Gun, drug texts feature in new Trayvon Martin shooting evidence~

[Sunshine]

Time for the rest of the story~

(CNN) -- Items taken from Trayvon Martin's cell phone -- including a text-message discussion of drug use and pictures of a gun and marijuana plants -- are among new details released Thursday by attorneys for the neighborhood watch volunteer accused of killing him without provocation 14 months ago.

The evidence, George Zimmerman's attorneys say, paints a different picture of the 17-year-old than the one portrayed by his family and supporters. Lead defense attorney Mark O'Mara says he will try to use the evidence if prosecutors attempt to attack Zimmerman's character during his trial on second-degree murder charges, set to begin next month.

Also Thursday, O'Mara filed motions in court. One asks for sanctions against the state for withholding evidence and for saying it didn't have more evidence when asked. The second requests that his client's trial be delayed.

Much of the new evidence disclosed Thursday in filings by Zimmerman's attorneys comes from Martin's cell phone, including photos showing a semiautomatic pistol and ammunition and small marijuana plants growing in pots.

A photo posted online Monday, December 3, shows George Zimmerman with blood on his nose and lips. His attorneys say it was taken the night unarmed teen Trayvon Martin was killed in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman, 28, faces second-degree murder charges in the death of Martin in Sanford, Florida, on February 26, 2012. Other evidence photos were released earlier this year: Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense. Martin's attorneys say he was shot and killed "in cold blood." Zimmerman said that before he shot the teenager, he was "assaulted (by Martin) and his head was struck on the pavement," according to a police report. According to a fire department report, Zimmerman had "abrasions to his forehead," "bleeding/tenderness to his nose" and a "small laceration to the back of his head" when he was treated at the scene. In a photo released by the Sanford Police Department, Zimmerman's hands appear to be unmarked. Prosecutors allege Zimmerman unjustly killed Martin, an unarmed teenager, after profiling him. Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty and claims self-defense. Zimmerman's gun is displayed. The shooting raised questions about gun laws, as well as the merit of the "stand your ground" law in Florida and similar laws in other states. Crime scene photos released by the Sanford Police Department show Trayvon Martin's cell phone at the scene of the shooting. Evidence marker 2 shows a plastic sack found at the crime scene. A can of Arizona iced tea was found on the ground at the Martin crime scene. Trayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceTrayvon Martin evidenceHIDE CAPTION<<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >>>
Photos: Trayvon Martin evidence In other pictures, Martin is pictured making obscene gestures in an apparent self-portrait, as well pictures showing him with friends and in other settings.

The text messages include a conversation from November 2011 in which he appears to say his mother has kicked him out of the house after "da police caught me outta skool."

"So you just turning into a lil hoodlum," the person with whom he is texting says.

"Naw, I'm a gangsta," the text message read.

Gun, drug texts feature in new Trayvon Martin shooting evidence - CNN.com

 

[nitroz]

That doesn't excuse the fact that Zimmerman escalated the situation and was in possession of an illegal firearm.

 

[Sallow]

The fun thing about them doing this..is that if this stuff gets introduced in court..Zimmerman's past violent behavior will be too.

 

[nitroz]

The fun thing about them doing this..is that if this stuff gets introduced in court..Zimmerman's past violent behavior will be too.

Don't forget that felony.
And how it's a crime to have an illegal gun (unregistered, without license) when you are a convicted felon.

 

[SantaFeWay]

Not sure where this info is coming from. Personally, I'll wait to hear more evidence before I make a decision but Zimmerman is not a convicted felon and his gun was legal. So...huh?

All the facts should come in, including Z's violent past and Martin's drug use and school suspensions, etc. Just let it in and let the jury decide what happened. Everything I know points to the fact that Z should not have gotten out of his car, but Martin should not have punched him in the face, held him down and beat on him. Both were wrong and it wasn't racially motivated, that angle is PR orchestrated by Martin's family to draw attention to their son's tragic death. Too much history in Sanford, FL with police brutality and other gang/violence issues so the atmosphere was a powderkeg and this death was the flame.

 

[Gracie]

Personally, I'm a bit fed up with the slant the media is putting out there that that kid is oh-so-innocent with pics of him smiling and looking like a nice kid but don't bother showing pics of him flipping off the camera, smoking and dressed all gangbangish. Which is what I'm pretty sure he DID look like at the time. Zimmerman was an idiot and should have waited for the cops. However, Martin was not the 'who-me' bystander, either. Something went down and now he is dead. Did zimmerman have cause? Don't know. Not until the trial begins. But I, for one, think there is more to what martin did than just have skittles and sauntering along.

 

[Katzndogz]

Not sure where this info is coming from. Personally, I'll wait to hear more evidence before I make a decision but Zimmerman is not a convicted felon and his gun was legal. So...huh?

All the facts should come in, including Z's violent past and Martin's drug use and school suspensions, etc. Just let it in and let the jury decide what happened. Everything I know points to the fact that Z should not have gotten out of his car, but Martin should not have punched him in the face, held him down and beat on him. Both were wrong and it wasn't racially motivated, that angle is PR orchestrated by Martin's family to draw attention to their son's tragic death. Too much history in Sanford, FL with police brutality and other gang/violence issues so the atmosphere was a powderkeg and this death was the flame.

Liberals made it up. They made up a felony charge and made up a conviction. They made up illegal possession of a gun. They just get confused when what they made up never makes it into court.

 

[Katzndogz]

The way it works is, if the prosecution wants to say that Trayvon Martin was a nice kid and beating someone up is totally out of character, all the evidence going to the falsity of that character is going to come in. If the prosecution sticks to the facts alone, the defense can't introduce such character information.

The same for Zimmerman. If the defense says that Zimmerman was too nice a guy to ever wantonly attack someone, then the door is opened for past conduct to be introduced to impeach those statements. With, of course, evidence of Zimmerman's contributions to minorities, his mentoring of black children, his black relatives, etc.

 

[SantaFeWay]

I agree, Gracie and Katzndogz.

I don't think liberals made it up. I think Martin's family was furious Zimmerman was not going to be arrested, because police believed his account of self-defense, and they admittedly hired not only civil rights attorneys, but a PR firm to basically instigate anger for their perceived injustice. They, pretty successfully, turned Trayvon Martin into a poster child against the evils of racial profiling, etc. It really is disgusting.

I do think when people allow themselves to be drawn into the overblowing of something they perceive to be a meaningful social issue without knowing the facts, as Obama did, then they run the risk of obscuring the truth.

 

[SantaFeWay]

Yes, Katz. I understand the rules of evidence. I don't like them. I think the jury should be allowed to consider all the facts and let the chips fall where they may. Both individuals in this case have past indiscretions. Let the jury place whatever weight they want to on them.

 

[longknife]

You Redneck Liberals continue to do your best to defend the little punk who got blown away by a Hispanic instead of a fellow black.

Disgusting.

 

[SantaFeWay]

Where are ya when I need ya, Testa???

Feed the turtles...