New Account: Zimmerman Told Cops Trayvon’s Last Words Were ‘Okay, You Got It’

[CatWoman]

In exclusive reporting from Sanford, Fla., Aram Roston offers a new inside account of what Zimmerman told police after the shooting.


Plus, read Jelani Cobb on what got Zimmerman charged.

Last December, George Zimmerman hosted a small gathering at a clubhouse in Lake Mary, Florida. He invited his family members and some close friends, and he made a brief speech. He wanted to share with them, he said, the news that he’d earned his associates degree in criminal justice.

“He gathered us all together,” said a family friend who lives near Zimmerman’s parents and was present at the clubhouse that night, “to thank us for helping us define his life and what path he was going to take and who he was.”

The friend, who asked not to be identified, told The Daily Beast that he and his wife pulled Zimmerman aside afterward and asked him about his career: What did he want to do with his life? Zimmerman responded that he had a specific goal. First, he would go to law school. After that, the friend said, “his ambition was to be a judge.”

Now, Zimmerman is wearing a gray prison jumpsuit instead of black robes, as he faces second-degree murder charges in the Feb. 26 shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager who was walking home through the housing complex where Zimmerman served as a neighborhood-watch captain.


As the legal case against Zimmerman begins to grind forward, The Daily Beast has learned new details about Zimmerman’s accounts to various police agencies in the moments and days after the shooting. A law-enforcement source familiar with Zimmerman’s account, but not directly involved in the case, said that in his statement to police, he said Martin’s final words after being shot were, “Okay, you got it.”



http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/04/19/new-account-zimmerman-told-cops-trayvon-s-last-words-were-okay-you-got-it.html

[Justice wanted]

1. The guy watch too many bad movies.

[Turbineguy]

2. "If I shoot this boy...

then surely they will make me a Judge"?

OK, it is Florida.

[arcane1]

3. What does that even mean??

Besides that: I would imagine it's not that easy to talk after being shot in the chest. We certainly don't hear this on the 911 call.

[Ecumenist]

8. Especially afte being shot in the chest WITH A HOLLOWPOINT ROUND!!

Wonder how much more will Trayvon say before it's all over?

[aquart]

15. That pig used a HOLLOWPOINT BULLET?

Seriously? That fucking piece of shit used a SHOOT-TO-KILL bullet? Are you sure?

[Ecumenist]

32. YEP!! I'm sure. It's stated in the latest leak from his family...NT

[slackmaster]

33. Fully jacketed bullets in that caliber have a problem with overpenetration. Hollow points are...

...perfectly appropriate for self-defense. They deliver maximum energy to the target, and are less likely than a military-type bullet to pass through and endanger innocent bystanders.

[KansDem]

4. This doesn't make sense...

Zimmerman, the source said, told officers he was so paralyzed by fear that he initially forgot he had a gun, but he said that after Martin noticed his 9mm pistol, Zimmerman pulled it out of his belt holder and fired one round, a hollow-point—the round that killed Martin.

So he was "so paralyzed by fear" he forgot he had a gun? I don't buy this for a moment. Why do people carry guns? Fear. So why do we feel a need to carry a gun out of fear if we will forget we have it when we are afraid?

But if that's his defense du jour, so be it...

[Atypical Liberal]

11. Why do you wear seat belts?

Why do you have a spare tire in your trunk?

[arcane1]

16. Exactly: the same reason

Most people don't "forget" such things.

[KansDem]

26. I have a spare tire in my trunk for fear of having a flat

Just like some people carry a gun.

But when I have a flat, I don't "forget" I have a spare tire in my trunk...

However, some folks who carry a gun out of fear will forget they have a gun when they experience fear...

[Atypical Liberal]

31. OK.

I have a spare tire in my trunk for fear of having a flat

Well as long as you consider the "fear" driving carrying a firearm to be the same as the fear of having a flat, I'm with you. Usually when people say people who carry firearms are doing so out of "fear" the implication is that it is some kind of sweaty-palmed, irrational fear.

But when I have a flat, I don't "forget" I have a spare tire in my trunk...

But how often do you think about your spare tire? And when something goes "thump" on the road, is your first thought your spare tire?

[arcane1]

13. Martin "noticed" it during a life-or-death struggle

Tell me, Zimmerman: how did you know he "noticed" your gun? Hmm? It's dark, you're struggling, fighting for your life, but you can somehow figure this out?

[bluesbassman]

37. Wait a minute, didn't Zimmerman say that Trayvon was "going" for Z's gun?

Seems to me he must have known he had a gun if he "knew" enough to fear that Trayvon was trying to take it from him..

See, these kind of inconsistencies in the story are exactly why the lead detective wanted him charged that night.

[KansDem]

38. You're right!

I remember reading that Z-Man was fighting Martin and said he was going for his gun...

Here (from March 26)--
Trayvon Martin Shooter Told Cops Teenager Went For His Gun

George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch crime captain who shot dead 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, originally told police in a written statement that Martin knocked him down with a punch to the nose, repeatedly slammed his head on the ground and tried to take his gun, a police source told ABC News.

Zimmerman had claimed he had called police about Martin, whom he found suspicious, then went back to his car when Martin attacked him, punching him.

The new information is the most complete version yet of what Zimmerman claims happened on the night of Feb. 26 when he shot and killed the teenager.

--more--
http://abcnews.go.com/US/trayvon-martin-shooter-teenager-gun/story?id=16000239

[Little Star]

5. I had read that “okay, you got it” statement early on except..

it was reported as "okay, you got me". Which makes more sense I think.

The death of that child and the circumstances under which he lost his life make me want to cry.

[Ganja Ninja]

6. Just as I thought, he was using hollow points.

What a fucking scum bucket.

[Atypical Liberal]

12. What is so exciting about hollow points?

They are the standard for defensive ammunition. It's what I keep loaded in my .45 at home.

[aquart]

18. Well, I sure hope you don't accidentally shoot off your balls with those bullets.

I surely don't.

[oldhippie]

25. I'll bet you really don't

BTW, hollowpoint bullets are carried by about 99% of all law enforcement types.

[Atypical Liberal]

30. 30 years so far and all is well.

I've owned firearms for 30 years and have never once had an accident. I think my balls are safe.

[Lizzie Poppet]

29. That's what one uses in a defensive handgun.

They're actually the more responsible choice. Full-jacketed rounds, particularly from a relatively high velocity (for a pistol) round like a 9mm, frequently exit the target, with plenty of velocity left to injure or kill. Hollow points tend not to exit. Additionally, hollow points are not statistically much more likely to cause death than fully jacketed rounds. That's because it usually requires fewer of them to stop the target (that is, make them fall down). Jacketed rounds, which transfer less energy, often require many more shots to do this, and the more times a person is shot (even if the individual wounds are less serious), the greater the chance of mortality.

Please understand that I'm not trying to paint a picture of Zimmerman as responsible. I think he was quite the opposite, a cop wannabe who ignored the explicit advise of the dispatcher and created a situation in which an innocent young man died. But his ammunition choice was one of the few responsible decisions he made.

[Ecumenist]

7. Wait, I thought he and his pappy said that he last words were

"You got me"? He said something new? Did they use a medium to get this latest version?

[CatWoman]

9. ha!!! you haven't heard shit yet

George Zimmerman’s bond hearing to determine if he is granted bail is scheduled for tomorrow, but today it was revealed that testimony from members of his family will be included during the hearing.


Zimmerman’s defense attorney Mark O’Mara filed an unopposed motion to allow them to testify by phone.

According to a court spokeswoman, O'Mara filed the motion "to allow telephonic testimony from family members." The State Attorney's Office did not object to his motion.


Zimmerman’s defense attorney Mark O’Mara filed an unopposed motion to allow them to testify by phone.

According to a court spokeswoman, O'Mara filed the motion "to allow telephonic testimony from family members." The State Attorney's Office did not object to his motion.

Courts spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy said a hearing will be held in Judge Kenneth Lester's chambers today, to "coordinate… so that telephone numbers of family members remain private."

A bond hearing is set for 9 a.m. tomorrow before Lester, who took over the case on Wednesday after the previous judge, Jessica Recksiedler, stepped aside due to a conflict of interest.


Read more: http://globalgrind.com/news/george-zimmerman-family-set-testify-bond-hearing-trayvon-martin-case-sanford-florida-details#ixzz1sVwqA7pO

[1StrongBlackMan]

20. Telephonic Testimony ...

of the family members should not give anyone pause as all they will be called on to do is attest to his "good character" and the level of family support.

But as opposing counsel, I would only agree if I had a trusted staff member present, in the room, where the family member was, giving testimony.

[Ecumenist]

28. WTF??!! TELEPHONIC TESTIMONY?? Why? What the hell is going on with

this family? Why are they testifying via phone when they didn't seem to have a problem going on every national news station to try to push the crap about zimmy the giggling psychopath..

[fascisthunter]

39. wow... he must be speshullll

so what dirt does his dad have on people in power???

[1StrongBlackMan]

10. Check-mate ...

She said Zimmerman’s parents had insisted Zimmerman had acted in self-defense. “What they told us,” the neighbor said, “is that he was reaching for his cell phone and Trayvon Martin saw his gun and reached for the gun and there was a struggle.”

If what zimmerman's parents told her is a true account of what occurred, zimmerman would have had to have drawn his gun PRIOR to coming into close contact with Martin.

What I suspect happenned was zimmerman followed Martin, caught up to him and drew his gun to "hold" him until the police got there.

Zimmerman did not have a right to draw a gun on anyone walking in a common area ... even if he suspected that person was engaged in criminal activity.

Therefore, zimmerman cannot legitimately assert SYG or self-defense and this statement supports that zimmerman was properly charged.

In order for this to have occurred as the "friend" indicated,

[tularetom]

14. You would think a guy who wanted to be a judge could dream up a better lie than that

If he was gonna make up a line from some old crappy western at least he could have had him saying "Ya got me, Tex"

[polly7]

19. +1

It's pretty unbelievable.

[1StrongBlackMan]

22. I, once, ...

wanted to be an astronaut or an architect, or an engineer ... until my grades reflected that I sucked at math.

Our aspirations rarely reflect our intellect.

[Art_from_Ark]

35. Or maybe, "You got me, Doc"

[H2O Man]

17. Coming soon:

Curious George couldn't figure out why the dangerous Man in the Hoodie Hat was following him.

I am glad that Zimmerman is requesting a meeting with Trayvon's parents. It won't happen, but the request shows George's complete lack of boundaries, and his intense need to "take control" of every situation.

[Uncle Joe]

21. Zimmerman

will ask for their forgiveness and the mother will give hers, I'm not sure about the father.

[H2O Man]

23. The parents have

solid attorneys, who will advise them against meeting George.

[Bake]

27. If they DO meet with GZ, I hope it's recorded.

Anything Zippy says could be used against him in court, as an admission against interest.

Bake

[vaberella]

40. I cannot wrap my head around that.

If you were certain you were going to die and you believed sincerely that you were in the right. Why in the hell are you apologizing? How does that make sense? To me that is just an admission of guilt. Unless he gives those non-apology apologies..."I'm sorry if my actions might have accidentally hurt the feelings of anyone. That was not my intention."

[Daalalou]

41. It's possible

My sister was hit by a car while jaywalking as a teenager. (Fortunately, she wasn't badly injured). The police determined that she, and not the driver of the car, was at fault. Nevertheless, he came to the hospital and in tears, apologized to my mother.

You can be sincerely sorry for causing harm to another, even if you felt the harm was necessary or unavoidable. Or alternately, you could feel sorry for causing harm to the loved ones of someone you killed, even if you don't regret killing that person.

However, given all the other statements coming from the Zimmerman camp, I'm very skeptical that there's anything sincere, rather than self-serving, about this.

[jwirr]

24. Trayvon said nothing - we heard his screams end at the sound of the shot.

[fascisthunter]

34. “Okay, you got it.” .... I thought his father said it was "me"

so why did he shoot, then jump on him afterwards.

This kid is a psychopath, and as thick as a brick.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

36. He Had A Party To Celebrate Getting An A A Degree

If this case wasn't so tragic he would be a laugh riot.