Hear the Jailhouse Phone Calls That Sent George Zimmerman Back to Jail & Could Implicate His Wife
- Posted on June 18, 2012 at 1:51pm by
Erica Ritz
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(Photo: AP)
(The Blaze/AP) — The former neighborhood watch volunteer who killed Trayvon Martin told his wife to buy bulletproof vests for them and for his attorney, according to jailhouse calls released Monday. But they also reveal the couple may have been hiding how much money they had on hand.
“As uncomfortable as it is, I want you wearing one,” George Zimmerman told his wife. Zimmerman was wearing a bulletproof vest when he left jail after posting bond. His attorney, Mark O’Mara, has reported receiving threats.
The calls, released by prosecutors, also detail how Zimmerman instructed his wife to transfer money from bank accounts and could play a crucial role in his second bond hearing next week.
Zimmerman was released on $150,000 bond in April, several days after the calls took place. At his bond hearing, his wife, Shellie, testified that she didn’t know how much money had been raised from a website created for his legal defense. She also testified that they had limited funds because she was in school full time and Zimmerman wasn’t working.
Prosecutors say the calls show George and Shellie Zimmerman knew that roughly $135,000 had been raised by the site.
Watch Fox’s explanation of the problem:
Shellie Zimmerman was arrested last week on a charge of making a false statement. George Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense during the confrontation with the 17-year-old teen in a gated community in Sanford, Fla. The case sparked protests across the country when George Zimmerman wasn’t arrested at first and led to nationwide debate over race and self-defense laws.
In one call, Zimmerman tells his wife and sister how to change a computer password at a credit union so they can move funds around. They also seemingly tried to speak in code about PayPal, using the words “Peter Pan” repeatedly.
In another call, Shellie Zimmerman said that money raised from the website was also being used to pay off bills. The couple also talked about how they would whisk Zimmerman away from the Seminole County Jail once he was released in April, and discussed using a rental car to drive to a hotel parking garage. There, they would change into another rental car to throw off anybody who tried to follow him.
Shellie Zimmerman told her husband that the website had crashed because of supporters leaving words of support, as well as donations. They also talked about the life that awaited them once everything was over.
“After all this is over, you’re going to be able to have a great life,” she told him, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
“[We] will,” he corrected her.
“Yeah, we will.”
Prosecutors originally had planned to release 151 of Zimmerman’s jailhouse calls, but O’Mara objected. A hearing over their release is set at the same time as Zimmerman’s bond hearing next week.
CBS Atlanta has links to the six calls in MP3 format. Click here to listen.
“It is our contention that the calls are not only irrelevant to the charges against Mr. Zimmerman, but they could jeopardize friends and family of Mr. Zimmerman who are unrelated to the case,” O‘Mara said on a website for Zimmerman’s legal defense.
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Comments (75)
Cashpipe
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:56pmHow many Trayvon‘s shot and killed other Trayvon’s since this incident? Liberal outrage always dies out quickly. This is now just public officials trying to give the appearance of actually being productive and/or effective.
Report Post »VoteBushIn12
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 4:38pmTrayvon couldn’t shoot a Trayvon because Trayvon was unarmed.
If you’re asking how many black men shoot unarmed black men daily? the answer is a lot. The Issue is they are all in jail and Zimmerman is not – hence the “liberal outrage”
Stop trying to compare the incomparable. It only serves to strengthen the comparisons between you and an idiot.
Report Post »Obamammy
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 5:28pm@ VOTEBUSHIN12
Liberal Salad Tossing Child Molester… did you not read the article?
Even a drooling vegetable such as yourself could plainly see that ZIMMERMAN IS IN JAIL just like all the other Trayvon’s. Problem is they keep saying he’s Caucasian.
Report Post »bigtarmada
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 5:32pm^ Definition? Ironic.
Report Post »Independent4233
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 6:29pmVoteBushIn12
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 4:38pm
“Trayvon couldn’t shoot a Trayvon because Trayvon was unarmed.”
Only a homosexual moron would make a statement like that.
Since Zimmerman was jailed on trumped up charges by an ass-kissing prosecutor hell bent on appeasing the black mobs, anything the Zimmermans can do is legitimate to me to try to get themselves in a better position.
This fat, ugly prosecutor is combing over every thing possible to try to taint Zimmerman’s image, because hers has been badly damaged. She’s a corrupt criminal politician who very likely could be charged with a crime herself for slanting her affadavit so atrociously against Zimmerman by leaving out crucial facts in the case. Even radical leftist Dershowitz has mentioned it publicly and in a high profile national way.
Any fair jury will free Zimmerman, because he was within his rights to shoot the black, dope dealing, criminal thug who attacked him. No stand your ground law is needed in this case.
After illegally jailing this man, this crooked prosecutor will try to tarnish his character again and again, but it will have no bearing on his guilt or innocence at trial, and she could well be Nifonged in the process of it all.
I know I’ve begun a heated activism against her here in Florida, calling for her to be charged with perjury in her affadavit. The response has been overwhelming.
Report Post »SgtB
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:11pmWhy is it that a husband and wife cannot get a private phone conversation? I really could care less if he is a criminal or not, a husband and a wife are a single legal entity and they have certain privileges and rights by law. Just like you cannot be forced to testify against yourself, your spouse cannot be forced to testify against you. Also, correspondence between a husband and wife should be confidential and any breach of that confidentiality should be held as a violation of their 4th and 5th amendment rights unless a judge has issued a search warrant upon the confession of a witness giving the place and nature of the offense and items to be seized.
George and his wife are quickly becoming the scapegoat for Obama’s political will and I for one am not overly excited about that prospect. I stand with Ted on this.
Report Post »TheYoungForProsperity
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 11:42pmHow can you prove that they are “all” in jail? Just curious… and Zimmerman is in jail… your the idiot! But, it‘s all good because a charge isn’t a conviction. He’ll be free at the end of all of this bs drama.
Report Post »VoteBushIn12
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 12:46am@OBAMMY
“Liberal Salad Tossing Child Molester”
I don’t get it
@INDEPENDENT4233
“Only a homosexual moron…”
Please explain
@THEYOUNGFORPROSPERITY
Fair enough, I can’t prove that, but I challenge you to disprove that. Clearly you don’t have to, I am unable to substantiate my claims and I concede, but I would notion it’s not as easy as you think.
This Blaze article alone shows how, when the roles are reversed, the black man winds up in jail:
Report Post »http://www.theblaze.com/stories/what-if-george-zimmerman-were-black-liberals-think-theyve-found-the-answer-in-georgia/
Amarath01
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 7:24amWhy o why are not the Zimmerman’s legal and financial experts.. well they SHOULD BE AND ARE REQUIRED TO BE remember ignorance of the law…
Report Post »Rofl give me a break.
Secret Squirrel
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 10:41am.
Report Post »Ever wonder how these recordings are leaked, and why?
The prosecution has no case, so they are trying this case in the news rather than in court.
They want Zimmerman to cave and plead guilty.
Let’s see this play out in court, the prosecutors are unethical.
BenFrank1791
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:41pmI love how the left tries to spin this case, Remember there is nothing political about it. He violated the law ! Every time I hear such Garbage I move more to the right. This judge is just another example of what happens when the left takes control of any branch of government.
Report Post »Want our country back
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:33pmHopefully someday he and his family will have some quiet time….
Report Post »barber2
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:27pmWhy is this out in the media ? I thought there was always silence regarding cases pending. Oh, let me guess. The Obama White House did their usual LEAK job to press their desired agenda. This is OUTRAGEOUS.
Report Post »Jaycen
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:35pmDon’t have a case? Convict your opponent in the court of public opinion on unrelated matters.
Report Post »cmonnow
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 8:55pmsince when does the media not discuss pending court cases ?
Report Post »Ohello
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 9:09pmJust remember Scooter Libby convicted not for the crime being investigated but for not remembering accurately what he said historically and from one day to the next. Zimmerman will go down not for the shooting but for some other charge that gets trumped up during the trial so that Democrat racists can be appeased with a pound of Zimmerman’s flesh.
My sorrow for the Martin’s loss, even if it turns out their son had instigated the event. Doubly so if not.
Report Post »Nevermind
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:25pmbooger71
It should not matter how much or little money you have. Bail should be set according to your offense, not according to your bank book
**************
Good thing your opinion doesnt count for a thing. You may not like it but bail hearings are done for a reason and its not about the amount of $$ tha tyou have but what you have access to. It could be explained in depth to you but educating stuppid people isnt my job nor is it the courts job. They either lied to the court or were too stupid , that isnt the courts problem.
Holder, Sharpton, Jackson or Obama didnt make him lie so dont blmae it on a black boogey man. Zimmerman is a liar and the courts frown upon those things.
Report Post »madderg
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:48pmThe money is there for hid defense, and to help with day to day expenses while this case drags on. What’s the big deal?? Get off his back, your news stories are creating a hostile environment for him and his wife. That IS against the law…you are violating his civil rights. You have needlessly put their lives in danger.
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:01pmthey LIED. it’s called perjury. it’s a crime. they are being punished for that. if it hurts his chances on a trial that will largely hinge on who is more believable, so be it.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:21pmPHILLYATHEIST What was the date of conviction for perjury for Zimmerman? I‘ve looked but can’t find where he’s been convicted of anything.
Report Post »pudssweetie
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 5:53pmA couple of questions for those who are saying that Zimmerman and his Wife lied about the money they had.
1. When was the fund officially set up for people to donate money too?
2. How much money, if any, was in the fund at the time of the bail hearing?
Before you point the finger and call anyone a lire you need to find out where and when the fund was set up and when donations started coming in and how much was at their disposal at the time of the bail hearing.
Report Post »cgnick
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 8:42pmHe wouldn’t have all that money in his “defense” fund if weren’t for the news stories. The media is a double edged sword.
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:48pmPeople send in money knowing he will not get a fair trail and to counter the death threats. And now the amount and use of that money becomes a factor in the trail.
Next time someone will not get any money from a donate button on a website as it does not help it just makes the situation worse all around.
Report Post »verdonne
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:45pmOMG when will people wake up in this country…..big brother does not allow any privacy, everything you say or do can be recorded and used against you.
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:58pmin prison, no, you don’t get privacy.
Report Post »cmonnow
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 8:56pmnot when you are in the custody of the state – no.
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:43pmThat is all well and good but have someone gone though it all and find the a 8th of a second if you hold your head right and you slow it down he says a rascal word.
Report Post »Joey8
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:43pmIt’s the democrat in them, not their fault.
Report Post »Detroit paperboy
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:41pmMakes me want to donate………….social justice my ass, more like RailRoad, and remember, Zimmerman is a registered DEMOCRAT…..they’re beginning to eat their own everywhere you look….
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:03pmnot everything is political. democrat, republican, communist, fascist – he’s being tried for murder. this isn’t a political issue. why try to make it so?
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:21pmIn respect to the comment that this is not political…
It became political when Obama and the rest of the “left” started making comments on the case. Before all of that, I agree that this was a simple case.. But now it IS political..
It unfortunate that people are using the lives of Travon Martin, AND the Zimmerman’s as a political football…
It does a great injustice to ALL parties involved..
I feel for both families….
Report Post »THX-1138
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:41pmJust Us?
Leaders never do. Remember that.
Report Post »tropolis
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:39pmZimmerman is his own worst enemy. I wont comment on the case in general, as I don’t pretend to know what happened, as every blaze poster somehow was there and knows Zimmerman is not guilty, but he’s clearly not getting wise advice.
Report Post »booger71
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:57pmIt should not matter how much or little money you have. Bail should be set according to your offense, not according to your bank book
Report Post »barber2
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:36pmBOO: I agree. Guess this is just more of the Obama / Marxist “ redistribution” philosophy : the more you have, they more Big Brother Government is entitled to take . Putin must be enjoying this.
Report Post »cgnick
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 8:46pm@Barber
Report Post »It was the other way around. The judge cut Zimmerman a break on his bond because he and his wife claimed hardship and said that they were broke. He was actually doing the Zimmermans a favor until he found out that they lied.
Dustoff
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:34pmJrook
Yeah sure. You have State doing all they can to brand you as a racist and a killer. They have lied about the just how much info the have on George.
The family has no income thanks to the State no protecting them for nuts like the BP.
Odd that you can scream over what George and his wife are trying to hold on to what income they may or may-not have. But zip about the state lying.
Report Post »Nemo13
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:32pmHmm… Sounds like a DESPERATE GUY GETTING RAILROADED BY THE COURTS TO APPEASE THE BLACKS. Run George! Their gonna use you. You will go to jail so that blacks can be happy another one of their thug-criminal kind is getting revenge and gibzmedats.
Report Post »Mutiny
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:32pmWell it sounds like they where taking money from a fund created to help Zimmerman and put it into their account. That doesnt mean its their money. They very well could be broke. They certainly arent smart. Zimmerman is going to be a sacrifice, if he had that money and another pass port he should have bolted.
Report Post »jamesctheman
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:31pmSo what. They had some money. Our treasury secretary has IRS bills he hadn’t paid. Do I need to bring up Barney Frank or John Kerry? They had some money to take care of things. Donations made by individuals to this man. I’m not sure exactly how much she knew about it, but there is obviously evidence she knew they had some cash on hand. Did she know exactly at the time of the bond hearing or even a couple days before is not clear. It’s not clear even if she took money out of the account she knew what was in there. She could have been talking exclusively about the finances the Zimmerman’s had personally in the bank. WWith so many unanswered questions I’m not sure that they really had enough to arrest her. This case is getting very odd.
Report Post »thegreatcarnac
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:29pmThe feds and the local government are needlessly picking on Zimmerman. His ‘phone call’ episode is not that important to the case that he is involved in. They are looking for something to keep him in jail for because the blacks were mad that he was out of jail. All of this is a kangaroo court. He has light skin. How dare him save his own life by shooting one of the government’s special race.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:27pmGotta love the ad piece. Trayvons father describing his first Fathers Day without Trayvon. Think of the dads that wont have to worry about Trayvon selling weed to their kids? Your parenting skills are measured by your kids behavior.
Report Post »LetUsReason
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:37pmTrayvon must’ve been so proud to have a hip gangsta for a father that only looks to be about 16 years older than himself. Trayvon died doing the only thing he knew how to do….be a G. If Tupac was right, Trayvon is living the high life in Thug Mansion.
Report Post »Godfather.1
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:48pmTwo more comments from upstanding Christians. His son recently died and you two make these despicable comments. However, you can’t expect much more from Blazers.
Also, do you have any evidence to back your claim that Trayvon was a drug dealer? And no, having an empty bag that used to contain weed does not make a drug dealer. And no, having marijuana in your system does not make a you drug dealer. If you think simple drug use makes a drug dealer you should be making the same accusations about your patron saints Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.
Report Post »yiska8
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 4:20pm@Godfather1
Report Post »Having marijuana in his system, made didn’t help his decision making skills either. Instead of being on the phone with his girlfriend, he should have called the po-po, you know, 9-1-1!! I mean, any clear headed person who thinks they’re being followed, by a strange man would call for help. And having an empty bag of pot and pot in your system, doesn‘t mean you AREN’T selling from time to time when you need more money to pay for dental work for gold rims on your teeth. I don’t recall hearing he had a job, but that‘s understandable in Obama’s economic depression with teen unemployment being non-existent. So it’s perfectly reasonable to surmise that Trayvon hustled like so many other young black males who need “to get mine” and tried to be a big man before his time by busting Zimmerman’s face and head. The thug life and look wasn’t worth it.
LetUsReason
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 4:21pmHey Godfather, USPATRIOT never said that Trayvon sold weed. He said his father doesn’t have to worry about him selling weed. It is clear from evidence that Trayvon used weed. Evidence also shows that it was not beneath Trayvon take a five-fingered discount here or there. Is it a stretch to say that such a character would be involved in selling weed? Or that the parent of such might worry that their child might take this course? You would have to be extremely naive or extremely ignorant to say that’s out of line. You would also have to dislike facts and statistics. The more we learn about this case, the more clear a picture we have of who these people were. Why don’t you go back to MSNBC where they will pat you on the back for being PC.
Report Post »Godfather.1
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 4:32pm@yiska8
Apparently you don’t know anything about how marijuana. Just because it is in your system does not mean you high. It can stay in your system for weeks after smoking. Thus, you are making an assumption that he was high at the time of the incident.
You also make assumptions about everything else. That is, that he needed money for his rims and grill. You base this on your assumptions that all black males want to be gangsters and have no other ambitions in life. Apparently you didn’t hear that his goal was to become an air force mechanic. But, I bet you’re right. In reality, he just wanted to grow up to be a gangster because we know that is all blacks want to be these days.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 7:36pmGODFATHER.1 You’re talking about people making assumptions,you just assumed the two people above your post are Christians,you must have some special powers to know that.
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:15pmIf the state screws up the persecution of this innocent man the feds will railroad Zimmerman for sure,Holder can‘t tolerate an innocent man killing one of his ’people’ ie thugs.
Report Post »Apple Bite
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:12pmBeing their first time, it could be that they didn’t know that there would be a trickle coming in from the donations…
Donations don’t simply stop just because you say so, money coming in aren’t turned away, it’s a donation after all.
Report Post »SquidVetOhio
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:10pmI thought he was charged with shooting someone. They know they‘re not going to get him on that so now it’s a witch hunt!
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:00pmguess he shouldn’t have lied. lying tends to tick off the justice system. there’s even a word for it – perjury. thou shalt not lie.
Report Post »hauschild
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:09pmMore “wag the dog” from a prosecution on a serious fishing expedition.
All this time and money wasted on a man clearly not guilty of murder. Shameful.
Report Post »flatbroke
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:08pmThis poor man is being rail roaded, and now his wife, he never should have been arrested in the first place, he was being attacked, so he legally took action, the prosecutor is bending to the black“ we should be able to do anything we want and get away with it ” crowd, screw them! and set Zimmerman free.
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:05pmEveryone who has a high profile case wanting bond would try to make it look like the had as little as possible, so their bond would be smaller. Paypal defense money that got mixed in with personal wealth sure shouldn’t have caused his bond to have skyrocketed.
Report Post »JRook
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:16pmAh yes a seemingly great rationalization for lying. The fact is he is a liar and so is his wife. They lied to the court and that has consequences. And yes his lying for convenience speaks volumes about his rendition of the events on the night he shot and killed a kid.
Report Post »USPATRIOT101
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 2:33pm@jrook Eric Holder does it, I could care less about Zimmerman lying about money. He’s got to protect himself from ani gun groups and the racist that one him dead.
Report Post »DougC
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:03pmJRook, they don‘t even need Zimmerman’s testimony to defend him. Trayvon’s knuckles were busted up, Zimmerman’s face and the back of his head was busted up, the back of his shirt was grassy and wet from being on his back while Trayvon pounded his face in and the round that killed Trayvon was fired from point blank range. That and the eye witnesses that saw a man atop another man beating his face in makes it very clear what happened that night – Trayvon pounced on Zimmerman and bashed his face until Zimmerman finally defended himself.
Then you have Trayvon buying watermelon juice and skittles to make Lean to get high, and the marijuana in his system, and the fact that it took him over 50 minutes to walk .6 miles home presumably because he was casing out houses. There is no evidence to use against Zimmerman, all the evidence supports him.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on June 18, 2012 at 3:34pmJR and the Obama CROOKS : Hear ye, Hear, ye : the thuggish strains of the Greek Chorus of Obama intimidators . I smell “ stolen ” election cries. I smell the Holder Department of Injustice . I smell a “ changed ” America. An America changed for the worse. And , hopefully, all of the “ white Hispanic ” Americans are smelling this too. Hurry November. These CROOKS are getting totally out of hand. Beyond inflammatory rhetoric. They are now into inflammatory actions.
Report Post »M13
Posted on June 19, 2012 at 2:37pmJrook knows all about lying. He is an expert in lies and stupidity.
Report Post »