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Witnesses changing accounts of Trayvon Martin shooting?

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    Legal panel weighs in on the case

  • Duration 5:40
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-- -- back in session today in a special early edition on the docket today a change of witness accounts and how.

In the -- -- on Martin's shooting case for critical witnesses backtracking.

And what they first told police they saw and heard on the night the George Zimmerman fatally shot the teenager trade on Martin.

What does this mean for the case joining me now Joey Jackson -- mark I -- both are former prosecutors now defense attorneys.

Wow.

Wow what I wanna I wanna start -- you on this market as as the speak lawyer fort George Zimmerman in the case.

Because.

Let me just tee it up for our viewers can't go through all the evidence here -- Trace Gallagher put a nice.

Bit to -- at the beginning of the show.

This is the one guy one of the key witnesses who first described the beat down as trade on -- and top of George -- Feeding on an and then -- style mixed martial arts.

This is the first way he described it to the police right after it happened -- And then you know I tried its own get out of here.

Stop or whatever.

And then the one guy on top in the black that he was pretty much just throwing down blows on the -- kinda and then -- style.

-- -- -- like the ground and pound on the concrete at this point.

A month later not quite this is howling out -- It looked like.

You know he would have been hitting him from on top but.

You know I can't.

Truly see how close you know they were to each other if he was hitting him.

Or is he was trying to hold him down in that position until the cops got there.

Goodness -- I think this is wonderful for the defense.

Any time you have witnesses who give a statement at one point swearing under the -- the perjury they're certain they're trying to be honest to try to credible.

And then later they give a statement that is different in the -- and they gave -- first the defense lawyers can have a field day with that.

It doesn't matter which one they're gonna claim is true and accurate there's inconsistency.

So I would always ask the -- what -- member of your memory gets better with age like wine.

That's right and and they're all I mean they're not all but at least four witnesses Joey.

Are now changing their stories.

One woman who said she just saw the two guys fighting is now saying.

Uh oh it Zimmerman was the one who was on the top she's the only witness who would say -- -- was on the top they all say the trip on Martin was on the top now she says -- -- it was a -- you tell me what happened between statements that were initially given and what happened three and a half weeks later.

Well here's what have to happen now Megan and I don't disagree with anything that -- said but it's it it's in the interest of the prosecution to rehabilitate these witnesses and this is how they -- to do it.

There's a distinction between lying and being mistaken number one.

And has the distinction between changing your story and clarifying -- story and I think the prosecution as the saying that they were pressed further for detail for example with the and it -- -- by -- shorts are that he was striking blows anime style or coordinated then.

-- you simply sore hand movements that what on the ground such that he may have been any hand and not punching him and so I think the prosecution in an effort to rehabilitate these witnesses.

We'll suggest that these -- not wholesale changes he's a point of -- because I'm sure how.

-- -- that point mark when you got him saying he was the rowing down blows on the guy and then may style.

It's too.

Then maybe he was just trying to hold them down.

You don't anyone knows anything about the criminal arena knows this hurts the prosecution and how about the other witness who claims.

For sure she sees one guy.

And another guy running that equals two guys later she changed the testimonies I was only one guy and then finally the latest round of testimony has what it really see down.

I just heard it.

What in another testimony like in depositions he's gonna say only dreamed about to.

Think the problem Joey -- -- around this is the problem this case has so much media scrutiny he got the new black Panthers running around putting a bounty on jurors -- had.

You've got people coming out basically suggesting that -- racist if you think George Zimmerman doesn't belong in jail.

And now you tell me -- -- got eyewitnesses who were scared to stick by their original testimony that may in some cases be to the benefit of Zimmerman you know what.

I think it's a very fair point and I think the point to be made is that these are witnesses this is a very public case public exposure if you do testify you people gonna know who you are is that there's a threatening element to what do you say things that could potentially you know -- Zimmerman -- that.

If they heard seven -- I and they held for -- Martin are you gonna be loved you gonna be hated and so people are very skeptical and very -- if your witness to say things that may publicly be not in their best interest but there's that.

Really two quick things in the first thing is regarding the one mark pointed out the -- that witness initially said she was wearing contact -- does it wasn't quite sure.

Is another witness -- Megan who speaks to the issue of the -- that Zimmerman used at the time in which she said was he said.

Excuse me heat who was the witness who accounted -- after in the -- the shooting said the amendments that call my wife later he was -- -- of its own.

And the witness said he was very matter of fact about it like I don't care you know -- -- I'll call my -- I just shot somebody so I think ultimately the only witness has no value.

I think it has a lot of value because it speaks to the issue mark of what you're state of mind is is this something that you do as a matter of course was this something that was very traumatic that you and why did.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- The issue is whether Zimmerman reasonably fear death -- great bodily harm and if he was the aggressor.

Did he was ever reasonable means to escape the harm period end of story that's the issue the prosecutors now -- a problem with inconsistent statement.

Either witness yes they're gonna they're gonna drive a truck through these inconsistencies whether -- would you like it or not guys thank you.