George Zimmerman/Trayvon Martin General discussion #3

[Sleuth5]

I agree and she did not help the state one bit and she acted very unprofessional towards everybody.

If George rolled his eyes at the defense table, he'd be in huge trouble.

Well, she's not a professional. She's a very young woman who's been through a horrific event.

 

[polleypockets]

ok - i have some thing we can ALL AGREE ON! this idiot friend of zimmerman has got to go!!! he is just talking out of his butt now, claiming they new all about trayvon b4 the tradegy and new he was under suspension for school because he has a bag of weed and that he was a pot head!!! REALLY??? don't you think if any of that was true that maybe the attys would have brought that up a year ago??? omg this man is an embarresment, i wonder what he is gonna do when his death threats start rolling in from the internet :facepalm:

 

[Sleuth5]

Never seen anything like her. My jaw was literally dropped.

I felt so bad for TA's parents, you could see their hopes being dashed as they sat watching. *IMO*
And not saying things can not turn around, but to me her attitude with the DT is not going to sit well with the jury.

I might agree, but her attitude has nothing to do with whether or not Mr. Zimmerman is guilty of the offense with which he is charged.

 

[iluvmua]

Well, she's not a professional. She's a very young woman who's been through a horrific event.

I understand that but she needs to show respect for everybody there and the eye rolling and outbursts does not help one bit.

If I were a juror member, I'd totally disregard her testimony.

JMO

 

[lil_buddy]

The call about the 7 year old wasn't one of the 5 calls the state wants to admit IIRC from hearing them the other day. It's included in the big bundle of 40+ calls. I'll find you the link to that Moonie. It just supports the theory that some of us have that there's a level of paranoia existing in GZ that prompts him to be overly suspicious in general.

What a great way to put it...
http://www.motherjones.com/documents/327330-george-zimmerrman-911-call-history

 

[sickofitAll]

I just kept thinking "Juan would have a field day with her", especially when she started asking the defense lawyer if he was paying attention when she was semi trying to answer his impeachment questions.

I can hear Juan now "I ask the questions, you answer them."

It would have been a massacre... I don't know how West is able to keep his composure while questioning this witness...I think tomorrow is going to be really ugly for her...

 

[Sleuth5]

Using the word 'unprofessional' is generous. And I thought ALV was disrespectful when being questioned. I've watched a lot of trials but I've never seen anything like this. I think I better leave it at that.

Again, she is not a professional. She was not called as an expert witness, so comparing her with ALV is not really fair to her.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I would emphasize the word stuck in this case....

And can I just say that I am appalled at the media - if I had not tuned in today, I would think the case was just barreling along toward guilty. They are bleeping out her slur words (attributed to TM) EXCEPT the word "Creepy" - which entirely changes the meaning of what he was saying and gives a different interpretation to his frame of mind. imo

I've seen the whole statement in articles on sites for ABC, FOX News, HUFFPO, and NY Daily News. But have not heard it out loud anywhere.

 

[kaRN]

Another pathetic strike out for the state. Between her lying, confusion and anger and apparently being inconvenienced by a few hours of testimony i dont know what to think. I also am surprised by the minimization of the only actual racial slurs we've heard so far...which came,supposedly, from TM imo

You don't know anybody like her do you? I do. She minimized the racial slurs perhaps because she's grown up hearing them everyday. How very sad that should be her and TM's reality. Hardly a strike for the prosecution for the jury to learn that harsh reality. :twocents:

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Again, she is not a professional. She was not called as an expert witness, so comparing her with ALV is not really fair to her.

And her attitude was not really fair to anyone in that courtroom.

 

[Sleuth5]

I thought Rachel was a great witness and was extremely credible. She did cop a little attitude with West but I think in the end it may have added to her credibility. The message I got was " I've told you the truth and I don't understand why you keep asking me these same stupid questions." Her ability to recall dates and times was remarkable and she actually seemed to confuse West.

I agree. The fact that she lacks respect for authority and lacks any understanding of decorum in a proceeding such as this one does not automatically relegate her testimony to the dustbin.

 

[Moonie]

I understand that but she needs to show respect for everybody there and the eye rolling and outbursts does not help one bit.

If I were a juror member, I'd totally disregard her testimony.

JMO

I won't be surprised if that happens. Someone needs to speak to that young lady before she returns tomorrow. She has to keep her attitude under control. It's not proper for this situation. I'm concerned that she is 19 years old and does not understand that.

 

[Sleuth5]

Another pathetic strike out for the state. Between her lying, confusion and anger and apparently being inconvenienced by a few hours of testimony i dont know what to think. I also am surprised by the minimization of the only actual racial slurs we've heard so far...which came,supposedly, from TM imo

How would you propose they maximize the racial slurs, and to what purpose?

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I won't be surprised if that happens. Someone needs to speak to that young lady before she returns tomorrow. She has to keep her attitude under control. It's not proper for this situation. I'm concerned that she is 19 years old and does not understand that.

A 19 year old SHOULD understand that.
A 19 year old is an adult.

I was married with a full time job and a mortgage when I was 19.

Using age as an excuse, when you're talking about an adult doesn't seem logical to me.

 

[especiallyheather]

It would have been a massacre... I don't know how West is able to keep his composure while questioning this witness...I think tomorrow is going to be really ugly for her...

At one point, he just blankly looked at her (like he was trying to follow what she was saying) when she was saying "you can go on now, go on.. go on." Then he says "It takes me a few seconds to think about my next question"

That is just one instance of many where Juan would have put her in her place, imo.

I do not know why the defense lawyer didn't ask the judge to reprimand her during much of her testimony, or at least say she was a hostile witness (not sure what the rules are on that, though)

All in all, I think she hurt the State with her attitude and outbursts.

:moo:

 

[Apollo]

Again, she is not a professional. She was not called as an expert witness, so comparing her with ALV is not really fair to her.

A 19 yr old doesn't have to be a professional to show respect for adults---ESPECIALLY in a court room. If my children had ever spoken to an adult the way she spoke to Mr. West, they'd still be locked in their rooms.

 

[Sleuth5]

Did you find any greatness in her testifying that when she did the interview with the attorney for the Martin family that she didn't care what she said because she didn't want to do the interview anyway and just wanted to get it over with? I wonder if the jurors were impressed with that statement.

I thought she was remarkably candid with that statement. My own feeling is that many people probably would have felt exactly the same way in her place and might have reacted in like manner, but would have been reluctant to admit it on the stand.

 

[JudyBolton]

HLN always bleeps out racial slurs, don't they? They slipped up though today and I heard the word "Cr@cker". Is that the word you are talking about?

Do you remember when this first happened - well when it first became a media "event" and they accused GZ of calling TM a f.....ing c....n? (a racial slur) - it was all over CNN and all the networks - UNTIL they listened closer and heard him say it was f....ing COLD!!! (not coon)

I would not really expect them to exploit this to the degree they did with GZ but at LEAST have the honesty to phrase it so the viewers will not be misled into thinking he was afraid of GZ and was calling him "Creepy" when he actually said he was creepy a... cracker - and he called him the N word!!

The networks just "bleep" and go on with no comment ....

 

[MeeBee]

not snark, serious question - there were bad feed problems, why do you say she lied multiple times under oath, do you mean today?? u saw her cop to the lies she did tell, like saying she was sick cause she didn't want to go to the wake, r saying she was a minr because she was afraid to talk to cops w// out her mom

That's the thing. People keep saying she's a liar. But apart from a few silly lies she told not related to Trayvon's death and his final moments, she, to my knowledge has never deviated from her story and despite being soft spoken and unsure of herself at times, has been very clear and adament that Trayvon was being followed and that they did exchange words just before the scuffle broke out. Her story of what she heard, again, to my knowledge has not changed. She seems deeply affected by the fact that she was on the phone with Trayvon when the fight that claimed his life broke out. That must be very hard to deal with.

But I felt for his parents today. I am sure they are wishing Trayvon's final conversation happened with someone who was a little better spoken and had less of an attitude. I believe her, but she has an attitude problem that may turn people off to what she's saying. What she is saying is so valuable but it's hard to follow her. And the lies may hurt her even if they were irrelevant. That's disappointing.

There's also absolutely no evidence that she's been coached so I think people should qualify that point with a MOOOOOO! JS.

 

[kimlynn]

You don't know anybody like her do you? I do. She minimized the racial slurs perhaps because she's grown up hearing them everyday. How very sad that should be her and TM's reality. Hardly a strike for the prosecution for the jury to learn that harsh reality. :twocents:

That was what I meant by refreshing and honest.She didn't try to gloss over what was said between her and Trayvon.
I actually laughed a bit at the creepy *advertiser censored** cra**er comment in spite of the seriousness of her testimony.
Two young friends using humor with each other in a scary situation.