Joe Oliver, George Zimmerman's Friend, Defends Shooter In Trayvon Martin Case

(Corrects references to Zimmerman's wife, Oliver's mother-in-law, paragraph 4)

By Daniel Trotta

SANFORD, Fla., March 25 (Reuters) - George Zimmerman cried for days in remorse after shooting dead a black Florida teenager, a family friend of Zimmerman said on Sunday, offering a sympathetic portrayal of the man at the focal point of a national uproar.

Zimmerman, 28, a white Hispanic, shot Trayvon Martin, 17, in what he said was self defense during an altercation in the gated community Zimmerman was watching on Feb. 26 in Sanford, Florida. After barely going noticed for weeks, the case has since galvanized the country and renewed a national discussion about race.

"He couldn't stop crying. He's a caring human being," Joe Oliver, 53, a former television news reporter and anchor in Orlando who has known Zimmerman for several years, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

"I mean, he took a man's life and he has no idea what to do about it. He's extremely remorseful about it," Oliver said, relating stories told to him by Zimmerman's mother-in-law, a close friend of Oliver's wife.

Oliver's account counters the withering criticism Zimmerman has sustained from demonstrators across the country who have demanded his arrest and accused him of racial bias in targeting Martin. Celebrities have taken up the cause of justice for Trayvon, and President Barack Obama said "all of us have to do some soul-searching" as a result of the tragedy.

"I'm a black male and all that I know is that George has never given me any reason whatsoever to believe he has anything against people of color," Oliver said.

Sanford police did not arrest Zimmerman, saying the evidence could not disprove his account of self-defense, though the case is under review by a state special prosecutor and the U.S. Justice Department.

Zimmerman dropped out of public view shortly after the shooting and his whereabouts were unknown. The New Black Panther Party, an African American organization taking its name from the radical group of the 1960s, has placed a $10,000 bounty on Zimmerman.

"All these people who are threatening George, what makes them any better than the person they think he is?" Oliver said. "You've got all these people wanting to lynch the man and they don't know the whole story. There are huge gaps that are being filled in and interpreted without evidence."

Oliver tried to reach Zimmerman after the shooting but he had not spoken with him until Saturday in a conversation arranged by Zimmerman's lawyer.

As a black man, he said he understands how minorities are often unfairly treated, but he believed Zimmerman was simply doing his job by growing suspicious over an unfamiliar person walking through a neighborhood that had suffered some break-ins. Martin lived in Miami but was with his father on a visit to his father's fiancee's home inside the gated community.

"I understand how they're able to leap to the conclusion. You have a dead teenager. This guy is white so it must be a hate crime. There's going to be evidence to come out that basically will justify George's concern," Oliver said.

"He (Zimmerman) confirmed for me that he was not the aggressor. But I did not go into details as to how it got to that aggressive point," Oliver said.

At one point Oliver became choked up with emotion talking about his friend but said he was coming forward freely even though it may expose him to reprisals.

"I just have to do what's right, not just for my friend but for everyone involved," Oliver said. "His mother in law lost her job for this. He's in hiding. His mother in law can't see her own daughter because she fears for their lives."

From our partners

• Selita Ebanks Gets Back To Werk With New S&M Style Editorial. Peep The Pics! - styleblazer.com
• Ahmad 'Real' Givens Of VH1's 'Real Chance Of Love' In The Fight Of His Life After Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis - madamenoire.com
• 5 (Fun) Things You Should Know About March Madness Right Now - colorlines.com

Comments

[slkelly63]

05:38 AM on 04/06/2012

Also speaking of black,white,white hispanic/hispanic;all races are on both sides of the law whether it's the criminal or the law officials....I sincerely feel for that family and teenager but I truly believe that man is innocent of any racial matters.Also,in Dallas,TX we have ordinance of "NO LOITERING" in any area,public or private...I think the county officials need to do a revision of the city and county laws for that area....

[Rebecca Barragan]

08:53 PM on 05/20/2012

Trayvon was not loitering,he had to walk past Georges's car to get home,he wasn't checking zimmerman out. Get the facts!

[slkelly63]

05:30 AM on 04/06/2012

I think people need to THINK BEFORE THEY SPEAK,if they were in some high crimed area and was a victim,they be asking where was the help.For the most part criminals come on all walks of life and more so now at younger ages.Now if their county officials like ours in Dallas,tx would put up camera monitor systems at each traffic light and laddered camera boxes in the parking lots in high crime areas,and if taxpayers wanted to pay to have a security team in their neighborhood rather than an individual. and/or private...this might not be so controversial.Many of our off duty police officers do neighborhood security as teams,and in addition to the extra assigned uniformed officers.They have their own uniforms,cars and procedures as a team.I'm not saying they are any more safe but beings they all work together as the battle crime they don't have to necessarily carry a gun.So maybe that area of citizens and county officials need to might take an overview on how they can prevent it from happening again rather than making this a racial issue...down here in my area it's majority black and hispanic/white hispanic,we got wars on gangs,drugs,burglary,etc...the one thing crime and drugs and all that DOES NOT DO is disciminate....crime and and drugs don't care what age you are,background you come from or what your status is in life is....THINK ABOUT IT!!!!!!

[butlercaddie]

07:18 AM on 03/30/2012

Oliver was not there, holding Zimmerman's hand and passing tissues. The only evidence he has that this is so was that Zimmerman told him it was so, in a phone call, days later, after Oliver tracked him down and inserted himself into the case.

I smell book deal.

[Rebecca Barragan]

08:55 PM on 05/20/2012

He sure wasn't crying when he called his friend Frank Tiffi for standing bye him for doing the right thing.

[whsander]

06:57 AM on 03/30/2012

Sadly, despite the human tragedy, what will most likely come from this is that Neighborhood Watch efforts will suffer the most in the aftermath. Retired Cops, reserve and retired Military and other responsible types who volunteer their time supporting the community will be under pressure to leave their legally licensed firearms at home while on watch. We will start hearing about ridiculous situations where buttheads deliberately taunt Neighborhood Watch and Security Guards while someone stands off to the side with a camera or video equipped phone recording the encounter in hopes of "Getting The Goods" just as we saw after the Rodney King incident. As usualy, the vultures will circle and start feeding off of the corpse of this unfortunate young man for political advantage and TV air time. George Zimmerman won't pay the price for this- We All Will.

Welcome to 21st Century America- Abandon all hope, YE Who Enter Here.

[donkor]

04:20 PM on 03/31/2012

My Dear Sweet Friend,

"Welcome to 21st Century America- Abandon all hope,"

No! Abandoning hope is not the way, especially when that hope is about to be answered!

[whsander]

08:44 PM on 03/31/2012

I doubt that there will be an answer, at least not any that I'm waiting to hear. Hope is almost gone for this country and her people- Not because of the nation we have built, the constitution we have or the civil rights we enjoy. We are doomed because of the things we do and do not do with our freedoms. We will be a chapter in someone's history book, a dead civilization just like the Romans, dimly remembered and endlessly rehashed by scholars, and roundly bashed for being the people who had it all, only to piss it all away because what we had wasn't good enough for us.

[Letty Concepcion]

03:20 PM on 04/02/2012

You dont need a gun to watch your community and report. You do not have police powers anything above and beyond is crossing the line.

[badwolf62]

01:51 AM on 03/30/2012

Just my opinion, but I bet I'm right.
Zimmerman was following and lost sight of Trayvon so he got out of his vehicle. he started walking up, the sidewalk and relocated Trayvon. Trayvon was on the phone with GF And told her he wasn't going to run and turned around to see why Zimmerman was following. Zimmerman initiated the confrontation and Trayvon gave him his best punch to the face knocking Zimmerman down and then pounced on him. The scuffle continued and Zimmerman was losing. More of a wrestling match than a fight. Zimmerman pulled the weapon from his waistband, cocked it and as he did , Trayvon grabbed the weapon to try and take it or push it away . Zimmerman pulled the trigger and the force blew trayvon off to the side. zimmerman rolled up and used Trayvon as leverage to get up. IT"S JUST AN OPINION BASED ON EXPERIENCE! nothing else. but I bet I'm either right or dang close to it. Zimmerman should be charged with manslaughter.

[East Truther]

12:01 AM on 03/30/2012

Where was the banner for Oscar Grant when he was killed by the Police? Why all of a sudden this brown on black violence being hyped up as white on black violence?

[Letty Concepcion]

03:22 PM on 04/02/2012

Hes not brown he is white go check the us census there is no brown section.

[catmandoozy]

06:51 PM on 04/04/2012

It's different because Martin WAS NOT killed by "the Police". He was killed by an armed wannabe cop who should have stayed in his care after the Police Dispatcher told him to do so.

Martin wasn't lucky enough to have Law Enforcement arrive to determine whether or not he really was "suspicious" because Zimmerman had already killed him by the time Police arrived on the scene.

Hispanics ARE part of the white race.

[Sheryl York]

06:33 PM on 03/29/2012

WOW, a lot of hate and misjudgement from everywhere! I dated a mortician, my son wore "hoodies" at nite and was confronted by gun toting hoodlems. Why does everyone assume that none of this stuff has ever happened to someone that has an opinion that they don't like?? Kids get shot every day. It is all very, very sad, but come on. If it had been my son I can assure you it would have gone unnoticed, I would have been devastated but I would still feel the same way I feel now. All the mudslinging is rediculas. Let the police do their job. They aren't always right, but who is? Those of you that think the newspaper gets a story right most of the time, check again. AGIAN, I am not immune to any of these circumstances and my opinion would stay the same.

[donkor]

04:25 PM on 03/31/2012

My Dear Sweet Friend,

Excellent, and well said. You spoke very very close to our exact sentiment.

[queckie1]

04:53 PM on 03/29/2012

Lets stop the anti Hispanic racist bigotry. nazi germany tried this with teaching that all jews act a certain way, for being born jewish. Mr Zimmerman is Hispanic and media continually mentions his race , as being the source of martins death.
for all the anti hispanic racist bigots out there.. look in a mirror before you call Hispanics "racists for being born Hispanic"

[Arkius]

06:18 PM on 03/30/2012

I have four words for you: Spell check-Grammar check.

[Powhida]

03:50 PM on 03/29/2012

The issue is one of vilgilantees taking the place of professional, governmentally certified and experienced law officiers. George Zimmerman's zeal to be a protector of the public safety was not governed by mature behavior. Acting as he did, he violated the rights of a young American citizen to pass through the public areas of our community without being stopped by unauthorized persons. The dress of a person, the lateness of the hour or gender or race is, in itself not sufficient reason to violate the privacy of a citizen in a public area. On the other hand, if police officiers are on patrol and are looking for a suspect they can detain and interrogate persons of suspicion and make the decisions whether to detain or arrest such persons. Non professionals have no right in practicing policing work, as a plumber has no right to do heart surgery! Mr. Zimmerman, in my opinion, given what I now know regarding the incident, is responsible for a death, and must be brought to court to answer for manslaughter charges. The reputation of the deceased young man or the opinions of friends and relatives of Mr. Zimmerman have no bearing on the incident. People can simply not be allowed to go out "hunting" for targets that they deem to be "criminal. Mr. Zimmerman may be suffering from emotional or mental problems which the courts will have to deal with.

[Arkius]

06:56 PM on 03/29/2012

How can you characterize George Zimmerman’s behavior as zealous? Are you board certified to practice psychology or psychoanalysis? If not, then how can you say these things with the type of certainty that you’re assuming? It’s absurd.

You wrote: “Acting as he did, he violated the rights of a young American citizen to pass through the public areas of our community without being stopped by unauthorized persons.”

This makes no sense. You misuse the word “without”, which means, with no. How can the rights of someone be violated if they are NOT being stopped by an unauthorized person? Someone’s rights can only be violated if they ARE stopped by an unauthorized person.

Next, you are begging the question. It has not been determined if George Zimmerman stopped Trayvon Martin, or if Trayvon Martin turned and attacked George Zimmerman.
You also wrote: “People can simply not be allowed to go out "hunting" for targets that they deem to be "criminal.”

There is no evidence to suggest that anyone was out hunting for criminals. That seems to be something you’re making up.

Whatever Mr. Zimmerman is experiencing, be it physically, mentally or emotionally, it is beyond your expertise, and I’m sure if the necessity presents itself, the appropriate professionals will be appointed to investigate the matter.

[butlercaddie]

07:12 AM on 03/30/2012

Wow did YOU miss the boat. "Zealous" is an adjective, not a pathology. The huge call log attests to his zeal.

"Without" is used quite correctly. Broken down, the sentence parses as "an American has the right to do X without someone else doing Y." You should learn standard written English; reading comprehension is NOT your friend.

There is indeed evidence that he was hunting for criminals. That's what he did in his persona as unofficial, self-appointed, unregistered neighborhood watch "captain." It's why he was "patrolling" that day, and it's why he was armed.

And the whole reason we are where we are today, over a month since the murder, is that the appropriate professionals did NOT investigate.

I see this was your first at-bat with a brand new invented-for-the-occasion account. So, basically, son, you are "0-fer" life here.

Quit while you're ahead.

[donkor]

04:29 PM on 03/31/2012

My Dear Sweet Friend,

Well said. And we thank you!

[whsander]

06:33 AM on 03/30/2012

POWHIDA- "Mr. Zimmerman, in my opinion, given what I now know regarding the incident, is responsible for a death, and must be brought to court to answer for manslaughter charges."

You've seen the official investigation report? Please post it here or provide the URL where we can see it. I'm eager to read what the investigators have made part of the official record.

[Mason Gabriel]

11:18 AM on 03/29/2012

Zimmerman deserves whatever he gets here, he will never have his life back. All he had to do was drive away, but instead he followed and pursued a kid with a bag of Skittles in his hand because of his desire to be the authority and the big guy in the neighborhood. If I had been in Martin's place I would have fought too if a stranger approached me in the dark. And with Zimmerman's wannabe cop attitude, and listening to his 911 tape, I would bet that he approached in a very intimidating manner. If Martin did punch and beat Zimmerman I think it was in self defense, and he just happened to be tougher than Zimmerman.

[pattyg77]

11:35 PM on 03/29/2012

Agreed! For a very sensible post..f & f...

[Arkius]

05:02 PM on 03/30/2012

You wrote: “Zimmerman deserves whatever he gets here, he will never have his life back.” You’re right; Mr. Zimmerman will never have his life back. He already has a bounty on his head by a Black hate group, and the media have perpetrated dozens of inaccuracies about the case.

You also wrote: “All he had to do was drive away, but instead he followed and pursued a kid with a bag of Skittles in his hand because of his desire to be the authority and the big guy in the neighborhood.” You apparently suffer from the delusions as Powhida and his creepy apologist butlercaddie.

Mr. Zimmerman is a member of the neighborhood watch. Wouldn’t you agree that to drive away when you see a strange person in the neighborhood runs counter to the object of the exercise? When you take into consideration that the neighborhood had recently experienced a number of break-ins, then Mr. Zimmerman’s behavior is quite appropriate.

Mr. Gabriel, are you a clairvoyant or a gifted psychic? If you’re not either of those things, then please explain to the readers how you know that Mr. Zimmerman had a “desire to be the authority and the big guy in the neighborhood?”

Mr. Gabriel, the bottom line is, you don’t have all the facts, but you’ve already drawn a conclusion. What do you say to people if you’re proved wrong? Nothing? Or do you just ignore it and hope no one thinks you’re a fool?

[pattyg77]

12:45 PM on 04/03/2012

You sure spending a lot of time defending Zimmerman--ARE you George Zimmerman, the murderer??? Your lies are falling apart now. huh, Zimmerman?

...let's see, ZERO Fan base..posting lies about Zimmerman's possible innocence, attacking anyone who wants zimmerman arrested, hummmm, sounds like Zimmerman to me...good bye zero...

[Buzzard Beach]

10:18 AM on 03/29/2012

If there is anyone on Gawd's Green Earth who really expects Zimmerman's 'good friend' to contradict Zimmerman's testimony, then I have some beachfront property in Arizona that you folks are going to love.

[White Raven]

06:37 AM on 03/29/2012

All this hatred, death threats and the like, for family and friends that did nothing wrong. Great.

[donkor]

04:37 PM on 03/31/2012

My Dear Sweet Friend,

Please, please do not be so surprised. We live in a world that is ruled by hate, in case your haven't noticed. We are all waitng for the world to change!

[badwolf62]

02:13 AM on 03/29/2012

The biggest downfall is this law and the way it is written. It used to be that we could make the arrest, book them and hold them for up to 3 days and if we didn't have enough evidence for formal charges we could release them and be immune from civil suits. Now , with this law in Florida, if you don't have what's considered enough probable cause for the charges you haven't enough probable cause for an arrest and are subject to a civil litigation if you don't release them immediately. That's wrong and will lead to more Dismissals due to insufficinet evidence. If suspects are released without being able to collect all evidence and they are given more time to destroy what evidence there is.

[whsander]

04:58 PM on 03/29/2012

They let him walk out with the gun he used to kill someone with?
Regardless of the legality, regardless of the projected outcome, I can't see letting the pistol that someone admitted that he killed another human being with just walk out of the Police Station with the shooter without at least holding it for ballistic testing to determine that all of the bullets came from that gun, even if they only use that as a premise to impound the gun pending investigation.
I'm a gun owner and I wholeheartedly believe in CCW for law abiding citizens with clean records, but I also believe in responsibility and common sense- The price of admission for this particular Civil Right should be a little common sense inconvenience- Leave the gun in impound for a reasonable amount of time (7 days?) and all investigating authorities sign off on it as a good shoot.

[badwolf62]

07:28 PM on 03/29/2012

1st: there were no charges filed, by federal law the weapon is returned to the rightful owner.
2nd: ballistics is of NO value if they did not recover the projectile (which they didn't)
3rd: The minute Zimmerman claimed self defense the "stand your ground law" comes into play if there's evidence to support the claim. In that case the police must contact the District Attorney with what they have and see how to proceed. That's Florida's Law. So that's what the detective did and he was told not to arrest Zimmerman because he didn't have enough evidence, even when the detective wanted to charge him with manslaughter/negligent criminal homicide.
4th; there was only one shot fired and the slide was impeded and did not feed another round to the Chamber from the clip. in all probability during thje struggle Trayvon may have grabbed it to get it away or push it away. at a range of under 10 feet a 9mm is going to pass through the body and the projectile won't be found or it fragments.
Too many unanswered questions but I believe the DA screwed up and should have listened to the Detective. Also because there was no charges filed and Zimmerman was not booked, there is no Mug shot which would have shown the injuries Zimmerman claimed he suffered and due to the right to privacy the EMT's can't disclose the extent of injury they treated. it's bureaucracy at it's best. the police did their job.

[badwolf62]

01:46 AM on 03/29/2012

As I said in earlier posts this case is headed to nowhere. the most he could really be charged with is manslaughter and that's on very shaky ground. Zimmerman was wrong in following Trayvon and getting out of his vehicle. But he broke no law. No one is positive who confronted who first. Trayvon on the phone with his girfriend suggest Zimmerman was the aggressor but is not proof he was. The injuries Zimmmerman claims don't match his story but as jose baiz said it isn't necessary for him to. Still unanswered is the distance the weapon was fired from. The Coroner report says unable to tell entry/exit wounds is BS. the powder burns on Trayvon shirt tell the story and I think they are still withholding that evidence from publication. The DA who said not to charge him fouled up because with no booking, there's no MUG shot which would have shown the injuries. with no actual charges the police cannot take away his weapon or clothes. It had to be frustrating for the lead investigator. Now any wounds Zimmerman had would be healed. The prosecutor contacted said the police didn't have enough probable cause for the arrest and it would not lead to a conviction beyond a reasonable doubt. I just don't see a case here now, or at least not a conviction.

[oldmovies]

01:26 AM on 03/29/2012

http://www.knoxnews.com/videos/detail/chipman-murders-channon-christian-chris-newsom/

We all know it is only racism if it is White againstt black?