MONDAY DEFENSE CONTINUES:
SAUNDRA OSTERMAN - Nice lady, very nervous. Seminole County, Fla for 16 years. Wife of Mark Osterman, the friend of George Zimmerman's (GZ) who wrote a book about GZ who testified earlier, called by prosecution re gun possession. She calls GZ Georgie. He worked with her at a mortgage company. Here as his friend. GZ'a wife is her BFF. She heard GZ's voice every day at work and socially at least once a week over several years. Didn't see him since case began and he was charged. I wouldn't lie for him or anybody." The 911 tape is played. Screaming heard. Shot. Q: Heard it few times before. A: Yes, definitely Georgie, and she tears up. CROSS -X : You and your husband wrote book? She responds that all the money they got and are getting from the book is in their savings account for the Zimmermans, for later. Q; So you have stake. A; We deposit the money for Georgie for later . GZ is left-handed. When she heard the 911 recording, "I knew at once it was George." Q: If you're so sure, why listen more than once? A: It was on the news. Prosecutor plays GZ's non-emergency call to cops. Q: Who is saying "these assholes always get away?" Who's that? A: It's George. Q: Shit he's running. Who's that? A: George Q: Fucking punks.... Who's that? George. RE-DIRECT: Q: When he says assholes did yoU hear spite or hate? A: No. Q: When you hear F'ing punks, get Impression of anger , spite ill will on tape? A: No. RE-RE-CROSS-X A: I've heard G says "asshole" before. He's not angry on tape. Q: Really, asking Trayvon Martin (TM) out to dinner? No voice change? A: No. Q: Speculating? A: I guess we both are. They play whole non-emergency tape with "suspicious person" reference, includes instructing cops to location. She is positive on 911 call that it's GZ, Continuous cries for help? A: Yes. RR RE DIRECT: Q: Anything to indicate he was angry or spiteful or had ill will. "No." Q: When he said "black" sound spiteful? No. repeats all phrases, any anger? No. Nothing in voice to show anger. Q: Any gaps in screams? A: A lot of cries for help.
MARK OSTERMAN again. He wrote book about GZ, his friend and this case. Both these people have a sweet vibe. Air marshal career law enforcement. GZ have any problem getting his concealed weapon permit? A: No. GZ and wife took classes, finger prints and check. Safety at top of all gun discussions, where it's pointed, safe condition until pointed. GZ very safe all times. Discussed type of fire arm he should purchase. Self defense weapon is smaller, with no external safety. In a self-defense situation, an external safety can be dangerous. Cops never have external safety. Keep gun loaded? Yes, and one in the chamber except if kids are around, then not chambered. One round in the chamber can be the difference between life and death. Cop policy is keep one in chamber. Plus top off the mag. GZ shoots with right hand. He tells his clients to do what's natural, comfortable in terms of shooting. Students practice shooting with both hands just in case of need. GZ gas been his BFF for five years so he's heard GZ's voice from talking to hysterical laugh. Shouts. Not primal scream. Attorney plays 911 call. That's George. I talk to him on phone all time and this recording is George Zimmerman. GZ's father career military so he had shot before at ranges. Holster was small and hard to see even without jacket. Lots of discussion about weapon safety and topping off magazine. Better to have it and not need it. His wife is trained the same way. Self defense training says shoot more than once at "center of mass, " Holsters are chosen for comfort and function. Fla. law says gun must be not be visible. External holster requires jacket. No "double tap" in this case.
GERI RUSSO Worked at mortgage co with GZ . Friend of GZ's. Off for a year but kept in touch often and spoke to GZ daily when she came back to work. Voice known to her in many situations. Spanish and English, not yelling. Spoke to GZ in the year after event. 911 tape played re who's screaming. She had heard it on TV news. " It's GZ's voice. No doubt it's GZ's." First time she heard it she thought "That's G's voice." CROSS-X Q: Good friend of G's? A: Yes. Q: You wanted it to be GZ? A: No. Q: Never heard TM yell? A: No. Outcome of this trial does not effect her testimony.
LEEANN BENJAMIN Met GZ in 2002 or 3. Sweet and polite person, a former teacher. Owns a real estate brokerage. GZ worked for insurance co in same building. She sent him referrals. She and husband became social friends with GZ and his wife and remain so. Served on political campaign together. GZ interested in starting a business. She advised he go to college first. GZ was tutoring kids. Didn't hear about shooting because she was in hospice with her father. GZ called her and she was unaware. He called a couple weeks after event. She helped GZ with support, talking to him and financially. Her husband noticed the GZ website and donated and they took food over. Got GZ some clothes for trial. Q: Bias? A: No because I only can tell what I know. She had heard 911 call before. Played tape, who's voice? A: George. I know his voice and in a political campaign we all supported, I heard him loud and excited. CROSS-X ( Mr. "In Other Words" De la Reondo) A: We gave $2500 , and 4 or 5 hundred more plus clothes for trial. She stayed clear of news reporting of case because of "prior jury experience." Never heard Trayvon Martin's voice. She heard GZ whooping it up in the campaign. Definitely GZ's voice on 911 tape. Q: You want to believe. A: No, it is GZ"s voice. DA plays non-emergency "profanity" tape, whole thing then in sections. She recognizes GZ's voice. Q: Changes in voice as tape goes on? A: He's winded maybe. Environment changes more. He sounds more matter of fact. He sounds like he's outside. Q: Voice doesn't change when he says "assholesobserving" or shit or "f'ing punks". Plays again. All obscenities... she says he was just observing. DA repeats obscenities over and over. A: I think he was observing and commented. Not excited. Q: You closed your eyes here when you listened. Did you close your eyes when you first heard? A: No. Q: Did he say f'ing punks and assholes in campaign? A: Cussing is not always alarm. Q: You agree he was observing and doesn't want TM to get away. A: No, he was merely reporting. (De al Reondo makes me cringe.) RE-DIRECT: Q: Anywhere on the tapes you heard GZ being angry? Showing ill will spite? A: No Q: Hatred? A No. Q: When he cussed on tape, same as DA? A: No GZ more level. It was not heightened as he said it. She has two sons 30 and 33. They cuss. Q: Cussing always angry? A: No. GZ said it more casually , more matter of factly. Prosecutor was hi-lighting the profanities. RE_RE-CROSS I was just making sure you could hear cussing. GZ was aware he was being recorded so he whispered the obscenities.
JOHN DONALLY - PHYSICIAN'S ASSISTANT - COMBAT MEDIC IN VIET NAM Map of Ireland on his face. Affable intelligent man. PA since 1973, trained in trauma. Knows GZ as avery good friend since 2002 or 3. Very good friend. Husband of Ms. Benjamin, the witness before. Met GZ when GZ was at ins co, sharing an office building. Over the years, GZ came to office for kitchen priv's. His wife made referrals to GZ'S ins Co. Thought he was smart, sharp. GZ also often worked late and came to chat. This witness taught him to tie a Windsor knot. GZ touched his heart. Took him shopping for court clothes. Court is terrifying. Dress to show respect. Gave money to defense fund. Mr. Donally has heard GZ's voice-casually and socially. During campaigns they were involved in together,heard GZ yelling and holding up signs. Before he was a PA, he w a combat medic in Viet Nam. Normal in VN, to be with 100 men all time, Medic from Dec 67 till Dec 68. 2 to 4 medics with outfit. At least 2 medics for Co. of 40 to 60 men. With them 24-7. Heard men scream for help. Voices change in combat. In field, he was in Tet Offensive, he cracks a bit, fought ten days straight. Treated friends who were wounded. Yelling for ammo or yelling for help. In battle you develop ability, you can distinguish help from gimme ammo. You know who it is before you get there. So is this GZ on 911 call? Yes. He couldn't listen to tape before. Too distressing to hear friend yelling for help. Heard it last week and played it for himself twice. Here... When the voice is heard he nods affirmatively. GZ's. He made me tear up CROSS-X - by De La Reondo, ( He's polite to this guy.) Wasn't asked about voice in depo, hadn't listened to tape. Heard tape after depo last Saturday. Why hear twice if you're so sure? Just did. Discuss with wife? Didn't discuss this case. Gave 2500 for defense, 500 to personal then 1700 for clothes. He is as my son. Biased? He's my friend. Q: Listen to other recordings? A: Heard pieces on news. Snippets. Recall asshole and fucking punks? He plays tape of non-emergency call. Questions re "changes in voice?" Excited? A: No. ( Doesn't say f'ing punks to this witness. He says "other profanities," ) It was absolutely GZ. Q: Well you believe that. A: No it's GZ absolutely He cannot be swayed at all. " I have heard a 250 pound man sound like little girl." All these sounds of yelling and screaming are GZ. In battle you have extraneous yelling and explosions but you can still pick out who to run to as a medic. What about a new guy? Still know he's in trouble. RE RE DIRECT All yells and screaming were GZ. Easy for me to tell it was GZ. Trying to help GZ? No, it's about truth. Is that why you are confronting demons from war? Yes.
Break for Lunch..