My thoughts about Rachel Jeantel...

[Bay Boy]

to me she appeared much older than her 19 years (my first thought was 30ish). If jurors think that too, even though they have been told her actual age, I think that might work against the prosecution. I, at least, would expect more maturity from an older appearing person than one that looks their age. And of course if she is a 19 year old who acts more like a 16 or 17 year old it makes it even more pronounced.

[MH1]

1. Meh. The jury hopefully looks at the facts of the case.

They might not be able to meet standard of proof for 2nd degree murder but he damned sure better go to jail for killing that kid. For something.

[Democracyinkind]

2. I just don't get why her level of education/sophistication is so relevant to the trial.

Well, I understand that it might reflect on how the jury ultimately perceives her trustworthiness, but I don't think that this should be of such importance to the content of her testimony.

By that logic, no one but highly educated and worldly people should ever be called as witnesses. Which seems a rather strange view of justice to me.

[Bay Boy]

3. I'm not disagreeing with you on that...

... I just think people would look at her and expect a maturity level that she isn't at yet. If the witness was a 12 year old that looked like a twelve year old jurors would understand immature responses. Not so much from a young woman who, to me, looks older than she is. Just my opinion.

[Democracyinkind]

4. Oh, I agree.

I just don't think it should be this way.

[BlueCaliDem]

5. The jurors have also learned that she speaks three languages...

Creole, Spanish, and English.

There was quite a bit of discussion of her "Black-cent" and many had difficulty hearing and understanding her clearly. She spoke in Dialect, saying Blue Toof when saying "Blue Tooth". As it turns out English isn't her first language, she grew up speaking Creole, and later learned Spanish. English is her third language.

She was an amazingly shy teenager. At times introverted, distraught and occasionally brittle. She was not Media Trained. She's not massively articulate.

This of course didn't stop her from becoming a laughing stock online.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/06/27/1219481/-The-Digital-Lynching-of-Rachel-Jeantel

So let's not jump on the "discredit Rachel Jeantel" bandwagon here at DU, okay? It's beneath us.

[brush]

7. Thank you

And she speaks 3 languages and is holding her own in her third language.

How many of those that are laughing at her can even speak and understand 2 languages?

[grok]

6. She *IS* Trayvon

Most of us are not exposed to his world. Importantly the jurors. I suppose the vast majority of us have already excused her previous prevarications and understand why she did. But don't underestimate the shock value to the jurors. This is novel to many who only see/hear only this stuff on TV. Reality hits.


This offered us a pretty good glimpse of it. And THAT i suppose is why the Defense spent SO much time on it. They very well may not have the opportunity to bring on Trayvon's past, bahavioral problems, attitude and environment. But this is a very good way to do it on the sly. There is a method to their madness.

Think about it. We are REALLY REALLY discussing her. We can't help ourselves!

I am sure the Jurors will really be discussing this while in sequestration this weekend. I suppose B29 might have some input into this. Whether it bodes well for the prosecution's case or zimmerman's defense, who can say.

[cilla4progress]

8. For those who have worked in youth, poverty, or immigrant communities

I think we more clearly recognize the culture Rachel hails from. There are a whole lotta folks (MORE than 47%) who are living outside the mainstream. They don't have bank accounts; they rely primarily on family; they don't attend to the "normal" traditional conventions many of us think of: college, marriage, health insurance. They survive by their wits, and are largely on their own in our society / economy.
Goddess bless these survivors, and goddamn those who would judge or criticize them.

I thought Ms. Jeantel did an admirable job on the stand, sticking to the essentials of her testimony. I gotta say, my favorite moment is when she cracked a small grin when the judge had to repeat her words (from Trayvon, about Zimmerman): "crazy ass cracker..."

I hope, if Ms. Jeantel chooses, she goes on to law school and turns the table on these people. I'd like to see Zimmerman's wizened attorney try to survive in Rachel's world!

[Bluenorthwest]

9. I thought she was a good witness as well. The assumptions that the jury thinks other wise are

unfounded assumptions.

[cilla4progress]

10. Similar thoughts being expressed by

"Goldie" on The Cycle (?) right now.

[Sheepshank]

11. I'm assuming many of the jurors are parents

and their heart would be saddened for Rachel. Saddened for her life, for what she has gone through, for an education systems that has failed her miserably. Chances are they are giving her every benefit of the doubt and listening to what she is trying to say and not the phraseology.