Court of public opinion looms large in George Zimmerman murder trial

Medical examiner calls Zimmerman's injuries 'very insignificant' - latimes.com
A medical examiner who looked at the photographs and records of George Zimmerman said the injuries to the neighborhood watch volunteer were insignificant, as the prosecution and defense in the murder trial argued about whether Zimmerman embellished his accounts of his confrontation with an unarmed Trayvon Martin.
Click to expand...

Perhaps the biggest contradiction is Zimmerman’s claim that he was repeatedly beaten by Martin. Zimmerman has said his head was struck against the concrete sidewalk by Martin who rained a series of blows — more than two dozen in one account — on the volunteer.

Photographs show that Zimmerman had a bloody nose and two lacerations to the back of his head — wounds that the prosecution has insisted are too minor to have come from a severe attack by Martin.

Dr. Valerie Rao, the Jacksonville, Fla., medical examiner for Duval, Clay and Nassau counties, testified that she reviewed Zimmerman’s photographs and medical records. She was not involved in the autopsy of Martin.

The wounds displayed on Zimmerman’s head and face were “consistent with one strike, two injuries at one time,” she testified. “The injuries were not life-threatening,” she said, adding they were “very insignificant.”

The testimony supported the prosecution’s contention of the minor nature of Zimmerman’s injuries. But on cross-examination by defense attorney Mark O’Mara, the medical examiner allowed how different scenarios could lead to more than one strike.
Click to expand...
 
Jiro said:
what it means is that Zimmerman either exaggerated or lied. and what it means that Trayvon was probably defending himself.
Click to expand...
Wrong! Might is the past tense of may which means possibly but NOT DEFINITELY. In other words, the medical examiner might be wrong. :lol:

Jiro said:
did you read rest of the testimony? The witness believed that Zimmerman was an aggressor and was on top of Trayvon.
Click to expand...
What? Was that the medical examiner's testimony which I was talking about originally?
 
Reba said:
One benefit for the defense team is that Zimmerman probably won't have to testify. He already told his story via the videotaped presentations to the court. Yet, he won't be subject to cross examination by the prosecution. So, that is all a plus for the defense.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I don't think there is any chance of him testifying at all. Not sure at this point that the defense will even call a witness. They may just rest.
 
CrazyPaul said:
Do you know what that means?
Click to expand...

That was Rao. She was defensive and combative which is strange for an ME. O'Mara tore her apart in cross. This was really a desperate attempt to mitigate damage by person who testified on GZs injuries earlier.
 
CrazyPaul said:
Really? How come no injuries were found on TM's body except gunshot wounds? :hmm: Oh, she talked bullshit, didn't she? (Because TM was her friend so she can lie, right?)
Click to expand...

Jeantel had no credibility at all. It was almost sad to watch her try to make stuff up as she went along. The best part may have been her claims about the "wet grass noises" the experts say that the prosecution can't even recall her because the jury watchers are saying that the jury didn't trust her. :dunno:

Also of note, Rao the ME was and Angela Corey appointee so that takes away at least half of her credibility right there. Also she was testifying based on pictures.
 
CrazyPaul said:
Wrong! Might is the past tense of may which means possibly but NOT DEFINITELY. In other words, the medical examiner might be wrong. :lol:
Click to expand...
not likely.

CrazyPaul said:
What? Was that the medical examiner's testimony which I was talking about originally?
Click to expand...
which was why I said did you read rest of the testimonies? you're only picking and choosing a tiny part that suits your needs.
 
TXgolfer said:
That was Rao. She was defensive and combative which is strange for an ME. O'Mara tore her apart in cross. This was really a desperate attempt to mitigate damage by person who testified on GZs injuries earlier.
Click to expand...

O'Mara tried to pull a fast one... which a judge sustained after objection was raised.
 
TXgolfer said:
Yeah, I don't think there is any chance of him testifying at all. Not sure at this point that the defense will even call a witness. They may just rest.
Click to expand...
I just watched a part of the interview between Anderson Cooper and O' Mara. I think he said he will call some witnesses. I just recorded it about one hr ago so I will watch it all the way.
 
CrazyPaul said:
I just watched a part of the interview between Anderson Cooper and O' Mara. I think he said he will call some witnesses. I just recorded it about one hr ago so I will watch it all the way.
Click to expand...

Yeah, they may. If the prosecution doesn't present anything better than this though, I wouldn't. He may even make a motion for dismissal before calling a witness. I would certainly do this.
 
.
5:28 p.m. ET: Folgate says she didn't feel like Zimmerman was using her and that his injuries were consistent with his complaints.

5:27 p.m. ET: Folgate says she wanted Zimmerman to get a consult with an ENT -- Ear, Nose, Throat Specialist. She also told him he should see a psychologist.

5:24 p.m. ET: Zimmerman's blood pressure was slightly high and his pulse was high.

"An increased pulse rate can be related to stress or trauma," said Folgate. She also says it could be related to a heart condition.

Folgate says the injury in Zimmerman's buttocks could be related to a fall or being thrown on the ground on your back.

5:22 p.m. ET: "If the complaint was that the head was hit on concrete, would you find that consistent with the injuries you see?" asked O'Mara.

"I would," said Folgate.

5:19 p.m. ET: O'Mara points out more bumps and abrasions on Zimmerman's head and Folgate says they could be consistent with a head hitting concrete.

5:15 p.m. ET: Injuries seen on Zimmerman's temple could be consistence with his head being hit against concrete, according to Folgate.

5:14 p.m. ET: Folgate agrees that a head hitting concrete could cause the swelling.

5:11 p.m. ET: Folgate looks at another photo of the back of Zimmerman's head taken the night of the incident. She says she sees swelling that could have resolved itself before she examined him. She explains that trauma can cause swelling and blood to pool beneath the skin.



5:08 p.m. ET: O'Mara asks Folgate what happens if you're on your back with a bleeding nose.

"What will happen is you can swallow some of that back down your throat," said Folgate. She also says it can go into your sinuses.

5:05 p.m. ET: Defense attorney O'Mara shows a photo of Zimmerman with a bloody nose to Folgate, taken the night of the shooting. She says the swelling seems to be greater in the photo than when she saw him. She explains how the body deals with injury and swelling.
Click to expand...
 
TXgolfer said:
.
Click to expand...

She explains how the body deals with injury and swelling.
Click to expand...

OFC, it's common. I sprained my foot and my ankle got swollen two days later. OWCP is aware of that as well.

When the back of GZ's head and his nose got swollen a few days later, the pictures of them should be also taken, not just the first day unless he put ice to keep those swellings down.
 
Jiro said:
Trayvon did sustain some wounds from fighting as noted in medical examiner's note.
Click to expand...
Is that posted somewhere in this thread?

Oh, I found it on another site. The autopsy showed skinned knuckles on Martin's hands. Is that what you mean?
 
Last edited:
Reba said:
Is that posted somewhere in this thread?

Oh, I found it on another site. The autopsy showed skinned knuckles on Martin's hands. Is that what you mean?
Click to expand...

yes
 
Witness: Zimmerman knew self-defense laws | HLNtv.com
Records admitted into evidence on the eighth day of testimony included a letter rejecting Zimmerman’s application to be a police officer in Virginia in 2009 because of his credit issues. A release form filed with the Sanford Police Department lists Zimmerman’s reason for wanting to ride along with them as, “solidify my chances of a career in law enforcement.” Records also indicate Zimmerman applied for a diploma in criminal justice in 2011 at Seminole State College in Florida.
Click to expand...
The instructor who taught Zimmerman’s criminal litigation class testified Wednesday that he covered Florida’s self-defense laws extensively, even though there was no mention of them in the course book. "It's not one of those things that you're just going to whisk through in a day,” said Alexis Carter, who is now a military prosecutor.

The testimony seemed to counter a key claim that Zimmerman made last year in a Fox News interview that was replayed in court: that he didn’t know about Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” laws until after the shooting.

Self-defense laws were “something that I constantly iterated ... it was something that I think the students really wanted to know about, it was so practical, they were very much engaged in class discussion," Carter said. He called Zimmerman “one of the better students” in his class and said he gave him an A. He also said he taught his students about “imperfect self-defense,” which he said means “the force that you are encountering, you meet that force disproportionately -- excess force. Like a gunshot."

Prosecutors say that while evidence showing that Zimmerman wanted to be a cop isn’t “bad,” they hope it will give jurors some insight into his thought process the night he shot and killed Martin. They also suggest that his studies in criminal justice show Zimmerman knew how to testify and talk to police.

Scott Pleasants, another Seminole State College teacher, testified Wednesday via webcam about the criminal investigations class in which he taught Zimmerman. He says that while the course book covered profiling and how to testify as a witness, they never actually discussed it in class. A bizarre moment occurred when several Skype users started flooding prosecutor Richard Mantei’s account with calls. "There's a really good chance we're being toyed with," defense attorney Mark O'Mara said. Pleasants was able to resume his testimony via speakerphone and proceedings continued.
Click to expand...
 
TXgolfer said:
Experts again say these witnesses helped the defense. It is like the prosecution isn't even trying to win. One expert said "It is like the Prosecution is trying to be incompetent so that the jury will pity them."
Click to expand...

experts? who?
 
Wirelessly posted

Well if Zimmerman knew the selfdefense laws then was he defending himself during the past assaults? Just because someone takes a class on criminal justice doesn't make them goody two shoe. It just showed he knew what to say and how to play this.
 
Jiro said:
yes
Click to expand...
So, skinned knuckles on Martin's hands show that he punched Zimmerman. Were there any marks on either of them to show that Zimmerman struck Martin?
 
TXgolfer said:
Experts again say these witnesses helped the defense. It is like the prosecution isn't even trying to win. One expert said "It is like the Prosecution is trying to be incompetent so that the jury will pity them."
Click to expand...
That's what I heard on TV, too, except for the "pity" statement.
 
Jiro said:
experts? who?
Click to expand...
The ones I heard were other lawyers and judges.

Of course, no one can know the minds of the jurors. They aren't lawyers, so they may see things differently.
 
Back
Top