EXCLUSIVE: Sanford City Commissioner Concerned George Zimmerman Will Flee Country

[kpete]

Source: Think Progress

EXCLUSIVE: Sanford City Commissioner Concerned George Zimmerman Will Flee Country
By Judd Legum on Mar 23, 2012 at 5:58 pm

Sanford City Commissioner Velma Williams
ORLANDO, FL — Sanford City Commissioner Velma Williams is concerned that George Zimmerman, the man who killed Trayvon Martin last month but has not been arrested or charged with any crime, may try to leave the country. In an interview with ThinkProgress, Williams said that Zimmerman’s checkered history make his actions unpredictable. Speaking about the possibility that Zimmerman could leave the country to avoid arrest, Williams said “he might do that.”

Williams met several times with former Sanford City Police Chief Bill Lee, who “temporarily” stepped down yesterday, to discuss her concerns about the investigation. But these meetings left her unsatisfied. As an elected official, she says she has not been properly apprised of the conduct of the investigation, even as more problems came to light. Williams said she received no indication from Lee that the police knew of Zimmerman’s whereabouts or that any that any steps had been taken to prevent him from fleeing to avoid arrest.
There are “mothers and grandmothers” throughout Sanford who are concerned their children “are in danger” with Zimmerman still a free man, according to Williams. They tell her “when my son goes out, I’m worried he might not come back.” Williams added that she was personally concerned for the safety of her 11-year old grandson.

These concerns extend beyond Sanford. The president-elect of the National Bar Association, John E. Page, wrote in a letter sent to Attorney General Eric Holder today: “We join the call for the immediate arrest of Mr. Zimmerman to avoid additional harm to the public.”

Today, Sanford City Manager Norton Bonaparte Jr. announced that two police captains, including one who led the Trayvon Martin investigation, would act as interim co-chiefs. Williams said she advised Bonaparte to replace Lee a week after Trayvon’s death, but her advice was “not embraced.”

Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/justice/2012/03/23/451181/exclusive-sanford-city-commissioner-concerned-george-zimmerman-may-flee-country/

[peacebird]

1. Georgie has lost the support of the NRA?! Now that is interesting......

[WheelWalker]

4. I thought it said National Bar Association...

which I actually hadn't heard of... I only knew of the American Bar Association.

[elleng]

10. NATIONAL Bar Association

consists largely of African American attorneys.

[WheelWalker]

14. Ah. Thank you.

[peacebird]

22. <blush> my bad, reading too fast or too hopefully.... {hangs head in shame}

[freshwest]

2. It was always a possibility. The PD should have instructed him to stay close. That's standard, no?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

5. Not legally

Without a court order of some sort they cannot restrict his movement nor take his passport.

I am leaning towards suicide my self, voluntary or otherwise

[freshwest]

7. So the movie line of 'Don't leave town,' isn't true? Wouldn't they have gotten his contact info?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

16. Never has been...its just a BS intimidation tactic that makes good copy for Hollywood

[LiberalFighter]

26. I've noticed that more with legal shows seeming to make it up.

One of the reasons I stopped watching Hawaii 50. And I won't watch the one with Selleck as he is a damn Republican and it appears they are trying to give NYPD more respect than they deserve.

[X_Digger]

23. Yeah.. there are a lot of hollywood-isms in our collective ideas about courts, etc. n/t

[freshwest]

24. I'm sure! I grew up on Perry Mason. I object!' LOL.

My experiences helping people in civil matters don't have any of that drama. Well, not usually.

Unless there's a surprise piece of evidence while giving an affidavit and one side folds immediately. Saw that more than one time.

[loudsue]

12. It would be nice if he would commit suicide, but if I was him

I'd be afraid to ever show my face in public again. There are too many people that would just as soon not have to share the planet with that dude anymore.

[obamanut2012]

37. I din;t think it would be nice for anyone to commit suicide

I would just like to see him brought to justice, and the Sanford PD's coverup investigated.

[monmouth]

3. I'd bet his father knows where he is. This loser most likely didn't have any money so

dad financed him. He's as culpable as the rest of them if this is so.

[barbtries]

6. i've been wondering for days about

where he is. has anyone else noticed that there apparently is only one picture of the man? i've even googled "where is george zimmerman" multiple times and have never gotten a result that addressed that question.

where is he? why aren't his whereabouts being discussed? it seems really weird.

[freshwest]

8. +1

[bathroommonkey76]

39. This LA Times article says that he is in hiding.

"George Zimmerman, who shot a black teenager in Florida, is in hiding after receiving death threats. A full portrait has yet to emerge of the 28-year-old, one of the characters at the center of the drama that has turned questions about race and guns into a national debate."

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-george-zimmerman-20120323,0,6326075.story

I also found this article that says he left a voicemail for Frank Taaffe. Taaffe released this yesterday.

In the message Zimmerman said-

"Hey Mr. Taaffe," the message began. "This is George. Um, first and foremost, I wanted to say I am very sorry for the loss of your son, and, um, I can't imagine what you must be going through. Um, secondly, I wanted to thank you for doing everything you've been doing. Um, I know you don't have to, and I appreciate it, and you're truly setting an example for me for the future of, uh, doing the right thing even when it's tough, and, uh, I appreciate it. I'll talk to you soon. Thanks."

http://globalgrind.com/news/george-zimmerman-trayvon-martin-sanford-florida-speaks-details

[barbtries]

40. so today i hear he has a lawyer.

now the police should put him in protective custody if they still can't bring themselves to arrest him for MURDER. either way he needs to surface, behind bars.

[Justice wanted]

9. A very real fear considering Who his father is and the money he may have.

[elleng]

11. WHO is his father?

[Justice wanted]

13. a retired Judge link:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=461977

[elleng]

19. 'Retired magistrate judge'

in this 'story' means little, imo.

The family appears to have moved to Florida from Virginia, within the last 10 years or so, there's no discussion of WHERE the father served as 'judge,' AND 'magistrate judge' has the least authority/clout; its the beginning, or end, of the judge ladder, and could have very well been in Virginia where he served (if he did.) Florida is very strict/stingy about accepting out of state attorneys to practice there, and imo its highly unlikely, unless the father had been earlier admitted to practice in Florida, that he was, actually, a judge in Florida.

'The images of Zimmerman — not just his face, but the words used to describe him — can confound and confuse. Why are they calling him white, wondered Paul Ebert, the Prince William County commonwealth’s attorney who knew Zimmerman’s mother, Gladys, from her days as an interpreter at the county courthouse. Zimmerman’s mother, Ebert knew, was Peruvian, and he thought of her as Hispanic. . .

In Manassas, (that's Virginia) where Zimmerman lived in the 1980s and 1990s with his parents and two siblings, neighbors tended to define the family based on their spiritual profile. “Very Catholic .?.?. very religious,” their neighbor Jim Rudzenski recalled Thursday. The children attended All Saints Catholic School on Stonewall Road through the eighth grade before going to Osbourn High School. George became an altar server and evening receptionist at All Saints Catholic Church. The Zimmermans “were known and respected in the community for their dedication and service,” said Robert Cilinski, pastor of All Saints Catholic Church.

The father, Robert Zimmerman Sr., is a retired military man. He could be strict. And the children’s grandmother, who lived with the family, also kept a watchful eye, said Kay Hall, who lived across the street from the Zimmermans in a neighborhood just west of Sudley Road for about 20 years. George and his siblings “didn’t play with the neighborhood kids,” Rudzen­ski said. “They had to stay home and play.” It was always “Yes, ma’am,” “No, ma’am,” Hall said.

Zimmerman’s life was not without difficulties. In 2001 — when he was 17 or 18 — he was the victim of a minor criminal assault, said Manassas police Sgt. Eddie Rivera. The city’s computer records do not provide details of the crime.'

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/who-is-george-zimmerman/2012/03/22/gIQAkXdbUS_story.html

[freshwest]

25. The info just keeps pouring in. But I see him as 'connected.'

[elleng]

27. I don't see any 'connected' info,

but I'm not that in touch. Am interested in/connected to matters concerning legal system.

[freshwest]

28. What I mean, is they knew the system generally, don't you think?

[elleng]

29. They may know the system,

and that could help, but I don't see any evidence that they've been closer to it in Florida than anyone else. (from the reading I've done.)

[Herlong]

15. A real man would show his face.

Gunning an unarmed child down in cold blood? What are we, the wild, wild west?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

17. There have been claims of threats in retaliation

[secondvariety]

20. Gee, I wonder why.

[Ruby the Liberal]

31. So lock his ass up until trial.

Problem "solved".

[ProgressiveProfessor]

32. Can't do that until he is charged

People have the right to refuse "protective custody"

[Ruby the Liberal]

35. What is the challenge with charging him,

on a minimum, manslaughter.

?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

36. Beats the hell out of me

Sanford PD is blaming the State Attorney who has since recused himself. New State Attorney seems to be staying with the Grand Jury route rather than arresting him.

[secondvariety]

21. Worse-it's Florida.

[RZM]

18. Highly doubtful

I doubt he has the money or the contacts to make it work. He'll probably just trust his lawyer and cross his fingers if he's charged.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

30. He doesn't have money but he'll trust his lawyer?

[RZM]

34. Probably not enough money to leave the country with a nest egg

But he'll scrape together enough for a lawyer I'm sure.

[yardwork]

38. His father is a retired judge from Virginia.

Send lawyers guns and money.

[Major Hogwash]

42. Well, there had to be something in his background to give him this much cover.

His dad's a judge, the victim is black, the PD Chief is white, it's springtime, what the hell.

Unbelievable.

[-..__...]

33. Where is he?

Probably holed up with Casey Anthony.

Who wouldn't be in seclusion with a nation wide lynch mob screaming for your blood.

It's not a matter of "cowardice" or fleeing justice... it's a matter of survival.

[JDPriestly]

41. So much for one of those much-hyped "Catholic educations."

A lot of people in my bailiwick get very damp eyes, nearly folding their hands in prayer, when they speak about a "Catholic education."

Maybe it is just my bad luck, but Zimmerman is yet another of the many very bad products of a Catholic education who happen to have passed my way.

Nothing wrong with a Catholic education. But it isn't better than any other education from what I can tell.