$150,000 bail for Zimmerman

The judge, Ken Lester, set $150,000 bail for Zimmerman.

I am completely unfamiliar with what’s the normal bail amount for second degree murder in Florida. But most commentators on the web seem to feel this is a good outcome for Zimmerman. I suppose that if the judge believed that Zimmerman was the most evil man to ever live since Hitler, he would have agreed to the prosecutors’ $1 million bail request (an amount that Zimmerman’s family would not have been able to raise).

Here’s a link to the transcript of the hearing, which includes O’Mara’s cross-examination of Gilbreath, the investigator who signed the affidavit. I urge you to read the transcript carefully.

Comments

[Jim]

Over on NewsOne(For Black America), they have a new phrase you could use whenever you mention Zimmerman's name: " the most-hated and notorious killer on earth"

http://newsone.com/2003634/zimmerman-bail/

maybe you could combine them for maximum effect:

"George Zimmerman, the most-hated and notorious killer on earth AND the most evil man to ever live since Hitler..."

[Doug1]

The amount of bail is only partly determined by the severity of the crime in Florida. It also depends upon the degree to which the defendant is or isn’t a flight risk and the defendant’s means, which O’Mara said were very limited. (He’s doing this case pro bono. The death threats from members of the howling black mob have made it impossible for Zimmerman to continue in his job.) It’s also influenced by how strong the prosecution’s case is, which was what this hearing was about. If the prosecution’s case appears nearly airtight and life imprisonment is a real possibility, then bail can be denied on the theory that the defendant has nothing to lose (other than avoiding badly hurting his parents who may put their house up as collateral or partial collateral for the bail bond company).

O’Mara did a good job of showing the prosecutor’s case as so far presented is very weak.

O'Mara said that if they can't raise the 150k, which they'd try hard to do, there was a possibility of coming back to the judge to ask him to lower it.

[m]

And do they call "no_limit_niggahs" the deadest blakc men on earth?

[Josh]

It's interesting that when the investigator talks about facts, he completely ignores statements that Zimmerman made.

"O'MARA: Ok. Besides that any other evidence to support your conclusion that Mr. Zimmerman continued to follow?

GILBREATH: Other than his call and that witness?

O'MARA: Yes.

GILBREATH: And the fact that where it ended up. No.

O'MARA: Well you do have some other evidence don't you? We had Zimmerman's statement, don't you?

GILBREATH: We have Mr. Zimmerman's statements, we have the shell casings and we had Mr. Martin's body.

(CROSSTALK)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Right and let's -- let's talk about Mr. Zimmerman's statements to you and to law enforcement that night.

Now --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We object as to hearsay?

O'MARA: It's not part of the proper cause of affidavit and on purpose was left out. I apologize. I'm not trying to make an argument that --

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Overruled."

[Doug1]

I urge readers her to go read through all the 45 or so comments at NewsOne(For Black America) that Jim links above in the first comment on this thread. Most of them are truly appalling in their evidence free or extremly lite hatred of both Zimmerman and white America in general. Maybe a third of the comments call implicitly or explicity for some one in the black community to kill Zimmerman. Jesu Christo, I hadn't realized it's THAT bad.

[Anonymous]

Don't they only need roughly 10% of that for a bondsman?

[Rum]

I detected a hint in the questioning that suggests that the goal was not just getting the case dropped but pushing for disciplinary measures against the prosecutors. If it can be shown, as it obviously is, that the prosecutors themselves knew or should have known a case to be bogus they are vulnerable in many ways. That is precisely why the local DA refused to go ahead.
This is Duke Lax mess all over, right down to the details.
1. The first LE entity on the scene with the best look refused to charge.
2. A second, more ambitious, Prosecutor gave the mob what it wanted and proceeded with the case despite having nothing but exculpatory evidence in hand.
3. The mainstream media playing along, for their own reasons.
4. Bloggers who followed the available and abundant electronic timed stamped data pointed out precisely what could and could not have happened.
5. The prosecution kept things as vague as possible and/or changed their stories when needed. Critically, they avoided certain lines of investigation because they knew where it would go.
6. Prosecutors so drunk on immunity and their overwhelming day to day power advantage that they act like fools when they find themselves in an ultra-high profile case with a million hyper-alert free lance investigations going on.
Corey had seen the picture of Zs bloody head and filed anyway. She will be lucky to keep her job.

[John]

If he can't raise the money, I'd gladly send a contribution.

[Turambar]

Well... That exchange was pretty rough for the prosecution. Especially O'Mara's examination on the word "confront". And he says he has "half a dozen witnesses who saw the whole thing".

The State was clearly not ready for this level of aggression from Mark O'Mara- at one point del la Rionda says in exasperation "I'd didnt know we'd be trying the case today".

Whatever insult or slur Zimmerman texted on his phone about Reverend Al and Trayon's dad, the prosecution better pray they find a way to get it in front of a jury and that it is a powder keg.

[ibejeph]

After reading the transcripts (thanks HS), the case seems to be hanging by a shoe string. They have no witnesses or evidence to support their position.

This is going to go bad when Zimmerman is acquitted. The law is bending to pressure but will a jury be willing to do so? I certainly hope not.

[Mark Caplan]

O'Mara's decision to have Zimmerman apologize to Trayvon Martin's parents appears to have given the prosecutor an opening that led to Zimmerman possibly perjuring himself.

The prosecutor got Zimmerman to say Zimmerman had told police officers at the police station on the night of the shooting that he was sorry he shot Martin. The prosecutor seemed to know there was no such apology in the video recording of Zimmerman's interrogation. The prosecutor also referred to other inconsistencies in Zimmerman's recorded account of the events that preceded the shooting. If Zimmerman cannot convince the jury he is telling the truth, he's in big trouble.

[Jim]

O'mara made a big mistake with the apology. the zimmerman haters are not appeased by it, they took it as a non-apology. some are even saying it was perjury because Z said he thought that martin was almost the same age as Z - contradicting earlier statements made to 911. then there's the prosecutor's questions about saying sorry to the police. i doubt either of these things can meet a legal proof for perjury - but anything that cast doubt on Z's honesty is a potential problem. And on the other side, many of zimmerman's supporters don't think he should apologize at all- he was attacked by a thug in training, it was Martin's own illegal and aggressive actions that cost him his life. Z had the right to save his own life - case closed. the "apology" may come back to haunt Z.

[Chris]

I find his bail to be pretty low I live in Florida read the paper quite a bit and have stayed in many places in Florida .I always read the arrest record area. I find that the average bail for someone that get caught with a 8 ball of cocaine to be over 200,000 in Florida .So it seems that his life was not valued that much according to the system. Ofcourse it is racist .I volunteered at the Bay County Boot Camp where Martin Lee Anderson was murdered the murderers bond was $25,000 a piece. I support Travon Martin suppporters justice will be served I promise either way. People are may riot in many cities due to unemployment immense grief ,alienation and humailaition due to their race and color even latinos support Travon Martin supporters.

[kawokmali]

@Mark Caplan
"If Zimmerman cannot convince the jury he is telling the truth, he's in big trouble."

Sure, that's WAY better if it turns out like that, otherwise it will be necessary to lynch Zimmerman.
http://www.fredoneverything.net/Zimmerman.shtml

[dk]

mark,

Worse than that. GZs first words were "I did not know how old he was. I thought he was a bit younger than I am.".

On the initial dispatch tape he told the operator he thought TM was "late teens". Which is exactly what he was.

None of this is likely intentional. Memory fades and incidents are rewritten and reinterpreted every time you think of them.

Hell, he might be recalling his opinion of TM age that he had when the larger stronger TM was pinning him to the ground.

But everytime you open your mouth you run the risk of contradicting yourself. Or saying something that could be interpreted as contradicting yourself.

GZ in this case has opened his mouth WAY to much. Both personally and through intermediaries. The SP will likely make those contradictions a centerpiece since she has, let's face it, very little else.

[CamelCaseRob]

I got from the transcript that there is indeed store video of Trayvon purchasing skittles and tea.

I'm still not clear on how many times Zimmerman was told there was no need to proceed further by the dispatcher.

[Josh]

"I am completely unfamiliar with what’s the normal bail amount for second degree murder in Florida."

The county I work in (Same general area around Seminole and Duval County) has a bond schedule created by the chief judge in the circuit. It lists the presumptive bond for 2nd degree murder as no bond.

In reality, I don't think you can really say what a "normal" bond is, since it is in the complete discretion of the elected circuit judge (except that he can't arbitrarily deny any bond). Some judges probably would have gone much higher, some would have probably gone lower.

[kawokmali]

@Chris
"People are may riot in many cities due to unemployment immense grief ,alienation and humailaition due to their race and color"

What do you mean?
Their "race and color" didn't prevent Obama, Eric Holder and Charles Bolden to get their jobs, but may be they had a better command of grammar and orthograph than you have...
http://www.amnation.com/vfr/archives/022207.html

[GH]

"Hell, he might be recalling his opinion of TM age that he had when the larger stronger TM was pinning him to the ground." - dk

Indeed, Zimmerman's estimate may first have been informed by Martin's dress and appearance from a distance, and then changed based on the younger man's strength and imposing mien when they met up close.

[Steve]

Zimmerman may have thought Martin was in his "late teens" when he was talking with the dispatcher. That doesn't mean Zimmerman thought the same when Martin was later pounding Zimmerman's head into the pavement.

[More to the Story]

@Anonymous, I used to work at a city jail during the summer when attending college. Z's family will have to come up with $15,000 worth of assets or cash. Listening to Fox news it would appear that the amount of bail is avaerage for 2nd degree murder. Just to comment on the transcript of the hearing. I believe the prosecution has completely dismissed the paramedic report that confirmed Zimmerman’s injuries, as they dismissed much of any testimony that didn’t fit what they are already decided would be the outcome.

[AE]

Here's a video of the full bond hearing:

http://www.wral.com/news/video/11004815/#/vid11004815

O'Mara rips into the probable cause affidavit at about 1:04:00. I highly recommend watching this to anyone who missed the hearing. CNN's transcripts leave out a lot and don't really do justice to the shredding O'Mara unleashed upon the prosecution.