Witnesses change stories ahead of Zimmerman trial

[pixy0stix]

news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/trayvon-martin-shooting-witnesses-change-stories-ahead-zimmerman-133743219.html

Four witnesses in the Trayvon Martin case have changed their stories, some "in ways that may damage" George Zimmerman, the Orlando Sentinel reports.

According to records released last week in the second-degree murder case, the witnesses—all of them neighbors—were interviewed multiple times by police and special prosecutors about what they saw on Feb. 26, the night Zimmerman fatally shot Martin in Sanford, Fla.

Four days after the shooting, one woman told police she "saw two guys running" and then "a fistfight. Just fists. I don't know who was hitting who." But on March 20, she told investigators she saw just one person.

"I couldn't tell you if it was a man, a woman, a kid, black or white," the woman, "Witness 2," said. "I couldn't tell you because it was dark and because I didn't have my contacts on or glasses. I just know I saw a person out there."

Another witness, who was initially interviewed on March 20, said she saw two people on the ground immediately after the shooting but was not sure who was on top.

But in another interview with investigators six days later, the paper reported, she was sure: It was Zimmerman on top.

"I know after seeing the TV of what's happening, comparing their sizes, I think Zimmerman was definitely on top because of his size," the woman, "Witness 12," said.

A third witness, "Witness 6," told police on the night of the shooting that he saw a black man on top of a lighter-skinned man "just throwing down blows on the guy, MMA-style." He said the lighter-skinned man was calling for help. Interviewed later by investigators, he said he was not sure who was calling for help, and was not sure any punches were thrown.

A fourth witness also interviewed on the night of the shooting said he heard the shooting, ran outside, and saw Zimmerman standing with "blood on the back of his head." According to "Witness 13," Zimmerman told him that Martin "was beating up on me, so I had to shoot him."

A month later, the same witness described Zimmerman's demeanor: "[It was] not like 'I can't believe I just shot someone!' It was more like, 'Just tell my wife I shot somebody,' like it was nothing."

[pixy0stix]

I'm not a Zimmerman apologist, I think he's guilty as sin, but the changing of the witness stories make me think these people have been watching too much news coverage/etc. and are changing their stories accordingly to flow with public opinion.

[UMaineTeach]

yeah, that's not good at all

[chichimi]

I think its a shame that the witness accounts are being swayed by media influence but I think they were probably initially swayed by racism, giving their neighbor the benefit of the doubt, fear, etc.

[Deleted]

This is such a clusterfuck. I wouldn't be surprised if he isn't convicted and quite frankly, maybe he shouldn't be if this is how it's gonna go down.

[MrsDL]

I also don't sympathize with Zimmerman, but I don't see how changed testimony like that actually hurts him. It doesn't help his cause, but it doesn't help convict him either. These witnesses will be discredited and deemed unreliable by both sides imo.

[thejackpot]

It's Florida. Case closed.

[iammalcolmx]

I have never understood why he was charged with 2nd degree instead of manslaughter.