Friday, May 25, 2012

Treyvon Martin DA: I Don't Want Public To See Evidence

From The Orlando Sun:  Talk about ironic timing. Special Prosecutor Angela Corey late Friday came out strongly against public records.
"The public's right to know should never trump the state's right to a fair trial or especially the defendant's right to a fair trial," Corey said at a civic forum in Jacksonville.
Her comments came a day after a mound of evidence in the George Zimmerman case was released. Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin.
Corey bemoaned misinformation in the media and on the Internet about the case. But the document release Thursday provided more details and added to the public's understanding. 
Corey's comments were self-serving. The document release actually seemed to help Zimmerman's case, many analysts have said, because photographs documented his injuries the night of the shooting.
Corey's comments raise a crucial question: Just how good is her case?
There needs to be more transparency, not less, about this high-profile case that has produced headlines worldwide. Benjamin Crump, an attorney for the Martin family, has praised the media bringing attention to the teen's fatal shooting.
What is Corey's solution to curbing pretrial publicity? "I would say that nothing should be public until the trial comes," Corey told the forum.
That's the solution in a free society? I think she needs to have her head examined. She also sounds awfully defensive.
"Stop trying any of our cases in the media. Let us try them in the courtroom," she said Friday.
Which makes me wonder: Are you the right person for this job?.
 http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-05-19/entertainment/os-george-zimmerman-angela-corey-20120519_1_fatal-shooting-special-prosecutor-angela-corey-civic-forum
This case has been playing out in the media and on the Internet and for the DA to say they have to hide evidence in such a high profile case tells me the DA doesn't have much of a case.
The last time I read something about the law is that the prosecutors are supposed to disclose all information  in their case before trial starts.  It is especially important in a case like this where there are strong opinions on both sides of the issues.  The DA doesn't have to talk to the press about the case but they do have to disclose the information they do have, but apparently the DA in this case doesn't believe in that either.

2 comments:

  1. I'm not sure I follow you. I know that every time there's a controversial verdict, you hear, "you weren't there in the courtroom, so you didn't hear al the evidence." I don't know who has been leaking the evidence so far, but I don't know that "the public has a right to know" everything before a trial. Not a lawyer, so maybe I'm wrong. . .I just don't think it's usually done that way.

    In any event, I still don't understand how Zimmerman was standing his ground, but Trayvon Martin was not. I still think it all boils down to if you have a gun in Florida, you win. Especially if you kill the other guy.

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    1. From my understanding, all the evidence has to be given to the defense in writing and filed in court. You're right when you say that you were not there, but those people never took the time to look at the legal filings the attorney's filed.
      Again, I think Zimmerman handle it wrong in the beginning but once Martin got control of the fight, then all bets are off. And if Martin got a hold of the gun and killed Zimmerman, would you hold Martin equally liable?

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