# In which Stoid (The Prosecutor) Cross-examines Bricker (George Zimmerman) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 22, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561 "2012-04-22T05:35:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/1 "2012-04-22T05:35:12Z")
From the speculation thread, I challenged someone to play Zimmerman and make his story make sense, and Bricker volunteered, as follows: > [@Stoid](#): > > But if you think there’s a genuine possibility that it really was Zimmerman, I urge you to take a crack at the prosecution questioning Zimmerman as I did above, show us how Zimmerman answers those questions, how the idea of him screaming for help when he had a gun in his hand makes sense. Please. > [@Bricker](#): > > I’ll take that challenge. We can start a new thread, ignore anyone else who tries to step in and derail it, and you pose questions to me as though I were Zimmerman, and I 'll answer them based on my understanding of the evidence and fill in the blanks with a scenario I create. Mr. Zimmerman, I’d like to start by having you refresh our memories about what happened the night you killed Mr. Martin. Please walk us through the events of that night from where you were and how you happened to see Mr. Martin until you arrived at the police station with the officers. Once I am refreshed I will be better able to ask questions about the details. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/2 "2012-04-22T06:42:27Z")
How about some opening arguments while we wait? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/3 "2012-04-22T06:45:24Z")
nah, I’ve made them a dozen times already. Maybe later. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/4 "2012-04-22T06:51:40Z")
Closing arguments, then? ---
**Author:** ![BlankSlate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blankslate/32/80_2.png) [@BlankSlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlankSlate)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/5 "2012-04-22T07:04:52Z")
In a fit of remorse, Zimmerman pleads guilty and throws himself on the mercy of the court. The end. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 7:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/6 "2012-04-22T07:33:05Z")
The defendant is by definition a hostile witness for the prosecution. As such this question seems out of line. The prosecution should ask leading questions that can be answered yes or no. IANAL. ---
**Author:** ![manila](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@manila](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manila)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/7 "2012-04-22T14:38:05Z")
So this is a courtroom scenario? Not police interview? The charge(s) is? Just a bit of background please while we are waiting for **Bricker** then I promise I will be silent in court ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/8 "2012-04-22T14:44:20Z")
At about 7 p.m. on the night in question, I called 911 to report a suspicious person in the gated community called the Retreat at Twin Lakes. I live there and serve as neighborhood watch captain, although I was not on duty that night. I gave the dispatcher a description of the person, and I mentioned his race, but only after the dispatcher asked me for it as part of the description. I mention this now because at least one media source, the Today Show, broadcast a tape of the call that they edited to make it appear I was saying the individual looked suspicious because he was black. I only included his race as a description, and only because the dispatcher asked. As the dispatcher said the police were en route,the individual began to move, and I was afraid he would get away before the police arrived. I started to follow him. The dispatcher realized I was following him and asked me not to. I think the words used were “We don’t need you to do that.” And I thought, sure, they don’t need me, they don’t have to live with more break-ins. But I was sick of calling the cops, they take their sweet time, and the prowler gets away. I lost sight of the individual about halfway down the block and I realized I had been watching for him and talking to the police and had gotten turned around in my head; I didn’t know which end of the road I was at and in the dark the houses all look the same. I got out of my vehicle to check the street sign because the light wasn’t good enough to see it from my car, especially in the rain. While I was out of the car I saw movement in between the houses, and then the young man I now know was Treyvon Martin came into view. I walked towards him and he turned and looked at me, and I said to him, I think it was, “Hey – what do you think you’re doing?” He stepped up towards me and said to me, “Why the fuck you following me?” He then punches me, right in the nose, and thatshoved me backwards. As I fell I sort of grabbed at his head and felt something fall away from his ear. I think I hurt his ear because he yelled “Fucker!” at me and kicked at my ribs. I tried to roll away from the kick and he followed me. On the second or third kick I caught his leg and swept him down, thinking I could get him down, and I did. I started running, I couldn’t tell exactly where, and I didn’t get very far before I got hit by a running field tackle like they teach football players how to do. I ended up on my back with Treyvon on top of me. I started yelling for help. He was straddling me, and I was trying to shove him off, but I couldn’t. He hit my head into something really hard, and I sort of saw stars for a second, and it was then I thought that I could end up dead or drooling for the rest of my life from brain damage. I had a gun in a concealed carry holster, not visible. It was in my waistband. I tried shoving him off again, continuing to yell for help, but this time as I bucked up, instead of trying to get him off me, I just tried to draw my weapon, and I did. I kept hoping, praying, that the police would get there or that some neighbor would come out and intervene but no one did. I kept yelling for that help until the gun cleared the holster and, believing myself in danger of serious bodily injury if I did not use it, I fired a shot. It struck Treyvon. I never shot anyone before. It wasn’t like TV. He actually hit my head once more after being shot, then got up. There was almost no blood on his front where the bullet hit. He said, “That’s for you then,” to me, and took several steps away, then sort of tripped and fell. I got to my feet and went over to look at him. I had a little mini flashlight and I shined it on him. His eyes were open but he wasn’t breathing. It seemed wrong that his eyes were open, so I reached down and closed them, just like they do on TV. Then the police got there. The paramedics too. I told them exactly what happened. The paramedics fixed up my head. They said they were using Krazy Glue on my head! It all seemed like a bad dream. They said I should go to the hospital and get checked out, but I said no. I wanted to explain what happened, why it wasn’t my fault. One of the neighbors took a picture of my head with his phone camera. They cuffed me and took me to the station, and made me tell my story over and over and over. I did. I think some of them didn’t believe me. One detective even said something like, “Your head doesn’t look so bad to me.” but I told him it looked a lot worse before they fixed me up, the paramedics, I mean. And the officers on scene saw me bleeding, for God’s sake. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/9 "2012-04-22T14:50:13Z")
> [@Mr.Moto](#): > > The defendant is by definition a hostile witness for the prosecution. As such this question seems out of line. > > The prosecution should ask leading questions that can be answered yes or no. > > IANAL. Yes, but in my dual role as defense attorney I did not object to this question as calling for narrative, as I would be entitled to, because normally a narrative would have emerged in direct. So this simulates the direct examination results. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/10 "2012-04-22T15:15:46Z")
Are we allowed to place any bets in this thread? 'Cause I wanna put some dough on **Bricker**. Any takers? ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/11 "2012-04-22T15:19:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Are we allowed to place any bets in this thread? 'Cause I wanna put some dough on **Bricker**. Any takers? So you’re basically asking people to just give you money. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/12 "2012-04-22T15:38:49Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > So you’re basically asking people to just give you money. Yep! ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/13 "2012-04-22T15:53:34Z")
I think 12 Dopers should be chosen randomly to determine the winner of this contest. I volunteer to interview the candidates and ensure that they are impartial. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/14 "2012-04-22T15:55:32Z")
Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! Oh, wait, it didn’t start yet. I’ll be back later. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/15 "2012-04-22T17:23:21Z")
Mr. Zimmerman, as we are on a message board, I hope you will forgive me for asking more than one question at a time. If I don’t I fear we will be at this for months… Thank you for that refresher. Now… 1. Describe what Trayvon was doing or what else you saw that made you think that Trayvon was “suspicious”. 2. Please use [this map](http://viewfromll2.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/zimmermanmap.png) (and disregard the marks already on it unless you agree that they are accurate as to what they say) and indicate with as much precision as you are able, looking back, the location where you stopped your truck and where Trayvon “came into view”. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/16 "2012-04-22T17:34:40Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Mr. Zimmerman, as we are on a message board, I hope you will forgive me for asking more than one question at a time. If I don’t I fear we will be at this for months… > > Thank you for that refresher. Now… > > 1. Describe what Trayvon was doing or what else you saw that made you think that Trayvon was “suspicious”. > > 2. Please use [this map](http://viewfromll2.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/zimmermanmap.png) (and disregard the marks already on it unless you agree that they are accurate as to what they say) and indicate with as much precision as you are able, looking back, the location where you stopped your truck and where Trayvon “came into view”. He was moving furtively; even though it was raining he was walking very slowly, while most people would walk quickly to get out of the rain. He was also looking at the houses as he passed as though trying to see if people were home. I thought that fit the profile of someone casing houses for a possible burglary. And since I am currently testifying via iPhone, I will have to wait to look at the map. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/17 "2012-04-22T17:51:15Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > He was moving furtively; even though it was raining he was walking very slowly, while most people would walk quickly to get out of the rain. He was also looking at the houses as he passed as though trying to see if people were home. Another way to say that someone is moving furtively is to say they are being stealthy or sneaky. Is that what you mean to say, that Trayvon appeared to you to be stealthy in his movements? ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/18 "2012-04-22T17:53:53Z")
Also, Mr. Zimmerman, please notify us when you will be able to refer to maps, because I will have a number of questions that require that. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/19 "2012-04-22T17:58:38Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Guilty! Guilty! Guilty! > > Oh, wait, it didn’t start yet. I’ll be back later. I think we can dismiss this juror for cause… ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2012, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561/20 "2012-04-22T18:05:30Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Another way to say that someone is moving furtively is to say they are being stealthy or sneaky. Is that what you mean to say, that Trayvon appeared to you to be stealthy in his movements? No. It was simply that he was moving slowly and appeared to be checking the houses he passed. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-stoid-the-prosecutor-cross-examines-bricker-george-zimmerman/619561.md?page=2)