Addition Evidence in the George Zimmerman case has been released. The most compelling statement is that of “witness 9,” who identified George Zimmerman and his mother as racist, and this witness disclosed that Zimmerman had molested her ( a female relative ) for 10 years. This occurred between the time Zimmerman was 8 to 18 years old. The victim was two years younger.
The Washington Post asserts that while this information is interesting it would be irrelevant in the case of the murder of Trayvon Martin. In my opinion, the Washington Post is too quick to assume that the information is irrelevant. The question is whether the statement by “Witness 9” would be admissible in court. While evidence of previous crimes would generally be considered inadmissible in a typical murder case, this is NOT a “typical” murder case. If Zimmerman is charged with a “hate” crime, then his state of mind is relevant. If he was a predator, and if I were the prosecuting attorney, I would absolutely assert that the evidence of past sexual abuse would be highly relevant to show the mindset of a predator. It is even more likely that it would be admissible in the sentencing part of the trial. That is to say that if convicted, during the part of the trial when the jury considers the appropriate sentence, evidence of character is admissible, and this evidence could appropriately be considered at that time.
Witness 9’s statement is even more credible because it was made before the case was publicized, before Zimmerman was charged with a hate crime, and the witness confronted Zimmerman about the abuse, and Zimmerman acknowledged the abuse, because he apologized. Sorry!? For ten years he molested this cousin, and he is now “sorry”! After killing Trayvon Martin he hasn’t even said he was “sorry.” He accused the “fucking coon” of being the aggressor.
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July 17, 2012 at 7:10 pm
NJfan
Did he do any jail time for molesting his relative? His stalking of Trayvon Martin was based solely on his race. This is a “hate” crime that led to murder of an unarmed young black man.
July 17, 2012 at 7:22 pm
malialitman
NJfan,
I don’t think there were any criminal charges brought re this abuse.
July 17, 2012 at 9:01 pm
majiir
When the girl’s family found out about the sexual molestation, the families agreed to meet at a local restaurant. The victim says that George Zimmerman entered the restaurant, sat at the end of the booth, said, “I’m sorry,” and left. She also reports that her parents discouraged her from filing charges against him because they were afraid she’d be the one who would end up going to jail She was living with the Zimmermans in VA while her parents were in the process of relocating the family to FL. George Zimmerman can’t be charged because the statute of limitations is 4 years for this crime.
http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/264026/19/Witness-9-George-Zimmerman-molested-me
July 17, 2012 at 10:15 pm
malialitman
majiir,
Thanks for the link!
July 18, 2012 at 1:20 am
Kate (@AKRNHSNC)
This may well answer the question as to why GZ and his family have been estranged for the last five years. As a mother, I can’t imagine not speaking to one of my children for that length of time due to something they did but I’ve also read that GZ’s mother was physically abusive, his father knew about it and yet, did nothing to stop the abuse. There’s a lot going on behind the scenes that may have led GZ to seek out fame as an alleged “hero” for getting the so-called bad guy.
July 17, 2012 at 7:12 pm
Lacey
Not at all surprised by this. I also suspect his father has been covering up for his crimes all his life.
July 17, 2012 at 7:21 pm
malialitman
Lacey,
I am not surprised either, and I’m so glad that they have disclosed this!
July 17, 2012 at 8:50 pm
jk
I suspect the same thing.
July 17, 2012 at 7:35 pm
Barbara
I heard some tape of this witness 9. It was chilling. She spoke of how much she hated visiting the Zimmerman home because of what this older stronger male would do to her. Given the statistics on how many women are sexually abused in this country and given her persuasive account of the ongoing molestation I find her credible.
I think this speaks volumes about George Zimmerman’s lack of character. He’s brave when confronted with a smaller, younger woman or an unarmed teen-ager when he has a gun but he’s a complete sissy at other times.
July 17, 2012 at 10:19 pm
malialitman
Barbara,
And the amazing thing to me is that he is such a vile creature and people are sending him money!
July 18, 2012 at 9:00 am
jk
People are sending him money because he shot a killed a young black man (really, only a teenager). It’s barely disguised racism.
The “funny” part is that is a White man had shot decidedly Hispanic-looking George Zimmerman under similar cirvumstances these same assholes would be cheering on the hero for protecting the neighborhood from the menacing (Brown-skinned) “thug.”
July 18, 2012 at 9:48 am
malialitman
jk,
You’re right, and it’s just outrageous!
July 17, 2012 at 8:46 pm
jk
It was really just a matter of time before he killed someone. He was a wannabe cop patrolling his neighborhood with a loaded gun and an attitude.
July 17, 2012 at 10:16 pm
malialitman
jk,
It’s that “attitude” that makes me think the evidence of this crime might be admissible in court.
July 17, 2012 at 9:47 pm
Dis Gusted
it’s not to late to charge him with sexual abuse crimes – the statute of limitations is 25 years.
July 17, 2012 at 10:14 pm
malialitman
Dis Gusted,
Absolutely! They should charge him for sure!
July 18, 2012 at 3:22 am
Celia Harrison
When I first read about this cousin all they said was when she was a little girl he tried to touch her and look at her. I thought, well, that could be normal childhood behavior, so wait and see. When we found out more it looks very disturbing from a psychological point of view. Normally in this situation boys are told they are not to touch girls, boundaries, respect, etc. and same for girls. At that point it is perfectly normal. But when allowed to do as they please with no consequences the behavior escalates. It seems that in so many ways those normal kinds of lessons did not happen with Zimmerman or he is a psychopath.
July 18, 2012 at 5:51 pm
Cary
This is how we did a lynching years ago – or a witch burning. Get somebody in trouble, maybe guilty, maybe not, and people come out of the wood work and jump in with new evidence. All the lynch mob want’s is more slander against the accused to justify the lynching or burning the witch at the stake.
July 18, 2012 at 8:28 pm
jk
The case is in the evidence collecting phase and this is far from a lynching or a witch hunt. Everything is happening within the legal system. To suggest such a thing is patently ridiculous and suggests you either know absolutely nothing about the process, the case, and history. Or maybe you just want to bend over backwards for some reason to support this man.
(your awkward, stilted wording and use of the word “slander” is familiar)
July 24, 2012 at 3:38 pm
Cary
I guess I brought up lynchying because the New Black Panther Party has put a price on GZ’s head. And another thing, he can’t go to work, or out in public or reveal where he lives – A lot of people would love to kill him by lynching or otherwise. So to suggest a lynching really isn’t patently ridiculous as jk suggests. My awkward stilted (to jk) wording is a result of my education (MA degree from Peppedine) and past employment for 13 years as a scenario writer for military exercises. I made a living writing. Mistake I made is not understanding the readers abilities and writing to their level of comprehension.
July 18, 2012 at 5:28 am
Jim
Not a chance this is admissible, for one he was a juvenile, it’s questionable that even if it’s true, it may not be a crime. He isn’t a pedophile, look up the word, it isn’t even close to applicable to these allegations. Finally, evidence of past crimes (usually convicted crimes) are like crimes, and not character assassination. The argument could be made to make this admissible in a sentencing phase, which is still a long shot due to lack of prosecution, and juvenile age. I firmly believe that when the evidence comes out, Zimmerman will be acquitted.
July 18, 2012 at 9:51 am
malialitman
Jim,
I respectfully disagree. Whether it is his attitude towards girls, muslims, or blacks, he is a predator and I’d argue to the court that hate crimes are not necessarily an attack on only blacks, or women, or muslims, but it’s an attitude that Zimmerman thinks he is better and/or superior to all these groups. The words “white supremacists” comes to mind.
July 18, 2012 at 5:54 pm
Cary
Well, if you want to go the white supremacist route, you have to twist it some to accomadate a Hispanic that had reputation, validated in an FBI investigation, as not a racisist.
July 18, 2012 at 8:24 pm
jk
And there are people who have said he has made racist statements in the past. He is half Hispanic, true, but that doesn’t preclude racism against African Americans or a feeling of Whites being the superior race. What I do know is that many of his supporters are racist. I also know that Zimmermann made a horrible decision to stalk and confront a young man based on Zimmermann’s biases and over zealous shoot-em-up attitude. That fateful and ill-advised decision ended in tragedy.
As I’ve said, I don’t believe Zimmermann set out that night to kill someone, but he was looking to be hero and looking to start a fight and prove his manhood. Add a loaded gun and something like this was bound to happen.
July 18, 2012 at 1:18 pm
jk
Unwanted sexual advances to the degree his cousin states is a crime, PERIOD! Pedophilia may not be the right word, but “predator” is. If he was still assaulting her when he was 18, he was an adult in the eyes of the law.
What evidence are you talking about?
July 18, 2012 at 9:44 am
Pat Padrnos
Malia -
OT
Check out an article on HuffPo by John Ziegler titled, “Sarah Palin Does not Deserve to Speak at the Republican Convention”.
July 18, 2012 at 9:47 am
malialitman
Pat,
I’ll check it out! Thanks for the reference!
July 18, 2012 at 9:28 pm
Barbara
George Zimmerman stated tonight on Sean Hannity’s program that he “wouldn’t change a thing” about the night he murdered Trayvon Martin.
I hope all prospective jurors heard him exhibit his complete lack of remorse. He has no regrets for murdering an innocent young boy.
Maybe Florida should consider the death penalty for Zimmerman. He has no conscience.
July 19, 2012 at 10:47 am
malialitman
Barbara,
If he is convicted and goes to prison, I bet the inmates will teach him about remorse.
July 18, 2012 at 11:21 pm
Barbara
Grorge and Shellie Zimmerman spent $36,000 in just 18 days!!
• $6500 on Internet and phone bills
• New cell phones ($300 each)
• Telephone land line ($2500 — who spends $2500 on a land line?)
• $1300 on an AT&T cell phone contract
• $7000 in credit card bills
• $4378 on “car expenses”, including payments on two car loans, plus a rental… $800 on gas!!! (where did she go that she spent $800 on gas† — Zimmerman was in JAIL for most of it)
• $3000 to his parents (repayment of a loan)
• $5000 for bond
• $800 at the jail commissary (Do you have to pay for your own meals in the pokey, or do you get better swill if you show some green? McDonalds? Steak?)
• $600 on jailhouse calling cards. (Who was he calling for $33/day? Hannity?)
• $1300 on food (in addition to the $800 in the jail commissary — is this just what Shellie ate for 18 days?)
• $400 on utilities
• $1,900 on rent
• $4000 on American Express. That’s an ad I can see NOBODY making.
This is from the Miami Herald.
Shellie spent $1300 for food for herself for 18 days, that’s $75 a day…what the hell was she eating?!
July 19, 2012 at 10:45 am
malialitman
Barbara,
Yes, it looks like killing an unarmed black teen really pays!
July 21, 2012 at 6:05 am
Anne
I am utterly sickened by those who continue to defend George Zimmerman even after learning about his many misdeeds. While he was a kid when this began, he continued to do it into adulthood. He is a nasty piece of work who deserves to pay for killing an innocent human being. Even without this information surfacing, he has proven to be someone who thinks he can do what he wants with impunity and with no consequences.
July 21, 2012 at 12:40 pm
malialitman
Anne,
His statement during the Hannity interview just proved your point!
July 21, 2012 at 6:12 pm
Cary
Well, they haven’t proved any misdeeds. Last I heard you are still innocent until proven guilty. I think his cousin is looking for her 15 minutes of fame and has her own agenda. I spent 28+ years in the military and I will defend the constitution, that I swore to defend numerous times, and the law, and this is looking a lot like a lynching/witch burning. You people need to get a grip, take a deep breath and look at the facts of the case.
July 23, 2012 at 3:54 am
Anette
The cousin’s allegations will NEVER make it into this trial. They are not considered previous “bad acts” which in themselves would have to include convictions and even then a Judge would have to see a relevancy. Im no fan of Zimmerman but since when is someone deemed a predator based on an accusation 10 years after the alledged incident. Aren’t you showing your clear bias when you automaticalllly assume the cousin must be telling the complete.truth.Time will tell but this blogger sound like she’s heading up a kangaroo Court.
July 24, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Cary
Good points. The statute of limitations puts these accusations out of play. Makes you wonder what her motivations are in coming forward now. There isn’t 2 years difference in their ages. Could have been some innocent fooling around that the accuser want’s to now bring up for fame and glory.