Matt Gutman backpedals on Zimmerman

Matt Gutman, the ABC News reporter responsible for making George Zimmerman public enemy #1, is now backpedaling in his latest report for ABC News, even suggesting that the charges should be dropped:

Two prominent U.S. lawyers are among the skeptics questioning whether evidence in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin supports the second-degree murder charge against George Zimmerman, given the confessed shooter's apparent injuries and freshly released eyewitness accounts.

. . .

Previously unknown particulars, including the scrape on Martin's knuckle and photos of Zimmerman's battered and swollen face -- which were taken moments after he shot and killed Martin in what he says was self defense -- coupled with eyewitness accounts that back up Zimmerman's story, suggest for some that the prosecutor overreached.

Comments

[CamelCaseRob]

What did Dershowitz mean when he said "It's a close case."?

I'm still not clear on the sequence of events leading up to the shooting. Was Zimmerman told twice (at two separate points) that he didn't need to follow Martin, or just the once. Was he told there was no need to get out of his vehicle?

[HS: Zimmerman was NOT told not to get out of his vehicle, and when the 911 heard him getting out and huffing, he asked "are you following him" and Zimmerman said "yeah" and the operator said "you don't need to do that" and Zimmerman said "OK" and then it appears that Zimmerman stopped moving around and then had a long conversation about where the cops should meet up with him.]

[scott]

Gutman's original reporting on the story was terrible race baiting. The only redeeming thing he has going for him now is that most of the people who are under the assumption that Zimmerman just ran up and shot Trayvon aren't willing to change their opinions as more evidence comes out. At least Gutman is open to changing his original view. Of course, maybe none of this happens if he does his research before reporting the original story.

[Theakinet]

Allan Dershowitz wrote a NYDN piece saying Zimmermann should be let go:

"Thus, if Zimmerman verbally provoked Martin, but Martin then got on top of Zimmerman and banged his head into the ground, broke his nose, bloodied his eyes and persisted in attacking Zimmerman — and if Zimmerman couldn’t protect himself from further attack except by shooting Martin — he would have the right to do that."
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/drop-george-zimmerman-murder-charge-article-1.1080161

In other words, if someone picks a fight with you in America, DON'T HIT *AND* CORNER THEM, because they then have the right to kill you regardless of whether or not you're in a "Stand Your Ground" state.

[half canadian]

Yeah, it isn't like we didn't know about the eyewitness the day after the shooting occurred.
Frankly, the race baiters have been ignoring evidence from day one, and too many of them seem to be immune to its effects.

[m]

Might it have been "closed case" as if to say, "No way second degree murder.

AD is out to get Angela Corey and many prosecutors who overcharge, a situation he says is rampant in the state of Florida.

[Anonymous]

a (black) local tv news anchor told me to tune in tonight at 11 for the latest in the trayvon martin "mystery"

[Conquistador]

Where is a Patrick at our resident Martin supporter? I'd like to see if be backpedals now too. He continuously claimed Half Sigma was wrong. He obviously read one too many leftist blogs.

[Inkraven]

Does Matt Gut[less]man really care at this point? He's got his name known nationwide for breaking the story, however wrong he initially was, and probably gotten some number of attaboys from his superiors for selling lots more papers. At this point I don't think it matters what he says.

[Mick Reactionary]

@Theakinet:

"if someone picks a fight with you in America, DON'T HIT *AND* CORNER THEM, because they then have the right to kill you"

If you don't know the difference between hitting someone in their ribs and crashing someone's head into concrete, you should not leave your moma's basement for any reason.

You are too stupid to cross the street.

[Mick Reactionary]

IMHO the ideal result of Zimm lynching would be:

1. Zimm sues CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN for $100M and settles for $50M

2. Zimm sues major media lynch mob members individually

3. Little jerk Guttman as well as all media lynch mob members who had a hand in race attack are fired.

[BlogRaju]

How embarrassing!

[Rum]

If a law requires someone to suffer death or injury leading to the immediate possibility of death for the sake of compliance, it is an unjust law.
Besides, where is the motivation to comply?
Better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6.

[Tanizaki]

Rasmussen reported today that of those with an opinion, a considerable majority believe Zimmerman acted in self defense.

http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/may_2012/40_now_say_trayvon_martin_shot_in_self_defense_24_say_it_was_murder

[Twain]

""if someone picks a fight with you in America, DON'T HIT *AND* CORNER THEM, because they then have the right to kill you"

If you don't know the difference between hitting someone in their ribs and crashing someone's head into concrete, you should not leave your moma's basement for any reason.'

That is why you avoid all confrontations if you possibly can. Never confront someone and if someone confronts you leave as quickly as possible. Who cares if the guy insults your mother. Why would you care what a moron thinks?

If a 80 pound woman came up to me and attacked me, I would have no right to get her to the ground and beat her face in even though she started it. I could easily get up and walk away.

Maybe I would have that right if I thought she had a gun and would shoot me, so I thought I had to knock her out to keep that from happening.

This is why fights become complicated and why Sam Harris said to avoid them at all costs. I think it was Half Sigma who posted his article on violence.

[John]

"suggest for some that the prosecutor overreached"

That is the understatement of the year.