by Jonathan Capehart
Nothing makes sense in the killing of Trayvon Martin. Nothing. Last week, I posed 16 questions that should be answered. Today, I have more. Yesterday’s leaked report of George Zimmerman’s account from police of what happened on Feb. 26 only raises more questions for me. Again, they range from the mundane to the technical. We might not get answers to some of them. We might not like the answers we are given to some of them. And some of them might have simple explanations. But the questions must be asked.
It wasn’t until Trayvon’s father, Tracy Martin, called to file a missing-persons report on Feb. 27 that police went to his fiancee’s house with pictures of his son’s dead body. News reports have said that Trayvon’s body was tagged as a John Doe. But the “Partial Report Only” that was completed at 3:07 a.m. on Feb. 27 lists Trayvon’s full name, city of birth, address and phone number. How did police get that information? Was Trayvon carrying identification? Did police try to contact that home number?
Trayvon’s father called his cell phone several times. Why didn’t police answer Trayvon’s cell phone?
Zimmerman reportedly had a bloody nose, lacerations on the back of his head and was given first aid by a Sanford Fire Department rescue unit. Where is their report of his injuries? Were any photographs taken of Zimmerman’s injuries?
Did the officer who arrived on the scene and placed Zimmerman in handcuffs read him his Miranda rights?
That same officer who put Zimmerman in handcuffs reported, “While the SFD was attending to Zimmerman, I over heard him state ‘I was yelling for someone to help me, but no one would help me.’ At no point did I question Zimmerman about the incident that had taken place.” Why not?
Zimmerman was then taken to the Sanford Police Department and interviewed by an investigator. Was that interview recorded?
Was there blood splatter from Trayvon on Zimmerman’s clothing? Were any tests done on Zimmerman’s clothing? DNA? Gunpowder?
Were any photographs taken of Zimmerman’s clothing? Was the clothing taken into evidence.
Were there any signs of a struggle on Trayvon? Scratches, bruises? Were there any traces of Zimmerman’s hair or skin on Trayvon’s clothing or under his fingernails?
A drug and alcohol test was performed on Trayvon’s body. Were drugs and/or alcohol found in his system? There are reports that a similar test wasn’t done on Zimmerman? If not, why not?
You don’t have to be a devotee of “Law and Order” or “CSI” to come up with these questions. They’re pretty basic and common-sense. That they have to be asked one month and one day after the killing of Trayvon Martin is alarming.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/the-killing-of-trayvon-martin-more-questions/2011/03/04/gIQALETDeS_blog.html
