Papantonio: Did Sanford Police Ruin Chance of Zimmerman Prosecution?

[GoLeft TV]

Mike Papantonio appears on the Stephanie Miller Show to talk about how the Sanford police department completely bungled the Trayvon Martin murder, essentially allowing a murderer to walk free.

[left on green only]

1. From all I can tell, the news media seems to be missing out

on something very important here. As I understand it, Zimmerman's father is a retired judge. That means if he is like most retired judges, he has a lot of money in the bank, as well as a lot of people who owe him favors. Can it be any wonder then that the Sanford pigs "botched" their investigation of the crime, failed to significantly interrogate Zimmerman, and have also thus far not seen fit to in any way hold or arrest him?

And what about the mysterious "friend" of Zimmerman's, Joe Oliver, who claims to be so moved by his "friendship" with Zimmerman that he has quit his job (leaving him no means of support) to go out to the media in support of his "wronged friend"? Surely some mysterious benefactor must be somehow channeling money to him which permits him to sustain his existence, and probably a lot more.

This entire situation reminds me of another very similar incident that happened back in the 1960's. I know of it only from a ballad about it that was written by another person whose name is Zimmerman. I am referring to Robert Zimmerman (Bob Dylan) who wrote the song, "The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll".

Listen and see if you don't see a lot of the things happening so far in this current debacle that are surprisingly similar to the story that is told in Dylan's ballad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=ZOM0fHIhIdc

[ProgressiveProfessor]

3. He was a magistrate judge in another state...

Why would anyone in FL owe him anything?

[left on green only]

9. I would guess that you might

be surprised at how much the strings can be "pulled and persuaded", to quote a line from Dylan's song referenced in my post above. I hate to sound cynical in a world where it is simply not justified, but nothing along those lines would surprise me based upon the things I have seen so far.

[jjewell]

2. I agree...

This case was essentially blown by the Sanford PD the night of the shooting.
A normal homicide investigation, including the collection of forensic evidence
should have taken place, and Zimmerman should have been detained and interrogated
that night. I don't see how justice can prevail in this situation.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

4. Why do you think those things did not happen?

We know he was taken into custody, questioned, his clothes and gun were taken. We know the scene was contaminated by the attempts to resuscitate Martin. A bad thing at this point, but clearly the right choice at the time.

How much was evidence collection was done, what was found, and a host of other really good questions would be answered by the information the State Attorney assigned to this case is sitting on. She appeared on Nancy Grace last night. Who knows where she will be tonight. We do know that she is also choosing not to charge Zimmerman.

In short your concerns may or may not be valid since the state attorney is sitting on all the data.

[jjewell]

5. We DON'T know that Zimmerman...

was taken into custody, or that his clothes and gun were taken. At least, I don't. I'd
appreciate a link to back up that assertion. I also have no information that any forensic
evidence was collected at the scene whatsoever. If this lack of information is all that
the State Attorney has to work with to determine whether or not to charge Zimmerman,
is it any wonder that she has chosen not to do so?

[ProgressiveProfessor]

7. The police report posted by the city shows

That he was taken into custody that evening and his Kel-Tec pistol was taken for evidence.

Interview last night by the new State Attorney indicated they had his clothes and had done forensic testing. How much and of what kind was not revealed

Its coming out in little pieces and normally public records are being withheld by the State Attorney at this point.

The lead investigator wanted to charge Zimmerman than night, the prior state attorney declined.

There is some much crap going around it is impossible to tell fact from fiction. Very frustrating.

[jjewell]

10. Just read the police incident report...

from that night. It appears you are correct. Zimmerman was transported to the
Sanford Police Department, and interviewed by an investigator. It also appears that the
crime scene was processed. It seems the police filed it under a negligent homicide/manslaughter
charge.

One wonders: 1) why it took 30 days to release the police incident report, and 2) why the prior
State Attorney declined to even file manslaughter charges against Zimmerman.

At the very least, Zimmerman ignored police orders to desist from following Martin, engaged in a
foot pursuit of Martin, and wound up killing him.

I agree that there's a lot of crap going around, and it is indeed very frustrating...

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. There is more just out. Video from cameras at the PD shows Zimmerman in cuffs

This thread has some discussion and the link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/1002486224

There were no police orders not to follow Martin. That came from a 911 operator with no particular authority. It will go to mind set and motive, it was not illegal.

The whole matter of the State Attorney sitting on things and declining to charge is very frustrating.

[jjewell]

12. Thanks for the link...

[freshwest]

6. IMHO, yes. They probably counted on no one coming forward to refute Zimmerman.

But he's loose and his case is being argued in the media and not in the court system where it belongs. I doubt we'll ever hear him under oath for this.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

8. Papantonio is as clueless as the rest of us

This kind of grandstanding on his part is not helpful and makes finding the truth that much harder.

[juxtaposed]

13. The last time I was in Sanford was about 6 weeks ago. The thing I remember most

was walking out of Sanford Hospital and looking at a spring bubbleing up at the south east corner of the hospital grounds. I was amazed that in such a small pool 4'X 1' life could exist "Small Fish".

Sanford is a lot of old Florida and new Florida coming to terms... Sanford is on the edge of the ST. John's river, The bank is lined everyday with Black fishermen with caine poles hoping to bring dinner home. For over a mile this is true everyday.

I find this whole thing sad and disturbing.

"Stand Your Ground" Law ,, Is nothing more than Legalized Lynching