[alias]

Zimmerman's father has legal connections:

Zimmerman: Dad worked as magistrate

ABC Action News
Tampa, FL
March 28, 2012

TAMPA, Fla. - Some viewers on the ABC Action News facebook page have asked whether George Zimmerman’s father served as a judge.
Some have speculated Zimmerman’s father may have used that position to get a 2005 charge against his son thrown out (although, while the charge of assaulting a law enforcement officer was dropped, there is no proof Zimmerman’s father played any role in making that happen).

On Wednesday, we decided to answer your questions about what was truth and what was fiction.

We obtained a copy of George Zimmerman’s application to join the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office Citizens Law Enforcement Academy.

In it, Zimmerman writes that his “father is a retired Magistrate Judge for the supreme court (sic) of Virginia.”

George Zimmerman’s father is Robert Zimmerman. Robert Zimmerman gave a statement to the ‘Orlando Sentinel’ defending his son’s role in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin.

We then contacted the Virginia Supreme Court to confirm Robert Zimmerman’s employment.

Kristi Wright with the Department of Legislative and Public Relations wrote us this email in response:

“Robert J. Zimmerman served as a full-time magistrate from 2000-2006. Please be advised that in Virginia magistrates are judicial officers, but they are not considered "judges" and do not possess trial jurisdiction. More detailed information on the role of the magistrate in Virginia is available on Virginia's Judicial System Website .”

***

From that ^ Virginia Judicial System link (maybe the code of conduct expires upon retirement):

CANONS OF CONDUCT FOR VIRGINIA MAGISTRATES

Magistrates are independent judicial officers. They make decisions that directly impact the liberty, reputation and economic interests of people. Therefore, magistrates should exercise a high degree of circumspection, professionalism, dignity, and conscientiousness in performing their magisterial duties.

Canon 1

A MAGISTRATE SHOULD UPHOLD THE INTEGRITY AND INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY.

Canon 2

A MAGISTRATE SHALL AVOID IMPROPRIETY AND THE APPEARANCE OF IMPROPRIETY IN ALL OF THE MAGISTRATE'S ACTIVITIES.

[dselectronics]

Thanks for the video links, Zippy and stache .

Very entertaining exchange above, too. You're absolutely right, SM .

The video is hilarious and 100% spot-on.


Just saw this on the news :

Congressman dons hoodie in protest

PS: If looking suspicious is measured by one's appearance alone, I'd judge Zimmerman far more suspicious than Trayvon Martin no matter what either of them was wearing.

[Weislenalkata]

From what I've been reading, there may be some sort of connection between...

Robert Zimmerman - the retired magistrate, who lives in a more upscale community near that of his son.
State Attorney Norman Wolfinger - who recused himself from the case.
Sanford Chief of Police Bill Lee - suspended.
Detective Chris Serino - the head homicide detective, who was not called to the shooting scene (a narcotics detective was called instead), but was present at the police station when George Zimmerman was brought in.

Robert Zimmerman gave an videotaped interview in which he stated:
Trayvon Martin got on top of him, and just started beating him. In his face, on his nose, hitting his face on the concrete.

After nearly a minute of being beaten, George was trying to get his head off the concrete, trying to move with Trayvon on him, in the grass. In doing so, his firearm was shown. Trayvon Martin said something to the effect of, 'You're going to die now,' or 'You're going to die tonight' or something to that effect. Then this supposedly happened: Robert Zimmerman said Martin continued to beat his son, and George Zimmerman at some point pulled out his gun and "did what he did." http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/03/29...ened-his-life/

A few problems with this account.

According to George Zimmerman, Martin was on top of him, his knees pinning down Zimmerman's arms. The handgun was in a belt holster; it would have been behind Martin. How did it come into view? And if it did come into view and Martin was at this point determined to kill Zimmerman, why didn't Martin reach for the gun?

Also, Martin stating "You're going to die tonight" would be an important piece of evidence. I've found no information that Zimmerman told this to the Sanford police when he was interviewed.


On the night of the incident, Norman Wolfinger was either at the shooting scene or the police station, and spoke in person with Bill Lee. It was reported that it's highly unusual for the State Attorney to initially appear at the crime scene; it's generally an assistant. There have been other violent crimes in the Sanford area. Why did he go to this one?

Detective Chris Serino is the one who found problems with Zimmerman's account, and stated in an affidavit on Feb 26th that Zimmerman should be charged. He was overruled by the prosecutors office. On or about March 5th, Serino and another detective interviewed the 13 year old boy who was walking his dog, heard the gunshot, and spoke to the 911 dispatcher.



I wondered how ABC obtained the police video. The reporter, Matt Gutman said in an interview that he just asked the police, and they gave it to him.

There might be conflict between the Sanford police, who are taking most of the criticism for a decision they didn't make, and the prosecutor's office.

[zbckFNlW]

Amazing how a guy that had his "nose broken" had no blood on his face or clothes. Amazing his his head was "smashed against the sidewalk" yet there are no visible marks.

At the VERY LEAST, he is exaggerating things quite obviously.

And his father is full of crap. he was not on the phone with him, he was not a witness, he should STFU and let them (law enforcement) do their job.

[hasasnn2345tv]

Zip, Sanford may just be trying to keep their hands off this as much as they can.

It is odd that that tape was gotten so quickly and so easily (w/o a warrant or court order?). I smell politics.

[Carol]

Here's another little tidbit--the movie director Spike Lee, in an effort to utilize social media and stir up a few flames, created a tweet disclosing the home address of George Zimmerman and sent it out to his many friends. Silly Spike. He gave out THE WRONG ADDRESS--and an elderly couple, who, I presume, had zero to do with the shooting or the characters involved, found themselves the unwitting target of the angry mobs. The old folks, who suddenly were stunned to find themselves neck-deep in this ugly controversy, had to abandon their home and go stay in a motel. They were interviewed by a local reporter at their undisclosed motel room last night ( by one of the Orlando stations, as it happened) and it was evident that they were really scared by this happening to them and they feared returning to their home.
What motivated Mr Lee to inject such fear into this neighborhood and upon these people? Was he merely sharing some information or did his action have deeper meaning? Where did he find this ( incorrect) information, and can he or his sources now be trusted to have any credibility? Why has he decided to inject himself into the Zimmerman/ Martin incident? He doesn't live in Orlando, nor, I assume, does he know any of the people involved. I think he lives in New York, right?
He has since done a re-tweet, apologizing for his rush to judgement and advising his followers to avoid the home of the old folks. Classy move, Spike. You may have just dodged a lawsuit.

Recently, like during my last few visits to "WNY", I decided to shed my lassitude about the Z/M situation and pay closer attention. I'm on the cusp of interest, de-bored and forming some opinions, and I plan to watch every news blurb about the case that I'm capable of. I also plan to use fewer metaphors and to type a little slower, so anyone can clearly understand what I write.

--Would it be inappropriate to disclose Spike Lee's home address at this time?
Just wondering...

[fiettariaps]

Zip, Sanford may just be trying to keep their hands off this as much as they can.

It is odd that that tape was gotten so quickly and so easily (w/o a warrant or court order?). I smell politics.

My guess is that the police want charges to be filed, or at least don't want to be the ones blamed if charges aren't filed. There was an earlier "unauthorized leek" of information about Martin.

BTW, the last person who had contact with Martin, other than Zimmerman, was his 16 year-old girlfriend, who has remained anonymous. Martin was talking to her on his cell during the incident. As of last night, she still has not been interviewed by police, although reporters have interviewed her several times.


Spike Lee, Geraldo Rivera, Jesse Jackson, the Rep on the House floor in a hoodie, etc - have nothing to do with whether or not Zimmerman should be charged with a crime.

[gariharrr]

People like to be angry about something, even if it has nothing to do with them.

I am not saying that this story does not deserve attention, but I also do not think it deserves this kind of emotion. Angry mobs are never the best juries.

[jakitula]

Silly Spike.

And speaking of silliness.... re: Representative Bobby Rush's protest hoodie (Merry's post above):

It is interesting how the story seems to change with the telling. In the 911 call, Zimmerman opens by saying the following:

"We’ve had some break-ins in my neighborhood and there’s a real suspicious guy. It’s Retreat View Circle. The best address I can give you is 111 Retreat View Circle. This guy looks like he’s up to no good or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around looking about."

Actually it is the 911 dispatcher that brings up race by asking: "OK, is he White, Black, or Hispanic?"

Zimmerman says: "He looks black."

The dispatcher then asks "Did you see what he was wearing?"

Zimmerman "Yeah, a dark hoodie like a gray hoodie. He wore jeans or sweat pants and white tennis shoes."

A bit later Zimmerman qualifies what the dispatcher asked him by saying: "he’s a black male"