Before we jump on Zimmerman the way the media has, once again, we should at least consider another side and allow for Zimmerman to defend himself at a new bail hearing.
The prosecution claimed to have found evidence in their belief of Zimmerman withholding financial information through recorded jailhouse calls between Zimmerman and his wife speaking in code.
Well, I'm not sure why they can't speak how they want to speak but, in any case, it's clear that this information is not really any business of the prosecution. To me, this just further solidifies the speculation already out there that the prosecution has absolutely nothing on Zimmerman.
During the bail hearing George's wife was asked about monies made from the website and donations. She indicated that she didn't know and that the person who would know would be her brother-in-law. She offered up a way for the prosecution to discover an exact amount through contacting George's brother however, the prosecution was not initially interested. They were more interested in trying to trap the Zimmerman's and give the appearance that they were hiding assets.
According to the legal case website for George Zimmerman, they are going to file for another bail hearing but not for at least a couple weeks. This delay could be for several reasons. If I were to speculate, I would say that the purpose would be to make sure that everyone in on the same page. It does appear as though O'Mara may have been in the dark over this money issue.
While Mr. Zimmerman acknowledges that he allowed his financial situation to be misstated in court, the defense will emphasize that in all other regards, Mr. Zimmerman has been forthright and cooperative. He gave several voluntary statements to the police, re-enacted the events for them, gave voice exemplars for comparison and stayed in ongoing contact with the Department of Law Enforcement during his initial stage of being in hiding. He has twice surrendered himself to law enforcement when asked to do so, and this should demonstrate that Mr. Zimmerman is not a flight risk. He has also complied with all conditions of his release, including curfew, keeping in touch with his supervising officers, and maintaining his GPS monitoring, without violation.
The audio recordings of Mr. Zimmerman's phone conversations while in jail make it clear that Mr. Zimmerman knew a significant sum had been raised by his original fundraising website. We feel the failure to disclose these funds was caused by fear, mistrust, and confusion. The gravity of this mistake has been distinctly illustrated, and Mr. Zimmerman understands that this mistake has undermined his credibility, which he will have to work to repair.
At the point of the bond hearing, Mr. Zimmerman had been driven from his home and neighborhood, could not go to work, his wife could not go back to a finish her nursing degree, his mother and father had been driven from their home, and he had been thrust into the national spotlight as a racist murderer by factions acting with their own agendas. None of those allegations have been supported by the discovery released to date, yet the hatred continues.
It must be noted that, when attempting to interpret George's actions regarding the funds, that he did disclose the existence of the funds five days after the bond hearing, during his first conversation with the defense about the fund. When the defense team learned of the funds, we disclosed this to the court and to the State Attorney's Office, and the money was transferred to the Legal Defense Fund which is now independently managed.
Of the original $204,000 raised by Mr. Zimmerman's fund, approximately $150,000 was transferred to the Legal Defense Fund. $30,000 was used to make the complicated transition from private life in Sanford, FL to a life in hiding as a defendant in a high-profile court case. The balance of approximately $20,000 was kept liquid to provide living expenses for the first several months as the legal process unfolds.
Since the independently managed Legal Defense Fund was established on May 3, supporters have contributed more than $37,000. Of this amount, $2,000 has been designated for household expenses. Less than $300 has been designated for fund management and fees associated with maintaining the conditions of the bond. None of the funds have yet to be allocated to legal expenses. Neither Mr. Zimmerman or the defense team has direct access to the independently managed Legal Defense Fund.
This is an attempt to go after this man's ability to support himself, his family, and his defense. I am disgusted by this act from the prosecution and why they would stoop so low. It's clear they have NO case and this action reveals that fact. When was the last time you heard of a prosecution going after someone over the issue of bail? Why does it matter that he received money from donations? It's not like this is residual or regular income. It is purely based upon who donates and when, and there is no telling at what intervals or amounts those donations will occur or accumulate. The money is for him to survive and to pay for his defense. He has proven to not be a flight risk; there is no evidence that proves he did anything other than defend himself. He should not have been arrested in the first place.
State Attorney Angela Corey
(AP Photo)
In an interesting article that has been written by Alan Dershowitz, he is reporting that Angela Corey is personally attacking him and making threats to Harvard over his criticism of her and how she has handled this case so far.
State Attorney Angela Corey, the prosecutor in the George Zimmerman case, recently called the Dean of Harvard Law School to complain about my criticism of some of her actions.
She was transferred to the Office of Communications and proceeded to engage in a 40-minute rant, during which she threatened to sue Harvard Law School, to try to get me disciplined by the Bar Association and to file charges against me for libel and slander.
She said that because I work for Harvard and am identified as a professor she had the right to sue Harvard.
When the communications official explained to her that I have a right to express my opinion as “a matter of academic freedom,” and that Harvard has no control over what I say, she did not seem to understand.
She persisted in her nonstop whining, claiming that she is prohibited from responding to my attacks by the rules of professional responsibility — without mentioning that she has repeatedly held her own press conferences and made public statements throughout her career.
Her beef was that I criticized her for filing a misleading affidavit that willfully omitted all information about the injuries Zimmerman had sustained during the “struggle” it described. She denied that she had any obligation to include in the affidavit truthful material that was favorable to the defense.
She insisted that she is entitled to submit what, in effect, were half truths in an affidavit of probable cause, so long as she subsequently provides the defense with exculpatory evidence.
She should go back to law school, where she will learn that it is never appropriate to submit an affidavit that contains a half truth, because a half truth is regarded by the law as a lie, and anyone who submits an affidavit swears to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.Finish reading the rest of this brilliant article by clicking here.
Holy wow! This woman has come unhinged. Obviously she is desperate and lashing out at anyone she can. How pathetic can a person get? She wants to sue Harvard? I would think that this prosecutor would know she doesn't have a leg to stand on going after someone who is criticizing her and telling the truth. Her affidavit was misleading. There is no denying that. For her to actually take the time and make a phone call to Harvard is not only ridiculous and unprofessional, it is also quite immature. What kind of an adult woman behaves this way? Surely she has other things to worry about, like trying to find an attorney for herself. I have a feeling it's the end of the road for Corey and she knows it.
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