From BlackVoices

Rush Limbaugh compared Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the surviving suspect in the Boston Marathon bombings, to Trayvon Martin on Tuesday.

Martin was an unarmed teenager who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman last year. On Tuesday, Limbaugh drew parallels between Martin and Tsarnaev, who is suspected of conspiring with his brother and setting off two explosions that killed three people and injured more than a hundred others at the Boston Marathon.

“You notice also that the news media are doing to Dzhokhar what they did to Trayvon Martin,” Limbaugh began. “They’re regularly showing a photo of Dzhokhar that was taken when he was about 14.”

He said that the photo portrayed Tsarnaev as “soft, angelic, nice little boy, harmless… cute big lovable eyes. Not at all what he looks like today, but the news media seem to be making him look like an innocent little angel.” He ripped reporters for referring to the suspect as “a kid.”

“This is how this stuff ends up getting bastardized,” Limbaugh said. “This is how we end up… not thinking ill of bad people.”

Read more at BlackVoices

Source: WENN

It’s hard to believe that more than a year has passed since 17-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot and killed only minutes away from his father’s Florida home, by neighborhood watchman, George Zimmerman. Following Trayvon’s death, his family filed a wrongful death suit against the homeowners association of the Sanford subdivision where the teen was killed, reports the Orlando Sentinel.

Portions of the legal papers filed against the association by the family’s attorney Benjamin Crump were made public today. The settlement amount was crossed out, as both parties agreed to keep the agreed upon figure confidential, but many are led to believe that award money will exceed $1 million. When asked by an interviewer whether or not the speculations were true, the family’s attorney responded:

 ”I have no comment on that subject…I know you did not get that from me.”

Back in February, the attorney representing Trayvon’s accused killer, Mark O’Mara revealed that the association’s insurer made an attempt to settle with the family of the slain teen for $1million, but his parents rejected the figure.

“It is understood and agreed that the payment made herein is not to be construed as an admission of any liability by or on behalf of the releasing parties; but instead the monies being paid hereunder is consideration for avoiding litigation, the uncertainties stemming from litigation as well as to protect and secure the good name and good will of the released parties,” a portion of the settlement reads.

As a part of the settlement agreement, Trayvon’s parents agree to drop their wrongful death claim as well as their claims for pain and suffering and loss of earnings and expenses. Benjamin Crump, however, made it very clear that Zimmerman is in no way a part of this deal and that the family has plans of filing a suit against him at a later date.

Money certainly will not bring their son back, but it’s good to know that this is one less trial they’ll have to endure.

Source: Getty Images

From The Grio

SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge has denied defense requests to end 24-hour GPS monitoring of George Zimmerman while he is out on bond in the fatal shooting of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin.

Judge Debra Nelson denied bond requests from Zimmerman’s defense team Tuesday. Besides dropping the monitoring, the defense wanted the former neighborhood watch volunteer to be able to live outside Seminole County.

Read more at The Grio

Zimmerman in court with his attorney Don West in June. AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Joe Burbank, Pool, File

George Zimmerman, the man accused of second-degree murder for the death of Trayvon Martin, is suing NBCUniversal for defamation over the airing of edited 911 tapes on NBC News and the TODAY show.

Two NBC employees were fired after the edited tape aired in March, TVNewser reported earlier this year. Those two former staff members and a current correspondent, Ron Allen, are defendants in this case.

TVNewser also has the full legal filing, which says, “NBC News saw the death of Trayvon Martin not as a tragedy but as an opportunity to increase ratings, and so set about to create the myth that George Zimmerman was a racist and predatory villain.”

The New York Times outlines the “manipulation” referred to in the lawsuit: “The edits of a 911 audio recording — which removed an intervening question from the operator directly asking Mr. Zimmerman what race Mr. Martin was — aired three times on NBC’s ‘Today’ show.” NBC investigated the omissions and deemed them mistakes rather than “deliberate distortions.”

The complaint continues, “Zimmerman has suffered greatly, with death threats, a bounty placed on his head, threats of capture, and a constant, genuine fear for his life resulting in his need to, among other things live in hiding and wear a bullet proof vest.” Zimmerman is seeking “compensation for damages,” a jury trial, interests, costs, and punitive damages. Zimmerman’s lawyers have created a website for the case.

Zimmerman’s own case starts in June.

WENN

According to New York Post’s Page Six, George Zimmerman plans to sue the folks at NBC over what he and his people claim was botched editing of 911 tapes from the night of Trayvon Martin’s murder. As Page Six says, his attorneys are looking to go after NBC and its top executives, including news president Steve Capus, and reporter Ron Allen, a black man and a veteran reporter, who was the correspondent who handled the story on both “Today” and “NBC Nightly News.” It seems that he feels the calls were edited to make it seem like off top, he mentioned the fact that Martin was black, when the full tape allegedly shows that he only told police Martin was black when he was asked what the person of interest looked like. Therefore, Zimmerman thinks that the edited tapes make it seem as though he was targeting Martin specifically because he was a black man in a white neighborhood (Hmmm…I’ll let you marinate on that, because it still seems to be the case).

In the edited tapes, Zimmerman was quoted as saying the following: “Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”

But according to Business Insider, in the transcript, Zimmerman actually said,

Zimmerman: This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.

Dispatcher: OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?

Zimmerman: He looks black.

Zimmerman’s lawyer didn’t get to comment before the New York Post ran the story.

The tapes are of course what spurred the public to take interest and can definitely make those watching think the whole things was racially motivated, but of course, NBC’s actions doesn’t automatically mean his motives weren’t racially motivated either. I still don’t get how someone in the rain with a sweet tea can and Skittles looks like they’re on drugs and don’t belong in the neighborhood (or worse, as some commenter on Business Insider said, “a thug”).  I’ll give Zimmerman this, who seems like he’s looking for some money these days since that website was shut down, if the tapes were edited and cut up to make it seem like he said things about Martin’s race when it was actually taken out of context, then no, that’s not cool, and that’s not good journalism of course. However, that doesn’t take away from the fact that this grown man was explicitly told by the police not to get out of his car and go after Martin, but of course, he did anyway. No lawsuits can take away from the fact that he thought he knew more and better than the police, and his lack of listening skills cost and innocent kid his life. But hey, if a lawsuit keeps him warm at night, go for it.

More on Madame Noire!

• Did You Know They Dated!? 11 Celebrity Couples You Might Have Forgotten About
• What Makes Me A Hoe? And Other Questions About How Women Are Unfairly Labelled
• Is It Time To Call Tyrone? 14 Ways To Know Whether Your Relationship Is Worth Fixing Or Nixing
• Loose Lipped Lovers: 10 Celeb Men Who Kiss & Tell
• We Love You Essence, But We’re Going To Need You To Get Some New Cover Subjects
• There’s Just Something About R. Kelly: Can We Hate The Sin, And Not The Sinner?
• Caught Up In College: A Cuffing Season Tale

Dr. Phil might be taking a few pointers from his boss when it comes to exclusive interviews. Earlier this week, the daytime talk show host spoke with friends of George Zimmerman, the man currently awaiting trial for the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, and today Dr. Phil will talk to the parents of the teen many feel was killed in cold blood, Sabrina Fulton and Tracy Martin.

The interview is beyond emotional as the parents relay their memories of their son, and more tragically, relive the moment they found out their son had been killed and how they’ve handled his vilification in contrast with the support George Zimmerman has received from some. At one point in the discussion, Sabrina told Dr. Phil:

 “Trayvon was my baby. It almost feels like I’m missing an arm. I actually think I’m on the verge of a nervous breakdown, but I pray every day that God strengthens me and continues to help me move on, because I cannot think of anything worse that could possibly happen to me, besides one of my boys being murdered.”

Dr Phil provides words of comfort for the nearly inconsolable parents, telling them they have to let go of regrets. He told Sabrina:

“You’re going to hurt. That pain is normal, but you’re not going to have a nervous breakdown. I see too much depth in your soul.”

As for Tracy, Dr. Phil reminded him:

“You’ve got to forgive yourself. Recognize the fact that your job as a father — our jobs as fathers — is to be providers, protectors, teachers and leaders. You did all of those things.”

Check out a few clips of the show which airs today. What do you think?

More on Madame Noire!

• True Life: Something Crazy Happened At The Club…
• Overusing The B-Word: Is Bullying A New Catchphrase?
• The Bald And The Beautiful: 11 Sistahs Who Make Us Want To Do A BIG Chop
• Where Are They Now? The Women of “Real Chance of Love”
• Gossip, Betrayal and Lies: Are Women Really Meaner To Each Other Than Men Are?
• Nails Done, Hair Done, Everything Big? What Men Love and Don’t Care About When It Comes To Your Appearance
• Ask A Very Smart Brotha: Why Kim K. Pulls High Profile Men Despite Her Sexual Past

Source: EurWeb

From EurWeb

Defense lawyers are seeking the school records of Trayvon Martin, the teenager shot to death earlier this year by George Zimmerman in a confrontation at a gated community in Florida, reports the Los Angeles Times. Zimmerman is facing a second-degree murder charge in the case.

In a post on the defense website, Zimmerman’s lawyers said they have sent subpoenas to schools attended by Martin, 17, who was killed Feb. 26. Zimmerman has maintained that he shot the unarmed Martin in self-defense.

“Our first request is a series of Subpoenas for Production of Documents requesting school records for Trayvon Martin,’’ according to the post by the law firm of Mark O’Mara, who represents Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer. The defense is also seeking posts by Martin on social media sites. Among the documents being sought are school discipline and suspension records.

More on Madame Noire!

• KISS & TELL: 6 Celebs Who Just Couldn’t Keep Their Business In The Bedroom!
• Hate Baby Mama Drama? Here’s How To Avoid It
• Where Are They Now? The Cast Of Baldwin Hills!
• Color Trends: 5 Fall 2012 Hues To Wear Now
• True Life: This is How He Got Me to Go Out With Him
• Bet You Didn’t Know: Secrets Behind the Making of “Baby Boy”
• People Telling You Not To Wear Heels And 6 Other Tall Girl Problems

Source: NY Daily News

The worst kind of criminals are those who believe they are carrying out God’s plan. And last night, during an ill-advised interview in an un-disclosed Florida location, that is exactly what George Zimmerman told Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

The NY Post reports:

Zimmerman, in his first public comments about the shooting, apologized for Martin’s death, but not without throwing more fuel on the fire and further inflaming passions on one of the most tense topics in the country.

“I feel like it was all God’s plan” Zimmerman told Fox News’ Sean Hannity, adding that it wasn’t his place to “second guess it or judge it.”

Hannity’s interview with both Zimmerman and his attorney, Mark O’Mara, focused on the night of Martin’s death in February and Zimmerman’s claims of self-defense, a case that has gripped much of the nation.

When asked what he would say to Martin’s parents, Zimmerman said, “I would tell them that, again, I’m sorry.”

“My wife and I don’t have any children. I have nephews that I love more than life. I love them more than myself. And I know when they were born, it was a different unique bond and love that I have with them. And I love my children even though they aren’t born yet.

“I am sorry that they buried their child. I can’t imagine what it must feel like. And I pray for them daily.”

He prays for Trayvon’s family yet he feels it was God’s plan to kill him?

For him to say that it’s not his place to judge his own actions is utterly ridiculous and just another look into the mind of a deranged man.

For his part, Sean Hannity is a bigot who had no reason for his interview beyond stroking his ego and furthering his agenda of vilifying African-Americans in the media at all costs. George Zimmerman is on trial for murder and the fact that Sean Hannity gave him an hour-long platform to play the victim uncontested is astounding. Hannity didn’t challenge him on a single point. Not when Zimmerman said he didn’t regret following Trayvon. Not when he said there is nothing he would do differently. Not when he said he carries his gun everywhere except work (which implies he carries it when he “mentors” kids), Not when he said he didn’t check to see if Trayvon was dead and in fact didn’t know he was dead until he got to the police station. Not when he said it was all God’s plan. Hannity didn’t challenge a single one of Zimmerman’s callous, implausible claims. In fact, Zimmerman ended up backtracking on his own saying, ”I do wish there was something, anything I could have done that wouldn’t have put me in a position where I had to take his life.” Any interviewer worth his salt would have pointed out that Zimmerman could have elected to stay in the car, or refrained from following him, or refrained from shooting him. There’s three things right there.

What’s even more asinine than that is the fact that Zimmerman’s attorney allowed this interview to happen. Hannity claims he didn’t offer to donate to the case, but there is virtually no other reason that they would do this interview. They’ve effectively strengthened the prosecution’s case. Though Hannity was solidly on his side throughout the interview, Hannity is not the prosecutor nor the judge. Therefore, if Zimmerman changes his story one iota (which he undoubtedly will considering how much he’s changed his story already), then the prosecution has this on tape and transcript to prove he’s lying. Did Zimmerman forget that anything he says “can and will” be used against him in the court of law? That still applies even if you’re talking to someone who is sympathetic toward you.

In the interview, he also said that he felt Spike Lee and Rev Al Sharpton should apologize. He said: “I mean, if I did something that was wrong, I would apologize.”

Is this why, in the same interview, he apologized to Trayvon’s family? Because he knows he was wrong?

Not surprisingly, Trayvon’s family did not take kindly to his invoking God into his defense. NY News reports:

In a series of television appearance on Thursday morning, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton shot back at the Zimmerman’s claim Wednesday night that the killing of their son was part of “God’s plan.”

“I don’t understand what God he worships? It’s not the same God I worship,” Tracy Martin told “Fox and Friends.”

“That’s heartless to say that it was ‘God’s plan’ that he took our child’s life,” Martin added.

Trayvon’s parents took issue with Zimmerman saying there was nothing he could do. They say there was — he could have stayed in his car.

“He made a rush to judgment to judge Trayvon as a criminal, as suspicious,” Tracy Martin told CNN. “He got out of that car. He put Trayvon in that position.”

“He cannot … pick a fight and then say, ‘He put me in this position,’” he said.

Trayvon’s parents also said they would “absolutely not” sit down and talk to Zimmerman.

It’s hard to imagine what Trayvon’s parents are going to considering they are always having to react to Zimmerman’s latest comments on his Nationwide Innocence Tour with these latest comments being the most blasphemous.

Sean Hannity giving Zimmerman that spotlight is senseless and his lawyer comes off as desperate for allowing it.

The last high-profile defendant to agree to an impolitic interview was Penn State’s Jerry Sandusky. And well, we know how much that helped his defense.

What Zimmerman must have missed in his Sunday School class is that the Bible still says “Thou shalt not kill” and if in fact he didn’t kill Trayvon in “self-defense” like he claimed, he will pay for what he did. He may not pay for it in this country’s warped justice system but he will pay for it in life and certainly after life. And he can thank God for that.

What do you think about this latest turn of events?

Follow Alissa on Twitter @AlissaInPink

More on Madame Noire!

• Did You Know They Dated? 10 Secret Lovers, Temporary Boos and Flings We Were Surprised By
• Let Me Get You Straight, Girl! Advice To The Real ‘Housewives’ Of Atlanta!
• When It Comes To Failed Marriages, Perhaps Expecting A Fairy Tale Is The Problem
• First Date, First Impression: Is It Really You?
• MN Exclusive: Jenifer Lewis On Her Favorite Role, Longevity & Playing The Momma
• Listen Up Fellas! 7 Signs SHE’s Just Not That Into You
• The Business Of Our Periods: Why Are Feminine Products So Darn Expensive?

Source: Rollingout.com

From Blackvoices.com

A woman with close ties to George Zimmerman and his family told investigators that members of Zimmerman’s family were boastfully proud racists and that for more than a decade Zimmerman sexually molested her.

“It started when I was six,” the woman told investigators during an interview on the morning of March 20. “We’d all lay in front of the TV and we had pillows and blankets and he would reach under the blankets and try to do things and I would try to push him off but he was bigger and stronger and older,” the woman said, audibly weeping in the Florida State Attorney’s Office interview recording released Monday. “It was in front of everybody and I don’t know how I didn’t say anything, I just didn’t know any better.”

The woman, identified in various reports and in taped interviews with investigators as witness 9, said that from the age of six to 19 Zimmerman repeatedly fondled her, at times penetrating her vagina with his finger.

The woman told investigators that she was coming forward when she did because she thought that Zimmerman might have shot and killed Trayvon Martin because he was black, and that she finally felt safe enough to make a report when Zimmerman had gone into hiding after the shooting.

Read more about the accusation on BlackVoices.com.

More on Madame Noire!

• Reel Love: Our Favorite TV and Movie Couples
• NEVER STOP, NEVER GIVE UP: 7 Things You Should Never Stop Doing For A Woman
• WHAT ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS? Are These Celebs Still Besties?
• SIZZLING HOT: 10 Sundresses To Wear Now!
• You Know You Wrong For That! 6 Lies We Tell Our Girlfriends
• Rude or Real? Would You Mind A Woman Asking You Where You Got “Your Hair”?
• Where My Girls At? Sometimes Being Married Means Being Left Out

Source: newsone.com

Remember back when George Zimmerman was brought into custody and the judge gave him that weak $150,000 bond? Well, we all know that after being exposed as a scheming liar who was holding big dollars from acquiring donations for his legal fund from crazy racists folks, he was sent back to jail and had his bail revoked. Fast forward to today, and after some deep thought and hearing numerous arguments, Judge Kenneth Lester decided to set his new bond at $1 million.

According to CNN, though Judge Lester believed that Zimmerman tried to play the system, it ultimately wasn’t enough to hold him without bail until trial proceedings. Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda tried to argue that because Zimmerman is a liar he should stay in jail: “He quite frankly was manipulating the whole thing; he was using his wife as a conduit.” In fact, Zimmerman and his wife would speak in code during their jailhouse conversations, with him asking her to transfer these new, magical funds out of his account and into hers. Though Judge Lester seemed to largely side with the prosecutor, it seems that it wasn’t enough to warrant an extended stay in jail if he can come up with the money.

To be clear, though the bail was set much higher to hopefully keep Zimmerman from fleeing the country, he only needs to put up about 10 percent of the $1 million to be able to go free. And according to reports, Zimmerman does have enough money available to put up that 10 percent. If and when he does go free, according to USA Today, he is being ordered by Judge Lester to stay in Seminole County and he must wear an electronic monitoring device at his OWN expense…since he’s balling and all…

In the hearing, Judge Lester also took the time to point out that he could no longer see Zimmerman’s familial ties as a positive factor and believes that if given the chance, his people would be willing and ready to lie in court or on the stand. And though he claimed the higher bail wasn’t a punishment, because he felt Zimmerman didn’t earn or save the money he has and has been using, what he has to dole out for freedom would be of “little consequence to him.” Interesting indeed.

Hmmm…who knows what kind of antics or mess this man will get into if and when he posts bail and is back on the streets once again. Please…talking about he lied about the money he had because he didn’t trust the system…yeah, right. Let’s be real, he lied because he’s a liar, and that’s what liars do, and he’s been lying since the night he killed Trayvon Martin. Instead of sending money to this fool somebody needs to send him a copy of Liar Liar. The VHS copy just to make things especially hard for him…

What do you think of the bail increase?

More on Madame Noire!

• Party of One Please: Things I’ve Learned To Enjoy By Myself
• MN Exclusive: Warryn & Erica Campbell On How They Met, Their Family and Managing To Work Together
• You Are Not The Father! The Most Memorably Ratchet Moments From The Maury Povich Show
• Drop The Flat Iron Like It’s Hot: Summer Hairstyles To Help You Beat the Heat
• And They Say Only Black Women are Bitter? Why Bitter Black Men Need To Have a Seat…Several
• Stop Arguing About Dumb Stuff! How I Learned To Keep The Peace In My Relationship
• Old Habits Die Hard: Learning Not To Dim My Light So Others Can Feel Like They’re Shining