What do you do when your municipality is holding arguably the most-hated and notorious killer on earth? You grant him bail. That's exactly what Judge Kenneth Lester did for George Zimmerman, the man who killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
As a condition of his bail, Zimmerman is not allowed to have possession of firearms, drink alcohol, or use drugs. He must also maintain a curfew. How nice.
If the city of Sanford wanted to embarrass itself any further, it just did.
The justice system that has obtained international prominence as one of the most inept, irresponsible, racist and unprofessional organizations in the country has set a new standard for judicial indecency. The family of Trayvon Martin worked hard to get Zimmerman arrested because he was a flight risk, now he's a flight risk all over again.
Granting bail for George Zimmerman, for the most part, is a slap in the face to those around the world who worked for his arrest. It simply says that without regard to the will of the people, those possessing the power of the state have no obligation to answer to anyone or even share whatever information they are using to come to their illogical decisions.
Granting bail to Zimmerman renders all the rallies, petitions and hard work done around the world to bring him to justice meaningless. It effectively communicates defiance within the Sanford judicial system to say, "We don't care what you think. We're going to do whatever we choose to do."
At this point, it's hard to argue against anyone who feels compelled to hold the city of Sanford accountable for its actions. Boycotts, (peaceful) civil disobedience, and other tools at our disposal are called for when it comes to dealing with this tragedy of a judicial process. George Zimmerman himself should not be tried in the court of public opinion, but the public deserves answers to ensure that this son of a judge who's been allowed to skirt responsibility for his actions in the past, isn't being given yet another free ride by one of his father's friends.
George Zimmerman may or may not be guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Trayvon Martin. But when accused of racial inequality, disrespect for the law, and stomping on the civil rights of its citizens, the Sanford judicial system has been found guilty beyond measure.
The same system that let a killer walk away from the scene of the crime and held a boy's body in the morgue long after his parents filed a missing person's report, is the one that is now allowing George Zimmerman to walk the streets with the rest of us.
This is what Sanford justice is all about, and it is a reminder that we cannot simply sit back and let the system take its course.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is a Professor at Syracuse University. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.
Follow Dr. Boyce Watkins on Twitter: www.twitter.com/DrBoyceWatkins1
Just so we are perfectly clear. I think that Zimmerman was wrong to follow Martin and completely wrong to shoot him. I don't know if it was racially motivated - only Zimmerman knows what's in his heart and mind - but that's really not the most important issue. Regardless of what was in Zimmerman's heart, Martin is still dead and wasn't doing anything illegal at the time of the altercation.
BUT, of course Martin's family want to see Zimmerman fry - he killed their son! You, on the other hand, shouldn't be so attached. One would hope that your goal would be to see true justice served, unfortunately this article would suggest otherwise and the people who might look to you are being led astray by your lack of perspective.
It is not the "Sanford judicial system." Kenneth Lester is a circuit judge for Seminole County, not the town of Sanford.
So why did he wait for the police to show up, then?
With all due respect, your color is showing
Stack v. Boyle, 342 U.S. 1, 4 (1951).
A person who is not engaged in an unlawful act, like walking home from the store after buying an ice tea and a bag of skittles and talking to your girl friend. Seems Trayvon had a right to be on that path since it took him straight home. Zodiac zimmerman however did not live in the area he stopped his vehicle called 911 and lied to the police about Trayvons actions, he then stalked trayvon to the point where trayvon mentioned it to his girl friend someones following me. Zodiac then according to is account to the police took off after Trayvon and went around some condos to cut him off from his path home.
Trayvon has committed no crime and zodiac zimmerman is not a police officer nor is he someone just out walking and then being attacked, he invoked the confrontation. Even the detectives from the sanford police said zimmerman was a liar.
"A person who is not engaged in an unlawful act, like walking home from the store after buying an ice tea and a bag of skittles and talking to your girl friend."
You don't actually KNOW what Trayvon was doing. Everyone SAYS he was just walking to the store and back, but nobody actually knows. Even his family didn't know where he was that night. His dad thought he was at the movies. His brother, who was supposedly expecting him back to watch the game, didn't even seem to get worried when the game was over and Trayvon wasn't back yet. So nobody really has any idea what he was actually doing after he bought the Skittles.
"Zodiac zimmerman however did not live in the area he stopped his vehicle called 911 and lied to the police about Trayvons actions,"
What are you talking about? He did too live in the area, and had for years. Are you just making stuff up now?
How do you know he was lying about Trayvon's actions? You don't know what he was doing that night.
Trayvon's path home was a straight line. It was less than a hundred yards from Zimmerman's car. Zimmerman was on the phone for NINETY WHOLE SECONDS after losing sight of Trayvon, giving the police his information. If Trayvon couldn't walk a hundred yards in ninety seconds, he must have had a severe disability we don't know about. Of course, he didn't even TRY, since he was found about thirty yards from Zimmerman's car, by the "T" in the sidewalk. That would mean that, if he had tried to get home, and ran to that point by the time Zimmerman got off the phone, he would have been traveling at one foot per second.
"Trayvon has committed no crime "
Hitting someone's head against the pavement is a crime. In every jurisdiction. Or do you think he made Zimmerman's head bleed by hitting him with his Skittles?
"he invoked the confrontation."
Nope. If Trayvon had wanted to avoid a confrontation, he would have been home. He didn't. He came back so he could attack Zimmerman.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/47146432/ns/us_news/t/trayvon-martins-killer-leaves-florida-jail/
"At the Friday hearing, Zimmerman apologized to Martin's family, stunning a rapt courtroom after he appeared in a suit and tie and with shackles around his waist and wrists.
Zimmerman's lawyer had requested bail of no more than $15,000. Prosecutors opposed his release and sought bail of $1 million."
O'Mara did that because Zimmerman lied to his attorney pleading poverty while he was sitting on at least $200K at the time. One lie is all it takes to lose all credibility. Zimmerman made the ultimate gross error of lying to his attorney.
Hardyharhar...That's a funny way of telling people that you visited MSNBC.
And yet that is EXACTLY what you are doing.
"this son of a judge "
Magistrate, not judge. Learn the difference.
Are you suggesting people brought up by magistrates are not aware of all the ins and outs of bond hearings, evidence required for arrests, and otherwise how to skirt the law? Rethink that please.
http://leg1.state.va.us/cgi-bin/legp504.exe?000+cod+19.2-37
No, it isn't that simple. What you are saying is that this trial is simply the State Attorney caving in to public pressure. You have trials when there is enough evidence to do so. Florida law prohibits the arrest of a person who claim self-defense unless there is probable cause to believe it was not self-defense. By Florida law, you cannot simply arrest a person who admits to shooting an killing another person. You have to follow the law.
"Are you suggesting people brought up by magistrates are not aware of all the ins and outs of bond hearings, evidence required for arrests, and otherwise how to skirt the law?"
Considering the very limited duties of magistrates, it is extremely likely that George has very little idea how all these things work. To quote the Virginia Department of Legislative and Public Relations, "Please be advised that in Virginia magistrates are judicial officers, but they are not considered "judges" and do not possess trial jurisdiction."
Huh? You seem to have bail confused with a pardon or reduction of sentence. He is still facing charges and could still be sentenced to many years in prison. Do not confuse pre-trial confinement with any punitive sentence -- they are not the same thing.
" It effectively communicates defiance within the Sanford judicial system "
Again, this is not the Sanford judicial system which granted bail, it was the State of Florida.
No, they worked hard to get him arrested because they think he murdered their son.
"now he's a flight risk all over again."
Zimmerman voluntarily surrendered as soon as the charges were announced. The first thing he did was voluntarily surrender his passport before the court even asked for it.
And quite frankly, if it were not for the near lynch mob mentality of people just like you, he would not be a flight risk at all.
Pure speculation on your part.
"In his self-centered way of thinking, he needed a bullet-proof vest "
Provided by the state as is common in high profile cases. Happens all the time.
You are not refuting me in any way.
Umm... Judge Lester does not work for the city of Sanford. Judge Lester works for the State of Florida and is a State Circuit Court Judge.
Pretty glaring mistake for a Professor to make. Maybe you should stick to weighing in on finances before you embarrass yourself any further?
A three consecutive postings' rant, and nary a logical comment in any of your context.
He receives a paycheck from an entity called the State of Florida. What you call an "abstract concept" is legally a seperate entity which can sue or be sued in its own name, enter into contracts, hire employees and do many other thigs that "abstract concept" can not do.. The judge does not receive a paycheck from each of the residents of the state, nor does he receive a pay check from the City of Sanford. . The City of Sanford is a municipal corporation, incorporated as such under the laws of the state of Florida and has an independent legal status seperate and apart from the state and from its residents.. It has employees and pays them with a paycheck drawn on bank accounts established in the name of the corporation. It can sue or be sued in its own name. It has no control over and is not liable for actions taken by the political entity known as the state of Florida, nor has it any ability to control employees of the state of Florida merely by virtue of the fact that they are a municipal corporation in the state of Florida.
You really should stop providing your opinion on the law
But if you are absolutely intent on arguing about this, feel free to yet again demonstrate your foolishness and lack of comprehension.
Calm down. You are hyperventilating. Statements like yours are 100% counter-productive to maintaining any form of civility.