LIVE BLOG: George Zimmerman trial in the Trayvon Martin case
LIVE BLOG - George Zimmerman trial in the death of Trayvon Martin...
UPDATE, 5:30 p.m.: The court is now in recess for the evening. The trial will resume tomorrow at 9 a.m.
UPDATE, 5:20 p.m.: O’Mara brought up an instance where Bahadoor was recorded talking about the case by the media.
UPDATE, 5:16 p.m.: Bahadoor confirmed that she was never asked in any series of questioning about directions in relation to the running she described in her backyard.
UPDATE, 5:09 p.m.: Bahadoor said that the screams that she heard in her backyard were similar to those on the 911 tapes, and could possibly be the same.
UPDATE, 5:03 p.m.: The witness said that she made her first statement at a town hall meeting held by the community. She also confirmed that she liked the Facebook page ‘Justice for Trayvon Martin’.
UPDATE, 4:42 p.m.: After looking at the transcripts of her first account of the incident, Bahadoor said she did not mention the “left to right” movement when talking about the running in the back. She confirmed that she only heard this running, and could not see the men because it was dark.
UPDATE, 4:31 p.m.: Bahadoor said that she had the opportunity to review transcripts of various statements she has given since the shooting. She said she does not remember who she mentioned the “movement from left to right behind her home” to. She admits that this hearing “could” be the first time she has mentioned that piece of evidence.
UPDATE, 4:19 p.m.: Bahadoor said that she had seen Zimmerman around the neighborhood. O’Mara is now questioning the witness.
UPDATE, 4:11 p.m.: Bahadoor said that she went back into her home, and when she returned to the sliding door she said she saw a body in the grass.
UPDATE, 4:08 p.m.: Bahadoor said that she remembers the struggle and “flailing” happening on the pathway behind her house. She said that she remembers two people coming from their homes, and one of her neighbors asking if he needed to call the cops.
UPDATE, 4:00 p.m.: On the night of the shooting Bahadoor said he heard noises that sounded like “No” or “Umph”, but they were not clear. She said that she also heard running “from left to right” in the rear of the house, and she looked out of her kitchen window. Her view from that window was obstructed, so she said that she moved to the sliding glass door and saw “flailing arms”.
UPDATE, 3:53 p.m.: The next witness, Selene Bahadoor, is on the stand. She works in a hospital, and lived in Zimmerman’s neighborhood at the time of the shooting. Bahadoor is being questioned by Mr. De la Rionda.
UPDATE, 3:44 p.m.: Don West is showing a picture of Zimmerman’s head after the struggle that was taken by Mrs. Smith. She said that she can see the lumps and abrasions that are on his head.
UPDATE, 3:25 p.m.: Mrs. Smith admitted that no chemicals were used to identify the presence of blood (or lack thereof) on the scene.
UPDATE, 3:11 p.m.: Court is now in session. Defense attorney Don West is now questioning Mrs. Smith.
UPDATE, 2:44 p.m.: The court is taking a 10 minute recess.
UPDATE, 2:40 p.m.: Mrs.. Smith said that she did not get any latent prints from either of the plastic bags, Zimmerman’s car keys, or the flashlight.
UPDATE, 2:34 p.m.: While processing Mr. Zimmerman’s firearm, Mrs. Smith checked the gun and holster for latent prints and DNA.
UPDATE, 2:29 p.m.: In addition to the other evidence, Mrs. Smith has identified Zimmerman’s 9mm gun, the clothing worn by Mr. Zimmerman on the night of the shooting, as well as the contents of Trayvon Martin’s pockets.
UPDATE, 2:24 p.m.: Mrs. Smith said that she did not find any blood evidence anywhere on the scene, except for immediately around the victim’s body. She said she also took photographs of Mr. Zimmerman from several angles as he appeared in the police station.
UPDATE, 2:11 p.m.: Mrs. Smith has confirmed pictures of Martin’s body at several angles as well as, bullet shell cases, surrounding houses, a flashlight, the victim’s cell phone, and several other pieces of evidence. Mrs. Smith has also confirmed the physical first aid kit, watermelon Arizona drink, flashlight, plastic bags, and cell phone as evidence that was found on the scene.
UPDATE, 2:01 p.m.: Mrs. Smith is using a diagram to give context to the photos of the crime scene with the item markers. Many of the photos feature Trayvon Martin’s body covered in the emergency blanket.
UPDATE, 1:53 p.m.: Mrs. Smith said she photographed the scene without moving anything, and then photographed it again with markers.
UPDATE, 1:47 p.m.: The next witness, Diana Smith, is on the stand. She is a crime scene technician for the Sanford Police Department. She is married to Office Tim Smith, who also responded to the incident on February 26, 2012.
UPDATE, 1:41 p.m.: A photo of Martin’s gunshot wound is being displayed for the court.
UPDATE, 1:35 p.m.: O’Mara is now questioning the witness.
UPDATE, 1:30 p.m.: Sgt. Raimondo said that he felt the full can of Arizona in Martin’s sweatshirt. After Martin was pronounced dead on the scene, Sgt .Raimondo said he placed an emergency blanket on Martin’s body.
UPDATE, 1:26 p.m.: Sgt. Raimondo said that he was the person that tried to revive Mr. Martin using CPR, and he did so without a “breathing mask” because he considered this to be an urgent circumstance. He said he checked for an exit wound and asked for someone to bring him plastic and vaseline to seal Martin’s wound.
UPDATE, 1:20 p.m.: Sgt. Raimondo detailed his actions in response to the call. He used a diagram of the complex and a laser pointer to show the court his location as well as that of Officer Smith, Mr. Zimmerman, and Mr. Martin.
UPDATE, 1:12 p.m.: The state has called their next witness, Sgt. Anthony E. Raimondo. Sgt. Raimondo has worked for the Sanford Police Department for 14 years. He an officer that responded to the call for the shooting in question. He said he arrived to the scene within 5 minutes of being alerted.
UPDATE, 1:00 p.m.: Court is back in session.
UPDATE, 12:04 p.m.: The judge has called for a recess for lunch. Court will resume at 1 p.m.
UPDATE, 11:58 a.m.: O’Brian said that he didn’t feel that the neighborhood watch was necessary.
UPDATE, 11:55 a.m.: A couple of months prior to the shooting, O’Brian said that he praised some workers in his neighborhood for following and reporting people that had been causing break-ins in the community. He said that he notified Mr. Zimmerman about the actions of these workers.
UPDATE, 11:43 a.m.: The next witness is being brought to the stand. Mr. O’Brian is the president of the Home Owners Association. He said that Zimmerman was appointed to be the person who sent out “email blasts” when notified about a problem. O’Brian noted that no one else volunteered for this job. Zimmerman also worked with O’Brian in community parking regulation.
UPDATE, 11:38 a.m.: Court is back in session. Prosecutor John Guy is now questioning the witness again.
UPDATE, 11:20 a.m.: The court will be in recess for 10 minutes.
UPDATE, 10:55 a.m.: Ms. Dorival said that she encourages people to get to know their neighbors so that people can know if someone does not belong in their area.
UPDATE, 10:49 a.m.: When Zimmerman told her that he was a criminal justice major, Ms. Dorival said that she wanted to recruit him for the “Citizens on Patrol” volunteer program in coordination with the Sanford Police Department. She said that he “seemed like he really wanted to make changes in his community to make his community better.”
UPDATE, 10:28 a.m.: Dorival is being cross examined by Don West, a defense attorney for Zimmerman.
UPDATE, 10:25 a.m.: On a slide out of the PowerPoint presented to Zimmerman’s neighborhood it read, “The neighborhood watch is… not the vigilante police…” Dorival expressed that participants are to be the “eyes and ears” for law enforcement. She noted that Mr. Zimmerman told her that his college major was criminal justice.
UPDATE, 10:22 a.m.: Dorival said that she instructs the neighborhood watch volunteers not to confront suspicious people because “that is the job of law enforcement”. She said that she was contacted by George Zimmerman about starting a neighborhood watch program in his community, and met Mr. Zimmerman at the presentation that she did at their community meeting. Zimmerman was given the title of “neighborhood watch coordinator” before this meeting and given a handbook about his job.
UPDATE, 10:15 a.m.: After confirming the times of the calls placed by Zimmerman’s neighbors on the night of the shooting, Ms. Rumph was excused. The next witness, Wendy Dorival, is now on the stand. She works as the accreditation manager at the Sanford Police Department. She helped coordinate neighborhood watch programs within local communities.
UPDATE, 10:04 a.m.: The last witness from Monday’s court session, Ramona Rumph, has taken the stand once again to complete her testimony.
UPDATE, 9:47 a.m.: The court has taken a ten minute recess to prepare to bring in the jury and the witness.
UPDATE June 25, 9:38 a.m.: Court is in session. Judge Nelson is listening to the previous audio recordings placed by Mr. Zimmerman to determine if they will be played for the jury.
