Judge delays decision on Zimmerman money

[shawn703]

Source: CNN

George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer accused of wrongly killing Trayvon Martin, will not immediately have to turn over donations to his website, a Florida judge said Friday.

Zimmerman collected about $204,000 in donations through the website, but did not disclose the contributions during his bond hearing last week, according to Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara.

Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda asked Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. to increase Zimmerman's $150,000 bond. But the judge said he would delay ruling on the request, in part because he does not know if he has the authority to do so.

Lester said he is also concerned about revealing the names of donors.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/27/justice/florida-zimmerman-money/index.html

[hlthe2b]

1. He should be jailed for lying based on terms of his bond...

For the life of me, I don't understand why so many are bending over backwards for this obvious LIAR.

[oilpro2]

3. I agree with you 100%

I don't think the judge needs to increase the bond, however, just throw him back in jail for lying, if it is proved that he lied to the court about his $.

I do think we need to find out when GZ (or his relatives) or the lawyer actually accessed the account and found out how much was in there. If someone went on-line and found out how much was in there before the bond hearing last week, then we have some serious perjury issues here.

[joeglow3]

4. You realize what the purpose of bail is, right? It is NOT to be used for punishment

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bail

As much as I dislike GZ, I certainly do not favor the mob mentality here of pissing all over our individual rights related to the courts so we can punish someone.

[EFerrari]

6. There is no right to lie to the court at your bail hearing. n/t

[joeglow3]

8. That may be a crime, but does not affect bail

Assuming the item you lied about does not now put you under one of the reasons for bail to be denied, it should have ZERO impact on being granted bail. I am not advocating against punishing him for a crime he may have committed. Rather, I am saying I don't want to shit all over our judicial system just because I like it to happen to the person it is currently affecting.

[hlthe2b]

11. It does if the lie affects flight risk--which >$200K quite arguably WOULD

Your attacks on others-- despite your obvious lack of understanding of the system you claim to defend--and inexplicable need to lash out on Zimmerman's behalf says quite a bit.

[joeglow3]

15. Attack on others? What are you talking about?

I am looking at this objectively. GZ committed the crime and did not flee. Had tons of national attention and did not flee. Had all experts concluding he would be charged and did not flee. He got bail, was released and did not flee.

I put more stock in that than "ummm, he has more money so NOW he will flee."

And drop the "lash out on Zimmerman's behalf" bullshit. That is a terrible defense mechanism to discredit me so you can avoid discussing the technical merits of the argument. That shit may fly on Faux News, but not on DU.

[hlthe2b]

18. Yet, you refuse to address the issue at hand.. that if he knowingly lied about the $200K in assets

that that lie DOES impact his flight risk. Sorry, but you seem to be pandering for him. repeatedly. Asserting that that lie would not impact his bail and suggesting that the rest of us are just "out to get him" is ridiculous.

[joeglow3]

19. I pander for the system

Let me give you an additional piece of information about me: I hate the tools at Westboro. However, using your logic, I must fully support them because I will get on top of any hill and demand respect for their rights to spew their crap.

Sorry, but my convictions rise above the filth.

[hlthe2b]

20. then you better learn how to express those convictions without lashing out at the rest...

in such a manner.

[joeglow3]

21. I asked one and will ask again

Where did I attack anyone? I said I don't want our judicial system and Constitution pissed on. I called out people's defense mechanisms. Where did I lash out at anyone?

[hlthe2b]

22. Your quote:

"I certainly do not favor the mob mentality here of pissing all over our individual rights related to the courts so we can punish someone."

But, of course you will deny that this is lashing out at others here. They always do....

[joeglow3]

26. How would you describe the BEHAVIOR I am discussing?

Rational minded behavior of ignoring a basic right we all have under our judicial system to punish someone we know is guilty?

[Demit]

31. I think your response is hyperbolic.

I came to this thread late, but I'm moved to comment here. I didn't read the phrase you quote as "attacking" or "lashing out." I don't read the poster you are responding to as "pandering" to George Zimmerman. I think your responses are over the top. And who on earth do you mean by "they?" You strike me as the one lashing out in this exchange.

[EFerrari]

12. I understand what you're saying and agree with that.

But bail is set, to a degree, based on your assets because they in part determine your flight risk.

[joeglow3]

16. So, change the bail amount. I have no problem with that.

I have a problem with people wanting undue punishment enacted by the court without a trial because they don't like the person.

[TheEuclideanOne]

33. You continue to avoid the actual question and have gone into changing the topic

The question is whether the money taken in from the website would affect the bail amount. If somebody received 200,000 that does make them a flight risk as opposed to somebody who has no income and is broke. Do you think that this would affect his bail amount? To be clear, as it was pointed out more than once, this is not a question about punishment.

[joeglow3]

34. Bullshit. I originally responded to someone who made the bold claim he should be in jail for this

I am saying that NOT a reasonable solution under our judicial system. That has not changed since post 1 I made in this topic.

As the conversation has evolved, I have agreed that it would be perfectly reasonable for the bond amount to change.

To be clear, the individual who said throw his ass in jail was looking for punishment...

[hlthe2b]

24. Ahem.... Judge considering raising or revoking Zimmerman's bond.

Judge considering raising or revoking Zimmerman's bond.
A judge is considering whether to raise or revoke the bond for George Zimmerman after his lawyer told the judge a website raised $200,000 for the defense.
Mark O'Mara told the judge Friday that Zimmerman's family hadn't told him about the money before his client was given $150,000 bond.
Florida Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester says he wants to know more about the money before he decides whether to adjust the bond. The judge will make a decision on the bond at a later date.

http://news.yahoo.com/judge-considers-adjusting-zimmermans-bond-142526472.html

Clearly a lie, if it did occur CAN affect bail, SIR

[joeglow3]

27. he wants to know more about the money before he decides whether to ADJUST the bond

A reasonable response under the law.

[hlthe2b]

28. You change your argument now that I've called you on it...

Your earlier post quoted:

"

That may be a crime, but does not affect bail. Assuming the item you lied about does not now put you under one of the reasons for bail to be denied, it should have ZERO impact on being granted bail.

[joeglow3]

29. I said they should be able to ADJUST bail, NOT deny it.

So, no I have not changed my argument. But try not to throw your arm out patting yourself on the back.

[hlthe2b]

30. re:

I hope you learn to debate civilly. However, that also includes not restating your own words which included an assertion that "That may be a crime, but does not affect bail"...

In fact it very well CAN and very well MAY affect bail.

[thesquanderer]

10. It is supposed to be high enough to make flight very difficult

That is why the bail amount is not specifically tied to the seriousness of the crime, but to how much of a flight risk the person is, and their ability to come up with a life-changing-but-not-impossible sum as, essentially, collateral on his appearance.

Since the bail was lower than the amount of other-people's-cash he had on hand from donations, in a sense, he's merely out on his own recognizance (except that he'd probably prefer to be able to keep that money in the end).

And what a coincidence... the amount of the $204k in donations that currently remains unspent and available is, yup, $150k, the amount for which bail is set. So he can skip out, and use those funds to pay the bail, not be out-of-pocket for anything, and not have the $150k he essentially skipped out on show up as any kind of debt that he or his family owes.

[Lint Head]

2. I think there is a fix in on the Zimmerman case.

Too many times the so-called "authorities" have tried to push the killing aside and now I think there is a push to make it even harder to convict or truly punish Zimmerman. They want to protect the name of the city because of the corruption mess they had on their hands prior to Zimmerman.

[Iliyah]

5. Once again

Zimmerman gets away with deceiving the Florida Justice System. His lawyer knew as well as his family about the money, this is total BS.

[Smilo]

7. And I bet the same

people who donated to this "cause" would spit on the "down and outs" especially if they are black rather than give them a penny.

[oilpro2]

14. Agreed! Some racists do have money and..

would rather give to an admitted shooter of a black teenager than pay taxes!

I'm even willing to bet that some of those donors will try to take a tax deduction for their "gift" to GZ.

[atreides1]

9. I'm impressed with the legal system in Florida

Cops who don't investigate a shooting, and a judge who doesn't know if he can or can't do something.

And let's not forget the smart defense attorney who went on CNN before he even filed this change.

[EFerrari]

13. Joseph Heller should have written a novel about Florida.

It's a natural.

lol

[oilpro2]

17. And the judge is supposedly "experienced"?

I'm sure the rules for revocation of bail include blatant perjury in the court.

I'm rather surprised that what appears to be a very capable defense attorney did not do his due diligence in finding out precisely how many $ were in that Paypal account before the bail bond hearing.

[DownSouth]

23. There seems to be a pattern developing of Zimmerman's family lying for him

Zimmerman's father was/is a judge, so he is well versed in how to invent exculpatory statements that will seem plausible to judges. There seems to be a pattern developing of Zimmerman's family testifying in court, saying whatever is necessary to exonerate Zimmerman.

On CNN Starting Point a Reuters investigative reporter, Chris Francescani, appeared and said:

1) Zimmerman was charged with resisting an officer and battery. His family members, says Francescani, testified "that he (Zimmerman) didn't know that the undercover agent was actually a cop and thought he was just a regular citizen."

2) A restraining order was taken out against Zimmerman for domestic violence by his former fiance. His family testified "that she had been upset, that he was going out that night, jumped on him, scratched his face, drew blood and that he picked her up and put her back on the bed."

Now we have Zimmerman's family coming forth pleading poverty, when that clearly is not the case. Zimmeman is always portrayed as the victim by his family, it is always he who is being attacked, whether that attacker be his ex-fiance or an unarmed teenage boy.

Here's the link to the CNN Starting Point program where the Reuters reporter appeared:

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2012/04/27/sp-zimmerman-bail-donations.cnn?iref=videosearch

[DownSouth]

25. And what about the request not to name Zimmerman's donors?

As another CNN guest, a defense lawyer, on Anderson Cooper 360 stated:

I will tell you, in the right hands, this fund-raising appeal, it would not surprise me if he (Zimmerman) would raise at least $2 to $5 million. There is a contingent or a constituency out there that would think nothing of writing checks anywheres from $25,000 to $50,000 for the defense. And part of the reason for that is that there is a constituency that wants to use George Zimmerman and this whole issue by proxy and there's no better way to do it than to have something like this which is a hot button issue, which leads the nightly news for weeks at a time and when you go to trial...

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2012/04/27/ac-geragos-hosting-omara-zimmerman.cnn

Zimmerman's attorney previously said that Zimmerman was so destitute that he was representing him pro bono. The attorney has now completely reversed his tune and is saying his fees could total $1 million. This indicates that Zimmerman's attorney also has a problem with telling a consistent story.

I think the public has the right to know who's bankrolling Zimmerman, and who's writing those big checks.

[sylvi]

32. It raises some interesting questions

Mark O'Mara told the judge Friday that Zimmerman's family hadn't told him about the money before his client was given $150,000 bond.

Why would the family know about the money but not Zimmerman himself?

At what point relative to the bail hearing did the money come in? How much and when?

Does Zimmerman have direct access to the money or is it in his parent's account?

If the parents have control over it, can bail be set or adjusted based on parent's assets? Or is it strictly according to the defendant's personal assets?

Is it possible to set up some kind of trust fund wherein the money can only be drawn on for one purpose, e.g. legal expenses? If O'Mara is smart, he might recommend arranging that.

This will have to be cleared up a the next hearing.