George Zimmerman assault case dropped; ex-girlfriend recants

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — An aggravated assault case against George Zimmerman that was opened when his ex-girlfriend said he threw a wine bottle at her has been dropped because she recanted her story and stopped cooperating with investigators, a prosecutor said Friday.

State Attorney Phil Archer said he wouldn't file a formal charge against Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch leader who was acquitted of killing Trayvon Martin. The killing of the unarmed black teen touched off protests across the country.

The ex-girlfriend had made it clear she didn't want the case to proceed, and there were no other eyewitnesses to what happened earlier this month, Archer said.

"While it is clear that the officers had probable cause to arrest Mr. Zimmerman ... the subsequent recantation by the victim of her initial statement ... precludes my office from proceeding further," Archer said in a statement.

FULL story at link.


Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/7a0288c1928b44719d8f521a114679ed/george-zimmerman-assault-care-dropped-ex-girlfriend-recants

[NJCher]

1. crime and (lack of) punishment

This bum has the most incredible luck.


Cher

[mpcamb]

31. Makes ya wonder

Any money change hands??

[longship]

2. And he'll beat the shit out of her if she does not recant.

Zimmerman is Zimmerman, a serial misogynist and abuser.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

23. Or he gave her a few G's of his blood money.

[albino65]

3. My guess would be coercion n/t

[George II]

4. I'm confused - which one is this? Which ex-girlfriend? How many charges are still outstanding?

These things are so complicated to keep track of!

[bluedigger]

5. I assume she was well compensated for her change of heart.

[HappyMe]

6. That was my first thought as well.

Isn't this the 2nd time that these kind of charges were suddenly dropped?

[riversedge]

13. yes. it is.

[Demit]

11. I wonder if there's some group secretly bankrolling George.

IIRC, he doesn't personally have any money.

[bluedigger]

20. The NRA has deep pockets and shallow ethics.

George is their golden goose and they will do whatever it takes to keep him producing for them.

[LongTomH]

34. Are they bankrolling him or threatening her?

That would fit with the rightwing's tactical playbook!

[bluedigger]

36. Oh, not directly, just fellow travelers, perhaps.

He's a walking poster boy for the validation of the SYG defense to many. If one one notices a pattern of him attracting and discarding women with no apparent income develop, and that leads to questions,

well,


I guess I'm just curious.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

7. Funny how these keeps happening

I mean, totally natural for a series of girlfriends to file abuse and assault charges on you

[onehandle]

8. The poster boy of gun activism gets away with it again. nt

[davidpdx]

29. The poster boy for gun activism and violent behavior gets away with it again

[2naSalit]

9. Eventually

karma will catch up to him.. most likely via a taste of his own medicine.

Seems like the only way this walking crime spree will end.

[Laurian]

14. Karma sure is slow with this one. Every time he's arrested, I think

this is it....karma. But, no, he keeps getting away.

Slimy bastard.

[2naSalit]

15. Same here.

But when you look at all the other BS that passes for normal these days...
Glad I'm getting old... not sure how much more of this I can stand.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

24. His Karma surprise will likely be very permanent.

[davidpdx]

30. But not soon enough

Will it be prison or a hole in the ground? That is the question.

[frylock]

10. Teflon George

[Myrina]

12. This is why domestic violence arrests/charges need to be made by the cops ...

.... in some states the victim has nothing to do with it, so if she does recant or become a hostile witness, the charges/case still moves forward based on arrest evidence. Too many domestic abuse victims recant out of fear, imagined guilt ("it was my fault, I provoked him&quot or the "you can't take the man I looooooove" mentality.

[2naSalit]

16. ^^^THIS^^^

[christx30]

22. That's the way things are in Texas.

If the victim drops the charges, the state picks them up.

[csziggy]

28. I beleive that is the way it is in Florida - but if the victim recants

And will not cooperate with police unless there is other evidence they cannot make a case. That seems to be what has happened in this case: ""While it is clear that the officers had probable cause to arrest Mr. Zimmerman ... the subsequent recantation by the victim of her initial statement ... precludes my office from proceeding further," {State Attorney Phil} Archer said in a statement." (from the link in the OP)

This makes the fourth domestic violence case Zimmerman has been involved in:

_He was arrested on charges of aggravated assault, battery and criminal mischief after his then-girlfriend said he pointed a gun at her face during an argument, smashed her coffee table and pushed her out of the house they shared. Samantha Scheibe decided not to cooperate with detectives and prosecutors didn't pursue the case.

__ Zimmerman was accused by his estranged wife of smashing an iPad during an argument at the home they had shared. Shellie Zimmerman initially told a dispatcher her husband had a gun, though she later said he was unarmed. No charges were filed because of a lack of evidence. The dispute occurred days after Shellie Zimmerman filed divorce papers.
(from the link in the OP)

Also in 2005, Zimmerman's ex-fiancée filed a restraining order against him, alleging domestic violence. Zimmerman requested a reciprocal restraining order. Both orders were granted.[3][27] These incidents were raised by prosecutors at Zimmerman's initial bond hearing. The judge described them as "run of the mill." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Zimmerman#Other_encounters_with_police

I guess Zimmerman is careful to select girlfriends who are not as aggressive as he is and who are not into owning guns. Otherwise, Zimmerman could find himself on the wrong end of the barrel for a change.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

37. It doesn't matter who presses charges

if the witness recants, then unless there is other convincing evidence, there's no point in going to trial.

[Myrina]

40. Not true.

In WI the charges are presented by the DA's offices simply because many women recant (for whatever reason). The cops & advocates testify, have photos, statements, ER records, whatever ... and the trial does go forward.

[SickOfTheOnePct]

41. They go forward

even if they don't have enough evidence for a conviction? Because that's what this prosecutor is saying - without her testimony, there isn't enough evidence.

[ManiacJoe]

42. Myrina just disproved her own point.

The cops & advocates testify, have photos, statements, ER records, whatever ... and the trial does go forward.

Without those things, nothing goes forward.

[Panich52]

38. Definitely agree. These idiot women keep letting him off the hook

It certainly makes one curious as to why. Are they typical of so many abuse vics who recant out of generalized fear? Or because of shame? Or because good ole boy Georgie either threatens or pays them off - or both.

He's gonna run into someone more able to 'stand their ground' than he. Can't wait...

[Myrina]

39. I wouldn't call them idiots ....

Georgie seems to have the ability to find low-self-esteem women he can bully or who think they're "the one he needs". Being "superman" in their eyes also feeds his low self-esteem & eventually sets off an incident.

I've done alot of research & volunteer work in domestic abuse shelters & DA's offices. It's a pretty sick cycle of co-dependence.

[Panich52]

43. You're right. It was more an 'I'm mad as hell' word

[d_r]

17. mf er is like teflon

he is going to end killing somebody again.

[Jake Stern]

18. Why is there a mobsteresque feel about this?

"If you tell the DA to drop the charges against George, we'll make sure it's VERY worth your while"

*Taps finger on envelope full of cash*

[demigoddess]

19. I want to know who is the guy who is paying everybody off

or maybe it is an "enforcer" who threatens them.

[Nye Bevan]

25. Me too. Who is this mysterious Zimmerman-loving millionaire?

And what is his motivation for ensuring that Zimmerman stays free?

[sendero]

21. There should be a consequence..

... for "recanting". Either you were lying to the police then, or you are now.

[Nye Bevan]

26. My big question is why any woman is still willing to be his girlfriend.

Of course, I also said this about OJ Simpson back in the day.

[Thinkingabout]

27. If this punt doesn't get some real help he is going to kill again.

[DeSwiss]

32. ....

[christx30]

33. Well, I think we all owe Mr. Zimmerman a big apology

for even thinking he might be capable of violence.

[olddots]

35. America loves bad guys

Think about it .. disturbing .