This is the story as the way I see it.
On April 4, 2013 Benjamin Crump walked into the Seminole County Courthouse and filed the settlement agreement reached with the Retreat at Twin Lake Homeowners Association. He filed the agreement in the States case against George Zimmemrman.
On April 5th, 2013 the clerk of the courthouse sent a letter to Crump which states:
How that reads to me is that Crump filed the agreement in tact, NOT redacted and left instructions to seal the entire thing because the details within the document contained confidential information.
And unless Crump filed the appropriate motion pursuant to subdivision (d)(3), the agreement would be made public:
E. Rule 2.420 , Public Access to Judicial Branch Records, Fla. Rules of Judicial Administration
http://www.myflsunshine.com/sun.nsf/manual/fd4a32d299e25158852566f30072aeaa
So the clerk would have made the agreement public on April 15, 2013. However, on April 11th, 2013(stamped April 12 on the court record) O’Mara filed a motion to unseal the record.
As I see it, what this motion from O’Mara in effect did was put the file in stasis. What this did in effect was stop the file from being released as the clerk would have done on April 15 had she not received the appropriate response from Crump. O’Mara essentially did that for Crump.
All O’Mara had to do was wait four days. If Crump had not filed anything the clerk would have released the file and there would no need for O’Mara to do anything. If Crump did respond to the clerk, O’Mara then could have responded to that but NOW because of O’Mara it has become Crump responding to him instead.
If the terms, parties and amount are what Crump wanted to be kept confidential why did he not redact those items before filing with the court? It seems to me Crump screwed up by filing an unredacted version but thanks to O’Mara he won’t have to worry about that. Don’t get me completely wrong here. I’m sure Crump would have filed with the clerk, he more than likely would have done so on the last day like he did with the list he gave to O’Mara regarding who was in the room with him during the DeeDee interview. But why not wait a few days and see? Would that have not been the best way to go here? O’Mara then could have fashioned his response to what Crump WOULD have said if O’Mara had not filed his motion first.
DiwataMan 
The Insurer will file for confidentiality too. I think the filing by Crump, in the first place, was a sham from he get go. I think what he filed is redacted as to amount and parties, and the function of filing was Crump interposing a willing clerk/leaker so he (Crump) could get to the press (Stutzman) all the while claiming he was using a confidentiality-protecting system.
The mere fact of the settlement agreement is confidential. So, even with amount and parties redacted, disclosing the existence of a settlement to the public is a breach of the agreement. Said another way, the document doesn’t have to have redacted amount and parties in rder to be a confidential filing.
If Crump riffed off O’Mara’s filing for disclosure, then O’Mara just learned some of the (lame, IMO) arguments the prosecution intends to use on the voice ID issue. And we all learned that Crump has trouble with basic logic.
If Crump had redacted it then what is the clerk talking about “…information contained within this document…”? If it was redacted then why seal it? If part of the agreement was not to reveal the agreement in any form why file it redaceted or not? Regardless, O’Mara helped Crump here, all had to do was wait a few days.
The clerk’s letter is boilerplate, following the analysis contained in the Judicial Administration Rules. Cruimp’s filing, even in redacted form, discloses the existence of a settlement agreement. Existence of a settlement agreement is, itself, confidential information (except now conveniently leaked to Stutzman).
It’s sealed by the court because the person filing it asserted it was confidential. The clerk’s letter says the clerk disagrees that the material is protected. It’s redacted by the person filing it because the person filing it doesn’t want even the leakee (Stutzman) or the leaker (clerk) to know the parties or amount.
O’Mara baited Crump into making remarks about the voice ID. Crump could have made a sufficient response in four paragraphs, but rambled about his view of the case in chief instead of explaining the authority for maintaining confidentiality of the settlement agreement.
I predict the ultinmate decision of the court will be to protect the document, in part based on a filing from the HOA insurer. I expect the press will move to make the agreement public, in order to help sell more newspapers.
Oh, and O’Mara got to plant the seed that the possibility of a payoff might color Tracy and/or Sybrina’s testimony. I don’t think Crump is dim-witted enough to tee that one up for O’Mara. But O’Mara teed it up for Crump, and look at what all fell out of that!
Crump got what he wanted, lets everyone know about the settlement, keeps what he wants confidential. Makes MOM waste time and resources trying to get the details of the settlement and stops a potentially bad moment on the stand for Sybrina or Tracy. MOM can spring the information of the settlement during the trial, by that time of the trial the settlement will be out of everyone’s mind.
Crump filed the redacted document with a “NOTICE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION WITHIN COURT FILING” the Court rules (Rules of Judicial Administration, Rule 2.420), IOW the document needs to be sealed, the Clerk accepts the document and determines that it does not qualify, gives Crumps 10 why it should remain sealed. It is how the document was filed, that gives it the original seal not the contents.
“Regardless, O’Mara helped Crump here, all had to do was wait a few days.”
Geez, and he waited a whole long month to turn in George’s second passport. Maybe he’s overcompensating to make up for the past. But I don’t think so. Whether he helped Crump intentionally or not, its like he subconsciously brings about the worst outcomes in this.
I predict you are going to see the filing released on April 15th and as noted in Mr. O’Mara’s motion #7, it will show “That a settlement was entered which is the subject of the alleged confidential civil settlement agreement filed with this court in a redacted form”
What the court will hear arguments on at the next hearing is if the parts Crump redacted should be made known. ie the parties to the agreement, the amount and the terms.
Crump argued that those should stay private (he didn’t share them with the court) and the other parties will be sending in opposition to providing that information to the defense as well. O’Mara argues that GZ 6th amendment right trumps their agreement to keep those 3 pieces private. The Judge will decide.
Rene Stutzman saw the pages and the amount was redacted she said. So the court doesn’t know it either. Mr. O’Mara is arguing that Crump should be made to make the settlement amount known to GZ so any financial incentives for witnesses against him can be weighed against their testimony or their change in statements ie: That is not my son screaming for help. No, what a minute, a million dollars at stake, “Yes I think it was him, it was a bad recording I heard.”
What I don’t get is how can Crump just walk into court and put anything in the criminal case. Can anyone do that?
It won’t be released April 15. Crump’s filing stops the 10 day clock. By rule (not that the court follows deadline rules), the court has 30 days in which to render a decision.
Thank you. Now that you say that again, I remember you said that before. 🙂 Thanks again.
O’Mara’s motion is what in effect did that. Crumps motion was in response to O’Mara.
Crump filed it as confidential, and I think he always believed it would be kept that way. In order to keep it confidential, either he or the HOA insurer would have to move the court to consider it was in that big fat range of “protected, but not on the clerk’s list” items. E.g., trade secret.
We’ll never know, for sure, if Crump and the HOA were willing to let the clerk publish the agreement to the world, and but for O’Mara’s filing, Crump (and the HOA) would let the clerk publish what Crump filed. But I think that scenario is a vanishingly slim possibility, given the intere$t$ that Crump and the HOA insurer have to protect.
Well that’s exactly what I’m saying, lol. I don’t get the confusion here. You are right, we’ll never know now thanks to O’Mara filing his motion on it. I think that alone, without Crumps response, or the insurer’s response who was not named in the clerks letter, would have had the same effect.
There is confusion on multiple points. I am pretty sure I’ve stated my thoughts clearly enough and completly enough, and don’t want to be more of a thread hog than I’ve already been. It doesn’t matter if we think we’re seeing eye to eye or not.
I asked that question also, the lawyers told me that normally the Clerk will not allow that to be done, but in this case Crump had already filed other documents so it got through the filter.
If either one of us wanted to add something into the record we would need the permission of the Judge after establish relevancy.
Crump is a party to an intramural skirmish under the case in chief, and filed responses to motions to compel, and motion to reconsider motion to compel. Another filing would not be seen as unusual. It’s not like he’s a total stranger to the criminal case.
That said, the entire filing of this document, in this case, is capital H, hinky. There is nothing regular about it.
Someone in the Clerk’s office likes him. He also got his affidavit into the Judge’s hand on the day he submitted it and got it addressed to his satisfaction too. (Feb. 5th)
I don’t know I think is brilliant. off the top of my head,
1) Lets see he muddy’s the jury pool, HOA settle to avoid worst judgement after conviction.
2) Free National publicity for his client
3) Makes MOM waste time and resources on a losing fight
4) Takes away, a potential trap, having MOM ask about a settlement on the stand
5) By releasing the settlement news now, nobody will remember during the trial
Not to sound prejudiced but Crump has made some good moves since his association with Blackwell.
I really could care less what Rene has to say. If they were redacted then what is Crump worried about. The court is going to unseal redacted documents? And this achieves what in O’Mara’s world?
The reason Crump has no worry is that he isn’t the leaker. The court is the leaker. BUT, the agreement recites that it (the agreement) is voidable if either party discloses the existence of the agreement. As filed, if the clerk hadn’t conveniently leaked, we would not know it was a copy of the settlement agreement.
O’Mara is acting as though the document isn’t redacted. It doesn’t matter either way. He’s got his legal argument out there (mostly pertaining to the case in chief), and if the court decides to screw the HOA insurer out of its trade secret, then O’Mara has a tidbit that might be persuasive to a jury. Redacted now, but ordered revealed by the court.
No one including Crump cares if what he filed is made public. We already know the information. It was leaked (on purpose). His firm got the Estate of Trayvon Martin a settlement against the HOA.
In O’Mara’s world, defending GZ, this could discredit the parents testimony if their testimony/statement is viewed with the lens that what they say could gain or lose them money. How much does that factor into what they say. How credible is the argument that Tracy (after learning his could get millions) thinks now it’s his son yelling?
I bet the HOA insurer cares if its name and amount it settled for are made public. I bet it is mad as a swarm of hungry hornets. Should the HOA get screwed on account of Crump’s dysfunction?
Like you just said, if Crump makes this known HOA may get their money back. Perhaps they would like this to become public too.
They gave him nuisance money but he continued to be a nuisance.
“No one including Crump cares if what he filed is made public.”
You don’t know that. If he didn’t care then why ask for it to be sealed? It was redacted remember, according to Rene anyway.
“We already know the information. It was leaked (on purpose).”
You don’t know that. I saw nothing from the court to this effect, only Rene’s word.
“In O’Mara’s world, defending GZ, this could discredit the parents testimony…”
How would redacted document’s achieve all that?
I am talking about 2 different things. The first thing is the redacted settlement that Crump filed. The 2nd thing is the argument O’Mara is making to make known what is believed to be redacted in that filing.
Where do you read in Crump’s answer he wants what he filed to remained sealed? What part of his answer said that? In his first sentence he is arguing to keep the settlement amount sealed. O’Mara is arguing he should be compelled to expose it.
By all accounts the amount was redacted. So he isn’t arguing keeping his filing confidential, he’s arguing keeping his redactions in place.
PS: if I had the skill I’d bold the word “amount” in my second paragraph. Making Crump’s filing public will not make the amount known. Crump is believed to have redacted it in his filing.
Let’s see if this works and then if it does I can tell you how I did it if you want–it’s not a big secret if I know it. : – )
“PS: if I had the skill I’d bold the word “amount” in my second paragraph. ”
unitron
Crump’s answer is a disjointed and inconsistent work. You pick the remedy he is seeking from the menu he offers.
#1 on the menu: in the intro (unnumbered paragraph), “to allow the settlement amount reached between plaintiffs and the unidentified defendants in this matter to be kept UNDER SEAL.” (caps in the original). That can be iterpreted two ways, in it’s own right. Either as keeping the settlement amount confidential, or as keeping the settlement amount and the unidenitifed defendants confidential.
#2 on the menu: in paragraph numbered 2 he purports to recite part of the contents of the agreement. “the terms of this agreement and any amounts paid [and] the names of the Releasing Parties and Released Parties.” I read that as including a) terms, b) amount, and c) identification of parties.
#3 on the menu: in paragraph 3, he asks to keep the entire filing sealed, as well as any other document that may refer to the settlement (which would include O’Mara’s motion). The request from the motion summarizes the agreement as “confidentiality of settlement terms and amounts is essential,” and “urge the Court to prevent the disclosure by sealing the General Release, and all other Motions or documents which reflect the amount and/or settlement terms.” The General Release is the title for the entire settlement agreement. In this option, Crump requests the entire settlement agreement be sealed, and in addition, sealing of other papers filed.
#4 on the menu: see paragraph 14. “terms, parties, and amount … to comply with the agreement.” This resembles menu item #2.
Separately, as I skim through this document, I am impressed by the extent of Crump’s grasp of the law. And not in a good way. This filing is LOL funny, but in a lawyer’s insider joke sort of way. In para 14, he is trying to impress the reader that the proper administration of justice is at risk here. That is nuts. All that is at risk is the privacy of a legal litigation avoidance settlement agreement, and whatever fallout accompanies disclosure. Disclosure of confidential settlement agreements is not an uncommon event, there is fallout between the parties. But Crump is using the legal buzzword phrase “proper administration of justice” that implies the court’s function is at risk if the agreement is made public. Things like bribed jurors, bought-off judge, unruly courtroom, etc. are the sorts of things that contravene the proper administration of justice.
Mr. Crump provides no reason why he put what he calls an irrelevant issue into the criminal court record.
I thought paragraph 12 gave a hint. “Alternatively, the release of this confidential information could have the effect of tainting the potential jury pool, providing an unfair advantage to George Zimmerman in his trial. The release could ultimately prevent the ability of the prosecution to select a fair and impartial jury”
He was looking to pollute the jury pool by getting it out there that there was a settlement in a wrongful death claim. It worked, that’s what the headlines said.
With Mr. Crump I’m finding that what he points at in others, he sees in himself. He, without knowing GZ, called him a racist from the beginning when all the while, it is Mr. Crump who uses skin color to judge others. He uses his own skin color to make a living.
Here when he says making the document and its entire contents public will somehow give George Zimmerman an advantage in his criminal case I ask why? How can this help George with the jurors? Perhaps the settlement isn’t as large as was floated by Rene and others.
It does give some insight into why he filed though. His mind is on the effect it has of potential jurors.
Exactly, Nettles. Mark O’Mara knew exactly what he was doing when he filed that Motion 4 days before Crump’s 10 days were up. This gets defense argument about witness bias for financial gain on the record. Crump would almost assuredly have filed somnething at the 11th hour, using up precious time that defense has to prepare before jury selection begins ( less than 2 months). Imo, O’Mara turned the tables & used Crump’s attempt to taint the jury pool into a defense advantage no matter how the biased stringy haired judge rules. He got Tracy Martin’s lie (as well as Crumps) on the record.
yes, that makes a lot of sense.
it seems like bashing MOM without understanding the motives is still going on. why keep doubting the man? he obviously has his strategies, even if they are not apparent to the minions.
Asinine comment. Almost makes an idiot think that the parents wanted their son dead to collect money. Yet, O’Mara continiues to do everything except prepare a decent defense for George. I have visited many sites concerning this case and am tired of the name-calling, focusing on everything except what actually happened on 2/26/12. My opinion is, if your break the law, you should face the music. Trying to assassinate someone else’s character and reputation to take the spotlight off what actually occurred is what makes this whole thing so tiring. What will be the opinion of those that donated hard-earned money when they find out how their money was spent? What will be the opinion of everyone if it is revealed that George killed Trayvon because he could and did? Most won’t care they will still feel as they do now. What would be the opinion of the Trayvon supporters if it is revealed that he actually started the fight? Bottom line, we may never know what actually happened that night, so stop getting so worked up on either side and live your life. Yes, what happened is a tragedy to both families and many other lives are affected by what happened that night, but we all still have to continue living.
I see you have Mr. Crump’s talking points. Again, it was Mr. Crump who put this discussion out there by filing what he himself describes as a distraction. Go talk to him about staying focussed.
…”Trying to assassinate someone else’s character and reputation to take the spotlight off what actually occurred is what makes this whole thing so tiring”
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You are talking about what both Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, aided and abetted by Crump, did, right? Because I agree with you. Trying to assassinate George’s reputation by labeling him a racist, a stalker and a cold blooded murderer, simultaneously lying about Trayvon’s real track record of violence and escalating criminality for financial gain while risking someone’s life and liberty is more than tiring. It’s sickening. And I hope that all the liars in the Scheme – from the dishonest and disingenuous parents of Trayvon to every member tangentially involved in this “Scheme” to pervert justice pays the price for their wilful obstruction of justice.
Well said, Karen S.!!!!! I forgot to mention Sybrina and her lies in my original post about the “settlement”. Thanks for the reminder, Mark O’Mara cornered them all on the record (at least partially), when he called Crump’s bluff before Crump and his buddy the judge had time to get the private record Crump entered into criminal court records sealed. Now it doesn’t matter whether it is sealed or not. The schemers are in the sunlight.
I mean everybody involved. Either side. I don’t waste my time calling anyone names. It just would be nice to know what really happened. I still don’t understand the Sunshine laws, wherein information concerning a case can be released before trial but I have been told several times that because the State of Florida has them, information can be released. I think the over-abundance of information released, has people or the public, convicting without the benefit of a proper trial. Speedy trial was waived, so hence all the arm-chair lawyers stating their opinions. I wasn’t there, so I do not know. Different versions of what occurred; potential witnesses on both sides lying or changing their original statements, hard to really know what to believe.
Trisha Cope – When Crump called in Sharpton & J Jackson to help ratchet up the anger, hate, and their racist agenda, Sybrina & Tracy were spewing more lies supported by Nat Jack, Julison, & other handler’s with Sybrina saying: “my son was murdered for the color of his skin” or “hunted down like a dog because he was black.” Meanwhile, the GRIFTERS worked together to CREATE THE Image of the person TM never was. WHY would a parent LIE about the person their son was ONLY to be exposed & confronted by the media when the facts came to light? Sad that Trayvon didn’t live with either parent yet they have pocketed the $$$$$$ & will off Trayvon for the rest of their lives.
I say thank GOD for the Sunshine Law that has EXPOSED the discovery by the State, the embarrassing performance of BDLR trying to HIDE Brady Material ONLY to exposed, DISPELLED the racial accusations, shown the public the LIES the State’s STAR witness has told, DD ADMITTING Sybrina was sitting next to her during BDLR’s interview//deposition. BRING ON the facts in this case, due to the Sunshine Law we have seen the depths Corey/BDLR have stooped that we would NOT have seen otherwise. The State has admitted they don’t even “know who threw the first punch,” that would be the aggressor, and dispelled the hate filled narrative promoted by Crump/Company, they have all been shown as liars and grifters imho.
If not for the Sunshine Law, we would only have the LYING agenda of Crump & Company, they have all been exposed!
Ditto! well said. every state needs Sunshine Laws. Prosecutors should be appointed not elected. This case has people engaged and passionate because it exposes many broken systems and distorted racial politics which undermine social needs. LA Times had a poll last week, 50% of respondents felt GZ could not get a fair trial, this is most definitely a case worthy of public attention.
I disagree that prosecutors need to be appointed rather than elected. How would you like Gov. Cuomo, in NY, appointing prosecutors. How would you like Gov. O’Malley in MD appointing prosecutors? It’s bad enough that the president can fire all federal prosecutors, appoint federal judges who subscribe to his leftist ideology, and insure that ruling from the bench, not according to law, but according to personal beliefs and ideologies rules the day in whatever cases they rule on.
Those that win elections, like Angela Corey Bondi find their way to class, race, and gender warfare, and come out on the side of white guilt, all for the purpose of winning votes, and hence more power to control peoples lives. These people really have no principles, no morals and no conscience. It’s all about winning elections, due process is for the little guy who doesn’t have the money or power to fight back.
My point was that the voters of these people need a much better education. Don’t ever be fooled by anyone because they have an R or D after their names. It’s getting harder and harder to tell the difference.
Minpin, I understand your point about appointing prosecutors, but your using NY as an example is a bad one. In NY the prosecutors whether appointed or elected are all going to be from the same mold. Otherwise, they would never get elected. Most elections in NY are decided in the primaries, by the time of the general election, the winner is known.
The BGI wins more than they lose simply because it is the path of least resistance. Rarely, the BGI needs to involve itself so heavily in an outcome of a case because whenever the BGI actually does have a legitimate case, the opposition will fold right away.
OJ Simpson, Duke LaCrosse, Rodney King, these kind of cases only come up every 5-10 years. They do not have a legitimate case with GZ and that is where the resistance is coming from.
I certainly think GZ is unlikely to be convicted. However if he is, it will be a shame and another victory by the BGI. But Everyone will go on living.
However, if GZ is acquitted of all charges. There will certainly be riots. Probably not too bad, but you never know. The BGI will certainly continue to use this case as propaganda about how the justice system and America is horribly racist. But that was a given, and they do that every possible chance anyway,
“OJ Simpson, Duke LaCrosse, Rodney King, these kind of cases only come up every 5-10 years. They do not have a legitimate case with GZ and that is where the resistance is coming from. ”
There was no legitmate case against the Duke Lacrosse players either. That was why Nifong was removed and disbarred.
“I certainly think GZ is unlikely to be convicted. However if he is, it will be a shame and another victory by the BGI. But Everyone will go on living.”
How cavelier of you to claim that everyone will just move along, accept the railroading of GZ, and hey, nothing to see here, let’s just move along to the next railroading. GZ is just a small little fish in the big sea. No worries, no bothers. Hey, it doesn’t affect me personally, so let’s just move along.
“However, if GZ is acquitted of all charges. There will certainly be riots. Probably not too bad, but you never know.”
How many protests, riots, calls for Justice for Trayvon across the country, early on, where people were beaten, and some killed, in the name of Trayvon would qualify as “not to bad”? How many people have to be injured and/or killed in the country, for Trayvon, would it take to qualify you to believe that the incidents were “really bad” or even a “little bad”? One, two, twenty?
Some of your comments really creep me out.
Wow, I totally agree. There lies in the problem if we accept what the BGI does, and take a life goes on attitude, it is giving them license to do it again. We need to stop, if GZ is railroaded into a conviction then it is up to us, to make noise and not accept it. If we let injustices happened, they will continue to happen.
1. The BGI is probably going to lose this battle
2. What are you going to do if they win? If they do win, and you have more time to devote to anti-BGI causes than I, more power to you. Good luck.
Thank you Bori, that was exactly my point. It’s really disheartening when so many take the attitude that if it doesn’t affect them or their family members personally, then hey buddy sorry for your troubles, but I got things to do. Then it happens again, and again, and again. If those people, or their family members were hit with the BGI and their form of “justice,” I can guarantee that they would want those who see the actions for what they are, out there screaming for their rights. Isn’t there an expression that goes something like “I said nothing, until they came for me.” As so many have said, this isn’t only about George Zimmerman, it is so much bigger than that. The more people like Crump et al get away with this crap, the more it will keep happening, and I guarantee it will just keep getting bigger, more frequent, and it will get much more violent.
“How cavelier of you to claim that everyone will just move along, accept the railroading of GZ, and hey, nothing to see here, let’s just move along to the next railroading. GZ is just a small little fish in the big sea. No worries, no bothers. Hey, it doesn’t affect me personally, so let’s just move along”
So what are you going to do? Riot, maim, protest? You think you can change the popular culture of 300 million Americans. Good luck! I really wish you well.. Meanwhile I have a life to live and children to raise.
My point is the BGI is a problem, but as noted they only really come into play every decade or so. They are not the biggest problem in this country by a longshot. Did this country fall apart when OJ was acquitted? No. You keep on living. There were much worse injustices in the past than GZ, and there will be much worse injustices in the future. I am on GZ’s side, but I am not going to devote my life to arguing with Trayvonites on internet message boards if GZ is convicted. If he is, it will be a shame, and OMara will try appealing the verdict.
“How many protests, riots, calls for Justice for Trayvon across the country, early on, where people were beaten, and some killed, in the name of Trayvon would qualify as “not to bad”? How many people have to be injured and/or killed in the country, for Trayvon, would it take to qualify you to believe that the incidents were “really bad” or even a “little bad”? One, two, twenty?”
I was making the point that the rioting by the black community will probably not be as bad as say the Rodney King riots or the riots in the 1960’s.
Did I make the point that rioting was good??!?! What are you attacking me for? F*&*& off and F&^&^ you. You will not get another response from me unless you address what I actually say and not morph it into some other cr@p where you can fit your attacks in on me.
Jack, I think you have no concept of the BGI and its influence on everyday life. Do you know someone who got passed over promotion, did not get a job, even though he was better qualified, tried to get a government contract, lost a car dealership, was denied admittance into college, I could go on and on.
What you are describing is not the only time the BGI, or the only thing is involved with. Most of the time their actions regional, below the national radar or at the local level. This is why they are so successful, we underestimate their influence, since they are so prominently displayed as you said every few years on the national stage.
I know you have been following the doings of Miami School Police, why do you think they are trying so hard to minimize the stats of the criminal acts in the schools? Is not for them to feel better about themselves, they are aware that it may come back to bite them in ass, as it did for the Chief, Who by the way was getting all sorts of awards from BGI affiliated organizations. Speaking of schools, you might have read of the Presidents initiatives, trying to reduce school discipline in schools and standards for only, only black students, another BGI victory.
Is the BGI the only problem in the country, no, but it is a problem and it needs addressing. I firmly believe that we should,
“live in a nation where we will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
The BGI is, and has been working on the premise that is opposite of that.
“I have visited many sites concerning this case and am tired of the name-calling, focusing on everything except what actually happened on 2/26/12.”
Trisha,
I hate to break it to you and I know you mean well by that statement I cite here, but I have come to the realization this GZ case has morphed into something more than just getting at the facts of this case.
i, myself, don’t know what to believe about who is doing what, and why . However, i did have an epiphany over the past weekend that puts things in perspective for me. The line from Prince’s song “Let’s go crazy” added with my twist and I said it to myself, (not directed anyone else): “I’m here to tell you, there is something else: My Life.”
I say that to say I send all good thoughts to all parties in this case, but that I have decided to not be so consumed with this case anymore. I am looking forward to the trial and I believe that GZ should be found not guilty based on the evidence release to day,
Time to get back to other hobbies I had in my former life as . they bring a little more joy than the absurdity that this case has.
Cheers.
oops: “the evidence release to day” should read “evidence released to date.”
“In O’Mara’s world, defending GZ, this could discredit the parents testimony if their testimony/statement is viewed with the lens that what they say could gain or lose them money. How much does that factor into what they say.”
Yes! Haven’t most of the statements made by the family and their attorneys been formulated to support their goal of a big payout? Certainly Tracy saying “no”, that isn’t Trayvon screaming, then taking that back once he was on Team Crump, was similar to Sybrina’s big oopsie on the Today Show saying she thought what happened was an “accident” then shortly after releasing a statement to the press saying oh….that’s not what I meant!
Leaked, even redacted, if a court decides the disclosure was Crump’s fault, then Crump has violated the agreement, giving the HOA insurer the right to void the contract and sue for a return of at least some, and maybe all of the money.
That would be awesome!
they might also get back the money if it turns out that it was fraudulently obtained. for example, if it were based on W8’s supposed earwitness account and it turns out the Crump orchestrated the whole DD thang.
Crump and Co. wasn’t really trying to keep it confidential. They tweeted (though Natalie’s law friend) that it was them who filed the confidential filing. About an hour later, Rene reported on the leaked first 5 pages telling us all what it was.
Exactly right. Crump wanted the fact of a settlement, and speculation about a high dollar amount, to be in the news. He got it, and he got it through a court screw up. “How convenient.”
But Crump does not want to violate the promise he made, to not disclose the existence of an agreement. Because if he is tagged with that, he loses big bucks.
Rene, Rene, Rene, lol, didn’t she know about this settlement long before the supposed court leak? Why didn’t she report on it then?
I originally typed Rene (who you don’t care about) and then took it out.
You have to ask Rene that question but if she reads here, she’ll likely not going to give you the time of day. 🙂
The point really is if she knew about it then the supposed leak has nothing to do with this really. I’m sure if Crump wanted the world to know there are better ways of going about it than this. All we know is he filed it and O’Mara got him to respond in order to stop the release.
How much do they get for Hoodrats these days?
“Mr. O’Mara is arguing that Crump should be made to make the settlement amount known…” That is not correct, O’Mara is asking that the document Crump filed to be unsealed, which would have been anyway on the 15th.
Partly. He put on record his position on what the court should do with that filing. Note the title of the motion. It’s also a motion to compel discovery of those 3 pieces of information, largely believed to have been redacted; terms, participants and amount.
I don’t understand the problem here. It’s right there in the motion, screenshot right in the post: “Request…to unseal…” that’s it. I don’t see “motion to compel discovery” I see “please judge unseal the record”
In the title of the motion ….”or in the alternative demand for specific discovery”
Let’s be clear on this. The only person in the world to say they were redacted is Rene, so this “largely believed” extends to one person, her. All we know is Crump filed it, said it contained confidential information so it should be sealed, the clerk disagreed and O’Mara wants it unsealed. What’s the “alternative” O’Mara is talking about there? He doesn’t explain it. Is he saying, you can call this either a motion to unseal or demand for specific discovery? If that’s the case so what? It amounts to the same exact thing; unseal the record please judge. I don’t see there a request for the judge to compel Crump to disclose it himself or provide another copy, it all comes down to the record in the courthouse.
#7 in Mr. O’Mara’s motion also says it’s redacted. So I said “largely believed”. As for the rest, let’s watch it play out. I’m off for the night.
If I haven’t said so today, thanks again for providing me a place to talk about the case. Have a terrific weekend.
How could he possibly know that? The record is sealed? Is he citing Rene there? lol, probably meant to but forgot.
He doesn’t know that. he used the word alleged. Until he actually sees it who knows?
He has seen the cover letter, I’m not sure if it says what got redacted and why on that. We’ll have to wait and find out.
“…alleged confidential…”
You said : “O’Mara’s motion also says it’s redacted” to bolster the Rene’s claim they are redacted. O’Mara can’t know they are redacted because they are under seal.
the whole thing is alleged..keep reading that sentence “alleged confidential….. in a redacted form”
cboltt can explain it better than I, but the discovery demand is an alternate relief. In other words, Zimmerman is asking the court unseal the agreement but if the court finds that the agreement shouldn’t be unsealed then, as an alternatative, Zimmerman argues he is entitled to it as discovery.
If the court unseals the agreement, it becomes part of the pubic records. Nelson could provide it Zimmerman as protected information, which would keep it out of the public eye. She could keep it sealed. She could redact the document and unseal the rest.
Nettles18 says:
April 12, 2013 at 11:42 pm
“the whole thing is alleged..keep reading that sentence “alleged confidential….. in a redacted form”
——
The “alleged” qualifies the “confidential civil settlement agreement”. O’Mara states this was filed in redacted form. He can’t know that. So what’s your point?
Reblogged this on Captain Long Schlong Silver .
I have a different take on it than you guys. Omara smoothly made crump try to cover up and hide something again. Remember….he’s the big fish they are going after right now and the more it looks like crump is trying to hide stuff, the better it is for the defense!
nice take; hope they catch the whopper!
I put a long winded post in a TL forum, explaining that Crump HAD TO file the Motion to Determine Confidentiality (he had no choice, either file it, or violate the rule); and that Nelson has basis to sanction Crump, if Crump represented that the confidential material is 2.420(d)(1) material, or if Crump failed to give notice to interested non-parties.
Link to long-winded post.
I read it now, and thanks for putting the effort in to parse it out. I just wish O’Mara would have waited a few days.
IMO, this was a good time for O’Mara to play offense. He got a reaction from Crump that would otherwise not exist in a court filing.
We don’t know that. There was also a chance, albeit a slight one, the clerk would have released the info as she said she would, I do doubt Crump would have let that happen and filed anyway but it would have been good to wait and see regardless. Then when Crump filed his response to the clerk O’Mara could have crafted his response around Crumps and include all the other stuff that I’m sure would have elicited the same response from Crump if not more. Of course we don’t know that either but that would have been the better way.
As my wise mother (born in 1896- not a typo) would have said, “You strike when the iron is hot”. C’mon, D-Man, admit it- O’mara is a good attorney and not the enemy. I bet he would even let you wear his pinky ring and maybe (?) even let you ride his Harley.
♥
If a good lawyer is to form a strategy to build the entire case for an appeal after conviction, you’re right, O’Mara’s a good lawyer.
Hi D Man, I thought you might like Waltherppk’s comment on Part 5:
“And the real problem is that anybody just laying it on the line is accused of “O’Mara bashing” when it is probably long overdue that somebody should recognize there could be good basis for criticizing, and that just maybe the deficiencies identified should be addressed with solutions instead of DENIALS”
And as for the question everyone has had it up to here with, “where be those ping logs? This quote from ytz, and wouldn’t you know it, I can’t get that song outta my mind LOL:
“Farmer Mark, he had a dog
and PING-OH was his name-oh…
That dog won’t hunt. Unfortunately for Hooson1st, I think they want to query why none of the school resource officers from Krop or Carol City were on the depo or witness lists. Curious, since proving violent history is a key element …”
Well I know one thing, if I asked for donations on a continual basis bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars I may want to keep my contributors informed but that’s just me, I guess O’Mara has another approach.
D-man – I read a comment that suggested a lot of the money was used to pay off charge cards, STUDENT loans for Shellie’s nursing school, GZ’s schooling, other debt, car notes, car insurance, etc. in which all that debt is plausible. Some of these expenses being paid by donations may make some that donate unhappy. I was shocked to read of the thousand PLUS dollars GZ & SZ paid to have land phone line run to a mobile home they were going to live in BEFORE the bond was revoked, they lost ALL the monies they spent on that venture since it was out of the county. I assume they were wiring for a fax, computer etc., in addition to their cell phone bills.
I agree, imo, I think the way the donations have been spent, especially on the living expenses and GZ’s debt BEFORE the incident should be disclosed because all that debt is being paid I am assuming. There is no doubt the defense has costs that continue to grow preparing for trial, imho, MOM & West made a Judgement call to not release the breakdown, it may cause some NOT to continue to donate in the future.
Someone said above, “O’Mara has his strategies.” Would someone pray tell what those might be? And when will he be putting them into action? Also, wouldn’t the information from the Miami School police help the case, and allow O’Mara to get witnesses and other relevant information which he would not have been privy to before?
Rick- So it’s now O’Mara’s problem to fight the Miami Dade school system? From earlier links we discussed, it would seem to me that Scott’s choice of a top Juvinile Justice head had not arresting blacks at the top of the list. In the middle of a murder 2 trial, against GZ, O’Mara and West are now to fight a totally corrupt juvinile justice system in Fla.?
In my mind, the Miami Dade corruption is a story that needs to be told, and everywhere it is happening in Fla. It is not MOM/West job to veer into that territority in the GZ’s criminal case. Perhaps if that information was available much earlier in the case, the system of diverting black males could have been useful. At this late stage of the game, I fail to see where it will have much to do about anything in the GZ murder trial. Will any of the revelations about the corruption in a school system help GZ? IMHO NO. For me, it is a whole nother thing that needs to be exposed, but, it is not MOM/West’s job to do that.
Would it have been helpful early on with showing that TM was a thug with a record? Yes. The records were sealed, the narrative has been out there for a very long time, and Crump and his ilk insured that the poor little black kid is gonna get his Justice, meaning $$$$$. As many have opined, the case is all about racial issues, and the stand your ground laws in Fla. How many blacks would be in favor of having those stand your ground laws anywhere, when they are under attack?
I’ve read the reports on the corruption that took place in Miami Dade with releasing TM as a statistic of the intervention program, and I use that losely. Please explain to me how MOM/West are supposed to use that information in a murder 2 trial against GZ? MOM/West can’t and shouldn’t use the Miami Dade corruption in the trial.
I applaud Sundance for getting the information on that corruption. I really believe that it is something that should be exposed to the full hilt. I believe that those that were a part of it should be penalized to the full hilt. The system is corrupt. The system is broken. The system needs much sunlight. It is not MOM/West’s job to do that. They have a client to defend in a murder trial, and that needs to be their focus.
“Rick- So it’s now O’Mara’s problem to fight the Miami Dade school system?”
Not fight the school system, Minpin, but use the information to help his client, by showing what Trayvon really was. The exposure shows that the Martins knew about their son, they lied, and Crump covered up of the school records to get their narrative out there and make money!
“MOM/West can’t and shouldn’t use the Miami Dade corruption in the trial.”
Why not? That’s a very big part of it. If those turkeys did their job right, none of this would’ve happened to George that night. It shows clearly that Trayvon was bad and got away with it!
agree 100%; thanks for putting those thoughts into words!
agreeing with minpin of course; kind of hard to tell here which response belongs with which comment. lines of connection might help.
I agree with the central perspective , except two things, the “system” is here to stay. Such practices are widely accepted nationally for over a decade if not longer. I would not be surprised to see or hear a reference to this information in the defense case, particularly as it pertains to Serino’s report excluding the any reference to the 8 page report SPD received.
In the broader context, the FOIA is fascinating to read and represents an excellent example of how school districts fail to address the mission of positive youth development for ALL students and chose juking stats as the alternative. I applaud SD for getting this information public. It matters.
I’m stupid. What does this have to do with that marble mouthed scumbag being thrown in jail or disbarred? 🙂
As for ping logs, I doubt Omara or Nelson even know cell phones come in options other than ‘flip’. The way things have gone for George I’m just surprised the Judge hasn’t ripped off her face only to show it’s Eric Holder with a gavel “By the powers vested in me, I declare George Zimmerman to be – a HONK-EY!” Then thunderous applause follows as he’s swallowed by the floor and sent into the pits of race hell.
Nothing would surprise me anymore. 16 year old 18 year olds who hear grass through dead phones, ‘responsible nephews’ who get high with Trayvon and slap box the night before, fathers who ruse to cooperate with the police but trust Al Sharpton, 17 year olds who turn into 12 year olds and hispanic men who turn into doughy fat hicks.
Not to mention the first murderer in history who wants to tell the 911 non emergency dispatch “This is where I am, where I am going – and this is who I am watching” all while ABC discovered the first man to be born with an ABC logo at the back of his head.
The best part is, george’s hands were made of the same “Anti Aging/Dead Phone Predicting” magic of “DeeDee” and Webster, 17 year old 12 year old who was 5 years old, and used his reverse logic fists to punch trayvon in the face all while bruising HIS OWN face and ONLY his face!
What an effing joke. /vent. Get this man thrown in jail – 14 brownie points if natty jacks joins him. TY /vent.
Obviously Benjamin Crump is using the Alinsky Rules for Radicals which so many have banked on. Lie, cheat, steal, ridicule, defame, demonize and crusify anyone that isn’t on the same page as the radical leftists. Hey, it worked for Obama, why wouldn’t it work for little ole George Zimmerman. He is dispensable, and a throw away for the radical left. If Zimmerman didn’t have that damn gun, Trayvon would have been in astronaught (sp) school by now.
Well I know one thing, if I asked for donations on a continual basis bringing in hundreds of thousands of dollars I may want to keep my contributors informed but that’s just me, I guess O’Mara has another approach.” Really? He has no choice but to. The CTH is another story. Do you know how many times this post has been disassemble today? Or do you not care for the truth.Maybe Sundance should let you know. He stopped posting his FOIA. Your people could not delve into the truth if it smack you in the face. GZ has gotten donations not through you or the CTH at all. GZ thought of it first,. You believe you have truth and take donations to produced BS. While MOM has not. MOM learned his lesson. We contact in private. Donate only to GZlegal.
minpin06 – Couldn’t MOM/West have the correct information on related crimes or violence committed at school by Trayvon at this point even though they were covered up by MDSLE? If MOM/West unearth any violence/fights, they plan to make that part of the trial from my understanding.
arttart: No internal investigation ever found that there was corruption because the internal agencies have legal rights to keep information confidential on how they are processed reports. The information these people are trying to release will never be admitted through monies paid even to the criminal case as it is hear say. MOM may bring in this information dependent upon the resources, but it will likely be subject to rules of evidence. Nothing more will come from these individuals since the March 5th hearing produced false facts and they continue to speculate even though they meant well. As you probably observed this audience has decreased and other intelligent conversation without blog nazis have gone elsewhere. The FOIA will provide you nothing but diversion. They have limited there audience which has worked to our benefit because they conspire without facts or legal knowledge and experience.
yes, the FOIA information seems to have produced lots of chickens running around with their heads cut off, screaming “The sky is falling! The sky is falling!”
Seeker OR IS IT SeekerUKnow = Since you have POSTED under 2 different names the same comment, what’s up with that? Since the Defense WON THE MOTION to look at ALL the Social Media, since MOM has stated a “trove of evidence” has been garnered from TM’s cell phone, and since ALL the evidence the Defense has isn’t released, you nor anyone else KNOWS what all will be portrayed of TM.
If its more of the same we’ve seen such as TM’s vulgar twitter account, his lack of respect for women, school authority, searching for drug connections I don’t think they need a lot more evidence to present to the jury who TM was at the time of his death. The pictures of TM w/his gold grill, holding his crotch with one hand and a fist full of dollars in the other HARDLY fit the image Crump/Sybrina/Tracy tried to create of a 12 yr. old kid.
The National Media has moved on once the propaganda spewed by Crump, Handler’s, Tracy & Sybrina’s racial agenda has imploded and the image created of TM they worked so hard to create, the MEDIA has challenged the family and the family has ADMITTED to the suspensions, etc. ONLY because the MEDIA has the facts. The National Media has moved on since most of the discovery supports GZ, not the State, even all of the Orlando Media doesn’t report on this story because the story isn’t about race. I continue to try to list the evidence the State has, since DD imploded, I’m down to nothing that will prove their case.
arttart: No internal investigation ever found that there was corruption because the internal agencies have legal rights to keep information confidential on how they are processed reports. The information these people are trying to release will never be admitted through monies paid even to the criminal case as it is hear say. MOM may bring in this information dependent upon the resources, but it will likely be subject to rules of evidence. Nothing more will come from these individuals since the March 5th hearing produced false facts and they continue to speculate even though they meant well. As you probably observed this audience has decreased and other intelligent conversation without blog nazis have gone elsewhere. The FOIA will provide you nothing but diversion. They have limited there audience which has worked to our benefit because they conspire without facts or legal knowledge and experience.
To blog owner You are a branch of someone you know lies. You get paid for having this blog supporting. We have exposed you by real legal people. I do not speak great english but even I know. Ithink you have never been george zimmerman. ever. you are other side pretending.
Giuseppe
Hey, Giuseppe, you might be overdoing the vino. : – )
unitron
(who has also never been George Zimmerman, even in lowercase)
try google translate.
Is this some dialect of Ebonics?
Trayvon’s cousin spoke enough volumes about Trayvon and the reason it is relevant to me, at least, is because he is the only one who was honest and, at the time of his tweets, had no reason to lie. When you lawyer up and tour, that’s a different matter. You don’t take an honor student, whose great cheerful past would be a slam dunk in civil suits, and delete it and go full force with “that is not important” propaganda. George’s head was bleeding, he felt the need to shoot. It’s important to know why. If the kid ‘put a bangaz to a cracka’ as the cousin tweeted 2 days later, and he was with him the night before, there may have been a reason. And the reason isn’t because he loved white people and had nothing suspicious going on that night.
Chad was ‘waiting for him’ but not enough to call 911 – same with deedee. Odd how the only person who called a 911 NEN # was the evil killer, while the victims and little boy waiting for his candy oddly felt NO need. I mean, the odds of this being based in reality are about 1 in one million. Since there are 300 million people here, go find 300 stories where the killer is on the phone with the police NEN and wants them to know where he is, and when he’s ‘beating up his victim’ before shooting him, only he has the bruises. Go ahead.
George sat in the back of the Police car and said “I screamed for help and no one helped me” Right there is when I knew he was innocent-how did George Zimmerman know that his voice would have been captured in the background of the 911 tapes? Why would the person ‘winning’ a fight scream for help? Yeah —-Trayvon is a Hoodrat
test
jordan- What does “test” mean?
checking on replies. thank
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