George Zimmerman’s wife reveals she’d left him the night before he killed Trayvon Martin

[kpete]

Shellie Zimmerman, wife of George Zimmerman, the Florida man who was found not guilty of second degree murder in the slaying of teenager Trayvon Martin, told ABC News that she does not know if she will stay married to her husband. In an interview with reporter Christi O’Connor, Shellie Zimmerman said that she will have to think carefully about whether she plans to stay married to George Zimmerman, and that she had walked out on him after a particularly nasty argument on the night before he shot Martin.

“I was staying at my father’s house,” Zimmerman said. “We had gotten into an argument the night before and I left.”

On Wednesday, Shellie Zimmerman pleaded guilty to perjury in the same courtroom where her husband was acquitted of murder. Unlike her appearances at his trial, however, George Zimmerman was not in attendance, leaving her feeling “very much alone.”


She declined to say whether or not her husband has a violent temper when O’Connor asked about the argument that caused her to walk out on him in 2012.


....................
http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/08/30/george-zimmermans-wife-reveals-shed-left-him-the-night-before-he-killed-trayvon-martin/

[Baitball Blogger]

1. Sounds like something that should have been mentioned in the trial.

Though I don't know how it would be introduced.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

4. With neither him nor Shellie taking the stand, I don't know how it could have been brought in.

I was a little surprised at the time that the defense didn't call Shellie when they were doing that ridiculous parade of "voice identification" friends. Now I know why.

[BeyondGeography]

5. The prosecution couldn't have called her to the stand

Defendant's state of mind the night of the incident, eg? Not a lawyer here, just asking.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

7. There is spousal privilege in Florida, so probably not.

90.504 Husband-wife privilege.—

(1) A spouse has a privilege during and after the marital relationship to refuse to disclose, and to prevent another from disclosing, communications which were intended to be made in confidence between the spouses while they were husband and wife.

(2) The privilege may be claimed by either spouse or by the guardian or conservator of a spouse. The authority of a spouse, or guardian or conservator of a spouse, to claim the privilege is presumed in the absence of contrary evidence.

(3) There is no privilege under this section:

(a) In a proceeding brought by or on behalf of one spouse against the other spouse.

(b) In a criminal proceeding in which one spouse is charged with a crime committed at any time against the person or property of the other spouse, or the person or property of a child of either.

(c) In a criminal proceeding in which the communication is offered in evidence by a defendant-spouse who is one of the spouses between whom the communication was made.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

16. Couldn't they have brought it in through the back door by questioning her parents?

She must be feeling a lot of guilt and anger as in if she didn't get in a fight with the big lug all this might never occurred or if the big lug didn't start a fight with her all this might never occurred.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

17. Unfortunately then we'd be dealing with hearsay.

I.e. her parents testifying about what Shellie said to them, offered for its proof.

I wish the fact had come up in police interviews, but apparently it didn't.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

19. Would it be hearsay if they questioned her parents under what circumstances she leaves Zimmerman

Would it be hearsay if they questioned her parents under what circumstances she leaves Zimmerman to stay with them?


Zimmy will always have his stalwart supporters but with the passing of time more Americans will come to believe he was guilty. There was the same phenomenon with the Anita Hill-Clarence Thomas imbroglio. A lot more people believe Hill's account now then they when the charges were first aired.

[ColesCountyDem]

34. Yes, it would be inadmissable hearsay.

Hearsay evidence is not inadmissable, per se.; there are quite a few exceptions to the rule that generally bars hearsay evidence. In the Zimmerman case, however, it would have been excluded as neither material nor relevant, and in violation of the 'spousal privilege'. Therefore, even under the only possibly applicable hearsay exception, the rule that 'the words spoken are not offered for the truth thereof, but merely for the fact that they were spoken', it would never have been allowed in.

[krispos42]

24. The prosecution could have asked the parents...

...things like "What time and date did Shellie show up? What time and date did she leave? What was your opinion of her emotional state when she showed up?"

[jtuck004]

37. That would not have prevented them asking her what her current address is,

and leaving a question in the minds of the jury. On the other hand, I think that verdict was a foregone conclusion in that group of "jurors", so I doubt it would have made any difference.

[kestrel91316]

28. Oh, they could have called her. They just couldn't have compelled her

if she refused.

[blm]

6. Zim's lawyer succeeded in keeping out a LOT of dirt on him, like the # of 911

calls he made to report black 'suspects' in his neighborhood - over two dozen and EVERY SINGLE ONE was about a black. O'Mara kept all those calls out and reduced the number allowed in to a handful.

O'Mara also kept out the testimony from Zim's cousin about the lifelong sexual abuse Zim forced upon her and another girl.

Zim was a twisted being from early childhood.

[JDPriestly]

35. Don't worry. This will not end his troubles.

Unless he submits himself to some process that changes him completely. And very few accomplish that.

He should go to a Zen Buddhist monastery for about ten years. (Joking, but it would take something along that line.)

He clearly needs to do anger management classes over and over, but even that may not be enough. Because he is so angry, and because he has a habit of blaming others for his problems and never taking responsibility for his own feelings, he probably can't be helped.

[Boom Sound 416]

13. You can't make a spouse testify against the other

[Tommy_Carcetti]

2. I don't know if it was intended to be for good, or just temporarily.

Either way, I think it could further explain George Zimmerman's state of mind that night. From his slips in "these assholes, they always get away" and "fucking punks" I always thought Zimmerman was seething with anger and frustration that night under that seemingly cool phone call.

This would be just one more reason why he would be pissed and angry, and his judgment would be severely clouded. Clouded enough to get out of a car armed and start pursing a kid who had done nothing wrong other than fitting Zimmerman's profile of what he thought a criminal to be.

[JDPriestly]

38. Great posts. Thanks for your input on this.

[Skittles]

42. he was clearly the aggressor

bastard got away with murder

[BeyondGeography]

3. You go, prosecutors

Kee-rist.

[gopiscrap]

8. A good prosecutor could have figured a way to get it in

I still say the state told the prosecution to lay down and die.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

9. Had it been brought up in the police interviews of Zimmerman, that would have opened the door.

I don't believe it was, and even if it was, the defense would certainly claim it was more prejudicial than probative (even though I think it strongly spoke to Zimmerman's state of mind that night.)

[gopiscrap]

11. yes but there are other ways to bring it in

even if it is ruled as inadmissible, the jury still hears it!

[Blue_Tires]

18. I've maintained that from the start as well...

Because even I could have gotten a conviction out of this...I'm certain the the prosecution was set on doing *just* enough work to look like they were legit, like a boxer taking a dive...

[Tom Ripley]

26. +1000

[Mr_Teg]

32. Why?

The state was under enormous pressure to get a conviction...

[historylovr]

33. No, it was under pressure to make an arrest

and have a trial. Nothing else.

[d_r]

10. well that's some shit

poor guy. His wife up and leaves him for no reason and the next day some dude jumps up and attacks him for no reason.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

14. Poor George. Can't get a break.

[JDPriestly]

39. Did the prosecution bring in the videos of Zimmerman's statements to the police?

If so, why do you think they did that?

Could they have avoided bringing them in?

Didn't they forgo any possibility that Zimmerman would testify when the videos were brought in?

Didn't those videos make Zimmerman's case?

Was there any way to keep them out?

What is your opinion?

[warrior1]

12. maybe this can be used in the civil trial

[Boom Sound 416]

15. How

Maye she walks out on him all the time

Maybe she sleeps at mother's twice a week.

Maybe the fight was about his wanting to go to marriage couseling or maybe she told him she was cheating.

Either way exactly what can she say that he can just retort it my word against hers.

But either way no one has to testify against their spouse.

[warrior1]

20. he's a hot head

goes to his state of mind

[Boom Sound 416]

25. Perhaps

I don't know how that's woven in a civil trial, but I guess it's possible. I'm pretty sure they can't use his wife though.

I don't think their's going to be a civil trial though. ACLU and DOJ dropped. Parents are learning how to forgive

[YarnAddict]

30. I doubt that there will be a civil trial

I'm afraid that Trayvon's reputation would be dragged through the mud. His parents probably know that, and will let it go, rather than be put through that.

[Blue Owl]

21. Georgie can't take it when other people stand their ground

n/t

[reformist2]

22. Someone needs to look into whether her silence was paid for...

I admit I didn't follow the case, but I had no idea George was even married!

[Thinkingabout]

23. This should be a time in which she really looks at her situation and declares freedom for herself.

I doubt he is going to get treatment unless he is ordered to do so by the courts, he is what he is, nothing more. As Dr Phil says the only thing worse than being in an unhealthy relationship for ten years is ten years and a day.

I was not really surprised Zimmerman was acquitted in Florida and especially Stanford since the RW population thinks he did not do any wrong and it probably played a part in the jury decision. I am not really sure the state presented the best evidence also for this reason. It appeared to be a trial to quell the public outcry to at least charge Zimmerman and juries are supposed to be by your peers. I think he may work himself into a situation one of these days in which he does not walk away from, he is too cocky.

[CanonRay]

27. The cops, and then the prosecutors, blew this case.

Period. Any competent law enforcement could and should have convicted this guy.

[YarnAddict]

29. I don't see how.

The evidence supported self-defense.

Given that:

Following someone isn't a crime.
Being suspicious of people isn't a crime.

what evidence do you think the prosecution could have introduced that would have resulted in a conviction.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

31. The evidence did not support self-defense.

The evidence supported a guy who was volatile and pissed off about what he thought were trouble makers in his neighborhood, and his attempts to detain someone he pegged--unfairly--as a trouble maker.

Yes, I know he was acquitted, thanks to the defense playing the "We really don't know what happened" angle.

But nonetheless, the evidence didn't support a guy who was ambushed out of the blue and had no choice but to shoot.

[davidn3600]

43. That's not how the system works

You dont have to prove self-defense, you have to prove that it's not self defense.

The burden of proof is always on the prosecution in the American justice system.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

47. The defense had to put forward a plausible theory of self-defense....

They need not prove it beyond a reasonable doubt, but since self-defense is an affirmative defense, they can't just say it was self-defense without having some sort of substance behind it. Otherwise, you are forcing the state into a strawman position where they have to rebut their own theory of what they claim the defendant's self-defense theory is.

If the defendant puts forward a plausible, colorable theory of self-defense, then the prosecution would have to rebut it beyond a reasonable doubt.

But if you ask me, the defendant's theory of self-defense was never plausible. A person who is being chased by a stranger for reasons unknown who then loses that person does not immediately to then decide to double back and ambush and attack the same person whom they had tried so hard to escape. It defies all logic.

[B Calm]

36. So his wife left him and he took his anger out on Trayvon Martin.

Can't believe this wasn't brought up in the trial!!!

[bobGandolf]

40. Didn't need wife....

Well we now know he didn't need wife to testify. Still shaking my head over, "Not Guilty".

[freeplessinseattle]

41. This is definitely relevant, since it is well known that abusers

tend to really "lose it" when their partner leaves them-and that is when they are most likely to kill their partners. It is all about control.

With her gone, and no outlet, I'm sure he was huffing around feeling pissed and victimized, and voila, here comes some uppity kid waltzing down His street, perfect to project his anger on.

Makes total sense to me, since I used to work at a DV shelter and know the pattern and personality very well.

[mstinamotorcity2]

44. who gives a shit what she has to say.

Her and hubby are parasites. And so are their dear friends. I still feel the same. they are fucked up. they have no character or dignity. They are all soliciting some kind of financial gain off Sabrina Fulton and Tracey Martin's dead child. They are a piece of hot mess garbage. And even with all the bullshit that these rotten people have put them through, Trayvon's parents are still the epitome of class. I give mad props to them. Personally if we never see another post on anything to do with the Zimmermans or any of their puglet friends is cool with me. Unless he is getting locked up. And his little dog too!!!

[patricia92243]

45. Is this the same woman that had him arrested for spousal abuse? n/t

[indepat]

46. Surely this picayune domestic turbulence had no impact on Zimmerman's actions the night he fatally

shot an unarmed child. Surely not!