Showing posts with label shooter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label shooter. Show all posts

Thursday, March 29, 2012

AP Interview: Lawyer says French shooter had split up with wife, likely acted ... - Washington Post

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AP Interview: Lawyer says French shooter had split up with wife, likely acted aloneSmaller TextLarger TextText SizePrintE-mailReprints By Associated Press, AP

TOULOUSE, France — The lawyer for the now-dead gunman who claimed responsibility for a killing spree in southern France says the man split up with his wife days before the attacks and was suffering “psychological difficulties.”

Lawyer Christian Etelin, speaking Wednesday to The Associated Press, said he believes Mohamed Merah acted as a “lone wolf,” not part of a terrorist network.

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Monday, March 26, 2012

Lawyer: Federal hate crime charge against Trayvon shooter a 'challenge' - CNN (blog)

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Bringing a federal hate crime charge against a neighborhood watch volunteer who fatally shot Trayvon Martin will be "a challenge, to put it lightly," the victim's lawyer said.

Daryl Parks, an attorney for the Martin family, told board members of the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ) on Saturday that prosecution on the state level stands a better chance.

"Most state laws tend to be better for the prosecution of state crimes. And that's why we see the federal authorities expressing, although gently, in their statements that they can only do so much if there's some type of race statements involved. The state officials don't have that problem," Parks said.

"I think the focus is not necessarily a federal arrest over a state arrest. We want an arrest, period. And I think that the state aspect of that is the one that's most feasible, most attainable in this matter."

Meanwhile, worshipers in cities across the country will wear hoodies to church Sunday in honor Martin, who was wearing a hoodie when he was killed.

FULL STORY

“This Just In” is CNN's news blog. We'll bring you the latest news ?from CNN’s correspondents and sources around the world. We’ll cover stories that are breaking, causing ripples, or otherwise driving the collective daily conversation, along with some items we find interesting and worth sharing.

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Sunday, March 25, 2012

Florida teen free porn is not racist shooter, lawyer says

ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Florida (Reuters)-representative of the man who shot dead a black Florida teen lawyer said his client's public image is almost completely wrong and that he has acted in Self-defense, not out of racial bigotry.

Craig Sonner, the previously little known defense lawyer Altamonte Springs, Florida, beginning with the all of a sudden find themselves thrust into spotlight to represent George Zimmerman, which remains free and uncharged only Orlando Sanford, North of the city of danger than the attorney.

In the case of hot dip galvanized the nation and called on the police failure to arrest warrant Zimmerman of protested and, more generally, the pattern of racial discrimination, that the black leaders in the Central Office, Sanford, and elsewhere in the country, the sudden rise.

Martin, 17 and unarmed, shot in the dead February 26 after Zimmerman, 28, white Hispanic neighborhood watch captain, believed that walking "hoodie" hoodie looks for suspicious gated community of the young man. Zimmerman was followed by him and the altercation Edicomiin.

"This is not the situation on racist," his Office told Reuters on Saturday Sonner, which has given rise to the parade of television satellite trucks, since Friday, that he was representative of the Zimmerman became public.

"In fact, George Zimmerman was a mentor, in conjunction with the mother, with a 13-year-old daughter and 14-year-old son, and he did not have anything but good things to say about lihasdystrofiana them, and also help African American Church members belong to the money," said Sonner.

A lawyer who handles his first high-profile media event, said he has represented Zimmerman "couple of weeks", but has yet to respond to the customer face-to-face, because the risks, revealing his whereabouts. Zimmerman has been lost in the public view, in the absence of national media coverage of the shooting in the beginning of March.

"Look for the driveway," said Sonner, TV cars.

In order to protect his client, who fell to Sonner is the State Special Prosecutor under investigation, most of the information about the FBI and the US Justice Department to discuss.

But he confirmed that the police caused by the bloody nose, and cut the Zimmerman his head back to the report. Sanford police said they found themselves, on the basis of the defence, in support of the part of the story contradict evidence of injuries n Zimmerman.

Sonner said Martin Zimmerman and Zimmerman punched in the nose to make back his head back on the ground, in the context of the fall.

Race issue was inflamed and then speak to the operator in the event of an emergency, in which he notes what his critics believe was a racial slur, even if on the basis of the Martin audio cassettes of Zimmerman. Ambiguous sound is open to interpretation, but if the prosecutors believe they can convince a jury of Zimmerman used the words he could have committed the crime charged with hate.

"Based on talking with George and his friends, I do not think he made racial slurs. He was not known for talking about this, "Sonner said.

Although Sonner believes public atmosphere is wrong, he understands why emotions are running high.

"There is a lot of sadness. I mean, the child, the loss, "he said. "The Martin family is grief is incredible. But based on the injuries that have been released, and that George and his opinions, he believes he was acting in defence. "

(Editing Vicki Allen)


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Shooter of Florida teen not a racist, lawyer says

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ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Florida (Reuters) - The lawyer representing the man who shot dead a black Florida teenager said the public image of his client is almost completely wrong and that he acted out of self-defense, not racial bigotry.

Craig Sonner, a previously little known defense lawyer from Altamonte Springs, Florida, suddenly finds himself thrust into the spotlight as the attorney representing George Zimmerman, who remains free and uncharged over the incident in the town of Sanford, just north of Orlando.

The case has galvanized the nation and prompted rallies protesting the failure of police to arrest Zimmerman and, more broadly, a pattern of racial discrimination that black leaders cite in Sanford and elsewhere in the country.

Martin, 17 and unarmed, was shot dead on February 26 after Zimmerman, 28, a white Hispanic neighborhood watch captain, believed the young man walking through the gated community in a "hoodie" hooded sweatshirt looked suspicious. Zimmerman followed him and an altercation ensued.

"This was not a racially motivated situation," Sonner told Reuters on Saturday from his law office, which has attracted a parade of television satellite trucks since it became public on Friday that he was representing Zimmerman.

"Actually George Zimmerman was a mentor to a single mother with a 14 year old son and a 13 year old daughter and she had nothing but good things to say about his involvement with them, and also helping in raising money for their African American church," Sonner said.

The lawyer, who is handling his first high-profile media case, said he has represented Zimmerman for a "couple of weeks" but has yet to meet his client face-to-face because it would risk revealing his whereabouts. Zimmerman has disappeared from public view since the shooting gained national media attention in early March.

"Look out in the driveway," Sonner said, referring to the TV trucks.

Sonner declined to discuss most details of the case to protect his client, who is under investigation by a state special prosecutor, the FBI and the U.S. Justice Department.

But he did affirm a police report that Zimmerman suffered a bloody nose and a cut on the back of his head. Sanford police said they found no evidence to contradict Zimmerman's story of self defense, supported in part by the injuries.

Sonner said Martin punched Zimmerman in the nose and Zimmerman hit the back of his head on the ground upon falling backward.

The race issue was inflamed by audio tapes of Zimmerman speaking to an emergency operator in which he uttered what his critics believe was a racial slur while in pursuit of Martin. The unclear audio is open to interpretation but if prosecutors believe they can convince a jury that Zimmerman used the offending words he could be prosecuted for a hate crime.

"Based on talking with George and his friends, I don't believe he made racial slurs. He was not known for talking that way," Sonner said.

Though Sonner believes public sentiment is wrong, he understands why emotions are running high.

"There's a lot of grief. I mean, the loss of a child," he said. "The amount of grief the Martin family is experiencing is incredible. But based on the injuries that have been released and that George sustained, and his statements, he believes he was acting in self defense."

(Editing by Vicki Allen)


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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Lawyer: Afghan shooter suspect remembers little- Top commander: US must stick to Afghan strategy

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FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan – ?The lawyer for the Army staff sergeant accused of slaughtering 16 Afghan civilians in a nighttime shooting rampage met his client for the first time Monday and said the solider has a sketchy memory of the massacre.

Lawyer John Henry Browne said Robert Bales remembers some details from before and after the killings, but very little during the time the military believes on a killing spree through two Afghan villages.

"He has some memory of some things that happened that night. He has some memories of before the incident and he has some memories of after the incident. In between, very little," Browne told The Associated Press by telephone from Fort Leavenworth, where Bales is being held.

Pressed on whether Bales can remember anything at all about the shooting, Browne said, "I haven't gotten that far with him yet."

Bales, 38, has not been charged yet in the March 11 shootings, though charges could come this week. The killings sparked protests in Afghanistan, endangered relations between the two countries and threatened to upend American policy over the decade-old war.

Earlier Monday, Browne met with his client behind bars for the first time to begin building a defense and said the soldier gave a powerfully moving account of what it is like to be on the ground in Afghanistan.

Browne said he and Bales, who is being held in an isolated cell at the military prison, met for more than three hours in the morning at Fort Leavenworth. Browne, co-counsel Emma Scanlan and Bales were expected to talk again in the afternoon.

"What's going on on the ground in Afghanistan, you read about it. I read about it. But it's totally different when you hear about it from somebody who's been there," Browne told The Associated Press by telephone during a lunch break. "It's just really emotional."

Browne, a Seattle attorney who defended serial killer Ted Bundy and a thief known as the "Barefoot Bandit," has said he has handled three or four military cases. The defense team includes a military defense lawyer, Maj. Thomas Hurley.

At their meeting, Browne said Bales clarified a story, provided initially by the soldier's family, about the timing of a roadside bomb that blew off the leg of one of Bales' friends. It was two days before the shooting, not one, and Bales didn't see the explosion, just the aftermath, Browne said.

The details of the blast could not be immediately confirmed.

Military officials have said that Bales, after drinking on a southern Afghanistan base, crept away to two villages overnight, shooting his victims and setting many of them on fire. Nine of the dead were children and 11 belonged to one family.

Bales arrived at Fort Leavenworth last Friday and is being held in the same prison as other prominent defendants. Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is charged with leaking classified documents to the WikiLeaks website, has been held there on occasion as he awaited trial.

Bales is "already being integrated into the normal pretrial confinement routine," post spokeswoman Rebecca Steed said.

That includes recreation, meals and cleaning the area where he is living. Steed said once his meetings with his attorneys are complete later in the week, Bales will resume the normal integration process.

Bales' wife, Karilyn, offered her condolences to the victims' families Monday and said she wants to know what happened. She said her family and her in-laws are profoundly sad. She said what they've read and seen in news reports is "completely out of character of the man I know and admire."

"My family including my and Bob's extended families are all profoundly sad. We extend our condolences to all the people of the Panjawai District, our hearts go out too all of them, especially to the parents, brothers, sisters and grandparents of the children who perished," Karilyn Bales said in a statement.

Court records and interviews show that Bales had commendations for good conduct after four tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. He enlisted in the military after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

He also faced a number of troubles in recent years: A Florida investment job went sour, his Seattle-area home was condemned as he struggled to make payments on another, and he failed to get a recent promotion.

Legal troubles included charges that he assaulted a girlfriend and, in a hit-and-run accident, ran bleeding in military clothes into the woods, according to court records. He told police he fell asleep at the wheel and paid a fine to get the charges dismissed.

In March 1998, Bales was given a $65 citation for possessing alcohol at Daytona Beach, Fla. He did not pay the fine nor did he defend himself in court. A warrant was issued for his arrest, but it later expired.

If the case goes to court, the trial will be held in the U.S., said a legal expert with the U.S. military familiar with the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the case.

That expert said charges were still being decided and that the location for any trial had not yet been determined. If the suspect is brought to trial, it is possible that Afghan witnesses and victims would be flown to the U.S. to participate, he said.

After their investigation, military attorneys could draft charges and present them to a commander, who then makes a judgment on whether there is probable cause to believe that an offense was committed and that the accused committed it.

That commander then submits the charges to a convening authority, who typically is the commander of the brigade to which the accused is assigned but could be of higher rank.


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