Trayvon Martin Protest – Sanford (Photo credit: werthmedia)
It took a while to digest the aftermath of the Zimmerman trial, but, after reviewing much of the data, it appears to have only been a ‘show trial’ with the prosecution performing in concert with his defense team. Coming to this conclusion, was unfortunately, easy. The facts were there to read and anyone who watched the trial would have to come away feeling queasy.
First of all, the prosecution failed to do their job, which was to prosecute George Zimmerman and refuse to allow the defense to put Trayvon Martin on trial. How did they fail? In the following ways: 1. They kept out pertinent information regarding Zimmerman’s racist background. Racism against Mexicans. (Despite popular belief, Zimmerman is not Mexican.) On his My Space page, he openly rants against Mexicans and brags about getting away with a criminal act. These pages were made available to the prosecution, but they were never mentioned during the trial. (See this link) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/02/zimmerman-myspace-page_n_1471818.html Even if they had tried and failed, they could have taken it to an appeals court to get the information before the jury. His propensity for racial profiling and racist comments were pertinent and material to this case. Zimmerman: “ I dont miss driving around scared to hit mexicans walkin on the side of the street, soft ass wanna be thugs messin with peoples cars when they aint around (what are you provin, that you can dent a car when no ones watchin) dont make you a man in my book. Workin 96 hours to get a decent pay check, gettin knifes pulled on you by every mexican you run into!”
2. The drugs in Zimmerman’s system were, although legal prescription, had side effects that included delusions and violence. Two of the known drugs were Temazepam, and, Adderall, which, according to Web M.D., has side effects which include agitation, mood swings, and aggressive behavior! http://www.examiner.com/article/the-prescription-drugs-george-zimmerman-was-taking-when-he-killed-trayvon-martin This should have been made known to the jury as well! Why didn’t the prosecutors get this info in front of the jury? Perhaps it did not fit the show trial script. 3. The post-trail demeanor of Florida State Attorney, Angela Corey, smiling and (as Judge Joe Mathis described her) jolly during the press conference immediately following the verdict. (See link at end of this post.) She, as a conservative Republican, appointed by the same Republican governor who attempted to block African-Americans from voting during the last election, apparently was doing what she was appointed to do, put on a trial to make everybody happy. Overcharge him instead of charging him with manslaughter or 3rd degree felony assault. Ironically, it was she who prosecuted the young African-American mother who shot a ceiling to warn away her documented and abusive husband, and got the woman a 20 year sentence. (See link.) http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2013/07/19/angela-corey-s-overzealous-prosecution-of-marissa-alexander.html
4. The prosecution never created a narrative. Just because Zimmerman said his gun was in his holster, did not mean it was true. And, what is the first things cops do? They tackle people to get them down. What is the first response of the party being tackled? Get off! (Exactly what the young lady who was on the phone with Martin said she heard him say.) Maybe Zimmerman tried to tackle Trayvon Martin for purposes of holding him until police arrived. The prosecution allowed to stand that ‘angel’ Zimmerman was just standing there and Trayvon attacked him for no reason, even though to many it appears that Trayvon was defending himself against an unknown, armed, assailant.
As a watcher of trials, it is not allowed for the defense to put words into the mouths of witnesses for purposes of changing their testimony, and usually one side objects. This happened repeatedly, and not once did the prosecution object. The two times the defense was unsuccessful at putting words into the mouths of witnesses was during the cross-examination of the medical examiner, and Trayvon Martin’s mother, when both refused to allow their testimony to be tainted by Mark O’mara’s suggestions despite the absence of objections from the prosecutors.
All of this leads to the possibility that the trial was nothing more than a show trial without any intention of Zimmerman being convicted. It is Raye’s Radar’s opinion that the prosecution was in bed with the defense team, and they didn’t just lay there, but in the end it was Trayvon Martin who got screwed via this mockery and travesty of justice.
Related articles
- Civil rights group wants Angela Corey replaced in Jacksonville trial (miamiherald.typepad.com)
- State Attorney Corey scrutinized nationally over handling of Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman case (jacksonville.com)
- FOCUS | Zimmerman Prosecutor Worse Than Jury? (readersupportednews.org)
- Did the Prosecutor Screw Up in the Zimmerman Case? (alternet.org)
- “March for Dignity” Seeks Release of Marissa Alexander & Resignation of Prosecutor Angela Corey (democracynow.org)
Raye's Radar 
Opinion: President Obama’s Comments
Barack Obama (Photo credit: jamesomalley)
A few days ago, President Obama weighed in on the Trayvon Martin case and verdict. His comments as to the trial were measured and objective. However, make no mistake, his next comments were not measured, and indeed, subjective. He revealed his own painful and frustrating experiences and shared them in an off-the-cuff manner.
Suffice it to say, that, those who are his political adversaries, found fault with his comments. How could they find fault with his experiences when they have not, and will not, walk in his shoes? Then, to make matters worse for their own credibility, Sean Hannity, ( of Fox news), opined, that he did not understand what the President was saying. So, he took it upon himself to interpret for his listeners that it meant the President smoke dope when he was 17. That is all that he took from the comments. Well, Mr. Hannity, the President was sharing the fact, that, he too, had been racially profiled, just like other African-Americans, viewed as suspicious when doing nothing wrong, such as crossing the street. Alan West, (the far right’s spokesman on race apparently), immediately said he had never been followed in a mall. Doubt that is true, especially coming from one who appears to be so self-absorbed and egotistical. More likely than not, he just didn’t know about it. But worse, (in Radar’s opinion) , saying just the opposite of whatever the President says for the media attention he might garner.
There are times when, a person is compelled to speak, compelled to act, in the face of injustice. The President surely faced one of those moments when he could not remain silent about racial profiling any longer, which was undeniably a huge factor in the Trayvon Martin shooting.
Clearly, he knew the political consequences and how the far right would portray him. Not only Sean Hannity, but others accused him of ‘race baiting’, a term that begs for a clear definition. But, that is not what the President was doing. He was acknowledging his own personal experiences as an African-American male, with the world.
The African-American community was glad and proud to have him publicly admit not only how he identified with them, but to put forward a President Obama, who, despite his upbringing with a White mother and White grandparents, was still subjected to the same bias as themselves. It was a validation of their concerns which were usually dismissed as ‘collective paranoia’. Validation from a very prominent and credible source.
President Obama was right, 35 years ago, that could have been him who was profiled by a Zimmerman-type for no other reason than he was an African-American male. Thank-you Mr. President for your open and honest comments.
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Filed under Injustice, Law & Justice, Opinion, Politics, Radar Opinion
Tagged as President Obama, President Obama's comments on race, racial profiling, Trayvon Martin