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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsZimmerman - I wasn't following him, I was just walking in the same direction he was
Last edited Tue Jun 25, 2013, 09:31 PM - Edit history (1)
Detective - Well, that's following him.
The bullshit story that will convict this dude:
OK I finally found a transcript of the whole interview:
Complete Transcript, Serino Interview, 2/29/2012, Tape 3
This is the transcript of the 3rd tape of Investigators Serino and Singleton interviewing Zimmerman. This tape recorded them playing back the non-emergency call and questioning him about his location, moves and motives. This is the audio: audio_interview_0229_3
Serino: Its not happening that way. Someone should come to my desk. Huh. This is George. George, this is Randy, thats Rebecca.
Randy: George (unintelligible)
Rebecca: (unintelligible)
Serino: Somebody grab a chair for George.
Randy: Alright.
Serino: Can I get a chair?
Rebecca: Hey George, (unintelligible) nice meeting you.
Serino: Get him a chair?
Randy: (unintelligible)
Rebecca: (unintelligible) Its the wrong type of (unintelligible) WMA
Serino: WMMA, WWF, I dont know
Rebecca: (unintelligible) I could do it but I (unintelligible)
Serino: OK
Rebecca: W MA film
Serino: here we go. And like I know how to do this part. OK, this is your 911 call.
(plays tape 0:00 to 0:08)
Serino: OK, real suspicious guy.
Zimmerman: Mm hum
Serino: OK, one more time, why suspicious?
Zimmerman: Ah, it was raining and he was looking into the houses, looking behind, looking at me. He wasnt walking quickly to get out of the rain. Didnt look like he was, like, trying to head home. He didnt look like a hard-core athlete that wanted to, like, train in the rain or anything. And he just looked out of place.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 0:07 to 0:21)
Serino: On drugs why?
Zimmerman: Oh, cause he just kept looking around, looking behind him, looking, just kept shifting where he was looking.
Serino: OK
(plays tape 0:23 to 0:39)
Serino: You see the color of his pants?
Zimmerman: I dont remember.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 0:39 to 0:48)
Singleton: Can you just pause that for a minute? OK, when you explained it to me, you said you had pulled over initially at the clubhouse, correct?
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: OK, but it seems so fast, and then I thought you told me, and you can correct me if Im wrong, I thought you said they asked you, can you still see him, and you said, you told them you couldnt, and you asked, and they said, well get to where you can see where hes at. And you told me it was at that point you moved.
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: Now youre saying hes coming up to your car. Does that mean youve already, at this point in the tape, youre already on Twin Tree, the street you didnt know the name of at the time?
Zimmerman: Um, no, I was on, I called when I was at the clubhouse.
Singleton: OK, but hes walking up to your car now, right?
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: On the tape. Cause youre saying hes walking up.
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: Youre talking about when youve already left the clubhouse and now youre on the corner.
Zimmerman: No, maam. Im at the clubhouse.
Singleton: Youre still at the clubhouse
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: when he does this?
Zimmerman: Mm hmm.
Singleton: OK.
(plays tape 0:49 to 1:03)
Singleton: OK, pause it right there. OK, wheres he, where, where are you at now? Are you still at the clubhouse?
Zimmerman: I think Im still at the clubhouse, yes.
Singleton: OK.
(plays tape 1:03 to 1:16)
Singleton: Have you moved yet?
Zimmerman: I dont think so.
Singleton: Youre still in front of the clubhouse?
Zimmerman: I think so.
Singleton: On Retreat View Circle.
Zimmerman: Yes, maam. I dont remember even saying he had a button on his shirt.
Singleton: OK.
(plays tape 1:16 to 1:18)
Serino: So somethings wrong with him.
(plays tape 1:18 to 1:20?)
Serino: Whats that statement supposed to mean?
Zimmerman: I dont know.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 1:20 to 1:28)
Singleton: OK, where are you at now? Are you still in front of the clubhouse?
Zimmerman: I dont remember.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 1:28 to 1:34)
Serino: That statement. These assholes whats behind that?
Zimmerman: People that victimize the neighborhood.
Singleton: Didnt you just tell us in there that a week earlier they made an arrest?
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: So they dont always get away.
Zimmerman: No.
Serino: Good point.
(plays tape 1:34 to 1:50)
Serino: Whats happening now? Are you guys walking now, is he walking?
Zimmerman: No, thats, I was parked where I could see him now.
Serino: So youre
Singleton: OK, so youre definitely not in front of the clubhouse any more, at this point?
Zimmerman: No.
Serino: So youre ahead of him?
Zimmerman: No, I was behind him.
Serino: OK, so you walked to your car, then walked along this path and you were you were behind him?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK.
Zimmerman: When I was at the clubhouse he walked
Serino: Are you driving slowly or something?
Zimmerman: No, I pulled over and stopped before I called.
Serino: OK. OK.
(plays tape 1:44 to 2:07)
Serino: OK. Full sprint, full-on flight jogging, trotting describe the run.
Zimmerman: I dont remember. I just, cause I was on the phone. It happened so quickly.
Serino: Well, ah, I understand that, George, but I guess that its um if it was a bicycle theft I could say OK, but its kinda important. I mean, was he running as to evade you, get away from you, ah, maybe got tired of getting wet in the rain. What kinda run was it? I mean, it sounds like hes running as to get away from you.
Zimmerman: I dont know why he was running.
Serino: But what kinda run was it? Cant say?
Zimmerman: I dont know.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 2:08 to 2:10)
Serino: OK, is that you getting out of the car?
Zimmerman: Yes.
Serino: OK.
Singleton: So as soon as he runs, youre getting out of the car to follow him.
Zimmerman: When he says which way are you running, I turned off the ignition.
Singleton: I dont know.
(plays tape 2:10 to 2:14)
Serino: At that point youre out of the car?
Zimmerman: I think so.
Serino: OK, so you basically jumped out of the car to see where he was going?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK. Thats not fear. You know what I mean?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: Thats one of the problems I have with the whole thing, or Im gonna have. I mean, I dont have any problems at all, its just that its gonna be a problem
(plays tape 2:14 to 2:17)
Singleton: It sounds like youre running right there.
Zimmerman: I wasnt running.
Singleton: Oh (unintelligible)
(plays tape 2:16 to 2:17)
Serino: What is that youre whispering? Fucking what?
Zimmerman: Punks.
Serino: Fucking punks. He wasnt a fucking punk. (clears throat)
(plays tape 2:17 to 2:26)
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 2:26 to 2:34 )
Serino: OK, at the point where he said, are you following him, and he said, we dont need you to do that, what went through your mind?
Zimmerman: Hes right.
Serino: So you shoulda stopped and went back to your vehicle.
Zimmerman: I still wanted to give him an address.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 2:34 to 2:40)
Serino: You said he ran again. OK, this is, this is because you dont see him?
Zimmerman: Correct.
Serino: So at this point he has to be hiding from you.
Zimmerman: I dont know where he was.
Serino: Well you
Zimmerman: I dont see him.
Serino: Well the law of the physics says that hes hiding from you at this point. He could not have made it home and came back to attack you in that time, so Whats your, whats your, um, account is that you dont see him at this point. Youre at the T now, right? Heres the pavement, correct? Youre looking down that way? That passage?
Zimmerman: No, sir.
Serino: Wherere you at?
Zimmerman: Once he told me not to follow him
Serino: Mm hmm.
Zimmerman: And I wasnt following him. I was just going in the same direction he was. Once he said
Serino: Thats following (laughs).
Zimmerman: Well he, I thought, I mean
Serino: If youre OK
Zimmerman: long gone.
Serino: So you basically wrote if off, I mean
Zimmerman: Right. I was on the other side, I was on Retreat View Circle at that time.
Serino: OK.
Singleton: OK, but the other day again, this is, these are the questions that were going to have to able to explain to people
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: The other day you told me you got out of the car because dispatch was asking your location and you wanted to orient yourself. You did not tell me that you said, Oh, shit, hes running and then got out of the car and went in that same direction at the same time. Do you see what the problem is?
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: And I asked you did, would you, did you, you know, look for him and you told me no.
Zimmerman: I dont remember, maam. Im sorry.
Singleton: You told me the only, the reason you got out of your car was to get an address.
Zimmerman: Yes, right.
Singleton: But you decided to get the address fresh in the second after you say, Oh, shit, hes running. And then it sounds like youre running too.
Serino: Cause it was fast walking maybe?
Zimmerman: No, it was just windy.
Serino: It was. OK.
(plays tape 2:40 to 2:47)
Serino: Where you at now?
Zimmerman: On Retreat View Circle, I think.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 2:47 to 3:06)
Serino: What are you doing right now?
Zimmerman: Walking back to my car.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 2:17 to 2:41)
Serino: OK, if I time this portion, this is important, OK? I almost gotta reconstruct this.
(plays tape 2:16 to 2:41)
Serino: When do you start walking back to your car? Time here. Youre going towards Retreat View, right?
Zimmerman: Yeah.
Serino: OK.
(plays tape 2:28 to 2:41)
Serino: OK, where you at now?
Zimmerman: I think on Retreat View Circle.
Serino: OK. Is that 2:41? OK.
(plays tape 2:41 to 2:47)
Serino: OK, youre walking back to your car?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir,
(plays tape 2:48 to 4:03 )
Zimmerman: Im thumping the damn flashlight as I was walking through.
(call ends)
Singleton: How long is that?
Serino: Its 84 seconds. From the point where you were walking back to your car from Retreat View to Twin Tree basically.
Singleton: Its what, about 30 feet.
Serino: Thats a minute and 20 seconds. Did you stop at the T?
Zimmerman: No, I walked through. I stopped on Retreat View Circle.
Serino: Thats where you were standing?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK. But you didnt get back into your car?
Zimmerman: No, sir.
Serino: Why not?
Zimmerman: I was
Serino: Youre in the rain, youre getting wet, youre on the phone.
Zimmerman: Because I was waiting, I, the, I had light there
Serino: So
Zimmerman: Where I was at and I was trying to hit my flashlight. I didnt want to walk back through without light.
Serino: OK, a minute and 20 seconds.
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK, youre in the rain, getting wet. Youve wrote this guy off basically, youre gonna meet the police. OK, you see where the obstacle is here?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK, I want you to think about that. I am speaking for you, for everybody. Im trying to, trying to do the best I can here.
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: Its a minute and 20 seconds. It doesnt sound like you were saying, well it doesnt sound like you quite recall exactly what happened at that point, OK? (unintelligible) something else. This is not right? OK.
Serino: OK can I ask, my concern is also this. Oh, shit, hes running and Im getting out of my car. In an instant (snaps fingers) to make sure I dont lose sight of this guy. Thats what it sounds like. Are you following him? Cause thats what it sounds like youre doing, thats why he asked you the question. It sounded to the dispatcher likely that you were running, and thats why he asked you that question. Are you following him? And your answer is yes. OK? But then you get to the other side and youre concerned (slapping sounds) about walking past this guy when youve already been chasing him, essentially. And hes telling you to go back to your car and now you wanna pretend or not pretend, you wanted us to believe that youre concerned about having a flashlight to move back where you just ran?
Serino: Youre looking for him.
Singleton: You tried to catch up to him, do you see what Im saying?
Zimmerman: No, I wasnt. Um
Serino: OK, it sounds like youre looking for him.
Zimmerman: No.
Singleton: You brought a flashlight with you.
Zimmerman: Yes, maam.
Singleton: You wanted to be able to see him.
Serino: You want to catch him.
Zimmerman: No
Serino: You wanted to catch the bad guy
Singleton: No, it doesnt thats (unintelligible)
Serino: Fucking punk cant get away. This is outside the interrogation room, OK? And we are in a whole different area right here. OK, this is, this is where, you know, I mean, this is why I took you out of there, so you could hear this. So I can recall your memory and let you see, if they say, if you say you walked back to your car, you stood outside your car for a couple minutes, theyre not going to believe anything I got to say.
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: And thats why Im saying, is there anything that you need to clarify right now?
Zimmerman: (sigh)
Serino: Did you pursue this kid? Did you wanna catch him?
Zimmerman: No.
Serino: OK, its not you,
Singleton: Why
Serino: its not what youre about?
Zimmerman: No.
Singleton: Why did you tell them, never mind just have them call me when they get here and Ill tell them where Im at?
Zimmerman: I was frustrated that I couldnt think of the street name where I was
Singleton: But you were gonna be back in your car from that distance in less than 15 or 20 seconds. So why would they need to call you?
Zimmerman: I felt like I didnt give them an adequate description of where I was from the clubhouse.
Singleton: OK, cause you know what the impression would be, is that youre gonna continue to look and when they get here youd just tell em where youre at, at that point. You see what Im saying? Well no, never mind
Serino: Just keep the (unintelligible)
Singleton: just tell em to call me when they get here, and Ill tell em where Im at. Meaning I might not be at my car. Where I just told em I would be.
Serino: I mean, you know, were here working for you here, OK?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK
Zimmerman: I know
Serino: Well, thats what you got up in your mind. OK, and if theres anything that needs to be changed, this is it. I, when I, we cant do this any more. OK.
Zimmerman: I understand.
Serino: Listen to this one.
(playing a witness 911 call and questioning at the same time)
Serino: Youre that voice in the background?
Zimmerman: No, sir.
Serino: Thats you. Are you hearing yourself?
Zimmerman: Um, it doesnt sound like me.
Serino: Its you.
(listening to the 911 call)
Serino: OK, right there. He smothered you, correct?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: At what point did he smother you?
Zimmerman: After
Serino: Was it right before you shot him?
Zimmerman: Right yes, sir.
Serino: OK. Immediately behind the shot?
Zimmerman: (sigh) I dont remember.
Serino: OK.
(plays 911 call again)
Serino: I need you to give me an approximate time of when he starts to smother you.
Zimmerman: I dont know when. Its hard to
Serino: Thats you, yelling for help.
Zimmerman: (unintelligible)
Serino: Help me, help me.
Serino: Thats when you shot him. (clears his throat) Can you recall (coughs) excuse me at what point the suffocation happened? Prior to, prior to you shooting him, he was on you, correct?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK. And you were able to reach into your holster.
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK. You shot him at point blank range. He was on top of you, right?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK. And in the middle of all that yelling, nobody came out to help you. And I cant, I cant pinpoint where you were smothered. Thats the problem Im having. And nobodys saying they saw him smothering you. People are saying they saw you, saw him on top of you, but they didnt see about the smothering part. So
Singleton: And when were listening to the screaming, doesnt sound like theres a hesitation in the screaming. It sounds like its continuous, and if someones being hurt (imitates scream being muffled) Its gonna stop. But we dont hear the, we dont hear it stop.
Serino: We dont hear him at all either. Was he being quiet, is he whispering to you or something?
Zimmerman: Hes telling me to shut up.
Serino: Is he calm?
Zimmerman: No, hes like angry.
Serino: I dont hear him though. No.
Singleton: Was he shouting it, or was he
Zimmerman: No, hes on top of me, and hes telling me to shut the fuck up, shut the fuck up.
Serino: And then when he saw you had the gun, at that point Do you think he mighta saw you had a gun when you guys were standing, before he punched you?
Zimmerman: No, sir.
Serino: No way, no how?
Zimmerman: No, sir.
Serino: Was it totally concealed under that jacket?
Zimmerman: I mean totally
Serino: He couldnt have got a glimpse of it? Accidentally?
Zimmerman: No, I walk around WalMart all the time and no one has ever seen it.
Serino: And once again, getting back to beginning, what was the provocation for him punching you other than the fact that you were following him? That you can think of?
Zimmerman: I have
Serino: Why was he so mad at you?
Zimmerman: Ive gone through it a million times and I have no idea. (unintelligible)
Serino: Guess you gotta go through a lotta (unintelligible sounds like warheads?) too
Zimmerman: (unintelligible)
Serino: Alright, so youre gonna go to the beach for a little while?
Zimmerman: (unintelligible)
Serino: With your wife?
Zimmerman: Yes, sir.
Serino: OK, which one?
Zimmerman: I dont know.
Serino: Just away?
Zimmerman: (unintelligible)
Serino: (clears throat) OK. Go back to the room. (unintelligible) guys with me (unintelligible)
BeyondGeography
(39,393 posts)Seems like this isn't going so well for George so far.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)he seems to be horribly out-lawyered. this guy raised tons of money for his defense and John Guy is pummeling him.
BeyondGeography
(39,393 posts)Let's hope the jury sees it.
SummerSnow
(12,608 posts)hmm that is in total contradiction to the 911 call. Talk about hanging yourself
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)I haven't focused on this case recently, but now I'm reminded why so many people wanted to talk about Trayvon's weed smoking.
Zimmerman's story is a joke. It's filled with lies and contradictions.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)Zimmerman - I don't remember because I was on the phone and it happened so quickly.
Det - I understand that George but its, uh, if it was a bicycle theft I could say OK but its kind of important. Was he running as to evade you? Get away from you? Maybe he got tired of getting wet in the rain? What kind of run was it? I mean it sounds like he's running as to get away from you.
Zimmerman - I don't know why he was running.
Det. - But what kind of run was it? Can't say?
Zimmerman - I don't remember.
Cali_Democrat
(30,439 posts)Zimmerman: Yes.
Boom.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)but you want us to believe that you are concerned about having a flashlight to move back to where you just ran? See what I'm saying?
Zimmerman - no
Detective 2- It sounds like you're looking for him
Zimmerman - no (crosstalk)
First Detective - you brought a flashlight with you.
Zimmerman - yes ma'am
Detective 1 - you wanted to be able to see him.
Detective 2 - You wanted to catch him. You wanted to catch the bad guy. Fucking punk can't get away.
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)If so, I ( portion redacted ) them
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)Really? How progressive of you.
What other excuses will suffice to start a riot?
NightWatcher
(39,343 posts)If they don't, I understand if they are angry.
HolyMoley
(240 posts)Especially since it would not end well for "them" if "they" did?
How is that supposed to be getting "justice"?
Like rioting and chaos has ever worked in the past.
Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)and sometimes the only option they have left is a riot. You think the cops that beat up Rodney King would ever have been convicted of anything if LA hadn't rioted in '92?
Jamaal510
(10,893 posts)but this should be an open-and-shut case. The guy stalked and murdered an unarmed person for crying out loud.
that there is even a question of his guilt makes me sick
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)I also think the evidence will show him guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
yardwork
(61,748 posts)It's infuriating that local politics kept Zimmerman from being charged for so long. The only reason that we have a trial is due to national publicity and pressure on the local authorities, several of whom had to resign before anything happened.
Add to this Zimmerman's history of being fired as a bouncer for being too violent, and his previous attacks on a police officer and women.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/03/31/1079454/-Zimmerman-was-Fired-from-Security-Job-after-he-Snapped
DesertFlower
(11,649 posts)quinnox
(20,600 posts)I think it is pretty clear this guy followed the black kid, and had the intent for a confrontation, if not to comit a violent act outright. The detectives aren't buying his bullshit for a second either in that tape.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)for all the controversy about him not being charged at first, it does sound like the investigators were calling bullshit from the beginning. z probably won't take the stand but the jury will hear this tape and Guy will use it to take z apart.
csziggy
(34,139 posts)It was the local DA that vetoed that idea.
I hope the prosecution will play Zimmerman's original call, the video of his walk through the day after, this tape, and some of his TV and radio interviews. The changes in his stories could be enough to convict him, but then the prosecution should pick apart each of those recordings with the inconsistencies with the hard evidence. That would nail Zimmerman's creepy ass to the wall!
riverwalker
(8,694 posts)that is damning
riverwalker
(8,694 posts)"yes"
"well, that's not fear."
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)the 3 detectives catch him in several lies in this tape. they are at the scene and going over the 9-11 call with him and he trips over his dick multiple times.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)op updated with transcript.
uppityperson
(115,681 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)in al seriousness though, when you read through the transcript you realize A. Zimmerman lied his ass off and B. The prosecutions has the goods.
Logical
(22,457 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)but I have some hope because the prosecutor is outstanding and has a good case. I think the most devastating thing for the defense today was the photo of martin dead on the ground. he didn't look like the "scary black man". he looked like a kid. and without (hopefully) starting a whole men/women argument, I think the defense is counting on the all woman jury as identifying with z protecting them from the scary black man, whereas those pictures showed a dead child.
Logical
(22,457 posts)arely staircase
(12,482 posts)surely
Logical
(22,457 posts)Nye Bevan
(25,406 posts)Present that embarrassing trainwreck of a prosecution case all over again? I don't think so.
uppityperson
(115,681 posts)following him.
"somethings wrong with him". Glad they have all this.
arely staircase
(12,482 posts)most of the evidence would come from Z's own mouth. Looking over these transcripts I see what he means.
csziggy
(34,139 posts)Zimmerman probably wants to shoot all of them, too.
nyquil_man
(1,443 posts)This was pointed out by Detective Serino.
It's entirely possible that someone who was a guest in the area, like Martin, would be even more confused by the layout.
yardwork
(61,748 posts)mercuryblues
(14,552 posts)as a neighborhood watch man he should have known those streets like the back of his hand.
It was raining, Zimmerman was on the bottom, in a scuffle, yet the back of his jacket is not dirty in the video of him going into the police station a short time later.
In_The_Wind
(72,300 posts)mjr1114
(1 post)the prosecution (the last sentence hits the nail on the head) - 'Serino: to monitor him either, but for future reference, I mean you can usually dismiss a lot of this kind of insanity I mean, had that been done, and thats, you know, and from our vantage point, youve had 2 opportunities to identify yourself as somebody who was actually not meaning to do him harm. Problem being, is that were visiting in his minds eye, which I cant get into because hes passed, that he perceives you as a threat. OK, he perceives you as a threat, he has every right to go and defend himself, especially when you reach into your pocket to grab a cell phone.'