. He went after this young man. To me his credibility is just shot. He lied. I believe everything that he said has been a lie. And now the money.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you make a very good point about credibility. I mean, Mark Nejame, criminal defense attorney, HLN legal analyst, Mark O`Mara, his attorney, wants another bond hearing. Well, Benjamin Crump, the attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family, one of them, he says, "We`re going to make sure that George Zimmerman and his wife are put on the stand and grilled." Couldn`t that be devastating for the defense?

MARK NEJAME, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: Absolutely. I am not in any way, shape or form convinced that having a second bond hearing serves Zimmerman well. Zimmerman already took the stand at his first bond hearing, which I (ph) didn`t agree with. And now to have another statement lined up could be devastating down the line.

And if the judge does give a bond, it`s going to be entirely within his discretion. You could end up losing that hearing very easily. The judge could easily conclude that storing $115,000 and not telling anybody about it, puts somebody at risk of flight.

So having a very good chance of losing the hearing or having a million-dollar bond or something along those lines granted. But then the cost being you get out for a few months, but you`ve got statements there that can be used forever more as you`re preparing for a trial of this magnitude. I`m not sure it`s not best just to sit in jail and wait it out and not put yourself at risk by not having those statements.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Tonya Acker, what`s interesting is that Mark O`Mara had said, shortly before this whole brouhaha over the bail being revoked, he said, "Well, you know what? We`ve waived speedy trial. This is going to take months. It`s not going to be until 2013 that this is probably going to go to trial."

Now if he`s stuck in jail, is he going to reevaluate that? Because now, his client is going to be possibly stuck in jail for all of those many months, maybe even years before we get to trial.

ACKER: That`s right, Jane, and I think that he may be stuck with that. And again, you know, remember: part of the reason that Zimmerman gave for this -- I`ll just be candid -- I`m sorry, I`ll be kind, this lack of candor to the court is that he was afraid that his life was in danger. You know, he`ll be very safe in jail. It`s very possible -- he`s in protective custody now.

Some might say that he`s safe never jail than he would be out on the streets. So if truly his concern is his safety, if that`s the reason that he lied to the court, then maybe he`ll be fine being in jail until he goes to trial.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Frank Taaffe, you`re his friend. Do you think he`s going to be cool with being in jail for however many months or years it takes?

TAAFFE: He`s not going to be stuck in jail. And I agree with Mark Nejame totally. I have a problem with this credibility issue. What I have a problem with is that Mr. Crump has been throwing this credibility issue out there. And I don`t know how many times he`s punched people in the nose with that one.

But I`ve got a real problem with Deedee (ph). Because Deedee (ph) gives the farm away. At 9 minutes and 40 seconds, with her testimony to the state attorney, she asked Trayvon to run. Trayvon says, "I`m not going to run."

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: Our son is your son. And I want you to guys to stand up for justice and stand up for what`s right.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Because of the emotion and many other factors, many are comparing this case to Casey Anthony. And that case had a slew of jailhouse tapes which came out during the trial, like this one.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CASEY ANTHONY, ACQUITTED OF MURDER: Could someone -- come on!

CINDY ANTHONY, CASEY`S MOTHER: Casey, come on, sweetheart. Settle down, honey.

CASEY ANTHONY: Nobody`s letting me speak. You want me to talk, then...

CINDY ANTHONY: All right. I`ll listen.

CASEY ANTHONY: ... give me three seconds to say something. I`m not in control over any of this, because I don`t know what the hell`s going on.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Even Casey Anthony knew the tapes could be used against her. I mean, George Zimmerman was a cop wannabe. You`ve got to wonder how he could make such an amateur mistake to think he could talk in code in jail and nobody would catch him.

Even Casey Anthony didn`t make that mistake. She was very, very clever in telling her parents: "Don`t say this, don`t say that, don`t say anything."

Mark Nejame -- Frank Taaffe, George Zimmerman`s defender, or so both of you, said, "Oh, I agree entirely with Mark Nejame. George Zimmerman should be let out on bail," but you don`t agree with Frank Taaffe.

NEJAME: Yes, I was a little confused with that. I think that it behooves Mr. Zimmerman to stay in jail, rather than subject himself to cross-examination at the time of a bond hearing.

He`s already made one statement at his earlier bond hearing. He`s given several statements, apparently, to law enforcement. And he`s going to be literally in the fight of his life at the time of trial. I don`t see a benefit on a cost-benefit basis to letting him out of jail.

But...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Frank.

NEJAME: And if there is a bond, it`s going to be an outrageous, a billion dollars or so, I would imagine. So I don`t understand why he would want to get out of jail.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK, I hear you Mark -- Frank.

TAAFFE: I agree in part with Mark. You ask me, should he get out of jail? Yes. But you know, once again Mark is sharing his legal expertise as to, you know, it could be quite devastating to George. And of course we`re looking out for his best interests. And of course, that`s why he has Mr. O`Mara as his legal expert defending him.

I just wanted to share that, even if it is a million dollars, you know, 10 percent of that is 100,000. And we know he has at least 100,000. So if Judge Lester does allow him another bond, and it is a million dollars, it satisfies both teams.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Tonya Acker, your response to that -- Tonya?

ACKER: I think that he clearly has 10 percent of a million dollars. I mean, that`s one of the things that he allegedly misrepresented to the court.

And just really quickly, Jane, I want to go back to -- I think it`s Frank`s point about how he gave the farm away, because Trayvon didn`t run. The last I heard, unarmed people who are abiding by the law in the United States of America don`t have to run from people who are pursuing them when the law enforcement officials have already told those pursuers to stand down.

So I think it`s really interesting in this case how we`ve sort of flipped notions of justice and liberty on their head. We really have.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O`MARA: If deception was their intent, why did they disclose it to me the first day that it was discussed?

CRUMP: A lie is a lie and that`s what the court has to determine.

O`MARA: I don`t think they believed that they had free access to that money, and I think that was evident by the way they used it and didn`t use it.

CRUMP: His credibility is the main thing here, because it is only his version of the facts that say Trayvon Martin attacked him.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight George Zimmerman is back behind bars. The prosecution said this guy lied. We`re going to show you some video of him turning himself in yesterday. This is video of him when he was at court being actually the first time we saw him in court. This is video of him turning himself in last night. You see he`s put on some weight there. His hands locked behind him.

The question is, will he get out on bail again? His attorney wants another bond hearing, where he can argue, "Oh, judge, it was all a big misunderstanding. He didn`t really lie. Let him out of jail." Trayvon Martin`s family says not so fast.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

CRUMP: If Attorney O`Mara files the motion, then the stage is set for George Zimmerman and his wife to have to take the witness stand and attempt to explain what the state attorney was blatant lies to the court.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Recently, these photos of George Zimmerman, his apparently broken nose and his bloody head came out. A lot of people thought, wow, the defense was gaining speed and had the momentum.

But now, it is evident that George Zimmerman was speaking in code with his wife when he was in jail the last time. You`ve got to wonder if that could be a debacle for the defense, especially if they decide, "Yes, we will have another bond hearing" and Zimmerman is taken to the stand and grilled by prosecutors about whether or not he was lying.

Daryl Parks, Martin family attorney, do you think if there is another bond hearing, your side will get its way and George Zimmerman and his wife will have to take the stand?

PARKS: We feel very strongly that the only way they can explain what happened here is for the both of them to take the stand and explain the conduct that the prosecution has alleged against them.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, what about Frank Taaffe`s comment that well -- I assume he was talking about Trayvon Martin`s girlfriend who was on a cell phone talking to Trayvon shortly before he was gunned down by George Zimmerman, what about Frank Taaffe`s comment that "she gave away the farm" -- I`m not sure exactly what that means -- because she revealed allegedly, purportedly -- I don`t know, but this is what Frank`s claiming -- that Trayvon said "I`m not going to run."

PARKS: I think Mr. Taaffe has it totally wrong. It`s rather clear here that we have the phone records to corroborate what the young lady says and her statement to the prosecutors that clearly lays out what happened in the last few minutes of Trayvon`s life. So I don`t think she`s totally on point and will be a great witness for the prosecution in this case.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Frank, your response?

TAAFFE: Witness for the defense. She`s going to be a great witness for the defense. Because, you know, she lays down the smoking pipe, if that`s what you want to call it. Because it`s exactly 110 yards and I heard it and so did a lot of my other colleagues. They heard her say "Trayvon, why don`t you run." He says "I`m not going to do that." "Why?" "Because I`m next to my daddy`s house." I wish you would review that, Daryl.

He has no duty to run.

(CROSSTALK)

PARKS: No duty to run, whatsoever. He`s free to go wherever he wants to do and that`s what he was doing.

TAAFFE: Daryl he had no duty to run because he was already next to his dad`s house. If he had to go home, all he had to do was open the door. It`s 110 yards from his dad`s porch --

PARKS: Well, let`s remember something here.

TAAFFE: I`ve walked it. It`s 30 yards from where George parked to where the shooting took place and it`s 110 yards from that spot to the back of his house.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, wait a second. Hold on a second.

Are you trying to suggest that that`s proof that Trayvon Martin turned around and went after -- I`m trying to figure out what your point is?

TAAFFE: Absolutely. Unequivocally yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Daryl? Daryl?

PARKS: Jane, that makes no sense. Seriously the evidence --

(CROSSTALK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hold on. One at a time -- one at a time. It`s Daryl`s turn.

PARKS: The evidence is rather clear. I mean it`s clear as it can be.

TAAFFE: That evidence supports the --

PARKS: No sir, I`m sorry. It`s rather clear George gets out of the car, he`s talking on there with the dispatcher. He`s walking behind Trayvon. Trayvon`s on the phone. The phone record clearly lays it out. They get between the buildings. Various witnesses see them.

So Taaffe, I`m sorry, I`m so sorry.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Michelle Suskauer, you`re a criminal defense attorney out of Palm Beach, Florida. You see the intensity of this case and now we have the real George Zimmerman.com. That raised $135,000 in donations within a few weeks of going up. That site`s been taken down.

Now there`s a new site where his defense team is actually putting out news releases while at the same time asking for donations. And I was studying this Web site today and some reports claim a ton of money is starting to pour in again. A, could George Zimmerman become some sort of millionaire and B, is it appropriate for a defense team in a criminal case to be issuing news releases and raising money on the same site, Michelle?

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Again, there`s spin that`s going out on both sides, on all sides. There`s no gag order, so -- and there`s been so much PR damage that was done to George Zimmerman from the get-go, from the very beginning, from the top all the way down.

So I don`t think that there`s anything wrong with that unless or until the judge puts a stop to it and there is says no more. You know, Jane, there`s free speech in this country.

(CROSSTALK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Natalie, I want to get your response; Natalie Jackson, Martin family attorney.

NATALIE JACKSON, MARTIN FAMILY ATTORNEY: We were talking about this - - we should be talking about the law. I want to say that one thing that I don`t think is made clear, is that George Zimmerman he has a non-bondable offense. So when we`re talking about the bond -- he`s not entitled to a bond like other offenses.

And if we`re talking about raising funds or whatever, that`s perfectly up to the people who want to donate to George Zimmerman. However we have to be responsible in the messages that we are sending.

You know, the messages that are coming out, that are coming from people who are talking about this, including everyone in this case is that you`re justified in pursuing and killing a teenager who`s doing nothing wrong because he scared you. And if you shoot him, make sure to shoot and kill him so he can`t tell his story. And now it`s excusable to lie to a court if you`re scared and you`re mistrustful.

Those are not the things we should be talking about when we talk about our legal system and what is happening in our legal system.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And we have to leave it right there.

Thank you, fantastic panel.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #21 on: June 13, 2012, 04:04:48 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/12/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
George Zimmerman`s Wife Arrested for Perjury; Woman Allegedly Set on Fire by Ex-Boyfriend; Father Kills to Defend Daughter
Aired June 12, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 ::snipping2::
Meantime, we`ve got late-breaking news in the Trayvon Martin shooting case. The wife of accused killer, George Zimmerman, has been arrested for lying to the judge in court. Did George and Shellie Zimmerman conspire to hide cash, pretending they were flat broke when they really weren`t? How is this new charge going to affect George Zimmerman`s murder trial? We`ve got the very latest right here next.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
VELEZ-MITCHEL (voice-over): Tonight, blockbuster developments in the Trayvon Martin shooting. Shooter George Zimmerman`s wife has just been arrested and booked. We`ll tell you why.

And was it restraining order revenge? Cops say a Florida man set the mother of his son on fire at a 7-Eleven and chased her with a knife, all caught on tape. You`ll see the video here. And I`ll talk to another woman who was set ablaze by her estranged husband. Is the law doing enough to protect women targeted by their exes?

And cops say a dad walked in on a man sexually molesting his 4-year- old daughter. So he killed him. So, if he beat the man to death while trying to protect his little girl, should he even be charged?

Then, just when we thought she was putting her troubles behind her, Lindsay Lohan involved in yet another car crash. New disturbing allocations emerging. Was she trying to hide a secret pink bag from police?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is in custody now. He`s going to remain there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A judge revoked his bond Friday, saying he misled the court about his finances and an unsurrendered passport.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They also accused the couple of speaking in code somehow about donations from a Web site that he set up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the jail calls the defendant made to his wife.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Doesn`t it tell you where his mindset is? "I can skate. I can just kind of convince them that I`m telling the truth."

BENJAMIN CRUMP, LAWYER FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Zimmerman, who had been living in an undisclosed location due to threats on his life, is charged with second-degree murder.

MARK O`MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: He`s worried about himself. He`s worried about his wife. He`s worried about his family.

CRUMP: They`ve always believed, if the shoe was on the other foot, that Trayvon Martin would have been put in jail on day one, and he would not have been given bail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this wasn`t relevant to bond, then why did they lie about it?

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, a shocking twist in the Trayvon Martin shooting case. Take a look at this. It is the mug shot of shooter George Zimmerman`s wife, Shellie. She was arrested late this afternoon for perjury. Prosecutors say she lied to a judge, just as her husband did.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the jail calls the defendant made to his wife and to other people, and I`ll focus specifically on his wife, Shellie Zimmerman, in which he repeatedly tells her about the money, about moving the money and transferring from one position to the other.

So both Mrs. Zimmerman and the defendant -- the defendant through Mrs. Zimmerman, lied to this court about the amount of money they had.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: George, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who was charged with second-degree murder, was free on bond. But then you remember, he was ordered back to jail for not being truthful.

George claimed he was broke when he actually had access to tons of cash through the Web site set up to support his defense in this highly charged case. So, yes, it was back to jail for George.
Well, now it appears prosecutors zeroing in on his wife, saying she also lied about how much money they had in their bank account. She`s even accused of moving thousands of dollars to another account right before his first bond hearing when she testified over the phone. Remember this?

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You mentioned also in terms of the ability of your husband now that you all have no money, is that correct?

SHELLIE ZIMMERMAN, WIFE (via phone): To my knowledge that`s correct.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you aware that Mr. Zimmerman or somebody on his behalf created?

S. ZIMMERMAN: I`m aware of that Web site.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And how much money is in that right now? How much money as a result of that Web site is...?

S. ZIMMERMAN: Currently, I do not know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Shellie Zimmerman was arrested on one count of knowingly making a false statement. And less than three hours ago she was released on $1,000 bond.

Straight out to Natalie Jackson, the attorney for the family of shooting victim Trayvon Martin. Natalie, thank you for joining us tonight.

What do you make, and what does the Martin family make of this stunning new development?

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: Well, I think that -- well, we think that Angela Corey did the absolute right thing. The foundation of our judicial system is based on witnesses telling the truth. So this is a message for not only in this case but in all cases that, when you come into a courtroom, you must tell the truth. And the American justice system depends on that.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Michelle Suskauer, criminal defense attorney out of West Palm Beach, do you agree this was fair?

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I think that they definitely have it out for this family. You know, these are -- prosecutors don`t really charge people with perjury too often, but they are really gunning for this family. And the pun is definitely not intended.

So they -- they`re after George Zimmerman. They`re after Shellie. And what are they going to gain from this? I just don`t know. This is a third-degree felony. She`s not going to go to prison for this. I don`t think that this was necessary.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. OK. Mark Eiglarsh, criminal defense attorney, you`ve heard both sides now. What say you?

MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I disagree with my dear friend, Michelle Suskauer. You know, being in the criminal justice system for 20 years, I`ve seen how miscarriages of justice take place when people lie. And, you know, if you let it go by, in spite of clear -- what appears to be clear overwhelming evidence of perjury, then what you`re saying is it`s OK. Anyone can do it. Let it go.

And I think that it needs to send a message to other people that there are severe consequences when you come into court and lie.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, let me tell you, here`s what I think. I think this is war. You remember when Mark O`Mara at the bond hearing turned it into a mini-trial and actually embarrassed prosecutors, because some people didn`t know certain things, hadn`t seen -- and this was one of the first court hearings on this whole issue. One of the investigators for the prosecution hadn`t seen George Zimmerman`s medical records. And everybody was up in arms about, oh my gosh, was a special prosecutor prepared with her case?

Well, guess what? Every action has an equal and opposite reaction. And it would appear to me that this is a high-stakes war going on, a legal war. And no holds barred. Yes, the wife is going to jail. Even though she bailed out.

Let`s go to the phone lines. Judy, Michigan, your question or thought, Judy.

CALLER: Yes, Jane. I hear that the defense is still using the "stand your ground" law for George Zimmerman. And I wonder why Trayvon isn`t afforded the same right. He was being attacked by someone with a gun. And he was visiting his father. There`s no other way for him to get there. Why isn`t he afforded the right of having the "stand your ground" law?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, tragically, he is not here anymore to make any claims, except through evidence that we`ve collected about what happened that night.

Now, prosecutors say, getting back to this extraordinary issue of essentially the wife of this man charged with second-degree murder being taken to jail and bailing out. Let`s give you a little back story here.

There was a crucial bond hearing where George and Shellie, his wife, claimed they were flat broke. OK. That allowed him to get out of jail after posting just 15 grand on a second-degree murder charge.

Here`s a transcript that prosecutors say proves George and his wife were lying about that, that they had talked in code beforehand from jail in a jailhouse phone call.

"George: `In my account, do I have at least $100?`

"Wife: `No.`

"George: `How close am I?`

"Wife: `Eight, 8-60.`

"George: Really? So everything total, how much we`re looking at?`

"Wife -- Wife: "A hundred and fifty-five.`"

Now, prosecutors said, and I`ll throw this back to Natalie Jackson, Trayvon Martin`s family`s attorney. The prosecution said when Shellie was saying the words "one hundred and fifty-five," she was actually talking about $155,000. That is extraordinary that these two actually thought they could talk in code and get away with this.

JACKSON: And that`s what the prosecutor said at the bond hearing. That was one of the reasons the bond was revoked. And I -- you know, I would offer that that`s one of the reasons that Shellie Zimmerman was jailed today.
Once again, it`s a very irresponsible message to tell people that it`s OK for whatever reason, as long as you have a good reason, that you can lie in court. That`s not the message. That`s not what our judicial system says. And I think that this is a strong, responsible message that we`re going to follow the law in this case.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, I`ve just got a look at the psychological side here. Take a look at Shellie Zimmerman`s mug shot. We are seeing her for the first time. Remember, she testified over the phone. This lady does not look happy, Michelle Suskauer.

SUSKAUER: Of course not. Why would she be happy? This is a family - - look, this -- in my opinion -- certainly, and I agree with Mark and Natalie, nobody should be coming into court and intentionally lying.

But hey, we also do have a presumption of innocence here. So she was charged, but she wasn`t convicted of perjury yet. OK? So -- but again, this family is under tremendous stress. So I think we need to take that into consideration.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, what I will say is when you`re dealing with a mega-case like this, it`s always dramatic twists and turns that always go outside the narrow boundaries that one is expecting and that usually occur with a minor case. In a major case, it`s no holds barred war. And that`s what we`re seeing there between both sides.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #22 on: June 14, 2012, 10:29:57 AM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/13/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Casey Anthony Speaks Out
Aired June 13, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 ::snipping2::
Then, George Zimmerman says he fears for his wife`s safety after her identity is revealed. Shellie Zimmerman was charged yesterday for lying to a judge. Could the release of this mug shot put her life in danger?
 ::snipping2::
All right. Now an update on another high profile case in Florida in the Orlando area, where another woman is back in hiding. Just one day after Shellie Zimmerman was arrested for lying to a judge and released on bond, her husband, the infamous George Zimmerman, who shot Trayvon Martin and is now facing trial for second-degree murder says he fears for his wife`s life. Why? Because this mug shot finally reveals what his wife looks like. Something they were able to keep secret until just yesterday.

Now, at Zimmerman`s original bond hearing the one where Mrs. Zimmerman, Shellie Zimmerman was accused of lying, she even testified by phone in order to protect her identity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You also mentioned that you yourself were concerned about your safety, is that correct?

SHELLIE ZIMMERMAN, WIFE OF GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: Yes, I am.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you yourself personally been threatened by --

S. ZIMMERMAN: Anything that happens to my husband is a personal threat to me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, ma`am.

I don`t mean to argue with you, but you yourself have not been threatened, is that correct?

S. ZIMMERMAN: I`ve received hate mail.

(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Lisa Bloom, legal analyst for avo.com, Obviously the Trayvon Martin shooting has caused outrage from coast to coast. Is this a valid concern, or are the Zimmermans playing the victim?

LISA BLOOM, LEGAL ANALYST, AVO.COM: No. I think it`s a valid concern. Whether they`re right or wrong, innocent or guilty, they have the right to have their safety protected. This is a high profile case as you say. Emotions run high. And nobody wants to be the victim of a vigilante mob.

I think she needs to be very cautious. And they both need to be protected.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. But by the same token, you can`t lie to the judge and expect to get away with it. And that`s part of the problem is that she -- according to the prosecution and there was evidence presented - - knew that they had at least $135,000 that they had raised at least in part through the Web site. And they said that they were broke. Now --

BLOOM: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So how does the law crack down on an alleged liar while protecting their identity? What was their alternative?

BLOOM: Right. No, they have to go after her.

Look, I mean, you can`t lie to authorities. You can`t lie to cops. You can`t lie to police. You can`t lie under oath or the whole system would break down. That`s why we have laws like this especially in this situation.

This was such a foolish lie because here they have a Web site that was raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for his defense. I guess people all over the country were sending money in.

And apparently they were speaking in code to each other about it. That was recorded. And so they were caught. Oops, they were caught.

And, boy, this is terrible for George Zimmerman at the beginning of the case where his credibility is going to be so important. And now his wife is in it. And it wouldn`t surprise me, Jane, if prosecutors try to use charges against his wife to get some leverage with him possibly for a plea bargain. Look, if you give us a plea bargain, we`ll drop everything against your wife. So, this was very foolish on George`s part.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, that`s interesting. This is war. And I wouldn`t -- I wouldn`t put it past prosecutors -- and I think they have every right to do it, to use her arrest -- even though she`s been released on bond, as leverage, you`re right, to try to get George Zimmerman to do what they want.

BLOOM: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tina, Florida. Tina, Florida, your question or thought, Tina.

TINA, FLORIDA (via telephone): Hi, Jane.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hi.

TINA: I just wanted to say that I believe that George Zimmerman`s wife is just as guilty as he is as far as it goes with the money in that account because she knew it was there. She spent the money. And to try to hide it just blows my mind that they never thought it would not be, you know, discovered.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think what`s fascinating to me from a psychological standpoint is that it was kind of a spy game, the way little kids play a spy game.

And part of George Zimmerman`s psychological profile is that he was a cop wannabe, Lisa Bloom. And he was kind of playing maybe "Cops and Robbers" in his mind. He was playing vigilante and this sort of dove tails with that whole idea that he`s a little bit in fantasy land talking in code with his wife while he`s behind bars.

BLOOM: You know, I always want to give people the benefit of the doubt, Jane. And especially when everybody`s piling on someone like George Zimmerman, I want to find something to defend him. But here I think they really have him and his wife cold because they have them recorded clearly talking in a coded way about the money that they had in a PayPal account that they raised via Web site.

So they can`t go into court and say we`re indigent, boo-hoo. You know, set bail at a very low amount. Give me an attorney on the state`s tab.

And on the other hand be talking to each other about this huge amount of money that they`ve raised. There`s no defense for it.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #23 on: June 16, 2012, 05:28:51 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/15/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Doctor Wanted for Murder Kills Himself
Aired June 15, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


 ::snipping2::
Now, onto another major case: new developments in the case of George Zimmerman, the infamous shooter of Trayvon Martin. His attorney, Mark O`Meara confirms he`s gotten a second batch of discovery from prosecutors. The second treasure-trove of information contains a mountain of CDs, seven of them worth information and hundreds of pages of documents.

We`re hearing there are statements from dozens of witnesses plus additional reports from Sanford police and the FBI. Crime scenes, diagrams, photos, surveillance videos, 911 calls Zimmerman made before the night 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot dead; this, on the heels of the arrest of George Zimmerman`s wife Shellie for lying to the judge allegedly.

Matt Semino, you`re with the Huffington Post, you`re an attorney who`s followed this case. This massive, massive mountain of documents; we`re going to start hearing about them when? After 30 days?

MATT SEMINO, HUFFINGTON POST: Yes. The judge ruled on June 1st that once this information is released for discovery, there has to be this 30- day period where the defense gets to review this mountain of documentation, digest it before it`s released to the media.

And at the same time the judge also limited some information that can`t be exposed, such as witnesses` names, pictures of Trayvon Martin`s body -- witnesses` names until the trial starts. This is to protect the witnesses and also respect the privacy of the Martin family -- of Trayvon Martin`s family.

So it`s a very complicated issue with respect to all the discovery documentation and what we`re going to be able to see in the public and in the media.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, the reports are that there are dozens and dozens of witnesses in these reports. But here`s the key. How many of them actually saw what happened on that rainy night? Those are some would say the only people who really count.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police, I just heard a shot right behind my house.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He just said he shot him. Yes, the person is dead, laying on the grass.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. And you`ve got the 911 calls he made. You`ve got the witnesses calling 911. They`re going to line all of this stuff up. We`ve got visual elements like this video of him being escorted in to police headquarters. You`ve got the still photos of him. Some of them look, well, like he`s fine. Others look like he`s bloodied.

And all of this is going to be dissected by the media before the trial starts because Florida has these open laws -- these sunshine laws.

SEMINO: And that`s what the lawyers for the media argued. And the public and the media have the right, in my opinion, to see this information, digest this information and make their own interpretation, Jane. That`s what the law in Florida calls for, open records -- open public records for the public to be able to digest this and see for themselves what they think.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #24 on: June 18, 2012, 01:18:46 PM »

FULL TRANSCRIPTS:  Calls from jail on April 16 and April 17, 2012

Trancripts at link

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/jailhouse-calls-show-george-zimmerman-telling-wife-how-to-transfer-money-from-bank-accounts/2012/06/18/gJQANuXMlV_story.html

Jailhouse calls show George Zimmerman telling wife to buy bulletproof vests for them, attorney
Updated: Monday, June 18, 10:48 AM

Zimmerman's jail phone calls
TRANSCRIPTS | George Zimmerman's calls from jail to his wife, Shellie, in which they discuss money transfers and George Zimmerman jokes about disguising himself in a hoodie.
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« Reply #25 on: June 18, 2012, 07:42:44 PM »

At the link --  Audio of Jail Calls #1 - #6 and Transcripts of Jail Calls #1 - #6

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/18/2855731/zimmerman-jail-calls-made-public.html

Monday, 06.18.12
Zimmerman jail calls made public
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« Reply #26 on: June 19, 2012, 01:53:13 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/18/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Zimmerman`s Jailhouse Phone Calls Released
Aired June 18, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to bring in Jane Velez-Mitchell. And Jane, the advances in modern science are just incredible, aren`t they?

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: Oh, absolutely. And these kinds of horrific, freak accidents happen all the time. And they are an absolute disaster nightmare for families.

So it`s wonderful that she is getting all the help she possibly can. Our thoughts and prayers do go out to her and her family. It`s a heart- wrenching experience. And we only hope, really hope that she comes through and comes through ultimately healthy.

Tonight I`m going to play for you George Zimmerman`s secret jailhouse conversations with his wife tonight. You`ll hear for the first time Trayvon Martin`s shooter allegedly talking in code to his wife Shellie. The jailhouse tapes give us a revealing look at who George Zimmerman is. His values, his fears, his relationships with his loved ones. We`re playing the recorded conversations, and we`re analyzing them tonight live with a panel of experts.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL (voice-over): Tonight, just released. The secret jailhouse tapes of George Zimmerman and his wife. The Trayvon Martin shooter caught exchanging expressions of love while allegedly talking in code, instructing his wife on how to transfer thousands of dollars when he claimed he was broke.

Does his reference to Peter Pan really mean PayPal? We`ll analyze the tapes, and we`re taking your calls.

Plus the first defense witnesses takes the stand in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial. The former football coach`s Penn State co-worker says he also showered frequently with boys in locker rooms, claiming it`s normal and part of sports. You won`t believe Sandusky`s latest defense tactic.

Plus, the big Kardashian clan interview with talk-show queen Oprah Winfrey. She`s asking the tough questions about Kim`s infamous sex tapes and her 72-day marriage. And did Kim`s mom put her on birth control when Kim was just 14?

SHELLI ZIMMERMAN, WIFE: I need to figure out how to reset his password so that I can log into the account for him.

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, SHOOTING SUSPECT: Remember, no personal information.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He is in custody now. He`s going to remain there.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A judge revoked his bond on Friday, saying he misled the court about his finances and an unsurrendered passport.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: They also accuse the couple of speaking in code somehow about donations from a Web site he`d set up.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We have the jail calls the defendant made to his wife.

G. ZIMMERMAN: Total everything, how much are we looking at?

S. ZIMMERMAN: Like $155.

Does it give you any solace knowing that this is taken care of now?

G. ZIMMERMAN: Huge, huge.

S. ZIMMERMAN: Good, good.

BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Zimmerman, who had been living in an undisclosed location due to threats on his life, is charged with second-degree murder.

MARK O`MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: He`s worried about himself. He`s worried about his wife. He`s worried about his family.

CRUMP: They`ve always believed if the shoe was on the other foot, that Trayvon Martin would have been put in jail on day one, and he would not have been given bail.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If this was irrelevant to bond, then why did they lie about it?

S. ZIMMERMAN: You`re special (UNINTELLIGIBLE) to people at home.

ROBOTIC VOICE: This call will be recorded and subject to monitoring at any time.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, a revealing look at the man who shot Trayvon Martin dead, as his jailhouse conversations are released.

Good evening. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell.

Question for you tonight: did George Zimmerman and his wife Shellie have an elaborate plot to hide money just before his April bond hearing so they could pretend to be broke and get a reduced bail?

Listen for yourself.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

G. ZIMMERMAN: In my account, do I have at least $100?

S. ZIMMERMAN: In his account, does he have at least $100. No.

G. ZIMMERMAN: How close am I?

S. ZIMMERMAN: There`s like $8.

G. ZIMMERMAN: Really?

S. ZIMMERMAN: Like $8 and like 60 cents or something.

G. ZIMMERMAN: I thought you said it was like 300 total.

S. ZIMMERMAN: Nope, Ken inflated it.

G. ZIMMERMAN: Oh, OK. So total everything how much are we looking at?

S. ZIMMERMAN: Like $155.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Prosecutors say $155 actually refers to $155,000. These tapes led to George`s wife`s arrest on perjury charges just last week. She`s accused of speaking to her husband in code, hiding his money, while he was behind bars, and lying to a judge when she said they were broke at his bond hearing.

The conversations give us an inside look at their very close relationship. We`re going to play them for you tonight. A lot of them. What do you think of these secret conversations? Give me a holler: 1-877- JVM-SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.

Straight out to Mark Nejame, criminal defense attorney and HLN legal analyst.

I got to ask you. There`s a hearing in two weeks, June 29. That`s the next bond hearing. George Zimmerman`s attorney, Mark O`Mara, is expected to ask for him to get out on bail again, on bond. Are they going to play these tapes? Can that possibly happen, given these tapes?

MARK NEJAME, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: Oh, sure. These tapes are critical to that. Basically, the state is alleging that he did not come forward when his wife was lying on stand. And in fact, he had a substantial amount of money. And if, in fact, that had come out, the judge very well may have made a different ruling.

So yes, these tapes are extremely relevant. One, it deals with credibility for anything he might say. And two, it deals with the issue of money, which is a major consideration for the bond issue.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, we`ve got to play more of these, because they`re absolutely fascinating. On the jailhouse phone call, George and Shellie talk about moving money, and they revel in the support coming into their Web site.

But they also give us insight into their relationship as a pair of married people. Listen to this exchange between husband and wife.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

G. ZIMMERMAN: Man, I can`t remember what the dream was, but it was really nice. It was like, I bought you something that you always wanted. I don`t remember what it was.

S. ZIMMERMAN: Oh, honey. You don`t need to worry about that, cutie.

G. ZIMMERMAN: I wish I could remember. It was like a nice scarf or something.

S. ZIMMERMAN: Oh, you`re so cute. I love you so much.

G. ZIMMERMAN: I love you so much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Is this romantic banter appropriate, Robi Ludwig, psychotherapist, given the fact that he`s behind bars because he shot someone dead? Or does this reveal that somehow George Zimmerman and perhaps his wife, as well, are just not in touch with the severity of the situation they`re in? He is about to be put on trial for murder.

ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Well, I think it indicates that they kind of live in their own private world that makes sense to them only.

And perhaps -- I almost wonder if they`re both paranoid in a similar kind of way. And sometimes when you have two people who are married to each other, who are paranoid about the outside world, they cling to each other in a very loving way. And when they`re with each other, they don`t necessarily address the realities of the outside world.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, I think it could also be that they`re sort of hooked on the negative excitement. Hooked on the drama. Seeing themselves as sort of characters in a movie. Because it seems that they`re romanticizing, to a certain degree, this entire ordeal, which again, is a tragedy involving somebody who died.

Shellie and George were taped talking about what they called overwhelming public support, especially through a Web site set up to accept donations for George Zimmerman. Listen to this portion of the secret tapes.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

S. ZIMMERMAN: Don`t worry, cutie. Don`t even worry.

G. ZIMMERMAN: Ah, man, that feels good. That`s a good...

S. ZIMMERMAN: What?

G. ZIMMERMAN: That there are people in America that care.

S. ZIMMERMAN: Yes, they do. Trust me. And boy, after that happened yesterday, he said like, so many people, your site kept crashing.

G. ZIMMERMAN: Wow.

S. ZIMMERMAN: Because people were just trying to give you, you know, words of support and kindness.

G. ZIMMERMAN: Good. Wow, that is awesome.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Jon Lieberman, investigative reporter, prosecutors alleged George Zimmerman had access, at the time, to at least $135,000. Much of it raised through donations to Web sites.

But it seems to me that he is approaching this as some sort of campaign or contest. You know, he`s not running for anything. As I mentioned before, he`s about to be put on trial for murder in the second degree. And yet, it seems to sound almost like a campaign of sorts.

JON LIEBERMAN, INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER: Well, it was. It was interesting to me that these two know that they`re being recorded. That`s why they`re allegedly speaking in code, and yet they gave out so much information, Jane.

And I want to point out this. This isn`t being talked about. Prosecutors also released the bank statements of these two. And if you look at the bank statements, I reviewed them. If you look at them, there is a pattern.

The same day that these two talk in depth about transferring money and Peter Pan and using this code, you can see in the bank statements there are large amounts of transfers made between PayPal and each of their personal accounts. And that will definitely come out in this next bond hearing, and it`s very important.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, it`s fascinating to me that they, if, in fact, they were speaking in code, as prosecutors alleged, were naive enough to think that somehow, first of all, that people would accept the fact that they were talking about chump change, and that the prosecutors wouldn`t check the bank records. I mean, all you have to do is check their bank records and you can see these transfers occurring.

Let`s go out to the phone lines. Betty, Virginia. Your question, Betty.

CALLER: Jane, I want to first say I love you, love you, love you.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.

CALLER: Second of all, I watched the bond hearing where his family testified over the phone. I never believed for one second that they had no money. It just -- the look on his face, the voices. It just did not sound feasible.

And it`s about time that somebody is finally being charged with perjury. Because this doesn`t make any sense.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

G. ZIMMERMAN: Call him and make sure that he does it every day, and that you transfer from mine to yours every day.

S. ZIMMERMAN: Transfer from mine to yours every day and set an alarm in my phone to remind me, within 24 hours. OK.

G. ZIMMERMAN: And to remind Ken, too. You have might have to call him and remind him.

S. ZIMMERMAN: And to remind Ken, too. We both can do it?

G. ZIMMERMAN: No, Ken is going to go from Peter Pan to me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now some have suggested when he says "Peter Pan" he is actually referring to PayPal. Peter Pan, PayPal. PayPal was how donors could give money to the online account that Zimmerman set up in his own defense. That account was taken down, but another one has been put up.

Pilar Prince (ph), criminal defense attorney, the big question here is how is all of this not just going to affect his bond hearing, but how is it going to affect his trial? Are these tapes damning in terms of his credibility? Do they paint George Zimmerman to be a liar, and will they be played during his trial?

PILAR PRINCE (ph), CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Absolutely, Jane. You know, I always tell clients this. If you lie, you will get caught. It always happens even though people think that they won`t. And that you lie is so much more important -- I`m sorry. That you lied is so much more important than what you lied about.

Here`s a perfect example. Does this make George Zimmerman a murderer? Not necessarily. But when you look at his defense under Florida law, and remember, stand your ground, if he argues it and he`s successful, is an absolute immunity to his claim of -- to the murder in this case. His credibility is everything. Why would he risk it on something as trivial as this?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, that`s a good question. Why would he behave this way?

PRINCE (ph): Because he wanted to get out of jail. Simple.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, but he could have used the money that he had. He just didn`t want to use the money that he had. He had at least $135,000. But he didn`t want to pay retail, as it were, for bail. He would rather -- and he did -- plead that he was broke. And he got out on 150 grand, 10 percent of which is 15 grand. So he only had to put 15,000 down.

Michelle Suskauer, all of this so he could get a cheap bail? Is that really the most self-destructive thing you`ve ever heard?

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, ATTORNEY (via phone): You know, I think certainly these are not the brightest bulbs in the pack. There`s no question. These are unsophisticated people under an enormous amount of stress.

And so we`re looking at them under a microscope, but I think it`s a little unfair. Because the -- I mean, no one should be under this type of microscope the way that they have been, with national and international pressure.

So I think that they do not have an opportunity to speak privately. They`re trying to -- I`m not going to make excuses for perjury, and that`s wrong. But the fact is, is that they don`t have an opportunity so to speak. This is their only opportunity to speak privately. Everything they...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, but what does it say about their mentality? That obviously in the time that he was free, before he was taken into custody and finally arrested, they made a plan, and they said to each other, it would appear, anyway -- and Mark O`Mara, the attorney for George Zimmerman, is invited on our show any time. He has a standing invitation. We`d love to hear the other side of this.

But it would appear that they made a plan and said, "Hey, when I talk about Peter Pan, that stands for PayPal," or whatever the plan was. And that to me is a bad idea. The best thing is just to be straight forward.

But it also reveals how he kind of plays spy. Remember, he was a cop wannabe. He`s a guy who wanted to be a cop. He was, according to his critics, he was playing vigilante the night he play shot Trayvon Martin. Because he said the guy looks suspicious when the 17-year-old was coming back with a can of iced tea and a pack of Skittles back to his dad`s house.

So this ducktails, Robi Ludwig, psychotherapist, with the portrait we`ve seen of George Zimmerman up to this this point. Somebody who is sort of living this self-made drama, self-manufactured drama. First, he was a cop wannabe. Now, he`s tinker, tailor, soldier, spy.

LUDWIG: Well, I think also, too, if we remember, when he made that 911 call, Zimmerman was not advised to be a vigilante. In fact, he was advised to not do anything.

So here`s a man who operates based on his own ideas, his own instincts, which clearly lead him astray.

And I`m going to say again, I think we`re seeing a paranoid being here, where he doesn`t trust other people. Maybe the only other person he trusts is his wife, who for whatever reason was able to break through his paranoid feelings about people in general.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

G. ZIMMERMAN: Transfer -- for her to transfer less than $10 into her account from mine.

S. ZIMMERMAN: OK.

G. ZIMMERMAN: And then, two, is for her to log off and try to log back in using her credentials before you leave there. And then, three, is to see if she can take $10 out today, another $10, less than $10 and put it...

S. ZIMMERMAN: Uh-huh...

G. ZIMMERMAN: In her um, in her box there.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So clever. So spy like. Not. It`s pretty transparent what they`re doing, at least according to prosecutors. It appears a locked-up George Zimmerman was walking his wife and his sister through the process of transferring money.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

G. ZIMMERMAN: She just has to put in her information. It says "to another" on the top.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, OK. It says "to another", click on right there. OK, go ahead and do it.

S. ZIMMERMAN: How much?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, three more zeros. OK.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, it`s so dramatic. Again, you`ve got to wonder if he`s in a movie in his mind. And does this ducktail with his behavior on the night that Trayvon Martin was shot dead by him. There`s no disputing that. The question was, is it self-defense or was it murder, second-degree murder?

Let`s go out to the phone lines. Patty in North Carolina. Your question or thought, Patty.

CALLER: Well, I actually have a comment.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Sure.

CALLER: And I just feel like George Zimmerman is not really worried about anything, because he never had to. His father and mother, just giving him one thing after the other.

And also that, you know, him being in jail, you know, he`s not really worried about that either, because he`s just thinking, well, you know, "All these people support me. They`ve been sending me money, so, you know, the jury is, you know, going to be for me also."

And one more thing. I feel like he and his wife had planned to move that money, and that`s why he gave the judge a fake -- you know, he gave the judge the passport that had been revoked before. And he was going to use, actually use the passport that -- that, you know, the one that was good.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, and there`s a whole passport issue, as well, which our caller referred to, that he had two passports. Of course, his attorney, Mark O`Mara, said it was totally this innocent misunderstanding. But others see it more skeptically.

Now, let`s listen to more of George and his wife, Shellie`s, intimate conversation. He`s in jail. She`s talking to him on the phone.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

S. ZIMMERMAN: I visualize you walking through that door.

G. ZIMMERMAN: I will be.

S. ZIMMERMAN: I know you will be. This -- isn`t that crazy how something like this just makes you, like put everything in perspective in life?

G. ZIMMERMAN: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Mark Nejame, criminal defense attorney, you`re down there in Orlando. How is this playing in Orlando? The very area where all of this went down, and where he`s going to face justice?

NEJAME: I think much like -- I think Orlando, central Florida is the microcosm of much of what`s going on around the country, and actually beyond the borders of the United States. There`s a split. Some people are very strongly in the Trayvon Martin camp, and a lot of people are very strongly in the Zimmerman camp. You know, it depends upon how you interpret this.

It`s interesting. I think very few people really change their mind about these types of things. I think they have an opinion, and then they form the facts to fit into their opinion.

But there`s a lot of hot controversy. And there`s a lot of discussion and debate that goes on about it.

I will say, though, as new facts emerge as to both sides, some people are, in fact, sitting back and saying, "Whoa, this might not be initially the way we initially thought it to be," whatever side they were on. So there is a lot of water cooler talk, a lot of heated discussions about this.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: This guy is an enigma. And he`s what, in the movie business, they call a shape shifter. He appears as one thing and then he morphs into something else. And he continues to morph. The more we hear about him, the more complicated and almost puzzling, I think, his behavior becomes.

Britney, Georgia, your questions or thoughts, Britney? Hey, Britney, can you hear?

Hey there. All right.

Listen. What I`m going to do is go to Pilar Prince (ph), criminal defense attorney. Again, as we approach trial, how is this going to play out? Do we expect the jurors hearing his second-degree murder trial to hear his tapes? Or will it not go that far?

PRINCE (ph): Well, they`re trying to keep a lot of them out right now, Jane. But what they`re not keeping out -- and I think that Mark O`Mara is right to not try to keep it out -- is the tapes that deal directly with these bank charges.

I mean, it seems like the Zimmermans figured out from the Casey Anthony trial that they`re being taped when they`re talking in the jailhouse. But what they didn`t realize is that everybody`s paying attention to what they`re saying.

So I think that the jury can hear it. It goes to credibility, which is exactly his defense. It`s his state of mind. Did he reasonably believe that his life was in danger, and if so, does he get "stand your ground" immunity? So what he thinks and his credibility is everything.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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« Reply #27 on: June 21, 2012, 07:43:48 AM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/20/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Sandusky Doesn`t Testify; New Info in Trayvon Martin Case
Aired June 20, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 ::snipping2::
And tonight, we`ve got breaking news off the top. Just moments ago, we obtained two more crucial 911 calls in the shooting of Trayvon Martin by Neighborhood Watch volunteer Trayvon Martin. And guess what? We`re going to play them for you. You and I will hear them for the very first time, because I haven`t heard them. They`ve just come into the system. They`ve just gotten approved.

Again, this is Trayvon Martin`s father, Tracy Martin, trying to find his son, who tragically he was not aware had already been shot dead.
 ::snipping2::
Next, we are going to bring you those 911 calls. We`ve got them in, in the Trayvon Martin shooting. Unbelievable new sound next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED IN SHOOTING: We had some break-ins in my neighborhood. And there`s a real suspicious guy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: He`s just said he shot him dead. The person is dead, lying on the ground.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Mr. Zimmerman has made the statement of self- defense.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Neighborhood Watch is Neighborhood Watch. Not neighborhood shoot.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What do you see when you look face-to-face across to Mr. Zimmerman?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A very, very frightened 28-year-old.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It was February 26 in Sanford, Florida, a night that really changed the nation and sparked a huge uproar.

This young man had just bought Skittles and iced tea at the local 7- Eleven and was headed back to his dad`s home in this gated community when George Zimmerman, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer following him, ends up shooting him dead.

Now, of course, we all know about the national uproar that followed. First, he was not arrested, George Zimmerman, that is. And then ultimately, after a national uproar, demonstrations and an investigation by a special prosecutor, he was arrested. There you see George Zimmerman being taken in by police. Well, now we`ve got extraordinary new 911 calls just in.

Now, the first one comes the day after the shooting. Believe it or not, Trayvon Martin`s dad had no idea that his 17-year-old son had been shot dead, because the young man did not have identification on him when he went to the 7-Eleven.

So the next day, which would be February 27, Trayvon Martin`s father, Tracy Martin, is calling 911 to try and file a missing persons report. Where is his son? He has no idea. Let`s listen to the 911 call that just came into our system. You and I together, hearing it for the first time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sheriff`s office, this line is being recorded. My name is Cassandra.

TRACY MARTIN, FATHER OF TRAYVON: How are you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good. How are you today, sir?

MARTIN: Good. Good, good. I need to file a missing person report because it hasn`t really been 24 hours, but I`m from Miami. And my son`s up here with me. And he left -- he don`t know anybody up here. And...

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Are you staying in a hotel here?

MARTIN: No. I`m actually staying at my dear friend`s house.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you know the address?

MARTIN: What`s the address?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. And you said it was your son that`s missing?

MARTIN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Give me one moment. And you said -- how long has he been missing for?

MARTIN: Since last night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How old is your son?

MARTIN: He`s 17.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. What`s his name?

MARTIN: Trayvon Martin. T-R-A-Y-V-O-N M-A-R-T-I-N.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, sir, what`s your name?

MARTIN: My name`s Tracy Martin.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. What`s a phone number we can reach you at? OK. An officer can meet with you and file the report?

MARTIN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. What was your son last seen wearing?

MARTIN: He probably had on a pair of khakis shorts and a gray sweatshirt. Probably had on slacks. And a pair -- I`m sorry, and a pair of Air Jordan tennis shoes. Lighter red tennis shoes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK. Can you give me a specific time of the last time you saw him?

MARTIN: About 8:30.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 8:30?

MARTIN: Eight, 8:30 last night, yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: OK, sir. We`re going to dispatch somebody out there.

MARTIN: OK. Thank you.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: All right. Yes, sir. Bye.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The extraordinary thing is that police the night that Trayvon lay dead on the ground did not walk around to a nearby unit where the father lived and ask him, hey, is this your son? On the other side of the break we are going to analyze this extraordinary audio tape with our team of experts. What does it mean? Why did Trayvon Martin`s father not know that he had been killed a full day after he was shot?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Seminole County Sheriff`s Office. This call is being recorded. My name is Cassandra.

MARTIN: How are you?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good. How are you today, sir?

MARTIN: Good. Good, good. I need to file a missing person report.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. You`re hearing this tape as we are, as I am. It`s just come in.

And Lisa Bloom, legal analyst for Avo, what`s extraordinary to me is this is a day after Trayvon Martin is shot dead just a stone`s throw from where the father lives. And to me it dovetails with the criticism that his death wasn`t treated with respect, because the police didn`t go around to nearby houses, a stone`s throw away, and say, "Hey, do you know who this young man is?"

BLOOM: Right. Did they assume, because Trayvon is African-American, that he couldn`t possibly be in that neighborhood because his dad is staying with a girlfriend there? In other words because he was welcomed in that community.

Was the assumption made that, because he was an African-American male lying on the ground after some kind of a fight had happened, that he must have been an intruder? That he must have been a ne`er-do-well, you know, there for some nefarious reason? That`s very disturbing.

And I have to say, just as a parent, it is so heartbreaking to hear Trayvon`s dad calling 911, reporting him missing. You can hear in his voice that he`s hoping for the best. He`s hoping there`s going to be some kind of crazy story, but his son is going to return. And we already know now that Trayvon was already gone at the time of this call. I mean, what a heartbreak.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: It is absolutely heart-wrenching. And the video we showed, which is really the video we have of Trayvon Martin`s father after this became a national story. And he is often just distraught and overcome as he holds these news conferences.

Eric Schwartz, criminal attorney out of Miami, believe it or not, we actually have more breaking news on the Trayvon Martin shooting. Spokesperson for Bill Lee, Sanford city manager, has said that they decided to terminate his contract as of today.

Now, this was somebody who had stepped aside, you remember. But originally the powers that be wouldn`t accept his resignation. And frankly, I wonder if it has anything to do with the release of these tapes. Because, to me, just the idea the police don`t make the connection. A young man`s disappeared at that exact spot and they don`t make the connection to somebody who was shot dead the night before.

SCHWARTZ: Jane, it might have a lot to do with these tapes being released. And that the father didn`t know.

And what really strikes me is listening to the father, the emotion in his voice. And we now know that his son was dead and was killed at this point in time, and the father was hoping for the best.

But heads are going to roll on this, whether it`s law enforcement, if they bundled this, whether it`s politicians, a resignation. There are always going to be people that will pay the price. And that being fired or having to resign might be a result of these 911 tapes being released at this point in time.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Unbelievable. It really is a case that, with every new release of information, we get greater insight into really the Shakespearean tragedy that was that night.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #28 on: June 23, 2012, 02:39:03 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/21/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Zimmerman Recreates Trayvon`s Death
Aired June 21, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 ::snipping2::
We`re all over two huge cases tonight, and the Jerry Sandusky trial is one of them, where an explosive new revelation has just come out.

And the incredible video that we now have of George Zimmerman leading police step by step on what he says happened the night he shot and killed Trayvon Martin.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL (voice-over): Tonight, the video everyone`s been waiting for. George Zimmerman takes cops back to the scene of the crime and reenacts what he says happened the night he gunned down Trayvon Martin.

The former Neighborhood Watch volunteer claims there was a vicious attack that left him bloodied and bruised. But Trayvon`s not here to tell his side of the story. We`ll play the reenactment video next. Is George Zimmerman believable?

The attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family joins me live with a panel of experts to debate it. And we`re taking your calls.

Plus, a bombshell in the Jerry Sandusky child molestation trial. Just hours after the jury goes to deliberate, Jerry Sandusky`s adoptive son publicly, for the very first time, accuses his father, Jerry, of sexually abusing him. Why did Matt Sandusky wait for the very moment when this shocker would not be heard by the jury, which is sequestered? Could this still affect the case?

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED WITH SHOOTING TRAYVON MARTIN: He ended up on top of me. And he just kept punching my face, my head. I was screaming for help.
He put his hand on his nose -- on my nose and the other hand on my arm, (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: My son was not committing any crime.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

ZIMMERMAN: I felt like my head was going to explode.

He said, "You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."

He says, "You`re going to die tonight. You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."

BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.

ZIMMERMAN: I didn`t think I hit him as I sat up and, like, "Oh, you got me. You got it. You got me. You got it." Something like that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, astonishing new video. George Zimmerman recreates what he says happened the night he shot Trayvon Martin dead. What does this mean for Zimmerman`s murder trial?

Good evening. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell.

Take a look. George Zimmerman, the day after the shooting, leads investigators through the crime scene in Sanford, Florida, giving cops his version of events. His head is bandaged, but he`s walking around un- handcuffed.

And right now, we are going to show you the key crucial portions of this video uninterrupted so you can see for yourself and judge for yourself. Watch this. George Zimmerman explaining how he says he killed Trayvon Martin, in his own words.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ZIMMERMAN: Here he yelled from behind me to the side of me. He said, "Yo, you got a problem?"

I turned around and said, "No, I don`t have a problem, man."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Where was he at?

ZIMMERMAN: He was about there. But he was walking towards me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This direction here?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir. Like I said, I was already past that. So I didn`t see exactly where he came from. But he was about where you are.

And I said, "No, I don`t have a problem." And I went to get out my cell phone, but I left it in a different pocket. I looked down in my pant pocket.

And he said, "You got a problem now." And then he was here and punched me in the face.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right here?

ZIMMERMAN: Right up around here. To be honest, I don`t remember exactly. I stumbled, and I fell down. He pushed me down. Somehow he got on top of me.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: On the grass or on the cement?

ZIMMERMAN: It was more over like here. I was trying to push him away from me. And then he got on top of me somewhere around here. And that`s when I started screaming for help. I started screaming, "Help, help."

That is when he grabbed -- oh, I tried to sit up. And that`s when he grabbed me by the head and tried so slam my head down.

No. My body was on the grass. My head was on the cement.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir. This is the best I can feel -- I felt like my body was on the grass and my head was on the cement. And he just kept slamming and slamming me. And I just -- I kept yelling, "Help, help."

His hand on his nose -- on my nose and the other hand on my mouth and was just (EXPLETIVE DELETED) choking me. And -- and I tried squirming again. All I could think about was -- when he was hitting my head against, felt like my head was going to explode and I thought I was going to lose consciousness.

So I tried to squirm so I could get -- he only had a small portion of my head on the concrete. So I tried to squirm off the concrete. And when I did that, somebody here opened the door. And I said, "Help me, help me."

And they said, "I`ll call 911."

I said, "No, help me. I need help." And I don`t know what they did.

But that`s when my jacket moved up, and I had my firearm on my right side here. My jacket moved up, and he saw -- I feel like he saw, looked at it. He said, "You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)." And he reached for it. I felt his arm going down my side, and I just grabbed it. And I just grabbed my firearm and shot him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: After you shot him, what did he say?

ZIMMERMAN: After I shot him, he like sat up...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You`re still -- you`re down here, in the grass.

ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir. He was on top of me like this. And I shot him. And I didn`t think I hit him because he sat up and he said, "Oh, you got me. You got it. You got me. You got it." Something like that. So I thought he was just saying, "I heard it. I`m leaving now."

So I don`t know if I pushed him off me, he fell off me. Either way, I got on top of him, pushing his arms away.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You flipped him over?

ZIMMERMAN: I don`t remember how I got on top.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: That`s fine.

ZIMMERMAN: But I got on his back, and I moved his arms apart. He was hitting me in the face and the head. I thought he had something in his hands. So I just -- I moved his hands apart.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You had him face down then?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes. Face down. And I was on his back. And then somebody came with a flashlight. And I thought it was a police officer. So I said, "Are you the police?" And I still had my hand out and I said, "Are you the police? My gun`s right here."

He goes, "No, no, I`m not. I`m calling the police."

I said, "Don`t call the police. Help me restrain this guy."

And he said, "I`m calling the police. I`m calling the police."

I said, "I already called. They`re on their way. They`re coming."

And that`s when the police officer came around. I saw the police officer so I stood up and I holstered my weapon. He said, "Who shot him?"

And I said, "I did."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We have a team of experts here to analyze the video you just saw. And I want you to join us. Call me with your thoughts: 1- 877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297.

Let`s do a round robin with our panel of experts. Does this hurt George Zimmerman`s case, or does it help him? I want to begin with Natalie Jackson, the attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family.

Natalie, your thoughts about that video?

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON`S FAMILY: It certainly hurts -- hurts his case. We see a lot of inconsistencies. I know you said that this is the most important part that you played, but, Jane, there was a part before that where George Zimmerman talks about how he got out of the car.

He said that he got out of the car to assist dispatch with looking for an address. We know from listening to the tape when he was talking to the non-emergency number that he got out of the car to run after Trayvon. That is the most crucial part. He lied about why he got out of the car.

And from there it just goes downhill. There`s many inconsistencies in this video and in the three additional statements that he made.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Mark Eiglarsh, criminal defense attorney, former prosecutor, Miami.

MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I couldn`t disagree with her more. I don`t know if we`re watching the same thing or whether she`s being objective or not. But I have no -- you know, I`m not fighting for any side here.

But objectively, today was a blockbuster, as you would say. It is a bomb shell. It is a game-changer.

I have no idea whether he`s being truthful on this video or not, but there doesn`t appear to be any lying in him. He looks believable. And...

JACKSON: Have you read the statements?

EIGLARSH: I`m not done. I am not done. And I didn`t interrupt you.

In the court of public opinion and in a courtroom where there will be no witnesses to contradict what he has to say, I think for the first time ever I see potentially a jury acquitting him.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Now, Natalie, I want to give you an opportunity to respond.

JACKSON: The response is that, you know, I think that a lot of people are making comments -- there are four other statements that he made plus this video.

EIGLARSH: I saw them all.

JACKSON: You have to compare it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Mark.

JACKSON: You have to compare it to his -- his tape when he called the non-dispatch number to report Trayvon being in the area.

What do you say about him saying that he got out of the car to assist dispatch with an address? We clearly know from his own words he got out of the car to run after Trayvon. He said it himself.

EIGLARSH: I don`t see that. Just so we`re clear, I did -- I listened to every single piece of evidence released. I spent all morning listening to it. And if there are any minor inconsistencies, and I saw very few...

JACKSON: That`s not a minor. That`s huge. That`s why he got out of his car.

EIGLARSH: No, no, no. I disagree with you. I disagree with you. I don`t see that as a contradiction.

And overall, if you`re being intellectually dishonest, you need to be very concerned if you`re looking for a guilty verdict.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, hold on a second. Let`s bring in somebody else.

JACKSON: ... guilty verdict.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Rolonda Watts, you`re a television -- long-time news reporter. Your thoughts?

ROLONDA WATTS, REPORTER: Well, I -- I heard inconsistencies, as well.

But the legal analysts are even pointing out that there are two important things that we`re going to have to look at as we examine the Zimmerman case. One is provocation, the other escalation.

And what he`s trying to show here, or at least those who are pulling for Zimmerman, they`re trying to show here is that he thought he was pulling for the gun and that he thought that his life was being threatened. The escalation. So he can prove the "stand your ground" law.

But quite honestly, to me, it doesn`t fit. It doesn`t sound like the profile that we`ve heard of Trayvon.

The sad story is that Trayvon is not here to defend himself. While Zimmerman has the right to defend himself, Trayvon doesn`t even have the right to live.

But what I have heard about this kid, that he was a good kid. He was not a goon. That he was mild-mannered. He had Skittles and an iced tea, for goodness sake. He was strolling in the rain. This doesn`t sound like somebody who jumped somebody, cussed them out and said they were going to kill them. That`s does -- that`s an inconsistency.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: Somebody here opened the door. And I said, "Help me, help me."

They said, "I`ll call 911."

I said, "No, help me."

And somebody came with a flashlight. And I thought it was a police officer. So I said, "Are you the police?" And I still had my hand out. And I said, "Are you the police? My gun`s right here."

And he goes, "No, no, I`m not."

That`s when the police officer came around -- I saw the police officer so stood up and I holstered my gun.

(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. If I`m counting right, George Zimmerman refers to approximately three witnesses. We`re going to have to see if they corroborate his version of events.

There`s the guy who went outside and said he was calling 911. There`s the other witness with a flashlight George thought was a cop and then the actual cop, the first one on the scene.

And then of course, there`s the forensic and injuries, the blood to George Zimmerman`s head, the broken nose, alleged. Doug Burns, former federal prosecutor but also a criminal defense attorney, how do you come down on this?

DOUG BURNS, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: I come down between what we`ve heard. In other words, look, first of all, you`ve got to break this case into two parts. Why did he go after him? He made a phone call and they said, "Don`t follow this kid." Remember that?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

BURNS: But the fact is, all the legal pundits and scholars and experts say it still doesn`t matter, because once they`re in an encounter, he can use force equal to what`s presented to him. OK. That`s very nice in the classroom or in a media discussion, but in the real world that becomes very problematic.

Because my original take is, look, if you and I are in a fistfight, I can`t pull out a gun and kill you. OK? Because that`s not equal to the force that`s involved.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Right.

BURNS: But by the same token, you could theoretically kill me with your bare hands. OK? That`s possible. So it becomes a very, very tricky calculus.

If you look at his injuries and the extent of them and then you look at these explanations that he`s giving where he may subjectively feel that he`s in some kind of serious danger, it becomes a horserace.

But you made the key point. And one of the other guests made the key point, you have two witnesses. One is deceased, sadly and tragically. So the three other witnesses, as you yourself said, are going to be absolutely critical. Will they corroborate what was the level of force?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And guess what? We`ve heard reports that those witnesses have changed their stories.

BURNS: Well, that`s a problem, for sure.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. It`s a big problem.

Let`s go out to the phone lines. Ayesha (ph), Michigan, thank you for your patience. Ayesha (ph), your question or thought?

CALLER: My question is, if he was in a tussle in the rain, how come he come in the precinct clean? Your shirt ain`t wrinkled. Your shirt don`t have dirt on it. It don`t even have blood on it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, OK. I want to clarify. This video is taken the day after the shooting. His head is bandaged in the back. So he`s already been to the police station. He was reportedly cleaned up at the scene. And then they bring him back here.

But I will say one thing, Michelle Suskauer, criminal defense attorney, there`s been a lot of criticism, obviously, of law enforcement that they did not investigate, that they essentially took George Zimmerman`s version of events face value, blindly. And we are seeing, I would say, at least some kind of investigation here -- Michelle.

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY (via phone): Absolutely. I think this video really shows that there was some due diligence. It may not be up to everybody`s standards, but certainly they have George Zimmerman.

This video -- by the way I agree wholeheartedly with Mark Eiglarsh here -- is very, very telling. It`s going to be powerful if a jury gets to see it. Because it`s not only what he says, but how he says it and how confident he is. How he`s not stammering. What he looked like. The injuries.

And also looking at the -- where the witnesses could have been. And their vantage point. I think that`s really significant.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, but -- but...

SUSKAUER: I think it`s very helpful for the defense.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Rolonda, he is a liar, according to prosecutors. He has lied in court about how much money he had.

WATTS: Well, that`s the whole point. The prosecutors are going to have to prove that what he`s saying here, the story that he`s giving here is totally unbelievable.

We also have to look at how much of a scuffle was there? Was this a scuffle enough to say, "I`m going to kill you and kill somebody"? Those are the questions that are going to have to be asked in court.

And I also ask the question, you know, all of us love the hero in a community, a guy who comes in and saves the day. If Trayvon Martin was the bad guy that he makes him out to be, who`s attacking security people in the neighborhood, community watchmen, then the whole neighborhood would have come out and said, "Hooray for Zimmerman." We didn`t see that. We didn`t see that. So that raises some questions to me, too. Because the kid has never been defined as anything but mild-mannered.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: I just pinched his arm, and I grabbed my gun and I aimed at him, fired one shot. He kind of sat back and said, "You got me."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`ve also obtained this video of police in Sanford conducting a lie detector test. Actually it`s a voice analysis is what they call it, test on George Zimmerman. And there was one key question that they asked that we want to show you. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this the month of February?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you in fear for your life when you shot the...

ZIMMERMAN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hold on. Let me ask the question. Were you in fear for your life when you shot the guy?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: So they asked George Zimmerman if he was in fear for his life when he shot the gun, and he said yes. And police have since reported, reportedly, that he passed the test.

So, again, Natalie Jackson, Trayvon Martin`s family attorney, this was a voice analysis where they measure stress levels. What does this mean for the case?

JACKSON: That`s not admissible in court, but going back to the video, I mean, at the end, even the part that you played, he said that he shot Trayvon and Trayvon said, "You got me."

And then he said that Trayvon continues to talk as he goes on Trayvon`s back. And he holds his arm. After he shot him.

And then the witness comes out. I mean, this is all inconsistent with what has been played out. It`s inconsistent with the witness story who said he called 911. It`s inconsistent with everything. It`s just full of inconsistencies. I think that, you know, this does not help.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Mark Eiglarsh, I would agree that there was something that struck me as a little sort of theatrical Hollywood language when George Zimmerman says that Trayvon said, "Oh, you got me," and he thought that he meant that, "Oh, you made your point." But he didn`t think he really shot him.

Now, the autopsy showed that he was hit directly in the center of his body, in his chest. How can you shoot somebody in the chest and think you didn`t shoot them?

EIGLARSH: Jane, I don`t know. And let me just say this, I don`t disagree with you. There`s a lot that`s very self-serving. It almost seems like there`s a checklist that he went through, "What do I need to say to make sure I get off?"

But the reality is he doesn`t come across, in my opinion and in my opinion to the jurors, as a liar, per se. And the bottom line is there`s no other witnesses who are going to contradict what happened right before he pulled the trigger.

So what you`re left with is someone -- assuming the facts are true or cannot be contradicted -- who reasonably feared death or great bodily harm and didn`t have any reasonable means to escape the harm even if you find that he was the aggressor, which under his version he was not.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s go out to the phone lines. Beverly, Texas, your question or thought, Beverly.

CALLER: Well, my thought is that I think George Zimmerman already had the gun out. And I think Trayvon Martin thought he was going to kill him. And you can`t outrun a bullet.

And then George Zimmerman on the video showed how Trayvon was holding his mouth and nose with both hands, yet he was beating his head into the concrete at the same time? The kid didn`t have four arms. He didn`t weigh 300 pounds where he could hold him down and do all this at the same time.

And then he said that the kid was reaching for his gun while he was doing all this. It just doesn`t make any sense.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Michelle Suskauer, criminal defense attorney, how do you respond to that?

SUSKAUER: Well, Jane, this happened in a matter of moments. It was quick. There was tremendous amount of adrenaline going on. Certainly, a large amount of testosterone going on. And there weren`t a lot of lights. It wasn`t well-lit. So, you know, we`re never going to know exactly how it happened.

And, yes, there are going to be -- absolutely there are inconsistencies. It`s a question of whether the jury is going to find that those are material and whether or not he`s believable.

But this -- again, this video is very telling. And I think it`s going to play very well in front of a jury.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, this tape was released by the defense, even though under Florida`s sunshine laws, it would have been released anyway.

I am wondering, could this be a strategy to garner support for Zimmerman`s bid, which he is going to formally ask to be released on bail again next Friday? Could this be part of the strategy to garner public sympathy in anticipation of that bond hearing next Friday?

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: He was up on top of me, and he just kept punching my face and my head. I was screaming for help.

He put his hand on his nose -- on my nose. And other hand on my mouth. He said, "Shut the (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."

FULTON: My son was not committing any crime.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

ZIMMERMAN: Each time it felt like my head was going to explode more than the last.

He says, "You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."

He says, "You`re going to die tonight. You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."

CRUMP: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.

ZIMMERMAN: (inaudible). Shut up. And he said, ok, you got me. You got it. You got me. You got it. Something like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Breaking news, Trayvon Martin shooter, George Zimmerman`s lawyers release his version of events in the form of a video taken with investigators the day after George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin dead.

Take a look at some of the highlights.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: He said, yo, you got a problem? I turned around, I said, no, I don`t have a problem, man.

He grabbed me by the head and tried to slam my head down. He put his hand on his nose -- on my nose and his other hand on my mouth and said shut up (EXPLETIVE DELETED). He was hitting my head against -- I thought my head was going to explode. I thought I was going to lose consciousness.

He said, you`re going to die tonight. He reached for it. I felt his arm going down my side and I grabbed it and I just grabbed my firearm and I shot one time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: That`s his version of events. Of course the young man, the 17-year-old who was simply going to get Skittles and ice tea and going back to his dad`s place, he`s not here to tell his side of events.

One of the key questions, will this video be allowed in as evidence at trial because some people feel it`s George Zimmerman making a pretty compelling case for himself.

Doug Burns, former federal prosecutor, will the jurors in his secondary murder trial see this video?

DOUG BURNS, FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR: I can`t tell you how many comical situations I have been the minute the defendant says something that helps the state, they`re racing to put it in. The minute a video helps the defendant, the state stands up with a straight face, your honor, that`s hearsay, we don`t want it coming in and you just shake your head at the defense table.

It`s a discretionary ruling. It`s up to the judge. I think technically it`s hearsay but I also think the judge will let it in.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Mark Eiglarsh, will the judge let the jurors in this murder trial see this video?

MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Absolutely. And he should. And if he doesn`t, what you can do is you can re-create it. You can bring the jurors through pictures, through video yourself. You can create it through his testimony. He`s going to have to testify at trial. And that with the physical evidence showing the broken nose, the damage to the back of his head and no other witnesses, again, to contradict what happened during those critical moments before the shooting, again, I think he`s in a good situation today.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Phone lines, Duelma (ph), Massachusetts, your question or thought, Duelma?

DUELMA, MASSACHUSETTS (via telephone): Hi, Jane. I`m just wondering why are people defending him when he`s the one that started the whole thing? He`s the one that confronted the young man. And when the young man turned around and defended himself, he shot him. I`m saying, if that was my kid, I would tell him defend yourself and stand up for yourself.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: You make an excellent point. This is told from the narrow boundaries of what George Zimmerman wants to focus on. And not the fact that he was the initiator. And that is established in the 911 call.

Michelle Suskauer, he`s following Trayvon Martin saying he looks suspicious; he looks like he`s on drugs or something. We determined that the young man was going to get Skittles and ice tea and he was talking to his girlfriend and heading back to his dad`s place. His dad was staying with his girlfriend.

MICHELLE SUSKAUER: This is a video. This is a voluntary statement that George Zimmerman did. He didn`t have to do this. (AUDIO GAP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Guess what, Michelle, you`re breaking up. I`ll give Mark Eiglarsh the final word.

EIGLARSH: Jane, we don`t know what happened, but in the court of law, it`s based on evidence. It`s not about the truth. We learned about that in Casey Anthony. It`s about what can be proven. We`ve got his word. He conveniently killed the one person who could contradict, thus we`re left with the injuries, we`re left with his version. And you know what; this could create a problem for prosecutors.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well, Florida is a "Stand Your Ground" law. And that is perhaps the biggest problem of all.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #29 on: June 23, 2012, 02:50:22 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/22/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Sandusky Jury Still Deliberating
Aired June 22, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 ::snipping2::
Plus, we`ll play more astonishing video of George Zimmerman telling cops his version of events the night he gunned down Trayvon Martin. You`ll see cops put the former Neighborhood Watch volunteer through voice analysis and lie detector tests. Are there inconsistencies between his walking re- enactment and his 911 call? We`ll investigate.
 ::snipping2::
BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED WITH TRAYVON MARTIN`S MURDER: (inaudible). He said "You`re going to die tonight (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

He says "You`re going to die tonight. You`re going to die tonight (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: He lied about why he got out of the car. And from there it just goes downhill.

ZIMMERMAN: He ended up on top of me and he just kept punching my face and my head, screaming for help.

He put his hand on his nose -- on my nose and the other hand on my mouth and said (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: Our son was not committing any crimes.

MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: For the first time ever I see potentially a jury acquitting him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.

ZIMMERMAN: He sat up and he says, "Ok, you got me. You got it. You got me. You got it." Something like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Stunning new evidence. The police interrogation of George Zimmerman. Does he change his story and incriminate himself? We`re going to play the tapes right now so you can decide for yourself.

Jane Velez-Mitchell back with you -- live.

Yesterday we showed you George Zimmerman re-enacting his deadly confrontation with Trayvon Martin. Police investigators taped his testimony at the crime scene. But some of what he told them seems to contradict other evidence.

Watch George Zimmerman explain why he got out of his car and then listen to what Trayvon Martin family attorney Natalie Jackson, told me about that.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: He asked me where he went, what direction he went, and I said "I don`t know." And then I thought to get out and look for a street sign.

JACKSON: He said that he got out of the car to assist dispatch with looking for an address. We know from listening to the tape when he was talking to the non-emergency number that he got out of the car to run after Trayvon.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Are there other apparent contradictions? Also, tonight, we`re going to show you newly released audio of a police investigator grilling George Zimmerman and a cop sounds like he doesn`t believe his story. Check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Are you head of the neighborhood watch?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Once again, something else I got to try and explain away.

How do you not know the three streets in your neighborhood you`ve been living in for three years? I don`t know how to answer that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Midwin Charles, defense attorney, it appears the investigators are skeptical. So I have to ask at the end of the day, the reason there was a national uproar was there was no arrest initially.

MIDWIN CHARLES, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Right.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And they said nothing to see here. Nothing to see here. But you can see the investigators are very skeptical of him.

CHARLES: Yes, I mean I think one of the things that I find interesting with that tape is he says he got out to try to find the street sign. But hello, my guess if you`re part of the neighborhood watch, you know the neighborhood. Why would you want to do that?

So that`s one of the things why you have to ask yourself particularly since we know there`s a 911 call that exists in which he was told, "We don`t need you to do that. Don`t get out of your car. Don`t follow him."

So you have all these questions are raised by that videotape. I don`t think that this is a videotape that exonerates him of the charges.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The Sanford police took a lot of heat for how they handled this case. But now we`re seeing they didn`t blindly accept George Zimmerman`s version of events.

Watch this from his interview.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This person was not doing anything bad. You know the name of the person that died?

ZIMMERMAN: Trayvon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon.

ZIMMERMAN: Trayvon Martin?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Benjamin Martin. He was born in 1995, February the 5th. He was 17 years old.

In his possession we found a can of ice tea and a bag of Skittles and about $40 in cash. Not a goon.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got problems with black people?

ZIMMERMAN: Of course not.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. I had to ask.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Susan Constantine, jury consultant, the cops are basically asking him if he`s a racist. This exhibits a lot more skepticism than we presumed on the part of the police.

SUSAN CONSTANTINE, JURY CONSULTANT: Well, you know, I watched that tape from the beginning to the end several times, Jane, and I`ll tell you what I noticed.

The first part where he was driving in the car and he was using his hand gestures and telling what direction he was going, he was very fluid in his hand gestures. When it got to the very specific points that everyone is questioning, somehow he forgets. He also pauses, he hesitates, he breaks eye contact. And at one point before he actually got to where the altercation happened, he actually pointed and he used this signal like this. Now, that`s the only time he did that.

And, you know, as a body language expert, I`m telling you right now the story`s not fitting the way he`s telling it. There`s a lot of discrepancies.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Show me the signal quickly.

CONSTANTIN: Right here, the gunpoint. If you go back and watch those videos, you will see him take this position when he is pointing to where one of the houses was at the end of the street. It shocked me, Jane. I was absolutely shocked.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #30 on: June 28, 2012, 09:08:09 AM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/25/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Penn State Cover-Up of Sandusky`s Abuse?
Aired June 25, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 ::snipping2::
Now, tonight George Zimmerman finally admits he was wrong. No he wasn`t talking about shooting Trayvon Martin. He`s talking about lying to the judge. You`ll remember Zimmerman was thrown back in jail after prosecutors proved he knew exactly how much money he had, raked in from donations. In fact he tried to speak to his wife about it in code allegedly. Watch this.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED WITH MURDER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: If the bond is 50, pay the 50. If it`s more than 50, just pay 10 percent to the bondsman.

SHERRIE ZIMMERMAN, WIFE OF GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: You don`t want me to pay -- $100?

G. ZIMMERMAN: I don`t know.

S. ZIMMERMAN: All right. Well, just think about it.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now George says he, quote, "accepts responsibility for his part in allowing the court to be misled. Wow. Why the sudden change of heart? Because he`s asking the judge to set a new bond so he can get out of jail again. He says he surrendered his funds to his attorney. He poses no harm to the community. He`s not a flight risk. He seems to forget that one of the other reasons bond was revoked because he had two passports.

What will the judge decide? We`ll find out in a new hearing on Friday and we`ll tell you right here.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
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« Reply #31 on: June 28, 2012, 09:16:55 AM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/26/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Husband of Murdered Woman Arrested for Hiring Hitman; John Edwards, Mistress Split Up
Aired June 26, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
 ::snipping2::
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED WITH MURDER: She said a few stitches.

Ended up on top of me. And he kept punching my face. My head. I was screaming for help.

Put his hand on his nose -- my nose and the other hand on my mouth and said, "Shut the (EXPLETIVE DELETED) up."

SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: Our son was not committing any crimes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice! No peace! No justice! No peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice! No peace! No justice! No peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice! No peace! No justice! No peace!

ZIMMERMAN: My head was going to explode.

He said, "You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."

He says, "You`re going to die tonight. You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."

BENJAMIN CRUMP, LAWYER FOR TRAYVON`S PARENTS: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.

ZIMMERMAN: I didn`t think I hit him because he like sat up and was like, "Oh, you got me. You got it, you got me, you got it," something like that.

Want to just focus on my head?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: Tonight more new evidence pouring out of Florida. We finally learn why cops doubted George Zimmerman`s story.

Jane Velez-Mitchell back with you live.

What you`re going to see right now is a just-released video documenting Zimmerman`s injuries on February 27. That is the day after he shot and killed unarmed teen Trayvon Martin. These wounds are crucial because they help to prove or disprove Zimmerman`s claim that he acted in self-defense.

Also, for the first time, we are hearing George Zimmerman talking about his injuries in detail. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED WITH MURDER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: I have a broken nose. She said I could use stitches, but she would rather not put them in as long as I didn`t mess with my head because the skin was already -- a mess (inaudible)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: The mountain of new evidence released today includes the official police report where cops seem to blame Zimmerman saying this whole tragic event could have been avoided. It reads, quote, "Zimmerman had at least two opportunities to speak with Trayvon in order to diffuse the circumstances surrounding their encounter," end quote.

All right. That`s bad news for George Zimmerman.

On the positive side for Zimmerman, you might say, Zimmerman was given a lie detector test. Watch this key exchange between Zimmerman and the cops.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is this the month of February?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you in fear for your life when you shot the guy?

ZIMMERMAN: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, tests showed that the quote, "examinee has told substantially the complete truth". In other words, according to that report from cops, Zimmerman was truthful when he said that he was in fear for his life.

So who do you believe? Call me, 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297.

Straight out to Mark Eiglarsh, criminal defense attorney, former prosecutor -- you`re in Miami. What does this new batch of evidence tell you, Mark?

MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, nothing has changed since the last batch of evidence. What we`ve got is we`ve got injury to the back of his head. We`ve got a broken nose. Let`s start there because that doesn`t lie.
No matter how you feel about this, that doesn`t lie. It wasn`t self- inflicted. It was there when the cops got there. So he gives a version of events. This latest batch of evidence tells us that it wasn`t inconsistent with his story. In other words, they can`t say that he was lying.

They can`t necessarily prove what he`s saying is truthful, but the fact that they can`t negate what he`s saying means in a court of law, not necessarily the court of public opinion where everybody is right regardless of what they have say. In a court of law, that should equal an acquittal unless there`s more evidence to contradict his version of events.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, we are also joined tonight by someone who I think will probably disagree with you. Daryl Parks, Trayvon Martin`s family attorney, thank you for joining us, sir. What does this new batch of evidence tell you?

DARYL PARKS, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: I have to respectfully disagree with the other gentleman. It`s rather clear to us that based on what the investigators talk about the next day. They said the alleged injuries that Mr. Zimmerman said were life threatening had cleared up. So the severity he claimed earlier just wasn`t there.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, to that point, George Zimmerman refused to go to the hospital the night he shot Trayvon Martin dead. So who treated his injuries? Watch this. It`s fascinating.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: He was just focused on my head. There`s a little bruising there. There`s one here. There`s a cut here.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (inaudible) I remember yesterday seeing swollen around right here and I don`t see it now.

ZIMMERMAN: My wife is an RN student so she went to work.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: Ok. So he`s saying his wife, Sherrie -- there you see her from her mug shot -- his wife, Sherrie, treated his wounds because she apparently had some training as a nurse.

I got to go back to Daryl Parks, Trayvon Martin`s family attorney. Is it suspicious to you that he allowed his wife to bandage all these wounds instead of going to a hospital where there would be records?

PARKS: Well, I think, we do know he did go to his family physician. However, I think the significant aspect of it is they were not severe. I mean, the records that came out today said that most of the things had cleared up. The wound on the back of his head did not need sutures.

So all of that`s very clear that the big fight, the life threatening fight that he alleges was not as severe as he would like for us to believe. So I think that given the low minimum magnitude of the injuries, it further brings into question George Zimmerman`s credibility of the alleged bad injuries that he once said.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you just raised a point. After Trayvon`s shooting, Zimmerman was grilled by Sanford police. And they questioned him darn hard about these injuries and the severity of these injuries. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: As far as 25 or 30 punches, I`ve consulted with other people, not consistent with your injuries. This has been interpreted as capillary cuts, lacerations not really coinciding with being slammed hard into the ground.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Rolonda watts, a police report released today states that Zimmerman`s physical injuries are marginally consistent with a life- threatening violent episode. What does that tell you?

ROLONDA WATTS, TELEVISION PERSONALITY: Well, it says to me that while people point and say well, there was fear and there was injury, we have to remember that it has to be about the level of fear and injury. And did that lead to the death, the murder, the killing -- whatever you call it -- of a child, basically, here.

The investigators have said both the fear and injuries were minimal. And also the credibility of that couple -- that couple has already been accused of lying on two different occasions. One with the bond, the wife was accused of lying. And then here we are with Zimmerman who came and admitted that he was guilty of misleading the court.

The bottom line is, is Zimmerman`s story credible? Does the jury really believe that he had enough of a reason to kill that little boy and hunt him down like an animal, which it appears he did.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Zimmerman, by the way is going to be in court on Friday. He`s already apologized for essentially lying to the judge about not having any money when he did. We`re going to be all over this Friday.

But now let`s go out to the phone lines. Darlene, Michigan, your question or thought, Darlene.

DARLENE, MICHIGAN (via telephone): Hi, Jane.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hi.

DARLENE: First of all, I want to congratulate you, lady, on your sobriety and your recovery. You`re beautiful. I love you dearly. I watch every night.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you.

DARLENE: Yes, ma`am. I wanted to get into the Zimmerman thing. You know, he`s the son of a judge. And like the guy -- I can`t remember his name that killed that one girl, he had a father that was a judge and he`s now in Peruvian jail or whatever.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Joran Van Der Sloot, yes. Your point though.
Caller: Ok, yes. My point is, Jane, they said that his injuries were reported basically the next day. A couple of callers previous or whoever it was said they didn`t think the injuries were bad enough. Well, he`s indicated that his nose was broken. How much more damaging could it be that he shouldn`t have gone to the hospital, you know what I`m saying?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Let me say, Daryl Parks, give us your final word on these injuries.

PARKS: I think it`s rather clear that although there was an altercation, there`s no way that he could claim from these injuries that he feared for his life. And now that we are clearly seeing what the injuries are the night of from the video. And now we have the indication from the law enforcement what they saw and how they viewed the injuries.

So it`s not -- you know, it`s certainly looking that he`s going to be held responsible for Trayvon`s death.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, the only advantage I think he has here is that he`s the one essentially kind of controlling the video portion of this because he`s the only one on videotape. Unfortunately, the other person on the other side of this confrontation is deceased.

Thank you so much, Daryl Parks and the rest of my panel.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #32 on: June 28, 2012, 09:47:06 AM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/27/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Hitman for Hire Caught on Tape; New Accusation against George Zimmerman; JVM Most Wanted: Help Find a Killer; Remembering Amy Winehouse
Aired June 27, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 ::snipping2::
Plus, George Zimmerman, the bully? New accusations surface about the former Neighborhood Watch volunteer who gunned down Trayvon Martin. A former co-worker now claims Zimmerman hazed and made ethnic jokes about him in 2004, saying it was so bad he filed a formal complaint. Will this impact Zimmerman`s trial for murder?
 ::snipping2::
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, SUSPECT IN TRAYVON MARTIN SHOOTING: Each time it felt like my head was going to explode.

He said, "You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)."

SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON: Our son was not committing any crimes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice! No peace! No justice! No peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice! No peace! No justice! No peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice! No peace! No justice! No peace!

BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON`S FAMILY: His credibility is the most important thing in this entire case.

ZIMMERMAN: I didn`t think I hit him, because he sat up and he said, "Oh, you got me. You got it, you got me, you got it," something like that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, disturbing new accusations against George Zimmerman years before he shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin. Did George Zimmerman bully a co-worker, with racial slurs, no less?

Zimmerman worked at CarMax in 2008, and now a former co-worker of his has come forward, saying that he was constantly humiliated by George.

This was Zimmerman`s company headshot when he worked at CarMax. His former co-worker went so far as to file a formal complaint against George Zimmerman, stating, quote, "I feel harassed and abused by other employees led by, but not limited to, George Zimmerman" and that George Zimmerman was, quote, "referring to me as an (EXPLETIVE DELETED) moron."

Straight to attorney Tanya Acker. This is a bombshell. How might it impact George Zimmerman`s case?

ACKER: Well, Jane, this is going to have a huge impact on the case if it gets in. Because really, at the heart of the Trayvon Martin matter is whether or not George Zimmerman was chasing this kid, whether or not he was bullying this kid, whether or not he pursued this kid to the point of a deadly confrontation.

And this sort of evidence that suggests that perhaps he`s got a history of bullying, he`s got a history of taunting people, could be really damaging.

Now, you know, the problem is, is that it may want necessarily come in. You can`t always admit evidence of prior bad acts. But in a case like this, where George Zimmerman is almost definitely going to have to take the stand in order to tell his story, the prosecution is going to have a perfect opportunity to impeach him.

They`re going to ask him about his history with people. They`re going to ask him about whether or not he was chasing Trayvon. They`re going to ask him about whether or not he used racial slurs.

And this evidence, this prior bad act evidence could possibly come in to impeach him to prove perhaps he wasn`t telling the truth.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, George Zimmerman`s former co-worker is an Arab- American. And he says George`s bullying had a racial component to it. Remember Sanford cops questioned Zimmerman as to whether he was a racist. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Benjamin Martin, he was born in 1995, February the 5th. He was 17 years old. In his possession we found a can of ice tea and a bag of Skittles and about $40 in cash. Not the goon --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You got any problems with black people?

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED WITH MURDER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: No, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. I had to ask.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: In the letter of complaint, George`s co-worker said Zimmerman was, quote, "impersonating me in a terrorist character" -- or a terrorist character. And then he made fun of his Middle Eastern accent. But he also says George wasn`t so much a racist as somebody who was just desperate to ingratiate himself with others and would use whatever it took.

Robi Ludwig, given the underpinnings of the Trayvon Martin incident --

ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Yes.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: -- what do you make of this possible racial angle?

LUDWIG: Well, I`ve mentioned this before on set with you. I really think Zimmerman is paranoid. And when someone is a bit paranoid, anybody who is considered an outsider, from another group, is suspect. So perhaps there was a component where he wanted to ingratiate himself to other co- workers, but I think it underlined the real truth. That he sees people from other groups that are not part of his group as being threatening in some way. And so he goes on the counterattack.

I don`t know if it`s so much out-and-out bullying where he`s just, you know, showing his dominance just to show his dominance.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I got to tell you, there`s going to be a bond hearing for George Zimmerman on Friday. We`re going to be all over it on this show. We`re going to bring you the very latest. He doesn`t want to wear jail garb. He wants to wear civilian clothes. It`s going to be quite a stunner.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #33 on: June 30, 2012, 07:45:00 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1206/29/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
George Zimmerman Bond Hearing Turns Mini-Trial; Zimmerman Hijacked by Defense?; Tom and Kate Divorcing; Protesting for the Geese
Aired June 29, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST: Tonight, we are bringing you all the big moments from George Zimmerman`s huge day in court. Did his lawyer put on a mini- trial? And what`s the judge going to decide? Will Zimmerman walk out of jail or stay locked up? And if he does get out, how much is it going to cost him?

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

VELEZ-MITCHELL (voice-over): Tonight, a bond hearing like nothing you`ve ever seen before. Fireworks as George Zimmerman goes back to court, fighting for a second chance to be freed on bond.

As witnesses take the stand, including Zimmerman`s own father, are we seeing a preview of the actual murder trial for the former Neighborhood Watch volunteer accused of gunning down Trayvon Martin? Did Zimmerman`s lawyers hijack this hearing? And was it enough to free Zimmerman for the second time?
 ::snipping2::
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened on April 20? And why did that happen?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Martin! Trayvon Martin!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Martin! Trayvon Martin!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Martin! Trayvon Martin!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He said, "Yo, you got a problem?"

I turned around and said, "No, I don`t have a problem."

SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON: This is not a black and white thing. This is about a right and wrong thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And they used code. They used other words other than $9,000 to make sure that whoever was listening wasn`t aware of what was going on.

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, ON TRIAL FOR MURDER: If the bond is 50, pay the 50. If it`s more than 50, just pay 10 percent to the bondsman.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a transfer of -- into the account of George Zimmerman of $5,580 and also that day $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900.

MARK O`MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: It`s not a grand conspiracy that the state seems to suggest.

(SINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had lacerations on the back of his head.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So his head was banged into something harder than his head.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, George Zimmerman`s bond hearing gets hijacked by the defense and turns into a mini-trial. Was this a brilliant ploy to sway the jury pool? Or did it backfire?

Take a look at George Zimmerman in court today, charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin. His hair`s grown out, and George was allowed to appear without shackles and wearing a sharp gray suit. Clearly, the defense is aware that the world is watching.

In the courtroom itself the tension was palpable. The dead teen, Trayvon Martin`s family, seemed visibly upset as the defense played a 911 call filled with background screams the defense claims are from George.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You hear gunshots?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I don`t know. No.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hold on a second. I thought this hearing was supposed to be about how George Zimmerman and his wife lied when they claimed they were broke at the last bond hearing?

But Zimmerman`s attorney, Mark O`Mara, turned this into a showcase of Zimmerman`s injuries and brought in a slew of new defense witnesses, including a surprise appearance by George Zimmerman`s own father, the first time we`ve seen this man. Robert Zimmerman insisted the crucial screams on that 911 call were from his son.

And there were fireworks as he was cross-examined by the prosecutor. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Were you able to identify whose voice it was screaming for help?

ROBERT ZIMMERMAN, GEORGE`S FATHER: Yes, sir.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And whose was it?

R. ZIMMERMAN: It was absolutely George`s.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Your son claims that Trayvon Martin had one hand over his mouth and one hand over his nose.

G. ZIMMERMAN: Put his hand on his nose -- on my nose and the other hand on my mouth.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Wouldn`t that be inconsistent with him screaming, sir?

R. ZIMMERMAN: No. From the looks of my son`s injuries, Trayvon Martin`s hands were not just on his nose and mouth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Something unexpected always seems to happen in these mega cases. Is defense attorney Mark O`Mara trying this case before the trial starts? Presenting Zimmerman`s side of the story to the jury pool? Is this a giant battle for public opinion?

Straight out to the attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family, Natalie Jackson.

Natalie, you were in court today, and I actually saw you at one or two points. And you did not look happy. What bothered you about what happened today?

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: Well, I think it`s what you said, Jane. This was an appeal to the public.
But the thing about it is that it blew up in the defense`s face. Here you have -- there are rules of the court. The rules of the court is you don`t put your client on the stand for a bond hearing. The defense broke that rule at the first bond hearing.

And the next rule is that at our hearing the burden is on the state to present evidence. The defense broke that at this hearing. Well, you know, whenever you see these type of measures, these type of tricks, then that means your case is in serious trouble if you have to resort to tricks.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And as I watch this bond hearing today, it appeared, to me anyway, that the defense has basically hijacked a hearing about bail and turned it into a mini-trial where the defense presented its side, its case.

For example, they called the fire department paramedic who treated George Zimmerman after the deadly confrontation. And showed the actual injuries on video in court. Check this out.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had blood on his face and the back of his head. And that was about all I remember as far as his injuries. I think he had a cut on his nose, as well. A good 45 percent of his head and face were covered in blood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Joey Jackson, criminal defense attorney. You and I were both watching this. What points did Zimmerman`s side score with this testimony? And was it aimed just at the judge? Or was it actually aimed at the jury pool out there from which 12 people will be selected?

JOEY JACKSON, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, you know what? Jane, I think it had a dual purpose. One you have to convince the judge why. The significance is you want your client out either at the same bail or modified bail which is reasonable.

The second point, of course, is you have to play to the public, why? Because ultimately, if they lose an immunity hearing, then that`s where this is going.
The final point, Jane, is this. Is I think the point was being made that this is not a murder case. This is somewhat of a lesser charge. I think they were trying to establish that the judge has to look at this not really as what it`s charged but what it really is. And if it`s less significant than that, then perhaps bail should be reduced accordingly.

And I think that`s what one of the points the defense was trying to make. Was it effective? Well, the jury of one in this case, the judge, will make that decision in due time.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: But Mike Brooks, it is a murder case. And the entire time I was watching this I was expecting the judge to yell out, "What the heck does this have to do with a bond hearing?"

What is all the injuries and how the paramedics responded and how much blood was on his face. What does that have to do with a bond hearing, Mike?

MIKE BROOKS, HLN LAW ENFORCEMENT ATTORNEY: Joey just pointed out the prosecution, they say that they have a strong case, and it`s a second- degree murder case.

So what Mr. O`Mara was trying to do, and I think he did a decent job, was bring people out and say, "Hey, wait a minute. How much evidence -- strong evidence do they really have here?" And that`s what he was trying to prove.

But as Joey said, there`s only one person to convince here. And that`s Judge Lester. And I tell you, he`s trying to be a fair judge. He`s a no- nonsense judge. I think he`s going to rule, will he get bond -- will George Zimmerman get bond? I think he probably will, but it could be doubled.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Well, I`d like to go around and find out how much bond everybody thinks he`s going to get if he is going to get bond. Rolonda Watts, TV personality, you`re a long-time journalist. Do you think he should get out of jail on any bond?

ROLONDA WATTS, TV PERSONALITY: You know, that`s a tough question, Jane. And my personal opinion, you know what that is. I just think that...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: No. That`s why we`re asking. I`m asking you.

WATTS: Yes. Well, there are those who say, does Zimmerman pose a danger to society? Will he disappear and go away? I don`t think -- he`s known all over the world right now. I don`t think there`s any place he can go.

The question of whether he poses a danger, well, those who believe that he hunted down Trayvon Martin and shot that child in cold blood believe he does pose a danger.

Those who say that the jury is still out, that we still don`t know about that say that maybe he doesn`t, maybe he is not guilty. We don`t know.

I personally think that -- I still think that this case is -- it points to -- I`m sorry, I still believe that Trayvon Martin was an innocent child who was shot down by a vigilante. That`s my personal opinion.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: OK. I`m going to interpret as you say he should stay in jail or be released on a very high bail. You think about it. I`m going to get back to you on that. Because we`re going around the room.

Listen to how Mark O`Mara described -- this is the defense attorney for Trayvon -- George Zimmerman, described the confrontation between George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin. And he insisted that racism was not a factor. But listen carefully to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

O`MARA: We`ve heard that Trayvon Martin was just minding his own business. And there doesn`t seem to be anything to contest that.

We also heard that Mr. Zimmerman was minding his own business, as well. And that, based upon his history and based upon knowing the neighborhood and a number of young black males who had, in fact, caused burglaries in the area, that he may have focused on him.

Does he say that in any of his statements? No. As a matter of fact, none of his statements suggest any type of racial profiling, any type of profiling whatsoever, except somebody he didn`t know.

(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Natalie Jackson, the attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family, did Mark O`Mara cross a line with that comment referring to break-ins by African-American young males? He`s saying, well, it`s not racial profiling, but he seems to be bringing in those factors. Was he speaking in code?

N. JACKSON: He certainly was. You know, Mark needs to stay off the conservative laws and just try this case with the evidence that`s in front of him.

This -- we -- I was shocked when he brought that in. And I was even further shocked when he brought in a picture of Trayvon at the 7-Eleven buying candy. And he suggested that this shows how big and menacing Trayvon is.

Well, we have his measurements on the M.E. -- the medical examiner`s report. He was 5`11" and 158 pounds. George Zimmerman was 5`9" and 185 pounds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Bottom line before this court is that we have an innocent victim. Now why -- why on earth was one of those photographs at the 7-Eleven put into evidence? Is it the implication that somehow Mr. Martin, because he was wearing the hoody, is a criminal?

You know, I think that -- you know, in retrospect, that photograph speaks volumes of what we have before you. And when I say that is, imagine if you could, your honor, who is more likely to get robbed on a regular basis other than a clerk at a 7-Eleven store? Did that clerk, who dealt with Mr. Martin, perceived Mr. Martin as a threat because he was wearing a hoody? No. He treated him as a customer.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Holly Hughes, criminal defense attorney, former prosecutor, these mega cases always involve unorthodox tactics. But I was shocked, my jaw dropped as I watched this hearing unfold. It was supposed to be a bond hearing. And it turns into a mini-trial with what amounted to closing arguments by both sides.

Did the judge let this get out of control? I was waiting for the judge to say, "Come on, let`s get back to the bond hearing."
HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, here`s the thing, Jane. One of the factors that the judge has to consider in determining bond is the strength of the state`s case. And he wrote in his previous order, "I think the state has a pretty strong case."

So O`Mara has duty to come back and say, "Well, your honor" -- what he pointed out to the judge, and this is a very fine line the attorney walks, is, "Judge, you said the state has a strong case, but you didn`t hear any evidence when you made that statement. So I`m respectfully asking you to reconsider, and here`s why."

So to a certain extent O`Mara does need to...

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Go ahead.

HUGHES: He does need to put on evidence to a certain extent, but I`m with you, Jane. When he stepped over that line and started picking on the victim and suggesting the victim might have had something to do with his own death, that is a horrible, horrible maneuver, both in court and in the media perspective.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Let`s go out to the phone lines. Kathy, Nevada, your question or thought, Kathy.

CALLER: I thought that it was kind of funny that the -- they didn`t want the prosecutor to cross-examine the guy on the stand.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, yes. That was a whole other thing. And I should go out to Joey Jackson on this, because the entire time we`re watching the hearing, which goes on for almost three hours, we`re wondering is George Zimmerman going to take the stand. Look, he`s all dressed. He`s sharp, he`s in a suit. We know he likes to talk.

And yet it was like Mark O`Mara, his attorney said, "Well, I only want him on the stand if he can say what I want him to say. I don`t want him to be cross examined. I don`t want to open a Pandora`s box."

J. JACKSON: That`s exactly right. Listen, Jane, make no mistake about it. Who was the suit for? Who was the hair, the whole to-do? That was for the general public, right? The whole motion about we don`t want him to come to court in shackles. We want him to come to court as if he`s presentable a non-defendant. And so that was what that was all about. In terms of taking the stand, it is the Pandora`s box of which you speak.

Why? Goodness forbid he`s said something and he`s crossed up and also gives a preview then to the state as to exactly how and what he`s going to say.
The problem with that, though, very briefly, Jane, is this. In the event that he did say something, I think the judge would have wanted to hear why he misinterpreted and why he misled the court, or his family did, with regard to how much assets they had. That was a critical point that needed to be countered because a judge needs to consider that in re-evaluating whether bail should be given or denied.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, you know, it was funny, because it was sort of like every so often they would come back to the essential point, should George Zimmerman get bail? And if so, how much?

And certainly, the prosecution argued that he shouldn`t get bail, because he`s a liar. And at the last bond hearing, he and his wife deceived the court, claiming they were broke, when in fact, they had tons of money, well over $100,000 that had come in from supporters of George Zimmerman. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This defendant spoke to his wife, Shellie Zimmerman, and they used code. They used other words other than "$9,000" to make sure that whoever was listening wasn`t aware of what was going on.

Why was that done? It was done to hide the money so that they could deceive the court, lie to the court. Mrs. Zimmerman lied to the court, and this defendant just sat there and allowed it to happen. Because he, frankly, was manipulating the whole thing. He was using his wife as a conduit to do this. That`s why there was...

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And Mike Brooks, this whole issue of money. The defense tried to make out, "Well, yes, he lied, but it really was -- he was scared and confused. He didn`t mean anything by it."

But in fact there would be a very obvious reason for him to want to hang on for money. Because you need money to launch a defense. You have to hire experts. You`ve got to get transcripts. You`ve got to -- costs money to do depositions. Yada, yada, yada. It costs a ton of money for a big case like this. Isn`t that why he wanted to keep the money?

BROOKS: Yes. And you know, as Mark O`Mara also pointed out, it wasn`t just legal fees. It was personal expenses, you know, like his light bill and things like that and Chick-Fil-A and everything else.
But Mr. O`Mara, he was -- he`s so right up front. He`s an officer of the court, a very good officer of the court, and he said, well, he should have jumped up and said something when his wife was testifying.

And the judge tried to be fair and said, "Well, I don`t know if he should have jumped up and said something. Maybe he should have tugged on your sleeve to let you know that they did have money."

So, you know, he was trying to make it look not so bad. And he never said, Mr. O`Mara never said that "My client lied." He said he was misleading.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t see him. I don`t want to go out there. I don`t know what`s going on. Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There was a gunshot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You heard gunshots?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he right outside?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Pretty much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What an emotional day in court. There you see George Zimmerman, dressed in a sharp suit and tie.

I want to go out to Richard Gabrielle, jury consultant. He`s also not shackled. You just saw him rubbing his head. What is the defense trying to project? They requested he be allowed to appear this way.

RICHARD GABRIELLE, JURY CONSULTANT: Well, Jane, what they`re trying to do is they`re trying to present George Zimmerman as a pillar of the community. When he`s dressed like this, he`s obviously sharp. His hair`s grown out a bit. And he looks like a solid citizen.

And I think that is -- that is what they`re trying to convey, that he is a protector of the community. And obviously that plays into his defense of the case.

Let`s face it, you know, his credibility from the moment of the shooting has been in question. With the sunshine laws in Florida, it ensures that everything comes out. So every time he`s on television, every time something he`s interviewed, his image is out there, and they want that image to be a solid citizen.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: I wonder if that`s also one of the reasons they brought in his dad, who was a magistrate of some sort.

Let`s play back the dramatic testimony of George Zimmerman`s dad brought into to testify about who was screaming on the 911 tapes. Of course that`s absolutely crucial. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You are aware -- have you listened to the recordings of his interviews by the police? That`s been publicized?

R. ZIMMERMAN: Some of them I have.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you`re aware that he states that his voice was muffled. In fact, he claims -- the defendant, your son, claims that Trayvon Martin had one hand over his mouth and one hand over his nose, correct?

R. ZIMMERMAN: You know, I`ve heard so many different things in the media.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would that be inconsistent with him screaming, sir?

R. ZIMMERMAN: No. From the looks of my son`s injuries, Trayvon Martin`s hands were not just on his nose and mouth.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Natalie Jackson, attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family. Now, there was the verbal point that he was trying to make, but what was the subliminal point, do you think, of bringing George Zimmerman`s father to the stand?

N. JACKSON: I agree with the jury consultant. And I also think they`re trying to make the public focus on the injuries.

Last week the evidence, the actual evidence in this case came out. And every one focused in on all the lies and inconsistencies in George Zimmerman`s story. And so they want everyone to not focus on that.
I`ll tell you, this hearing today, it was also a strategic move, because the prosecutor just finished a two-week trial -- murder trial. So we weren`t sure he was going to be there today. And we didn`t know until today that he was there.

This was an effort to bring in evidence and to have a case with someone who they thought might be a substitute and who wouldn`t be there to cross- examine.

The prosecution did a great job in just disassembling all the witnesses that they put on. Because they were able to point to exact evidence to contradict everything that`s there, to contradict or to mitigate anything that they put on.

So I think -- I think that today was a great day for the prosecution.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does he look hurt?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t see him. I don`t want to go out there. I don`t know what`s going on. There`s screaming. Yes. I just heard gunshots.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You just heard gunshots?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How many?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Just one. No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he right outside?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Pretty much. Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Does he look hurt?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t see him. I don`t want to go out there. I don`t know what`s going on.

(inaudible)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s screaming.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You think he`s yelling "Help".

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes. I just heard gunshots.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just heard a gunshot.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: How many?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Just one.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is he right outside?

(inaudible)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Fireworks at a hearing today that was supposed to be about whether George Zimmerman would get out on bail after having his bail yanked because he lied and his wife lied about how much money they had when they had gotten tons of money in from supporters.

But observers said, wow, it looked like the defense was trying to essentially ambush the prosecution and put on the defense case. They played this video or other videos like it of George Zimmerman describing his injuries. They put on a paramedic who said there was blood all over his face. They put on his dad.

But the prosecution, even though they may not have been ready for all that just immediately responded by fiercely questioning the severity of George Zimmerman`s injuries on the night of that deadly confrontation. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
BERNIE DELA RONDA, PROSECUTOR: At some point the victim does hit him. I mean, but the bottom line is banging? There`s no evidence of that. There`s no evidence and nobody has testified to that effect. The defendant claims he made statements to the police. I would submit the injuries are inconsistent with his head bashed.

If the court -- and I know the court has already reviewed it, those -- that interview he describes being bashed, beaten. Those injuries are very inconsistent. He doesn`t have any skull fractures. He doesn`t have any kind of concussion from that.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Mike Brooks, HLN law enforcement analyst, could the defense of George Zimmerman be miscalculating because part of the effectiveness of the defense case is the factor of surprise. And by laying all this out at a bond hearing, are they effectively sort of robbing themselves of, wow, the surprise of what their case is going to be.

You remember Casey Anthony when they started out with this wild theory in opening statement.

BROOKS: Well, you know, to be honest, his injuries that we saw at the police station moments after he was cleaned up by firefighter paramedic, Kevin O`Rourke, who testified today from the Sanford Fire Department, testified his head was 45 percent full of blood.

Well, you know what, I`m sorry. Head wounds are very -- they bleed a lot -- it`s very, very vascular in your head, Jane. And, you know, we`re looking at pictures there. Is that consistent with somebody who was in fear of their life? Who said when he was getting his head banged he thought his head was going to explode?

If they were that bad, Jane, if the wounds were that bad -- I`m sorry, I was an EMT for over 20 years -- if his wounds were that bad, why didn`t firefighter EMT O`Rourke and some of the other folks from the Sanford Fire Department, why didn`t they wrap his head up? Because apparently there wasn`t bleeding that bad.

He said they thought they might get stitches. You heard George Zimmerman talk about during the walk through that they didn`t want to put stitches on it, you know. Are these wounds consistent with someone who was in fear of their life? That`s the question.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. I think you`re making an excellent point. Now, I want to do a round robin. Everybody, very briefly, do you think that George Zimmerman is going to get on bail? If so, how much is the judge going to ask for? Starting with Holly Hughes?

HUGHES: I think he`s going high -- a million dollars.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: A million dollars, which to me says, ok, 10 percent of a million, $100,000. I`m wondering do you think, Holly, as a follow-up, would he have that from what we`re hearing about his support?

HUGHES: I think he would. I think he`d be able to post it, Jane.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow. A million dollars. Rolonda Watts, what do you think?

WATTS: Well, if he doesn`t deny the people again like in court, I think it will definitely be a very, very high bond if they agree to give him bond. But I think Zimmerman is a dangerous man but we`ll see what the judge says. But I think it will be very, very high if he agrees to it.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Joey Jackson, what do you think?

JACKSON: You know what; I can`t put a dollar figure on it, Jane. But I think it will be significantly more than it is now. I know Mike Brooks said earlier, double -- is it double? Is it triple? It`s ultimately up to the judge to decide. He will be granted bail. I believe he`ll also make it.

There were misrepresentations that concern the court and I think as a result of that -- the result of there being resources there to pay bail -- the judge will act accordingly and increase it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Very briefly, Mike Brooks.

BROOKS: It`s bail, not a punishment. I`d say $500,000.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Richard Gabriel, briefly.

GABRIEL: I`d go along with that. I think it`s a matter of credibility. I think the judge questions his credibility. And I think he`s going to get out. But I think the court`s going to be looking at him real carefully.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And final word, Natalie Jackson.

JACKSON: I agree with Holly. If the judge grants bail, the state originally asked for a million dollars and I think that a million dollars it will be with lots of conditions.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you. Fantastic panel. We are all over this case come Monday.
 ::snipping2::

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« Reply #34 on: July 04, 2012, 10:04:15 AM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/02/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
Mother of 15-year-old Boy Sue the George Westinghouse School; George Zimmerman Remains in Jail; Michael Marin Commits Suicide after Verdict; New TomKat Divorce Details
Aired July 2, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED

 ::snipping2::
And what will the judge decide? George Zimmerman spent the weekend behind bars after his second bond hearing turned mini trial ended without a decision. Prosecutors say the former neighborhood watch captain accused of gunning down Trayvon Martin lied about his finances while speaking in code to his wife about the first bond hearing. Zimmerman`s attorney says, it was all a misunderstanding. Will the judge let Zimmerman out again?
 ::snipping2::
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened here on April 20th, and why did that happen?

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, SHOT TRAYVON MARTIN: He said, you got a problem? And turned around. I said, no. I don`t have a problem, man.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: This is not about (INAUDIBLE). This is about a right and wrong.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somehow, Mr. Martin, because he was wearing a hoodie is a criminal?

ZIMMERMAN: He sat up and he said, you got me. You got it. You got me. Something like that.

MARK O`MARA, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN`S ATTORNEY: It`s not the grand conspiracy that the state seems to suggest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had lacerations on the back of his head.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So his head was banged into something harder.

CROWD: No justice! No peace! No justice! No peace!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MORET: Welcome back. I`m Jim Moret from "Inside Edition" filling in tonight for Jane. You can follow me on twitter at my name @jimmoret.

George Zimmerman`s fate hangs in the balance. Will the judge rule Zimmerman is not a threat to the community and let him go free on bail? Zimmerman`s second bond hearing was explosive. A so-called mini trial of the century as the defense rolled out a slew of new evidence about the night Zimmerman shot unarmed teenager, Trayvon Martin.

They played in court video of Zimmerman`s injuries and called testimony from an EMT who was there on the scene. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

KEVIN O`ROURKE, EMT: He had blood on his face and the back of his head. And that was about all I remember as far as his injuries. I think he had a cut on his nose as well. A good 45 percent of his head and face were covered in blood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORET: Here`s the thing, none of that evidence had anything to do with why the bond was revoked. It was taken away because Zimmerman and his wife lied to the court about their finances. That is the main issue here.

Straight out now to attorney Michelle Suskauer. Michelle, coming to us on Skype.

Now, obviously, the judge here is taking his time making a decision. How do you think the judge should rule?

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, ATTORNEY: I think the judge should grant Zimmerman a bond, but what he`s going to do is take into conversation the change in financial situation. The fact that there was a lot more money than what was originally discussed and revealed. I think the judge is going to let him out.

The defense is saying he`s not a danger to the community. Because what they`re bringing in with new evidence is he was not the aggressor here. So I think that`s why that was significant.

MORET: Well, as you suggest, Zimmerman raised a ton of money through private donations on his Web site. How much cash did he have? The prosecution spelled it out in court. Listen.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

There was a transfer into the account of George Zimmerman of $5,880. And then also that day 9,900. 9,900. 9,900. 9,900. 9,900. 9,900. And I believe one final 9,900.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORET: OK. If you don`t have a total, the grand total, over 200 grand in donations.

Why did Zimmerman lie to the court in the first place? What did he have to gain.

Michelle, you`re his attorney. You got to be saying, what were you thinking at this point?

SUSKAUER: And I think what you have to portray is that this is somebody who is not a sophisticated individual. He and his wife are not sophisticated. And that this said they were not -- all you can really argue is they were not trying to mislead the court, but this was money that they were going to be using towards their lawyers, towards their defense, towards their living expenses.

But again, I think the judge is really weighing this out. And looking to see really what are the important points here? The fact, is this individual a flight risk? And is he a danger to the community? Is he going to show up at his next court date? The court date after that. His trial, does he have enough money, so he`s going to flee? So what is he going to do? Is he going to raise the bond significantly, continue on house arrest? I think he`s going to. But it`s going to be very high. Much higher than what he let him out originally.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #35 on: July 07, 2012, 08:44:17 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/06/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
George Zimmerman Released on Bail; HIV Positive Sex Offender Attacks Boy?; Tom Versus Katie: Dirty Divorce?; The Sounds of Sustainability
Aired July 6, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


JIM MORET, HOST: Here`s what`s happening right now.

George Zimmerman is out of jail. What will be his next move?

I`m Jim Moret from "INSIDE EDITION," sitting in for my friend, Jane Velez-Mitchell.

Why was Trayvon Martin`s killer allowed to go free? And is he now strapped for cash? We`ll be breaking it all down, coming up next.
 ::snipping2::

Will George Zimmerman soon be a free man again? After days of deliberating, a Florida judge allows the former Neighborhood Watch captain, accused of gunning down Trayvon Martin, to be released on bond. But this time it comes at a hefty price. Did the judge make the right choice? And will Zimmerman be able to afford the $1 million price tag?
 ::snipping2::
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: George Zimmerman could be released from jail as soon as today.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: George Zimmerman is scrambling to come up with enough money to make his million-dollar bond.

BENJAMIN CRUMP, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: The judge sent a very strong message in his order.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened here on April 20? And why did that happen?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Martin. Trayvon Martin.

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, SHOOTING SUSPECT: He said, "Yo, you got a problem?"

And I turned around and I said, "No, I don`t have a problem, man."

SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: This is not about a black and white thing. This is about a right and wrong thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somehow Mr. Martin, because he was wearing a hoody, is a criminal?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`ve heard that Trayvon Martin was just minding his own business. And there doesn`t seem to be anything to contest that.

MARK O`MARA, ATTORNEY FOR GEORGE ZIMMERMAN: It`s not the grand conspiracy that the state seems to suggest.

(SINGING)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had lacerations on the back of his head.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So his head was banged into something harder than his head.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: No justice, no peace! No justice, no peace!

(END VIDEOTAPE)

MORET: George Zimmerman posts bail and gets out of jail. And his victory comes with a cost.

Hi, everyone.

Here he is leaving jail just a short time ago. Zimmerman shot and killed unarmed teen Trayvon Martin. But he was sent back to the slammer after the court found he lied about his finances. And now a Florida judge has granted him bail.

But that freedom doesn`t come cheap. His bail? A cool $1 million. But here`s the thing: he went to a bail bondsman who posted bail but only took 10 percent. That means Zimmerman`s legal team only needed $100,000 cash. But because they already paid $15,000, they really only needed 85 grand more.

We know Zimmerman was flush with cash. Listen to what prosecution`s attorneys revealed in the hearing.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was a transfer of -- into the account of George Zimmerman of like $5,880 and then also that day $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, and I believe one final $9,900.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORET: The judge was pretty harsh in his ruling, saying the defendant has tried to manipulate the system and that the money only had to be hidden for a short time before he would leave the country. But he still granted bail.

Joining me is HLN law enforcement analyst Mike Brooks with the very latest.

Mike, what do you have?

MIKE BROOKS, HLN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: Well, I tell you, Jim, it looks right around 2:50 this afternoon George Zimmerman walked out of the Seminole County Jail.

Now, we saw a white SUV pull up. It was right in the handicap parking right outside the door. And then the door opened up. And out walked a guy in a blue shirt and a guy in a black shirt. And right between them was George Zimmerman.

Now, supposedly, Jim, they are going to be taking him to what they`re calling a safe house. But we know that it has to be somewhere there in Seminole County, because that`s one of the conditions of his release. He cannot leave Seminole County. And he also has to check in with pretrial services every 48 hours.

But, Jim, people are talking about where`s all this money coming from? Just in the last 24 hours, Jim, he has raised $20,000. I think that is unbelievable.

MORET: Mike, are they concerned about possible death threats continuing with Zimmerman?

BROOKS: Well, that`s why they`re going to take him to this safe house, because we have seen, you know, demonstrations. And the country is basically divided into two camps: those that think George Zimmerman gunned down Trayvon Martin in cold blood; and those that think that he was standing his ground and this is a case of self-defense.

So, yes, I would say that George Zimmerman, you know, is probably -- is in fear of his life. And that`s the reason they`re going to be taking him to a safe house where no one knows where he`s going to be. But it has to be in Seminole County.

MORET: Joey Jackson, criminal defense attorney, joining us from New York. How important was it for Zimmerman`s attorneys to get him out of custody from the standpoint of putting this case together?

JOEY JACKSON, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, it`s important. I mean, you could certainly go and you can meet with your client in any facility, you know, that they`re in, but it`s important for a couple of reasons.

No. 1, obviously, he`s out. It allows the attorneys an opportunity to meet with him in private at times of their own choosing. Logistical concerns, they`re not as heightened or there`s not that concern, because you can meet with your client whenever you`d like to.

And then, of course, you know, no one likes to be in jail. Right? I mean, obviously everybody wants their freedom.

As to whether he`ll remain free, I mean, we`ll see. Because obviously, there will be this immunity hearing at -- in the event that the attorney chooses to have one after that bail, you know, decision the judge made.

But, you know, I think moving forward, certainly, I think his camp is pleased with the fact that he`s out. And at $1 million it certainly came at a price, though, as you said, Jim.

MORET: And for those of you who are confused, we want to go over what Zimmerman did to get his bail taken away in the first place. He spoke with his wife in code to hide how much money they`d raised. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

G. ZIMMERMAN: If the bond is 50, 15, if it`s more than 50, just pay 10 percent to a bondsman.

SHELLIE ZIMMERMAN, WIFE: You don`t want me to pay $100?

G. ZIMMERMAN: I don`t know.

S. ZIMMERMAN: All right. Well, just think about it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORET: And Mike Brooks alluded to this. Look at the restrictions placed upon Zimmerman.

He has to report to officials every two days. He can`t have a bank account. He has a 6 p.m. curfew every night. He can`t have a passport. He cannot go to the airport. He will still have an electronic monitor.

Judge Mary Ann Gunn, who hosts "Last Shot with Judge Gunn," joins us by Skype.

Judge, we saw in this case the judge was very upset with what the judge called a manipulation of the system. Are you surprised, first of all, that bail was granted?

And secondly, how much does it hurt in the case as it proceeds for the credibility of this defendant?

JUDGE MARY ANN GUNN, HOST, "LAST SHOT WITH JUDGE GUNN": Well, obviously, you don`t lie to the court. That`s the first rule of business. And everybody knew, once the judge revoked the bond, that it was going to be a much higher bond.

He`s charged with second degree. So he`s entitled to a bond. The question becomes whether or not he`s a flight risk.

He`s scared to death for his life. And he appears to be secreting himself every chance that he gets. And the reality is he`s not -- he`s not on the hook for the million-dollar bond. His bondman is now. And the court will go to the bondsman if he runs.

Zimmerman has raised his $100,000 and paid 10 percent on the bond. I`m surprised that the bondsman didn`t get additional collateral for him, because if he runs, they`ll pay it to the court.

MORET: Mark Nejame, criminal defense attorney, HLN legal analyst.

Look, I agree with the judge. You don`t lie to the court. And here you`ve got a defendant whose word is going to be on the line here with these jurors. And they`re going to know he lied. Doesn`t this hurt from the defense standpoint?

MARK NEJAME, HLN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I couldn`t agree more that, you know, rule No. 1 is you never misrepresent yourself to the court. You always have respect for the court. And the court was clearly deceived.

So all the judge did I completely concur with. But I think that the credibility of Zimmerman will only be heard by the judge in a presumed stand-your-ground hearing that`s going to be coming up. Because at that point the judge is the trier of the fact. He`s also the trier of the law. And he`s already got grave and great credibility issues with Zimmerman.

So I think that Zimmerman`s chances are greatly reduced of prevailing as a result of these credibility issues with the future stand-your-ground hearing.

However, presuming that he loses that and he goes to trial and he claims self-defense, none of these issues will be brought before the court -- excuse me, before the jury. So they will not hear all those things that we now know, because they`re just going to be hearing the facts of the case.

So in the court of public opinion, of course it damages him tremendously. However, in the stand-your-ground hearing, because only Judge Russell will hear it, I think it will hurt him. But when it ultimately comes down to the trial, I don`t think it will make a difference.

MORET: Judge Gunn, we have about 10 or 15 seconds before we go to a break. Do you think this is going to hurt if this goes forward to trial? Is this -- the fact that he lied to the judge -- going to hurt him as the case continues?

GUNN: It will hurt his credibility with the judge. But it will -- the jury should -- probably will not hear about it unless he takes the stand. If he takes the stand and says, "I don`t lie," then I think it could come before the jury and would be relevant.

But chances are his defense attorneys will be very careful about that.

COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had blood on his face and the back of his head. And that was about -- about all I remember as far as his injuries. I think he had a cut on his nose, as well. A good 45 percent of his head and face were covered in blood.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORET: Welcome back. I`m Jim Moret from "Inside Edition," sitting in for Jane.

Trayvon Martin`s family is not happy with Zimmerman going free, but they`re not standing in his way. They are standing strong. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FULTON: Trayvon was my baby. And I usually get emotional just thinking about the situation that has happened. And just to know that the killer of my son may walk free some time one day, it really hurts.

TRACY MARTIN, FATHER OF TRAYVON: As a father, it`s difficult as we sit through these proceedings. You feel powerless when you hear things said about your child that, you know, is not true.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

MORET: Family attorney says they are not going to fight the ruling that allowed Zimmerman to go free.

Holly Hughes, what options does the family have? They can clearly file a civil lawsuit as this proceeds, but at this point, are they going to take a wait-and-see attitude? And just let the criminal justice system work its way?

HOLLY HUGHES, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Well, I think they are. Because technically speaking, although they are the agreed party here in the criminal process, they are the surviving victims. You know, Trayvon himself was a victim. Parents are a victim.

But they have no say. Once a case is filed, it`s the prosecutor`s decision. So they don`t -- you know, they can say, "We don`t want him to have bond," but legally speaking, they don`t have a dog in the fight.

So their option here is to let the criminal case play out. Hopefully, they will see the justice that they`re seeking done. And after that, they have the remedy of filing a civil suit.

And if people continue to donate money to George Zimmerman and that money is not exhausted, that`s George Zimmerman`s money. So that`s something they can go after. Even though money won`t bring back their son and it won`t make them whole, they can certainly seek damages. And those damages may ultimately be paid out of the money that people are sending in, if that fund is still up and running at the time of the civil suit.

MORET: Joey Jackson, criminal defense attorney from New York. Look, a lot of people are upset with this case anyway. They feel like Zimmerman got away with murder. And clearly, that`s to be decided by the court.

But we do know that Zimmerman lied. And a lot of people think, look, here he`s getting away with that, because he`s out. From a PR standpoint - - and I know you do worry about public opinion as well as the court, what do you do to rehabilitate this guy if you`re a defense attorney?

JACKSON: You know, it has a lot to do with whether he acts responsibly from here on in. Obviously, his attorneys are going to brief him. And it starts with the basics, Jim. What does that mean? It means comply with every bail condition. Whether it`s not to have alcohol, whether it`s not to miss your curfew by one second, whether it`s certainly, he shouldn`t be applying for passports and doing the obvious things. But a lot has to do with how he comports himself.

And we better not hear any -- anything of a negative variety in terms of what he`s done, certainly no statements, no interviews, any of that. But in terms of rehabilitating reputation, it`s very difficult.

And I think in the court of law when he comes and he does testify -- and he essentially almost has to, right? Because this is the type of thing where it`s going to be his word against what happens, yes, there`s a lot of independent evidence that`s here, but it`s going to be him on the line.

And you can rest assured, Jim, that the prosecutors are going to be giving him a withering cross-examination when the time comes. But it should be a very interesting thing to watch in the very near future.

MORET: Is this a nightmare case from a defense standpoint? Because you`re behind the 8-ball, right? Right from the get-go.

JACKSON: You know, absolutely. It`s very difficult. But at the same time there are things the defense is going to do. I mean, they`re going to be plotting their strategy.

And the first thing they have to consider, though, Jim, is whether or not they`re going to have this immunity hearing. If you read the decision, the judge was -- I mean, he vilified essentially George Zimmerman, talking about how he was manipulative, flaunted the system. And this will be the same judge who has to evaluate his credibility in an immunity hearing.

And then if George Zimmerman testifies there, the extent to what that`s going to be used against him at trial is going to be enormous.

So the defense has a lot of decisions to make, starting with whether they have such a hearing or waive it and just allow a jury to make the ultimate decision.

There`s certainly things the defense has to work with here, but the prosecution is certainly going to be on their a-game and moving forward.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #36 on: July 10, 2012, 08:57:33 AM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/09/pmt.01.html
PIERS MORGAN TONIGHT
Taxes and the Race for the White House; Cruise, Holmes and Scientology
Aired July 9, 2012 - 21:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

 ::snipping2::

MORGAN: Coming up, the man who killed Trayvon Martin is out of jail on a million dollars bond. Next, George Zimmerman's attorney tells me exclusively what Zimmerman has said since he got out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

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?

O'MARA: My true opinion is that I've reviewed thousands of the supporters' comment 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.

MORGAN: What is the time scale now, Mark, in terms of how you see the legal process moving forward in the next few months?

O'MARA: I still think we have about six months of discovery to go. That is getting the rest of discovery from the state, then getting our discovery, getting our request out to various state agencies and organizations that we want to get information from. Then coming up with our experts and then getting ready for either a pretrial motion, a Stand Your Ground motion and then trial if need be.

MORGAN: In terms of his personal safety, is he entitled to any state protection? If he isn't, what is he doing about protecting himself in terms of security or whatever else he may be having?

O'MARA: Unfortunately, he's not entitled to any state provided security. So the security that is he under now is only coming from the legal defense fund, which is why again, a request for funds has been made uniquely, but had to be made merely because of a number of reasons. One, his own safety, and two, the presentation of the case.

So it is now on his shoulders, but in effect is on the shoulders of all of his supporters.

MORGAN: Mark O'Mara, as always, thank you for joining us. I appreciate it.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #37 on: July 13, 2012, 12:46:59 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/12/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL
School Showed `Total Disregard` for Child Rape Victims
Aired July 12, 2012 - 19:00   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
 ::snipping2::
Plus, unbelievable details revealed about Neighborhood Watch shooter George Zimmerman`s past. You won`t believe what his ex-fiancee told cops, stories that claim pushing and kicking and other violence long before Zimmerman gunned down unarmed teen Trayvon Martin. All the details tonight.
 ::snipping2::
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: What happened here on April 20? And why did that happen?

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, ACCUSED SHOOT: He said, "Yo, you got a problem?`

I turned around. And I said, no, I don`t have a problem, man.

SYBRINA FULTON, TRAYVON`S MOTHER: This is not a black and white thing. This is about a right and wrong thing.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somehow Mr. Martin because he was wearing the hoodie is a criminal?

ZIMMERMAN:: I didn`t think I hit him because he sat up and he said, "Oh, you got me. You got it -- you got me, you got it," something like that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It is not the grand conspiracy that the state seems to suggest.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He had lacerations on the back of his head.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So his head was banged into something harder than his head.

(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Astonishing new developments in the Trayvon Martin case. New evidence just released shows Trayvon`s shooter George Zimmerman -- are you sitting down -- wanted more guns after he shot Trayvon Martin dead in March.

You remember this? The nation exploding with protest because Zimmerman was still not arrested. Zimmerman`s in hiding. And we`re now learning tonight he was trying to get another gun. He contacted a gun shop asking for a weapon, allegedly. Why?

Zimmerman told the FBI that, quote "his life is in danger and he needs more guns."

Watch Zimmerman re-enact how he says this confrontation with Trayvon Martin went down.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ZIMMERMAN: When he was hitting my head against -- I felt like my head was going to explode and I thought I was going to lose consciousness. He said, "You`re going to die tonight, (EXPLETIVE DELETED)." And he reached for it. But he reached -- like, I felt his arm going down to my side and I grabbed it. And I just grabbed my firearm and I shot one time.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did Zimmerman have violent perhaps even racist tendencies? The FBI also interviewed his ex-fiancee who revealed the stunning accusation that during their engagement, quote, "Zimmerman hit her in the mouth with an open hand." Why -- because she was chewing gum. She also states that during an argument Zimmerman kicked her dog in the stomach when the dog approached him.
Will prosecutors be able to use this newly released evidence to portray Zimmerman as violence-prone? Give me a call, 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1- 877-586-7297.

Straight out to Natalie Jackson, the attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family; Natalie, thanks for joining us. What do you make of this bombshell new evidence just released hours ago?

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: Well, there are 300 pages that were released by the state attorney`s office. I only went through half of it. I think it definitely will help the state with their case. There`s a lot of information -- new information that talks about the psychological of George Zimmerman.


But ultimately this case, the star witness of this case will be George Zimmerman and his own words; the smoking gun is his own words. So the jury will just -- they`ll come back and they`ll notice -- I believe that they`ll notice all the inconsistencies with the story and that will be what is the thing they consider most.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, listen, an ex-fiancee can sometimes hold a grudge.
But criminal defense attorney out of Miami, Michelle Suskauer, Zimmerman allegedly hit here in the mouth with his open hand because she was chewing gum? Kicks her dog, according to her? Will prosecutors be able to use this in court during his trial as evidence that he is prone to violence?

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know what; I don`t know if they -- listen, they are certainly going to want to try. But this is a prior bad act or prior bad act and they may not be able to use this at all.



But certainly it`s bad information about George Zimmerman if in fact this person is credible, which we do not know if she is credible or not. Just like you said, Jane, this is an ex-fiancee. This is someone who did not marry him for whatever reason. He broke up with her. She broke up with him. Who knows?

But, again, what is consistent from what everything I`ve read is that he does not come across as a racist. Everyone who has been interviewed and there were over 30 interviews about that.

(CROSSTALK)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, ok.

SUSKAUER: But he does not come across -- no one has said that he ever has been that way. And so there are some very positive things, if you want to spin it in the other way, for the defense that have come out of all this document today.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Your thoughts on that, Natalie Jackson.

JACKSON: Well, I`m not saying that George Zimmerman is a racist or he isn`t, but there is a witness that has come out. That`s witness number 9, the controversial witness, whose statements have been redacted. But the statements that were released with witness number 9; she called two days after the shooting before all of the uprising and she did say that he had those tendencies.


VELEZ-MITCHELL: Speaking of -- and I`m writing down a caller`s name and state. So let me continue now. Speaking of this whole issue of whether or not he`s racist, evidence released today once again raises this question, was George Zimmerman racist? Is he a racist? Does he have those tendencies?

Now, police did suspect that although Zimmerman himself hotly denied it. Listen to this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This person was not doing anything bad. You know the name of the person that died?

ZIMMERMAN: Trayvon?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon.

ZIMMERMAN: Trayvon Martin.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Benjamin Martin. He was born in 1995, February the 5th. He was 17 years old. In his possession we found a can of iced tea and a bag of Skittles and about $40 in cash. Not the goon.

You got problems with black people?

ZIMMERMAN: No.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. I had to ask.

(END VIDEO CLIP)


VELEZ-MITCHELL: Ok. "So you got problems with black people?" "No." "Ok, I had to ask." Zimmerman constantly claims he`s not racist.

But in this new evidence some disturbing things from his MySpace profile. He wrote about Mexicans walking on the side of the street soft (EXPLETIVE DELETED) want-to-be thugs messing with cars and he goes on to complain about getting knives pulled on you by every Mexican you run into.

Now, Robi Ludwig, this sounds to me like a very judgmental person who makes sweeping generalizations and assumptions based on people based on their ethnicity, their appearance, whatever. Isn`t that exactly what he did to Trayvon Martin?

ROBI LUDWIG, PSYCHOTHERAPIST: Well, it sounds that way. And of course we`ll find out more details. But he also sounds very paranoid to me and highly reactive. And when someone`s in a paranoid state, then they tend to see things if you are in an outsiders group, you`re an enemy. You`re either an outsider or an insider.

And that`s what I see about Zimmerman. He seems perhaps when he`s not well is increasingly paranoid, increasingly more suspicious and increasingly highly reactive.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: What I found astounding about these documents, Tanya Acker, is that until the shooting -- oh the irony -- he was not on good terms with his own parents and he became on better terms after the shooting.

So what`s adding up here is somebody who has a tendency to get into arguments -- the ex-fiancee, Trayvon Martin, his own parents.

TANYA ACKER, ATTORNEY: I think that George Zimmerman`s best hope in his trial moving forward is he is going to have to take the stand. And he`s going to have to take a story. And he`s going to have to tell his story.

And if he does that, he is possibly going to open up the door to all of these other sorts of questions. He`s going to have to answer questions about his prior relationships, his tendency toward violence.

And look, the whole notion about whether or not he`s racist or not racist, whether or not Trayvon Martin was brought to his attention or whether or not George Zimmerman thought that Trayvon was more dangerous because he was black, that doesn`t necessarily turn on whether or not Zimmerman had a history of using the n-word or being in a hate group. They`re separate issues.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Now, we`re going to the phone lines quickly. Crystal, Iowa, your thought, my dear.
CRYSTAL, IOWA (via telephone): does Trayvon`s family have any right to sue for the poor handling of their case?

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Oh, well that`s an excellent question. Very quickly, Michelle Suskauer, can Trayvon Martin`s family sue?
SUSKAUER: Well, who are they going to sue? Suing law enforcement? There`s immunity. But suing George Zimmerman, potentially. But, again, in Florida the "Stand Your Ground" law it`s very possible that they will have -- that George Zimmerman may be able to have civil immunity under this law. So that is an option.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Natalie Jackson, any plans now for a civil suit?

JACKSON: That is something that we have not ruled out the possibility. Right now the parents they are more concerned with the criminal case and what happens with George Zimmerman.

Jane, I want to talk about the racism issue. The state is not charging George Zimmerman with any racial crime. So that really -- that is not an issue here. They have not charged him with any sort of hate or racial crime. They are charging him straight with murder two. And the profiling that they`re alleging is criminal profiling.


VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. We are on top of this story. Thank you Natalie Jackson. Thank you my entire panel. Come here for the latest on the Zimmerman case.
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« Reply #38 on: July 13, 2012, 04:33:42 PM »

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« Reply #39 on: July 20, 2012, 06:15:46 PM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1207/16/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Girls Vanish During Bike Ride

Aired July 16, 2012 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
 ::snipping2::
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We`re getting new evidence now released by prosecutors.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: New FBI reports released just a few hours ago.

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, CHARGED WITH TRAYVON MARTIN`S MURDER: He said, "You got a problem?" And I turned around. I said, "No, I don`t have a problem, man."

SYBRINA FULTON, MOTHER OF TRAYVON MARTIN: This is not about a black and white thing. This is about a right and wrong thing.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The question that a lot of people asking here, what role, if any, did race play in the case?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Somehow, Mr. Martin, because he`s wearing a hoodie is a criminal?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: George Zimmerman`s attorney meanwhile says he cannot get a fail trial because the judge in this case is biased.

Former neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing Trayvon Martin wants Judge Kenneth Lester to step down from the case.

(END VIDEO CLIP)


VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, new ugly allegations emerge in the Trayvon Martin shooting case. A new witness steps forward and accuses shooter, the volunteer neighborhood watchman George Zimmerman of racism and of a decade of sexual abuse.

George Zimmerman, currently out of jail in a safe house awaiting trial after gunning down unarmed teen Trayvon Martin. Cops interview scores of witnesses including one woman who lashed out against the shooter with disturbing new claims. Defense attorney, Mark O`Meara, says this is George Zimmerman`s own cousin.

The police audio of this mystery witness called Witness Number Nine was just released. And what she has to say is shocking. Listen.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)

WITNESS NUMBER 9: It started when I was six. He`s about almost two years older than I am. He would reach under the blankets and try to do things. I would try to push him off but he was bigger and stronger and older. It was in front of everybody. And I don`t know how I didn`t say anything, but I just didn`t know any better.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s reemphasize what this mystery Witness Number Nine has said is that Zimmerman was just eight years old when she claims he began touching her inappropriately. She says it continued until he was 17. We will not be naming Witness Number Nine. We have reached out to her for comment and we`re told that nobody in her family would be speaking to the media.

Zimmerman`s defense team fought tooth and nails to keep this evidence from being released, arguing right up until the very moment it was made public.

Now that it`s out Zimmerman`s attorney Mark O`Meara says, quote, "This statement is not relevant to this." He also says it will not be admissible in the trial. Instead it should not have been made public because this claim is likely to lead to widespread hostile publicity against George Zimmerman that could substantially impair his fair trial rights, obviously.

Zimmerman has already been the target of nationwide public hostility. There were nationwide marches and protests calling for his arrest.

Does this change your opinion of George Zimmerman? Call me 1-877-JVM- SAYS. That`s 1-877-586-7297.

Straight out to Natalie Jackson, we are delighted to have her. She`s the attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family. Natalie thank you for being here.

What`s your reaction to this claim of mystery Witness Number Nine who claims George Zimmerman touched her inappropriately starting when he was 8 years old. A lot of people are saying it`s irrelevant. It`s prejudicial and he was only 8 when it started allegedly.

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: Well, I have to tell you Jane, our defense team, we have known about this witness for a while. We decided not to talk about her because we felt that it was her story to tell and it was, you know, out of respect for her privacy.

What a lot of people have forgotten is that this witness made a phone call to the police department two days after the shooting. This was before any media got involved. This was before she knew that this case would be on a public and such a large national and global scale. She was just trying to do the right thing.

My heart really goes out to her because I don`t think she meant for this to become a public incident. And I don`t think she meant for her life to be examined or George`s life to be examined. She was just trying to give the police information on what she knew about George Zimmerman.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes. Natalie, I was asking you -- first of all. We don`t know who she is. I don`t know how much her life has been disrupted. But for those who say this should never have been released. It`s irrelevant. It`s highly prejudicial. And how can you blame somebody for something that allegedly happened -- started when they were 8?

JACKSON: It will be relevant. I believe the prosecutor has inferred in this case that she`ll be used as a rebuttal witness. That means that if there`s any testimony from George Zimmerman`s side or from the defense side that he -- he doesn`t have racial tendencies or he is not a violent person, I believe that`s why they disclosed her.

Because she called -- the first statement from her that was released was the statement that she made just to inform the police department to look further into this because she believes that race may have played a part in it. And, you know, she`s known him for a very, very long time. So I think that -- like I said --

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Mark Eiglarsh, criminal defense attorney, your thoughts on relevance and the prejudicial nature, if so.

MARK EIGLARSH, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Once again, I find myself thoroughly disagreeing with Miss Jackson. Not because I want to be argumentative but I completely disagree. There`s no legal relevance whatsoever to this alleged -- these allegations that took place when he was a child. I have no idea if it`s true or not. But that has nothing to do with a shooting case.

Now as it relates to her alleges of racism, what she`s alleging is his family, they`re all racist, and she gives an explanation of why she believes the mother is a racist. And maybe the mother is. I have no idea. But when asked what specific words flowed from George Zimmerman`s lips to cause you to conclude that he was a racist, she couldn`t give anything specific.

And furthermore she was asked did you see him act out in any manner to suggest that he was a racist? No. She can`t give any example. So once again I find this witness to be not credible, not usable, completely irrelevant.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: We asked you, our viewers, for pictures of your pets and here -- ah, look at little Boo. If you want to send one in, hlntv.com/Jane. Riley, you`re fabulous. Let`s see, Skip. Nice flowers Skip.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK) (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We`re currently doing an investigation into the cause of his death, there`s a security hold that`s going to be placed on the case. All we can confirm is that he has passed away, and we`ll be doing an autopsy in the next couple of days and the cause of death will probably be pending toxicology, (inaudible) pathology and further testing.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right, we`re talking about George Zimmerman and we wanted to play a clip, because there`s this new witness, mystery Witness Number Nine who claims that George Zimmerman and his whole family had kind of a racist attitude. We`ll play a clip -- and it`s about 21 seconds -- and then we`ll get Natalie Jackson`s reaction to that.

(BEGIN AUDIO CLIP)
WITNESS NUMBER 9: I was afraid that he may have done something because the kid was black. Because growing up, they`ve always made -- him and his family have always made statements that they don`t like black people if they don`t act like white people.

(END AUDIO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Natalie Jackson, attorney for Trayvon Martin`s family, this kind of dovetails with a former colleague who was Arab- American who said that George Zimmerman impersonated him as a terrorist character. Your thoughts?

JACKSON: Well, my thoughts on this is I want to go back to whether or not she is admissible into this case. This is about George Zimmerman`s mentality. She could be called as a rebuttal witness -- I`ll still stand by that. Now, he can decide what part of her testimony she can talk about.

A judge may rule that what she says about any accusations and molestations irrelevant and may allow other testimony in about what she says about the racial ideologies he had. My thoughts in it is that it`s going to depend on how the door is opened, how she is brought in. The state has listed her as a witness in this case and they have indicated that they will use her as a rebuttal witness.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Quickly, Mark Eiglarsh.

EIGLARSH: Yes. Anything or anyone could be listed as a rebuttal witness, it doesn`t mean that they have anything of value to say. They have to prove that this was ill will, hatred, or spite which is what caused Zimmerman to act. And I don`t see it so far.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
 ::snipping2::
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