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| TRAVON'S MURDERER IN COURT |
Which is behind bars!
Forty-seven days after Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in a Sanford, Florida, neighborhood, a solemn George Zimmerman made his initial appearance in a Florida court overnight for his second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, as the high-profile case entered its pre-trial phase.
At the brief hearing, a handcuffed Mr Zimmerman was dressed in a grey jump suit and indicated he understood his rights.
Mr Zimmerman spoke only twice, responding, "Yes, sir", to Seminole County Judge Mark Herr.
Judge Herr scheduled a May 29 court date for Mr Zimmerman to be arraigned on the charge and transferred the case to Seminole Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler.
His lawyer, Mark O'Mara, had previously declared he would seek Mr Zimmerman's release on bail today, but he said following the hearing that he had changed his mind because it "might only increase the fervour" surrounding the case, which has sparked emotional protests about perceived racial injustice.
The affidavit below in its entirety.
Affidavit
"It just didn't make sense where the case is now," Mr O'Mara said, adding that he eventually planned to ask for a bond hearing but had not decided when he would file his motion.
Mr Zimmerman is currently being held in protective custody at the Seminole County Jail in Sanford, Florida.
Special prosecutor Angela Corey first announced Mr Zimmerman's second-degree murder charge yesterday, after Mr Zimmerman voluntarily surrendered to authorities.
Overnight, Judge Herr placed witness records in the case under seal upon a request by Mr O'Mara.
After the hearing, Mr O'Mara briefly addressed rumours that Mr Zimmerman was having psychological issues.
"He's in a good place but does not want to be here (in jail)," Mr O'Mara said, adding that "any diagnosis like that should be done by those who know how to do it".
Overnight, Martin's mother Sybrina Fulton said on the Today show that she believed the shooting was "an accident" but she later retracted her comments.
Mr O'Mara, who is currently working for Mr Zimmerman at no cost, said he did not plan on using Ms Fulton's initial characterisation as part of Mr Zimmerman's defence.
"We're not talking about using the words of the mother of a deceased child" against her, Mr O'Mara said.This case takes on a plethora of issues, like neighbourhood watches, and what is their job, should they just observe and call, or carry weapons and take the roll of the local police - "stand your ground" laws - what constitutes "I feel threatened"? Right now, two crack heads in Florida carrying weapons, or two rival gang members could shoot up the town and then invoke "I was threatened" and get off Scott free - without a punch or threat even laid. Just the word [my life was threatened] of the one whom survives the gun shot wounds - which is just completely ludicrous!
This law in States that have it, should be required to pull the plug on it. If ever a law required judicial review, this one deserves a thorough scrubbing.
All things have consequences, right to free speech, right to bare arms, right to be an idiot, all have consequences, these rights should not be free reign entitlements to overdose on stupidity. Americans are well known for pushing envelopes are far as they can go without going over the line. "Stand your ground" is a dangerous law in the hands of life forms on terra firma. With the George Zimmerman's of the world, [and believe you me there are boat loads in America] many shall invoke "I am standing my ground", whether they truly are or not!
NFTOS
Editor-In-Chief
Roger West
