FBI considering hate crime charges against Zimmerman #1

[JBean]

SANFORD, Fla. —
WFTV has learned charges against George Zimmerman could be getting more serious.
State prosecutors said Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, profiled and stalked 17-year-old Trayvon Martin before killing him, so the FBI is now looking into charging him with a hate crime.

http://www.wftv.com/news/news/local/fbi-seeks-charge-george-zimmerman-hate-crime/nN5pR/

 

[suspicious1]

And I think they should.....

I am one who believes and have believed since the beginning that GZ said 'coons' and not 'punks'.

Wouldn't the hate crime have something to do with that?

 

[HiHater]

I am SOOOO happy to see this! I believe wholeheartedly that GZ said "co*ns" and not punks.

 

[jjenny]

I don't see anything in that article to suggest that this is actually new information.

 

[Karmady]

I don't see anything in that article to suggest that this is actually new information.

It isn't. The fact that it is month-and-a-half old news was discussed in another thread, with a link. I know I've commented on it a bunch of times in the context of the State not filing its own hate crime charges, even though Fla. has a statute, and using the word "punks" in the affidavit instead of the slur. Can't imagine why they decided to regurgitate it today.

 

[Karmady]

I am SOOOO happy to see this! I believe wholeheartedly that GZ said "co*ns" and not punks.

The probable cause affidavit says punks. They will not by saying that the other word was said.

 

[AngelWings444]

I doubt WFTV would simply run an old article again, with Bill Shaeffer making the comments again. Seems like something must be up with the Feds? Guess we shall see. If BS said these things today, something is coming up with the hate crime charges. He is pretty, spot on. IMO.

 

[AngelWings444]

The probably cause affidavit says punks. They will not by saying that the other word was said.

The Feds run a complete, separate, investigation. They do not care what the State has in their affidavit. If they thought they heard the other word, that is what they will go with. They charge according to their investigation, has nothing to do with the State's investigation.

JMO

 

[Karmady]

The Feds run a complete, separate, investigation. They do not care what the State has in their affidavit. If they thought they heard the other word, that is what they will go with. They charge according to their investigation, has nothing to do with the State's investigation.

JMO

My point is, the State wouldn't have locked themselves in to punks if there was any chance that the other word was said. No reason at all to do that.

 

[Alecto]

I am SOOOO happy to see this! I believe wholeheartedly that GZ said "co*ns" and not punks.

It's always seemed weird to me that anyone would hear "co*ns" as the words aren't really close. The middle "un" section is especially clear and very different from an "oo" sound.

 

[AngelWings444]

My point is, the State wouldn't have locked themselves in to punks if there was any chance that the other word was said. No reason at all to do that.

The State has no idea what the Feds have discovered, or what they will be doing in their case. Yes, the State could have "locked" themselves into the one word, it was early, they still wouldn't know today, if the Feds thought/proved the other word was actually said.

 

[Karmady]

The State has no idea what the Feds have discovered, or what they will be doing in their case. Yes, the State could have "locked" themselves into the one word, it was early, they still wouldn't know today, if the Feds thought/proved the other word was actually said.

We can agree to disagree, but I would bet a million dollars that the PCA would not have said punks if there was ANY chance that a racial slur was used. It was an absolutely unnecessary allegation and they would, at a minimum, have left it out, for sure, it there was any reasonable doubt. I also believe that they knew what the Feds said about the word, particularly since Gilbreath testified about it at the bond hearing. jmo

 

[AJ Noiter]

As a separate but equal point, isn't Mr. Owen or the other audio guy the one that determined that the word was "punks?" Wouldn't it be weird if he was a witness for the prosecution in the Florida vs Zimmerman case and a witness for the defense in a US vs Zimmerman case?

 

[mommakk51]

Down there in Florida, the young black folks call themselves GOONS. I think that is a term related to sports, because the football and basketball teams use it. I found this out by looking through about 50 facebook profiles of graduates from Liberty City high school and Michael Krop high school.

I highly doubt the word used was coon, since GZ's GRANDFATHER was BLACK. If it was either goons or punks, then that was relatively mild compared to what most "vigilante types" would say. (MF'rs.)

JMO-IMO-IMHO-MOO 'n stuff..

 

[AngelWings444]

We can agree to disagree, but I would bet a million dollars that the PCA would not have said punks if there was ANY chance that a racial slur was used. It was an absolutely unnecessary allegation and they would, at a minimum, have left it out, for sure, it there was any reasonable doubt. I also believe that they knew what the Feds said about the word, particularly since Gilbreath testified about it at the bond hearing. jmo

The PCA was early on. The Feds haven't completed their investigation. Their experts "could have" heard it a little different. I didn't say for sure the Feds are saying, he said racial slur. Gilbreath has NO clue what the Feds are doing, in fact, he didn't say much at the bond hearing. lol.

I'm not saying the Feds think that words was said, just that the State is not privy to the Feds investigation. I am, in NO way, making any allegation.

I find it a little odd, the day the evidence is given to MOM, this article appears. :waitasec:

JMO

 

[AngelWings444]

If hate charges are sought by the Feds, do they come after the State's trial? I think that is how it works, but I am too tired to look it up.

 

[HiHater]

Down there in Florida, the young black folks call themselves GOONS. I think that is a term related to sports, because the football and basketball teams use it. I found this out by looking through about 50 facebook profiles of graduates from Liberty City high school and Michael Krop high school.

I highly doubt the word used was coon, since GZ's GRANDFATHER was BLACK. If it was either goons or punks, then that was relatively mild compared to what most "vigilante types" would say. (MF'rs.)

JMO-IMO-IMHO-MOO 'n stuff..

It's not just the young black folks, and the word was made very popular by the rap artist Lil' Wayne. From what I know, it has nothing to do with sports, and more to do with street culture, or what may also be called " life."

JMO MOO

 

[HiHater]

We can agree to disagree, but I would bet a million dollars that the PCA would not have said punks if there was ANY chance that a racial slur was used. It was an absolutely unnecessary allegation and they would, at a minimum, have left it out, for sure, it there was any reasonable doubt. I also believe that they knew what the Feds said about the word, particularly since Gilbreath testified about it at the bond hearing. jmo

How do we know what that statement in the PCA was based on? Perhaps they took Zimmerman's version? I don't think this locks the state into anything. Most of the time, PCAs are filed way earlier on and an investigation may continue, right? :moo::moo::twocents:

 

[HiHater]

It's always seemed weird to me that anyone would hear "co*ns" as the words aren't really close. The middle "un" section is especially clear and very different from an "oo" sound.

I did not hear an "un" sound and even more importantly, I did not hear a "K" sound at the end. I don't know why it would be weird, though...

 

[HiHater]

The probable cause affidavit says punks. They will not by saying that the other word was said.

BBM
I really don't think any of us can make this determination. :moo::twocents: