Commenting on HuffPo's story on the Black Caucus Resolution by Jennifer Bendery I posted the following comment which triggered a long thread of replies the most interesting of which was with an alleged civil rights attorney named monsonel.
"JENNIFER BENDERY SMEARS GEORGE ZIMMERMAN
Ms. Bendery ought to retract her outlandish statement that George Zimmerman was a "self-appointed neighborhood watch volunteer" for the Retreat at Twin Lakes as if he were some kind of vigilante who took the law into his own hands. Due to a rash of burglaries and break ins the Twin Lakes homeowners association (like thousands of such entities across America) urged and allowed Zimmerman (a vigilant and responsible resident for eight years) to organize and head the neighborhood watchdog program. There was nothing "self-appointed" about his position. If there were attorneys for the Martin family wouldn't be contemplating suing Twin Lakes for Trayvon's death."
monsonel writes:
Apollo
"As a civil rights attorney, I believe that the Martin family will sue the homeowner's association - simply because Mr. Zimmerman has an arrest record for violent assault on a police officer (according to the media, the charge was later reduced to a misdemeanor which Mr. Zimmerman pled out). In addition according to the media, there was some other criminal record involving domestic violence. As such, the association had, or should have had, some concerns that Mr. Zimmerman may not have been the best person to head the neighborhood watch program and especially if the association knew that he was armed. This certainly gives the Martin family standing to proceed against the homeowner's association in a legal challenge."
I reply:
"Zimmerman was never convicted of a crime and took anger management classes to deal with his problem. Moreover, as far as I can tell, he's still married to the same woman which means that they settled their differences and made up."
munsonel replies:
“It does not matter; the homeowner's association has a legal obligation to do a background check on these "so-called" neighborhood watch captains. Pleading out is the same as a conviction - you just get a deal without a trial. An arrest has to be disposed of either by dropping the charges, a plea, acquittal or a conviction. In any event,Trayvon Martin has civil rights lawyers as well as the Department of Justice investigating this matter and I am sure they will proceed as the evidence demands. As for him having " made up" with his wife - I have no information whether it was his present wife or a former girlfriend involved in the domestic violence matter - but this is still a crime which demonstrates an anger issue.”
Iamciril writes:
"Come on Apollo. Don't tell me that you were never a teenager and never did stupid things?"
I reply:
"Sure. I did my share of stupid things as a kid. But only fools would have honored my life like these imbeciles are honoring Trayvon Martin's."
"Not in this case. Zimmerman's father was a judge (now retired) in Virginia and was unknown to the police chief and prosecutor. As they owe him no favors he means nothing to them. This conspiracy theory won't fly. Try another."
munsonel writes:
Apollo
“You were not there that night, right? So you don' t know what went on do you? This is your perception of how Trayvon acted, and sadly enough your perception of what went on or how Trayvon should or should not have responded appears to represent a large segment of white America - that does not speak well for the country. The truth without a doubt even if your perceptions were reality, Mr. Zimmerman had no authority to ask Trayvon anything let alone expect a response - Mr. Zimmerman never made it through the police academy, did he? So otherwords, he had no badge or authority to talk to anyone let alone expect an answer. With all the media attention and the civil rights demonstrations, I believe that justice will be served, and Mr. Zimmerman can certainly repeat your defense of him to a jury - please advise his attorneys of your position!”
I reply:
"If we can trust the sequence of events as related by Trayvon's girlfriend based, as she says, by what she overheard on the cell phone that night then it was Trayvon who initiated the brief conversation with Zimmerman by asking him, "Why are you following me?" Zimmerman simply answered the question with the logical, unprovocative question, "Why are you here?" Not only does this provide the real motive for Zimmerman resuming his pursuit-the safety of the community-but he had every right to ask the question whatever his training or lack thereof. On the other hand, Zimmerman not being a cop Trayvon had every right not to answer him and say instead "It's none of your damn business." With police arriving any moment that would have been the end of it. Zimmerman had a fix on Martin's location and would have phoned it in to the dispatcher so the cops would know where to find him. But no, that was not to be. Zimmerman was dealing with a volcanic, hot headed kid who felt belittled and disrespected. In his immature and foolish mind Zimmerman was assaulting him, assaulting his ego and warped sense of pride; and that was grounds for a violent response to teach this dude a lesson. That's how young thugs think. I know, I was one of them. Trayvon was in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong attitude assaulting the wrong man. Now he's dead put in the grave by his rashness."
monsonel replies:
“I read the editorial about the girlfriend's interview, and neither she, her mother, or her representative believed that she will not even be needed to testify before the grand jury - she felt comfortable after she was interviewed that the prosecutor was going to issue a warrant for Mr. Zimmerman's arrest without even presenting the matter to the grand jury. So if your position is so tenable as you obviously believe, then Mr.Zimmerman will never be charged with a crime because according to you he was justified in killing the teen because he had "attitude" and was in the wrong place and assaulting the wrong man. Am I wrong, you never met Trayvon or know anybody that knows him, right? You have a lot of insight into someone's personna that you may possibly have never met- could it be sterotyping? Have you tried to contact Mr. Zimmerman's attorney with your theory?
There is no dispute that the two engaged in a verbal confrontation of some type; however, the only undisputed fact is whether Mr. Zimmerman murdered the teen in the heat of the argument or whether he murdered him in self defense. The FBI has sent the 911 tapes to their lab to analyze whose voice (Trayvon or Mr. Zimmerman) was in the background yelling for help - If your version is correct, then it will be Mr. Zimmerman's voice; if not, then it was Trayvon's voice and Mr. Zimmerman will probably be arrested.”
I reply:
"The girlfriend felt comfortable after the interveiw that the prosecutor was going to issue a warrant......." says an anonymous source who is so convinced of Zimmerman's guilt that a grand jury, in his view, won't be necessary.
Before they released the 9/11 tapes to the public the Sanford police did there own expert analysis and concluded, according to Sanford Commissioner Patty Mahany, it was George Zimmerman crying for help. Moreover, (and this has been underreported) Zimmerman while in police custody the night of the shooting was given a lie detector test using voice stress technology to determine if he was telling the truth. And he passed with flying colors which is one of the reasons they released him. BTW, voice stress tests are more reliable and accurate than polygraph tests, say some experts."
See
“I believe that your information is inaccurate or outdated. Two experts for the State of FL did separate analyses on the voice patterns of the person yelling for help and both affirmed with a 95% reliability that the voice patterns DID NOT MATCH MR. ZIMMERMAN'S VOICE. Why don't we wait and see - the FBI who have since been dispatched to Sanford to invesitgate are the experts when it comes to forenic evidence. They certainly have more expertises than a local police department. Moreover, Mr. Zimmerman was never "in custody" - such would indicate an "arrest".”
I reply:
"On the night of February 26 Zimmerman was held by (or in the custody of) the Sanford PD for six hours, in which time he was given a lie detector test using advanced voice stress technology (used by the CIA, FBI and the Dept. of Defense). No wonder prosecutor Wolfinger refused to arrest him. No wonder 17 days into her investigation the special prosecutor, following Wolfinger, has issued no warrant, and probably won't. Zimmerman is telling the truth-as was 13 year old eyewitness Austin Brown who told police he saw and heard a battered Zimmerman crying for help that night. The Martin killing is Duke Lacrosse all over again. The anti-Zimmerman crowd is a crazed, bloodthirsty, despicable lynch mob."
BTW, Trayvon's father told police that the screaming voice on the 911 tapes was not his son's
see
monsonel replies:
“Believe whatever you want to believe this is America. It does not seem reasonable or logical that the FBI or the State of Florida would commit financial and manpower resources in this investigation if what you say is true. The special prosecutor has not issued a warrant as of yet because she she still has the option until April 10, 2012 to present the matter to the grand jury - so CHILL OUT UNTIL THEN - Tuesday will be here, and we will all get a look at justice in America !!! - the world is watching - demonstrations in London outside of the US embassy protesting the shooting of Trayvon- an unarmed teen!!”
I reply:
“With the public overwhelmingly believing in Zimmerman's guilt and calling for his head little wonder that federal and state authorities are doing what you said. Take the uproar away and this shooting would have been a short lived news story-which it should have been.”
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