Judge Debra S. Nelson is expected to rule on two motions related to media coverage of the case and a gag order filed by prosecutors against attorneys for George Zimmerman. The hearing will take place on Friday at 1:30 p.m. at the Seminole County Courthouse. Zimmerman is not expected to attend. The hearing will be Source: MyFOX OrlandoYou can view the hearing live below:
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:52:19 PM CDT
IMPORTANT RULING ==> The judge has denied a motion for emergency sequestration of witnesses to prohibit them from talking to the state prior to their deposition with the defense. #Trayvon #Zimmerman
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:48:15 PM CDT
#Zimmerman #Trayvon The court is on a call via speakerphone with a representative for the City of Sanford. He wants to ensure that any order would not prohibit city workers (witnesses) from talking to City of Sanford’s attorney (counsel for them).
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:44:45 PM CDT
Prosecution argues that the personal opinions of the witnesses O’Mara hopes to sequester do not matter and would not ordinarily be admissible as evidence.
Prosecution: I am not concerned about Mr. Crump. I am concerned that this defendant and the State receives a fair trail.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:41:57 PM CDT
O’Mara argues on the matter of keeping the prosecution from talking to certain witnesses before his deposition.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:32:14 PM CDT
The media’s attorney is making his arguments against a gag order. #Trayvon #Zimmerman
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:30:15 PM CDT
O’Mara is finally done with his arguments–well his endless rambling. #Zimmerman #Trayvon
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:20:30 PM CDT
O’Mara now reads the Google search data for the phrases “Trayvon Martin” and “George Zimmerman.” He says that their site had 273K visits during the six months the site has been up. He says less than 1/2 of one percent of the people in the immediate area from which the jury pool will come have actually visited their website.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:17:04 PM CDT
O’Mara continues to try to make the case that it was right for him to create an Internet presence for the defense in the #Zimmerman case.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:15:03 PM CDT
O’Mara says that they didn’t involve themselves in the actual discourse on Facebook.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:13:27 PM CDT
O’Mara: We now have an active vehicle of information [the Internet]. [...] 10 years from now if a defense attorney is not searching information like this, they are committing malpractice. We tried
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:08:26 PM CDT
O’Mara continues to read from a paper, making a weak argument about tangential subjects. He paints #Zimmerman as a victim because he is in hiding and must wear a bullet-proof vest.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 2:06:38 PM CDT
O’Mara is trying to figure out his argument while he’s talking and gulping water. Selling spin makes you really thirsty!
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:58:24 PM CDT
O’Mara blames the attorneys for #Trayvon Martin’s parents for “what they did to this case.” He tries to make the case that because of them, #Zimmerman cannot get a fair trial. O’Mara is full of it!
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:56:27 PM CDT
O’Mara is trying to pull a slight of hand. He is talking about Attys Crump and Jackson instead of addressing why he himself was all over the media commenting on the facts of the case and credibility of witnesses.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:54:28 PM CDT
#Trayvon #Zimmerman O’Mara tries to argue that Benjamin Crump and Natalie Jackson argued the prosecutions case when they made public statements to raise awareness of #Trayvon being killed by #Zimmerman.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:50:45 PM CDT
O’Mara is actually reading commentary that someone wrote from a particular website to try to defend his social media campaign.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:49:26 PM CDT
#Zimmerman prosecution requests that the defense counsel be gagged from making statements on:
1) Facts of case
2) Evidence of the case
3) Credibility of witnesses
4) Potential punishment resulting from the case
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:47:45 PM CDT
Prosecution: Where do we have the ability for both sides to get a fair trial?
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:41:05 PM CDT
Previous Judge Lester did not grant the gag order, so prosecution turns up the heat on the judge to do something about #O’Mara’s reckless public comments about the facts of the case.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:38:59 PM CDT
Prosecution: Why is it necessary for defense counsel to speak about the facts of this case?
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:37:31 PM CDT
#O’Mara’s face is all red. He must be trying to figure out how to talk his way out of this mess. Maybe he shouldn’t have done so many interviews. See, #Trayvon’s family could do as many interviews as they want because they are not the prosecution in the case. It may have been a bad move for him to comment about facts of evidence in the #Zimmerman case.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:34:18 PM CDT
The prosecution points out the numerous instances in which O’Mara publicly commented on the credibility of case witnesses, as well as the credibility of his client. #Trayvon #Zimmerman
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:32:23 PM CDT
#Zimmerman #Trayvon The prosecution brings up the fact that O’Mara and Zimmerman went on Sean Hannity and discussed the facts of the case. He mentioned that he is “looking forward” to using that in trial. Prosecution mentions O’Mara’s appearances on CNN Piers Morgan, when he made statements about the facts of the case and commented about the credibility of his own client.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:26:18 PM CDT
Prosecution brings up statements made by #Zimmerman’s brother made on social media.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:25:00 PM CDT
Let’s be clear, the people have the right to view and comment on evidence as we see fit. What is not right is the defense (or the prosecution) interfering with peoples’ independent and free discussion. That is the whole foundation of social media.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:22:11 PM CDT
#Zimmerman Prosecution refers to O’Mara’s statements on the GZ Legal Facebook page before shutting it down. O’Mara made reference to having met their objectives in putting the page up. They say that the defense realized that they weren’t able to control the ability of the people to respond. #Trayvon
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:18:04 PM CDT
The prosecution has apparently been visiting sites–like AxiomAmnesia.com–that provide commentary on the #Trayvon / #Zimmerman case to see what’s being said. Of course we know that O’Mara and team have been doing this all along.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:11:38 PM CDT
The issue at hand is that O’Mara and the defense are acting at their own biased media of sorts. They are also tainting the potential jury pool (says the prosecution) by encouraging public discussion of the case and its evidence.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:09:54 PM CDT
Prosecution: They [the defense] are able to bypass the media. [...] The defense decides what they will put out there or not.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 1:08:32 PM CDT
#Zimmerman #Trayvon – State focuses on GZ Legal site, saying “The intent by the defense to bypass [the media]. [...] It gives biased opinions about certain things. It engages and encourages discussion by John Q. Citizen. [...] Why was the website created? [...] Was it done to influence public opinion?”
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:59:03 PM CDT
Arguments regarding prosecution’s gag request beginning. #Trayvon #Zimmerman
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:56:28 PM CDT
O’Mara’s tone borderlines on disrespect of the judge. He acts like he is running the court. She continues to battle with him as he tries to over-talk her.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:54:38 PM CDT
#Zimmerman hearing – The judge asks O’Mara whether he has exhausted all means available to make sure he got all the information he thinks may be out there. She cites case law to back up her line of questioning.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:52:30 PM CDT
#Zimmerman Hearing – The judge proposes that O’Mara put together a proposal motion detailing what exactly he wants from the FDLE and FBI. Prosecution argues that these agencies have done their own investigation, and O’Mara should subpoena those documents himself. It’s not the State’s obligation.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:49:58 PM CDT
#Zimmerman looks like he is heavily medicated–practically devoid of any expression. #Trayvon
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:48:59 PM CDT
#Zimmerman Judge has already snapped on O’Mara a couple of times for “shhhing” and interrupting her.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:46:21 PM CDT
O’Mara continues to argue for every shred of evidence in the #Zimmerman case. He gives an example of the prosecution providing black and with, rather than color copies of photographs of Zimmerman from the night of the incident.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:43:58 PM CDT
The judge rules that the defense is putting the cart before the horse, and they will deal with anything that is undisclosed once it comes to light that it was undisclosed. #Zimmerman
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:41:56 PM CDT
O’Mara argues that the State has not disclosed evidence in the past, so he wants them to turn over every shred of evidence the prosecution has. Under the rules of discovery, they are not obligated to share every shred of evidence.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:38:17 PM CDT
#Zimmerman Prosecution regarding FDLE/FBI report: The defense is not entitled to “every shred of evidence” the state has. To date, the State has complied with its obligation with regard to discovery.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:35:39 PM CDT
Mark O’Mara arrives with George Zimemerman. Zimmerman blames his tardiness on “some of the monitoring” that had to be reset.
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:32:49 PM CDT
The prosecution and judge are ready to go, and the defense has yet to arrive. #Zimmerman #Trayvon
Post by Heit & Cheri @ 12:30:59 PM CDT
Judge Nelson has entered the courtroom, but apparently the defense is not present. #Trayvon #Zimmerman
