Thu Apr 12, 2012, 08:57 PM

Prosecutors: Zimmerman ignored warning to back off

Source: AP-Excite

By TAMARA LUSH and GREG BLUESTEIN

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) - After weeks in hiding, George Zimmerman made his first courtroom appearance Thursday in the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, and prosecutors outlined their murder case in court papers, saying the neighborhood watch volunteer followed and confronted the black teenager after a police dispatcher told him to back off.

The brief outline, contained in an affidavit filed in support of the second-degree murder charges, appeared to contradict Zimmerman's claim that Martin attacked him after he had turned away and was returning to his vehicle.

In the affidavit, prosecutors also said that Martin's mother identified cries for help heard in the background of a 911 call as her son's. There had been some question as to whether Martin or Zimmerman was the one crying out.

The account of the shooting was released as Zimmerman, 28, appeared at a four-minute hearing in a jailhouse courtroom, setting in motion what could be a long, drawn-out process, or an abrupt and disappointingly short one for the Martin family because of the strong legal protections contained in Florida's "stand your ground" law on self-defense.

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20120413/D9U3N3HG1.html

George Zimmerman during a court hearing Thursday April 12, 2012, in Sanford, Fla. Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of the 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. (AP Photo/Gary W. Green, Orlando Sentinel, Pool)

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47 replies	Author	Time	Post
Prosecutors: Zimmerman ignored warning to back off (Original post)	Omaha Steve	Apr 2012	OP
This is all sounding so logical, I smell a trap.	Baitball Blogger	Apr 2012	#1
......	steve2470	Apr 2012	#38
"Punks"?	proReality	Apr 2012	#2
At first they were trying to pass it off as "goons" -- I have no idea where "punks" came from.	gateley	Apr 2012	#3
I have listend to the tape several times	Gore1FL	Apr 2012	#5
I'm With You	DallasNE	Apr 2012	#21
So your saying it was "pcoonts" ?	xtraxritical	Apr 2012	#29
Lol	DallasNE	Apr 2012	#36
He said oooo. So it most have been poooonks.	JDPriestly	Apr 2012	#6
How sure are you?	-..__...	Apr 2012	#9
Listen to father's recounting	bjobotts	Apr 2012	#12
Zimmerman knew the cops were on the way - they got there seconds after the gunshot	csziggy	Apr 2012	#16
When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.	24601	Apr 2012	#23
Thanks csziggy, yours is the most cogent anlysis I've seen here.	xtraxritical	Apr 2012	#30
No all DUers are DUers....if you know what I mean.	loudsue	Apr 2012	#20
I don't think it matters what Zimmerman said or didn't say.	Flatulo	Apr 2012	#39
"Clearly criminal"?	-..__...	Apr 2012	#40
SYG does not give one the right to chase someone down,	Flatulo	Apr 2012	#42
THAT is THE issue. Open and shut. Should pass a law against 'Avoidable Homicide.'	freshwest	Apr 2012	#4
Hmm, there already are laws against 'avoidable homicide'.	Flatulo	Apr 2012	#43
Obviously, Zimmerman hadn't read it. He needed a K.I.S.S. reminder.	freshwest	Apr 2012	#44
I really wish the 911 dispatcher would have used more forceful language.	mucifer	Apr 2012	#7
Exactly, that's probably going to be a big deal in the trial	groundloop	Apr 2012	#28
I disagree.	janx	Apr 2012	#35
The neighborhood watch rules were posted here on another thread. It said 'do not pursue.'	freshwest	Apr 2012	#41
"Looks like the SYG statute would have protected Martin and not Zimmerman"	Flatulo	Apr 2012	#45
Even without a gun, it might. A gun doesn't lend moral credibility to the owner. Really, it doesn't.	freshwest	Apr 2012	#46
are the dispatchers law enforcement officers? In my town they are not	pasto76	Apr 2012	#8
Heard on the radio that Zimmerman called the direct line to an officer's desk, that he	Stardust	Apr 2012	#10
splitting hairs...	pasto76	Apr 2012	#11
You are making up laws.	former9thward	Apr 2012	#15
Either interpretation is irrelevent, all he reasonably had to do was keep an eye out	xtraxritical	Apr 2012	#31
Sorry, but it was NOT an "order" and police don't generally have the authority to issue orders	slackmaster	Apr 2012	#33
It depends on the jurisdiction.	TheWraith	Apr 2012	#17
And, it can be a felony if it leads to death or grievious bodily injury	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#26
In some jurisdictions they are	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#25
And this is the #1 in-your-face reason that he cannot claim he killed because he feared for his life	DesertDiamond	Apr 2012	#13
On 911 call he said "I'm going after him"	behrstar	Apr 2012	#14
Don't agree	lark	Apr 2012	#19
+1	obamanut2012	Apr 2012	#27
This whole incident verifies what I've said for years.	BobbyBoring	Apr 2012	#18
Requiem for a Loser	Sen. Walter Sobchak	Apr 2012	#22
yeah	Cosmocat	Apr 2012	#24
He will be subject to plenty of "justice", inside. You know what I mean?	xtraxritical	Apr 2012	#32
Why is vigilante justice unacceptable on the street, but acceptable in a prison?	hedgehog	Apr 2012	#34
Anyone else a little suspicious of this "dream team prosecution"?	LiberalLovinLug	Apr 2012	#37
He ruined his own life and took another life.	roody	Apr 2012	#47

Response to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Thu Apr 12, 2012, 08:58 PM

Baitball Blogger (11,308 posts)

1. This is all sounding so logical, I smell a trap.

Seriously. Things are not this logical in the county. It makes too much sense. It's obvious this isn't in the hands of the local boys.

Prosecutors: Zimmerman ignored warning to back off

1. This is all sounding so logical, I smell a trap.

38. ......

2. "Punks"?

3. At first they were trying to pass it off as "goons" -- I have no idea where "punks" came from.

5. I have listend to the tape several times

21. I'm With You

29. So your saying it was "pcoonts" ?

36. Lol

6. He said oooo. So it most have been poooonks.

9. How sure are you?

12. Listen to father's recounting

16. Zimmerman knew the cops were on the way - they got there seconds after the gunshot

23. When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

30. Thanks csziggy, yours is the most cogent anlysis I've seen here.

20. No all DUers are DUers....if you know what I mean.

39. I don't think it matters what Zimmerman said or didn't say.

40. "Clearly criminal"?

42. SYG does not give one the right to chase someone down,

4. THAT is THE issue. Open and shut. Should pass a law against 'Avoidable Homicide.'

43. Hmm, there already are laws against 'avoidable homicide'.

44. Obviously, Zimmerman hadn't read it. He needed a K.I.S.S. reminder.

7. I really wish the 911 dispatcher would have used more forceful language.

28. Exactly, that's probably going to be a big deal in the trial

35. I disagree.

41. The neighborhood watch rules were posted here on another thread. It said 'do not pursue.'

45. "Looks like the SYG statute would have protected Martin and not Zimmerman"

46. Even without a gun, it might. A gun doesn't lend moral credibility to the owner. Really, it doesn't.

8. are the dispatchers law enforcement officers? In my town they are not

10. Heard on the radio that Zimmerman called the direct line to an officer's desk, that he

11. splitting hairs...

15. You are making up laws.

31. Either interpretation is irrelevent, all he reasonably had to do was keep an eye out

33. Sorry, but it was NOT an "order" and police don't generally have the authority to issue orders

17. It depends on the jurisdiction.

26. And, it can be a felony if it leads to death or grievious bodily injury

25. In some jurisdictions they are

13. And this is the #1 in-your-face reason that he cannot claim he killed because he feared for his life

14. On 911 call he said "I'm going after him"

19. Don't agree

27. +1

18. This whole incident verifies what I've said for years.

22. Requiem for a Loser

24. yeah

32. He will be subject to plenty of "justice", inside. You know what I mean?

34. Why is vigilante justice unacceptable on the street, but acceptable in a prison?

37. Anyone else a little suspicious of this "dream team prosecution"?

47. He ruined his own life and took another life.