chipbennett wrote:
Teeto wrote:
GZ lied on the witness stand at the bond hearing...
George Zimmerman didn't testify at the bond hearing.
Now what?
I take that back. Zimmerman didn't testify *about the altercation itself* at the bond hearing. He made a statement, directed at Martin's parents, expressing that he was sorry for the loss of their son.
Full testimony and cross-examination:
George Zimmerman at the bond hearing wrote:
George Zimmerman, charged with Trayvon martin's MURDER: George Michael Zimmerman, Z-i-m-m-e-r-m-a-n.
O'MARA: I think an inquiry is probably appropriate by the court just (inaudible) that he is a criminal defendant with a second-degree murder charge --
(CROSSTALK)
O'MARA: We want to make sure that (inaudible). State your name.
ZIMMERMAN: George Michael Zimmerman
O'MARA: You advised me that you wanted to make a short statement, is that correct?
ZIMMERMAN: Correct.
I wanted to say I am sorry for the loss of your son. I did not know how old he was. I thought he was a little bit younger than I am. And I did not know if he was armed or not.
O'MARA: Nothing further, your honor. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm sorry, sir, you're not really addressing that to the court. You're doing it here to the victim's family, is that correct?
ZIMMERMAN: They are here in the court, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I understand. But I thought you were going to address your honor, Judge Lester, not -- so that's really addressed to the family and where the media happens to be, correct, Mr. Zimmerman?
ZIMMERMAN: No, to the mother and the father.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. And tell me, after you committed this crime and you spoke to the police, did you ever make that statement to the police, sir? That you were sorry for what you've done or their loss?
ZIMMERMAN: No sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You never stated that, did you?
ZIMMERMAN: I don't remember what I said. I believe I did say that.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You told that to the police?
ZIMMERMAN: In one of the statements, I said that I felt sorry for the family.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You did.
ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: So that would be recorded because all those conversations were recorded, right?
ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And you're sure you said that?
ZIMMERMAN: I'm fairly certain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And so which officer did you tell that to? You made five statements I believe, total.
ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir, I'm sorry, all the names run together.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And do you remember if it was a male or a female?
ZIMMERMAN: There were both males and females.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At the time you made that statement that you were sorry?
ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And let me make sure the record's clear, you stated exactly what to those detectives?
ZIMMERMAN: I don't remember exactly what -- verbatim.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you're saying you expressed concern for the loss of Mr. Martin, or that you had shot Mr. Martin, that you actually felt sorry for him.
ZIMMERMAN: I felt sorry that they lost their child, yes.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And so you told detectives that you wanted them to convey that to the parents?
ZIMMERMAN: I don't know if they were detectives or not.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Officers, I apologize.
ZIMMERMAN: I didn't know if they were going to convey it or not. I just made the statement.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. And then you said that you called them or you left a message for them to tell them that?
ZIMMERMAN: No, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you wait 50 something days to tell them -- that is, the parents?
ZIMMERMAN: I don't understand the question, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you wait so long to tell Mr. Martin and the victim's mother, the father and mother, why did you wait so long to tell them?
ZIMMERMAN: I was told not to communicate with them.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. So even through your attorney, you didn't ask to do it right away? Your former attorneys or anything.
ZIMMERMAN: I did ask them to express that to them. And they said that they were going to.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But before you committed this crime on February 26th, you were arrested -- I'm sorry, not arrested. You were questioned that day, right, February 26th?
ZIMMERMAN: That evening into the 27th.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And then the following morning. Is that correct?
ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the following evening, too. ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. Would it be fair to say you were questioned about four or five times?
ZIMMERMAN: I remember giving three statements, yes sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And isn't it true that in some of those statement when you were confronted about your inconsistencies, you started "I don't remember"?
O'MARA: Outside the scope of direct examination. I will object your honor.
JUDGE LESTER: We'll give you a little bit of leeway. Not a whole lot but a little bit here, ok.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Isn't it true that when you were questioned about the contradictions in your statements that the police didn't believe it, that you would say "I don't remember"?
JUDGE LESTER: I'm going to grant his motion at this time.
O'MARA: Thank you, your honor.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Would you agree you changed your story as it went along?
ZIMMERMAN: Absolutely not.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. Now, sir, you had a phone at some point and you agreed to turn over that phone to the police so they could make a copy of what was in there, right?
ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And in that phone did you receive or send text messages sir.
ZIMMERMAN: Yes, sir.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ever make any reference to a reverend?
O'MARA: Objection, your honor. Outside the scope.
JUDGE LESTER: Sustained.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Did you ever make any reference to Mr. Martin, the father of the victim?
JUDGE LESTER: Sustained. You're getting a little bit far away.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I apologize your honor. My question is he was asked in terms of apology to the family and I'd like to be able to address that if I could. JUDGE LESTER: I think you can classify that whether or not he asked the apology. I don't want to get into other areas.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, sir.
JUDGE LESTER: Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: My question is, Mr. Zimmerman, do you recall sending a message to someone, an e-mail, about referring to the victim's father?
ZIMMERMAN: No, sir. I don't.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And just to anticipate, I guess -- is the court ruling that I can't ask him about the statements he made to the police in terms of his limited testimony? I just want to -- before I get that out don't want to be trying to ask the question and objections being made.
JUDGE LESTER: You've already anticipated and you can anticipate my ruling.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you very much, your honor. I have no further questions, your honor.
JUDGE LESTER: Thank you. You may step down.
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FAQ
Do not go gentle into that good night.
It went very well with my morning coffee.
