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Author Topic: The Slaying of Trayvon Martin in Florida #3 7/12/12 - 6/14/13  (Read 431263 times)
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MuffyBee
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« Reply #280 on: August 29, 2012, 07:15:44 PM »

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/08/29/court-zimmerman-judge-should-disqualify-himself/DJhLbGx0xzInj3NLXytLoO/story.html
Court: Zimmerman judge should disqualify himself
August 29, 2012

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A three-judge panel in Florida has ruled that a former neighborhood watch leader charged in the fatal shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin should be granted a new judge in his case
 ::snipping2::
O'Mara had argued that Lester should disqualify himself after he said the judge made disparaging remarks about Zimmerman’s character and advocated for additional charges against him in setting his $1 million bond in July.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #281 on: August 29, 2012, 07:16:46 PM »

http://www.wmfe.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=13285&news_iv_ctrl=1041
New Judge to be Appointed in Zimmerman Case
August 29, 2012

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« Reply #282 on: August 29, 2012, 07:18:33 PM »

http://thegrio.com/2012/08/29/zimmermans-request-for-a-new-judge-granted-by-appeal-court/
Zimmerman’s request for a new judge granted by appeal court
August 29, 2012

Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester, Jr. will be removed from the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman by order of a ruling made today. The Fifth District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach granted this request made by Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, who did not believe Lester could be fair to his client.
 ::snipping2::
Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson is likely to take over the case if this ruling stands.

TheGrio reached out for comment to Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda, who is prosecuting Zimmerman’s case, but his office declined to comment.

Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, responded, “We appreciate the appellate court reviewing our petition and we believe it is the correct decision,” in a statement released to the press.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #283 on: August 29, 2012, 07:29:58 PM »

Appeal court grants George Zimmerman's request for new judge
August 29, 2012


Appeal Court:  Judge Lester is out.

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-08-29/news/os-george-zimmerman-appeals-ruling-lester-20120829_1_george-zimmerman-trayvon-martin-mark-o-mara



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« Reply #284 on: August 29, 2012, 08:38:48 PM »

From the article above--

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-08-29/news/os-george-zimmerman-appeals-ruling-lester-20120829_1_george-zimmerman-trayvon-martin-mark-o-mara

Appeal court: Lester is out
6:03 p.m. EST, August 29, 2012

Quote
Nelson is the judge assigned to Shellie Zimmerman's case. Nelson has made no rulings in that case yet. In fact, Shellie Zimmerman has yet to appear before her.
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« Reply #285 on: August 29, 2012, 08:45:46 PM »

http://www.flcourts18.org/bio_nelson_sem.html

JUDICIAL BIOGRAPHY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SEMINOLE CIRCUIT JUDGE
 DEBRA S. NELSON

 Seminole Criminal Justice Center
 101 Bush Blvd.
 Sanford, Florida 32773
 
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grace-land
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« Reply #286 on: August 29, 2012, 08:50:00 PM »

http://gzlegalcase.com/

Fifth District Court of Appeal Grants Defense's Petition for Writ of Prohibition
on 29 August 2012.

The Fifth District Court of Appeal granted George Zimmerman's Petition for a Writ of Prohibition. We expect a new judge will be assigned shortly.
 
Decision Granting Petition for Writ of Prohibition
http://184.172.211.159/~gzdocs/documents/writ/decision_granting_petition_for_writ.pdf
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« Reply #287 on: August 29, 2012, 08:53:01 PM »

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/29/2975210/appeal-court-removes-judge-in.html


Posted on Wednesday, 08.29.12

Appeal court removes judge in Zimmerman case

 
The defense had asked for the trial judge to be removed, saying he had shown bias against the neighborhood watch volunteer who killed Trayon Martin during a scuffle.
By Frances Robles
frobles@miamiherald.com

George Zimmerman’s attorneys got a second judge kicked off his murder trial Wednesday, when the Fifth District Court of Appeal ordered the sitting jurist to step down from the controversial case.

In a 2-1 ruling that the appellate court acknowledged was a “close call,” Seminole County Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester was ordered to recuse himself and ask the chief circuit judge to name a replacement.

The decision came after Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, accused Lester of being so biased against his client that the former neighborhood watch volunteer had lost faith in the court.

 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #288 on: August 30, 2012, 09:32:44 AM »

Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. Out, Florida Appeals Court Orders New Judge for Zimmerman Murder Trial of Trayvon Martin

http://scaredmonkeys.com/2012/08/30/judge-kenneth-lester-jr-out-florida-appeals-court-orders-new-judge-for-zimmerman-murder-trial-of-trayvon-martin/

YOU'RE OUT!!

Quote
An interesting situation just occurred in the George Zimmerman murder trial. A Florida appeals court granted Zimmerman’s attorneys request and ordered that a new judge be seated to preside over the Zimmerman murder trial in the death of Trayvon Mrtin. The 5th District Court of Appeal determined that Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. could not be impartial due to past actions and statements with regards to defendant George Zimmerman. Judge Lester wrote a scathing decision with regards to Zimmerman’s second bond hearing where Lester made the prejudicial comment that Zimmerman, “manipulating the system for his own benefit.” Mark O’Mara, the defense attorney for George Zimmerman previously filed a 17 page motion disqualifying Judge Lester from this case. O’Mara asserted that the judge and court “departed from its role as an impartial, objective minister of justice” and should therefore be removed from the case. It would seem that the appeals court has agreed. Lester is out.

I have to admit this decision came as a surprise, although it was the correct one. The Zimmerman-Martin case has been more political than it has been judicial since the outset. However, made this will be the sign that the murder trial will now be based on evidence and the rule of law rather than emotions, misrepresentations, media bias and those with an agenda fanning the flames of racism.
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MuffyBee
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« Reply #289 on: August 30, 2012, 09:58:41 AM »

Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. Out, Florida Appeals Court Orders New Judge for Zimmerman Murder Trial of Trayvon Martin

http://scaredmonkeys.com/2012/08/30/judge-kenneth-lester-jr-out-florida-appeals-court-orders-new-judge-for-zimmerman-murder-trial-of-trayvon-martin/

YOU'RE OUT!!

Quote
An interesting situation just occurred in the George Zimmerman murder trial. A Florida appeals court granted Zimmerman’s attorneys request and ordered that a new judge be seated to preside over the Zimmerman murder trial in the death of Trayvon Mrtin. The 5th District Court of Appeal determined that Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. could not be impartial due to past actions and statements with regards to defendant George Zimmerman. Judge Lester wrote a scathing decision with regards to Zimmerman’s second bond hearing where Lester made the prejudicial comment that Zimmerman, “manipulating the system for his own benefit.” Mark O’Mara, the defense attorney for George Zimmerman previously filed a 17 page motion disqualifying Judge Lester from this case. O’Mara asserted that the judge and court “departed from its role as an impartial, objective minister of justice” and should therefore be removed from the case. It would seem that the appeals court has agreed. Lester is out.

I have to admit this decision came as a surprise, although it was the correct one. The Zimmerman-Martin case has been more political than it has been judicial since the outset. However, made this will be the sign that the murder trial will now be based on evidence and the rule of law rather than emotions, misrepresentations, media bias and those with an agenda fanning the flames of racism.

I surely hope so Red.
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« Reply #290 on: August 30, 2012, 04:28:46 PM »

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-08-30/news/os-george-zimmerman-new-judge-20120830_1_george-zimmerman-trayvon-martin-mark-o-mara
George Zimmerman's new judge: Debra S. Nelson
August 30, 2012

 Today Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson, a 13-year veteran of the bench in Sanford, was officially assigned the George Zimmerman second-degree murder case, one of the most watched in the country.

The 58-year-old Nelson has a reputation as a hard-working, ambitious judge who hands down tough sentences.
 ::snipping2::
On Wednesday, the Fifth District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach ordered Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. to step aside, saying comments he included in a $1 million bond order were enough to make a reasonable person believe he'd be unfair to Zimmerman.

Lester wrote that Zimmerman was a manipulator who was trying to outsmart the criminal justice system by claiming to be poor while hiding $130,000 and an extra passport.

Nelson now inherits one of the most prominent civil rights criminal cases in the country.

Zimmerman, 28, of Sanford, is accused of murdering Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black 17-year-old, on a Sanford sidewalk Feb. 26.

The defendant says he acted in self-defense, that the Miami Gardens teenager attacked him, climbed on top of him and began pounding his head on the concrete.

Prosecutors allege that Zimmerman is guilty of profiling, of spotting Trayvon as he walked through the neighborhood, assuming the teenager was about to commit a crime, pursuing and murdering him.

Nelson will now be the judge who must decide whether Zimmerman is entitled to immunity under Florida's much-debated "stand your ground" law, which allows anyone with a reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily injury to use deadly force against an attacker.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara has said he would likely schedule that hearing next year.
 ::snipping2::
Because of the appeals court ruling, O'Mara is now free to challenge any of Lester's rulings in the Zimmerman case, said attorneys Andrew Chmelir and Frank Iennaco. O'Mara has 20 days to do it, according to Florida's Rules of Judicial Administration.

It was not immediately clear what, if any, of Lester's rulings, O'Mara might challenge.
 ::snipping2::
She has twice applied for an open spot on the Florida Supreme Court, in 2002 and 2008 but failed to make the short list.

She typically gets middling marks – and did again this year – in an annual poll by the Central Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Her overall ranking this year was 3.67, between "satisfactory" and "good".
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« Reply #291 on: August 31, 2012, 02:34:10 PM »

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/30/2977516/zimmerman-gets-new-judge-but-lawyers.html

Posted on Thursday, 08.30.12
   
Trayvon Martin Case
Zimmerman gets new judge, but lawyers say he may regret it
 
The new judge presiding over George Zimmerman’s murder trial is a no-nonsense jurist known for not cutting lawyers much slack.

By Frances Robles
frobles@MiamiHerald.com

A veteran judge with broad experience and a reputation for being tough on both lawyers and defendants has been assigned to take over George Zimmerman’s murder trial.

Seminole County Circuit Judge Debra Nelson is a familiar face to the Zimmerman family: She is the same jurist assigned to handle Zimmerman’s wife’s perjury case.

Zimmerman’s legal team might live to regret forcing the last judge off the case because Nelson runs a tight ship and tends to favor the prosecution, Central Florida lawyers said. A native of South Florida who did a brief stint at the Broward state attorney’s office, Nelson is known for being a no-nonsense judge who keeps lawyers on their toes.

“I don’t think they did themselves any favors,” said attorney Jose Baez, best known for defending “tot mom” Casey Anthony. “She has a reputation of being more pro-prosecution than the previous judge. We have an expression: ‘The devil you know is much better than the devil you don’t.’ ”

 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #292 on: September 02, 2012, 01:21:14 PM »

http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/08/30/2977516/zimmerman-gets-new-judge-but-lawyers.html

Posted on Thursday, 08.30.12

“I don’t think they did themselves any favors,” said attorney Jose Baez, best known for defending “tot mom” Casey Anthony. “She has a reputation of being more pro-prosecution than the previous judge. We have an expression: ‘The devil you know is much better than the devil you don’t.’ ”


Why was Jose Baez asked what he thought?
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Edit to fix quotes.  MB
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MuffyBee
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« Reply #293 on: September 05, 2012, 09:08:56 PM »

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-09-05/news/os-george-zimmerman-judge-nelson-stand-your-ground-20120904_1_kishawn-jones-trayvon-martin-george-zimmerman
George Zimmerman judge rejected 'stand your ground' claim in other murder case
September 5, 2012

 SANFORD — In May, Circuit Judge Debra Nelson, who has taken over the George Zimmerman murder case, rejected the "stand your ground" claim of a 21-year-old Sanford man who was charged with murder.

A month later, a Seminole County jury acquitted him.

That case, Florida v. Kishawn Jones, is important because it could signal what's ahead for Zimmerman, the 28-year-old Neighborhood Watch volunteer who killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black 17-year-old.

Zimmerman is expected to use Florida's "stand your ground" law to try to clear himself. Passed by the Florida Legislature in 2005, the law grants immunity to anyone who uses deadly force if he has a reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily injury.
More...
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« Reply #294 on: September 07, 2012, 10:29:32 AM »

http://gzlegalcase.com/

Zimmerman Defense Begins Discovery Process
on 06 September 2012.

The Defense has begun its own discovery process now that the State has delivered substantially all of its discovery in the case against George Zimmerman. To date, there are still a number of items that the State has not submitted to the Defense that we feel are relevant to the case. We will be seeking these items and evidence through all appropriate means.

Our first request is a series of Subpoenas for Production of Documents requesting school records for Trayvon Martin. In the coming weeks, we will be issuing subpoenas for other items including potentially relevant data from social media platforms, reports related to chain of custody to key evidence, interviews and more.

It has become our practice to post to our website legal documents related the case as they become public record, and this will continue to be the case with our discovery requests. Moreover, any discovery we submit that becomes public record will also be posted on our website. In the case of Trayvon Martin’s school records, they are protected and will NOT be part of the public record, without appropriate court order.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #295 on: September 07, 2012, 10:41:03 AM »

http://gzlegalcase.com/index.php/court-documents

Subpoenas for Trayvon Martin's School Records
on 06 September 2012.

The Zimmerman defense has issued the following Subpoena for Production of Documents and Things in regards to Trayvon Martin's school records.  NOTE: School records are protected and will not become part of public record without appropriate court order.

Subpoena - Miami Carol City High School
http://184.172.211.159/~gzdocs/documents/requests/Subpoena%20-%20Miami%20Carol%20City%20HS.pdf

Subpoena - Miami-Dade County Public Schools
http://184.172.211.159/~gzdocs/documents/requests/Subpoena%20-%20Miami-Dade%20Cty%20PS.pdf

Subpoena - Norland Middle School
http://184.172.211.159/~gzdocs/documents/requests/Subpoena%20-%20Norland%20MS.pdf

Subpoena - Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High
http://184.172.211.159/~gzdocs/documents/requests/Subpoena%20-%20Dr.%20Michael%20M.%20Krop%20SH.pdf
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grace-land
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« Reply #296 on: September 07, 2012, 10:59:50 AM »

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-09-07/news/os-trayvon-martin-zimmerman-school-records-20120907_1_trayvon-martin-george-zimmerman-mark-o-mara

George Zimmerman defense wants Trayvon Martin school records
9:58 a.m. EST, September 7, 2012

George Zimmerman's legal defense team wants educational and disciplinary records for Trayvon Martin, the Miami Gardens teen Zimmerman shot Feb. 26 in Sanford, according to a new post on the lawyers' blog.

Zimmerman's team posted this morning that it has begun its discovery process, issuing several subpoenas aimed at gathering records on Trayvon's school history dating back to middle school.

The 17-year-old was staying with his father's girlfriend at the time of the shooting. He had been suspended from school in Miami after being found with an empty marijuana baggie.

In its subpoenas, the neighborhood watch volunteer's defense requests any "disciplinary notices and reports, suspension notices and reports, attendance records, tardiness records, awards given," as well as extracurricular activities, class schedules and test scores.

The subpoenas are directed at Miami Carol City High School, Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High, Norland Middle School and Miami-Dade County Public Schools. As the defense team's blog post notes, such school records are not public.
 ::snipping2::
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« Reply #297 on: September 10, 2012, 12:47:56 AM »

Two-page article

www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/09/2994307/zimmerman-defense-looking-for.html

Posted on Monday, 09.10.12
Zimmerman defense looking for new clues on Trayvon

George Zimmerman’s defense lawyers will subpoena Facebook, Twitter and Miami-Dade schools in a widespread pursuit of clues to suggest that Trayvon Martin could have thrown the first punch on the night he was killed, a sign that attorneys are going into attack mode in preparation for their case.

A series of notices were sent last week to Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and the principals of the schools Trayvon attended, advising that subpoenas for copies of the slain teen’s academic and attendance records would be issued in 10 days’ time.

Similar warnings are expected to be sent this week to the popular social networking sites where Trayvon maintained accounts, defense attorney   Mark O’Mara said.

Defense lawyers argue that if the defendant’s social media sites and school records were reviewed by prosecutors, it’s only fair game for Trayvon to undergo the same scrutiny. The move underscores a shift in the defense strategy, in what the slain teen’s family lawyer calls a “witch hunt” and “character assassination.” If successful, and negative rumors about Trayvon’s social media comments that have circulated the Internet for months are proven true, they would be posted on the defense website and offered legitimacy.

Read more...
Edit fix link.  MB
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« Reply #298 on: September 10, 2012, 12:51:35 AM »

ooops...this link should work:   http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/09/09/2994307_p2/zimmerman-defense-looking-for.html
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« Reply #299 on: September 11, 2012, 07:18:34 AM »

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/1209/11/ijvm.01.html
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL

Woman Tased for Spitting?; George Zimmerman`s Friends Speak Out

Aired September 11, 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`s best friends speak out, breaking their silence for the first time since Zimmerman shot unarmed teen, Trayvon Martin. These are the same friends who let the former Neighborhood Watch volunteer stay at their home after the shooting. What will they reveal?

On the other side, George Zimmerman`s BFFs speak out.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: George Zimmerman`s defense attorneys want Trayvon Martin`s school records. They plan to use those records in their defense strategy.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Trayvon Martin! Trayvon Martin!

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Trayvon Martin! Trayvon Martin!

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Trayvon Martin! Trayvon Martin!

GEORGE ZIMMERMAN, ON TRIAL FOR MURDER: I said, "I don`t have a problem, man."

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

ZIMMERMAN (via phone): If the bond is 50, pay the 50.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900, $9,900.

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

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Tonight, shooter George Zimmerman`s best friends are finally breaking their silence. This is the very couple who gave George Zimmerman and his wife a secret hideaway right after he was accused of shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin while the teen was holding only Skittles and an iced tea.

Listen to George Zimmerman`s best friends` account of what happened the night George Zimmerman is accused of murdering the unarmed teen. Watch this from "Dr. Phil."

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DR. PHIL MCGRAW, TALK SHOW HOST: Do you believe if he hadn`t had that gun and shot Trayvon that George Zimmerman would be dead today?

MARK OSTERMAN, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN`S FRIEND: I do.

SONDRA OSTERMAN, GEORGE ZIMMERMAN`S FRIEND: Absolutely.

MCGRAW: So you think Trayvon would have killed him?

S. OSTERMAN: Absolutely.

M. OSTERMAN: I believe so.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you serious? Are you serious?

M. OSTERMAN: If I can have one moment. George -- the injuries that he had to his head could not be sustained for any period of time without either becoming unconscious or dying. He said, "I`m blacking out. I feel I`m going to die." And he told the police that. He said that in a lie detector test, all of which they have. They`ve connected all this together. And from George`s perspective, he felt, "I am going to die."

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: These are the injuries to George Zimmerman that his best friends are talking about, a broken nose, a pair of black eyes, two cuts on the back of his head and a minor back injury. This is a preview of the case Zimmerman`s defense attorney is likely to make, that it doesn`t matter what happened leading up to the altercation, because at the time Zimmerman shot Trayvon, he claimed he feared for his life.

Natalie Jackson, you are one of the attorneys for Trayvon Martin`s family. Thank you so much for joining us tonight. Do you think this "I feared for my life" argument will stand up?

NATALIE JACKSON, ATTORNEY FOR TRAYVON MARTIN`S FAMILY: Well, the fear has to be a reasonable fear, Jane. And that`s what we have to determine here. And that`s what a jury will have to determine, whether or not his fear was reasonable.

The fear -- we know that Trayvon was unarmed. We know that George Zimmerman had a gun. We know that the alleged injuries that George Zimmerman sustained did not require him to go to the emergency room. They required no treatment, no -- no stitches. He didn`t get any X-rays. He didn`t get any sort of tests that we can rely on that there was some injury.

When we look at these pictures, even the pictures of him afterwards, these were the injuries that you get from a fight. You cannot use deadly force in retaliation to a fight, a fistfight.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I think this is going to be the crux of this upcoming case.

Now, this best friend of shooter George Zimmerman -- Mark Osterman is his name -- admits that he is the one who helped George Zimmerman choose the very gun that eventually shot Trayvon dead. Listen to Dr. Phil address that issue.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MCGRAW: You helped him pick out the gun...

M. OSTERMAN: Yes, sir.

MCGRAW: ... that he ultimately shot and killed Trayvon Martin with?

M. OSTERMAN: Yes, sir.

MCGRAW: Now, that makes me wonder, if you are now bought into a point where you say, "I`ve got to defend the guy now, because I`m in the chain here." Does that mean that -- that you need to defend him here because if not, you`ve got some ownership in this?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Criminal defense attorney Michelle Suskauer, this is not an objective person. He`s a friend. He also helped George Zimmerman buy the gun. Does that invalidate any claims that he could make?

MICHELLE SUSKAUER, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY (via phone): Well, what is he going to be able to testify to anyway that`s not complete hearsay?

I want to go back to something that Natalie Jackson just said. And this case may not even get to a jury. She keeps saying, you know, it`s up to a jury, if a jury thinks that this is reasonable. This is going to be a motion to dismiss in front of this new judge now, and she is going to have to make this decision. If she denies it, then it could go in front of a jury.

And it doesn`t matter whether or not they had a fistfight or not. There didn`t even need to be a fight. It does -- there`s nothing in the statute that says there had to be a fight or whether he needed to go to the hospital for his injuries. That`s not the point.

So I think that we`re sort of losing sight of what the law is here and what exactly the defense is going to have to show in terms of using the "Stand Your Ground" defense.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Presumably you`re referring to the "Stand Your Ground" law, yes.

Natalie Jackson, do you want to respond to that?

JACKSON: The law -- the law says that he must have a reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily harm. And it must be a reasonable fear. It can`t be George Zimmerman`s subjective fear. It can`t be someone who`s paranoid that someone looks suspicious and their subjective fear. It has to be a reasonable fear that a reasonable person would have.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: And remember, Trayvon Martin had in his hands Skittles and iced tea. More on the other side.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FULTON: My son was not committing any crimes. Our son is your son. I want you guys to stand up for justice and stand up for what`s right. This is not about a black and white thing. This is about a right and wrong thing.

Justice for Trayvon!

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: In a controversial move, Zimmerman`s defense team is now digging into the dead teenager, Trayvon Martin`s, past to find any dirt. His family`s calling it a witch hunt to assassinate his character.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FULTON: The only comment that I have right now is that they`ve killed my son and now they`re trying to kill his reputation.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. Want to get my panel`s reaction to Zimmerman`s attorneys subpoenaing a huge list of things including Trayvon`s Facebook and Twitter accounts, school records, test scores, disciplinary records, attendance. They`ve already determined that he`s been suspended. He was suspended, I believe, three times.

Starting with Natalie Jackson, you represent Trayvon Martin`s family. What say you to these subpoenas?

JACKSON: Well, I mean, really, from a legal standard, it`s not relevant. This is character evidence, and it`s not relevant.

I -- you know, I agree with Sybrina. This is just an attempt to demonize the victim in this case. Trayvon is the victim. The only character that is relevant -- George Zimmerman did not know Trayvon Martin when he killed him that night. He knew nothing about his character.

I will tell you, this was a 17-year-old kid that was on his way to college. And he was a normal, average 17-year-old. He wasn`t an angel, but he certainly wasn`t a devil. And his character, George Zimmerman knew nothing about. And it`s not relevant to this case. It`s not even admissible.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes.

JACKSON: The only thing I can think is that once again, it`s just feeding into this propaganda machine.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, Jayne Weintraub, will any of this -- you can subpoena but will any -- like the fact that he was suspended at the time, will that get in?

WEINTRAUB: Well, that`s not what he`s going for. What he`s going for is to be able to demonstrate whether or not Trayvon had a propensity to commit violence.

You know, it`s not about the character evidence. From the best friend, it`s not about George Zimmerman being a good guy. It`s about what happened at that moment.

And what the best friend was saying is he testified George Zimmerman told the police that he said he felt he was going to die. He felt he was passing out, and he passed a polygraph to that -- to those words. Now, what`s important is it`s not admissible in front of a jury, but it will be admissible in the "Stand Your Ground," and the judge will be able to give it whatever weight the judge thinks is appropriate. That`s No. 1.

No. 2, as far as the subpoena of the records, it`s not to show that Trayvon was a bad kid and that he was suspended for smoking pot. It`s to show whether or not he got into ten fights that day. It`s to show the propensity for what he was doing. That`s all.

(CROSSTALK)

VELEZ-MITCHELL: One second. Let`s give Natalie Jackson the final word here.

JACKSON: I will say that you do not look at one moment in time from one snapshot. This is a totality of circumstances. This is what happened from the time that George Zimmerman got out of his car with the gun to pursue an unarmed teenager.

It has nothing to do with the victim. His records are not relevant. They are not admissible. He had no propensity towards violence. If anyone -- if anyone`s records -- the only records that are relevant to this case are George Zimmerman`s, the perpetrator and the killer of Trayvon Martin.

VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, ladies, we have to leave it right there. But thank you for a lively debate, and obviously, we stay all over this case.
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  " Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts."  - Daniel Moynihan
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