02-24-2013, 04:21 PM
(02-06-2013, 12:52 PM)Jimbone Wrote: Don't look now, but this witness 8 thing could end up being a really big deal... interesting maneuvering has gone on about her.
Another prosecutor disaster in the making in Florida.
I get the sense that the girl on the phone with Trayvon, Witness 8, is a big concern to the defense. I don't think the prosecution has done any interesting maneuvering about her, just protecting her like any other witness. The prosecution has done nothing to block the defense from taking her deposition. The defense was however denied their request to depose Mr. Crump, the Martin family attorney, as the judge ruled that he is immaterial to anything that took place the night that Trayvon was killed.
Looks to me like Zimmerman's team is trying again to delay the trial but the judge is not allowing it. JMO based on what's been released thus far.
Here's the latest from 2 days ago.
Snipped:
O'Mara and West (Zimmerman's attorneys) want her address, as well as those of Trayvon's family members, to investigate them before taking their depositions next month in South Florida. That would allow defense attorneys to challenge them then about inconsistent statements, a history of lying or other embarrassing things.
Zimmerman's attorneys made clear Friday that they intend to aggressively go after Witness 8. West pointed out that she was 18 when Trayvon was shot, even though Crump told reporters at a news conference in March that she was 16. Information about the "critically important" witness, West said, has been "cloaked in mystery."
Not so, said Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda. Defense attorneys have known her name since April. They did a mini-deposition earlier this month and also know her date of birth and online handles.
They don't need her home address and shouldn't get it now because her privacy and safety may be at risk, he said. "This witness is scared," de la Rionda said.
It's not clear what the judge will do about an even more intrusive request filed by defense attorneys Thursday: They've asked for all medical records about her for a six-week stretch following Trayvon's death. That's apparently to check a story that she was unable to attend his funeral because she was in the hospital.
Most of the hearing was spent debating what to do with Crump (Martin family attorney). During that hourlong argument, Blackwell (Crump's attorney) confirmed that Crump plans to sue Zimmerman on behalf of Trayvon's parents.
And after West argued that the judge's earlier decision against a trial delay had left defense attorneys "desperately running out of time," she pushed back, lecturing him and co-counsel Mark O'Mara about their deposition schedule.
"Witness 8 has been known to the defense for ten months and that deposition has not been taken," she said.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loca...ory?dasdsa