Scroll Left Scroll Right

U.S. Prosecutors: Colo. gunman threatened professor 1 of 9
World Iran: "Rural white" Americans fond of Ahmadinejad 2 of 9
U.S. Minneapolis gunman had just been fired: Police 3 of 9
Gallery Manipulated photography before Photoshop 4 of 9
Sports Regular NFL refs return, get standing ovation 5 of 9
CBS This Morning Beach Boys reuniting for last time? 6 of 9
Politics Voter registration fraud claims singe GOP 7 of 9
Entertainment Another ratings coup for Honey Boo Boo 8 of 9
World Somali militants forced from last stronghold? 9 of 9

June 18, 2012 3:41 PM

Print
Text

George Zimmerman jailhouse calls show he told wife to buy bulletproof vest

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

George Zimmerman and Shellie Zimmerman are seen in pictures released by the Seminole County Sheriff's Office.

George Zimmerman, Shellie Zimmerman

/ CBS/AP Photo/Seminole County Sheriff's Office

(CBS/AP) ORLANDO, Fla. - George Zimmerman, the former neighborhood watch volunteer who killed Trayvon Martin, told his wife to buy bulletproof vests for them and for his attorney, according to jailhouse calls released Monday.

Pictures: George Zimmerman faces murder charges

"As uncomfortable as it is, I want you wearing one," Zimmerman told his wife Shellie. Zimmerman was wearing a bulletproof vest when he left jail after posting bond. His attorney, Mark O'Mara, has reported receiving threats.

The calls, released by prosecutors, also detail how Zimmerman instructed his wife to transfer money from bank accounts and could play a crucial role in his second bond hearing next week. Zimmerman was released on $150,000 bond in April, several days after the jailhouse calls. At his bond hearing, his wife, Shellie, testified that she didn't know how much money had been raised from a website created for his legal defense and that the couple had virtually no money to pay Zimmerman's high bail.

In one of the calls, Shellie Zimmerman said that money raised from the website was also being used to pay off bills. The couple also talked about how they would whisk Zimmerman away from the Seminole County Jail once he was released in April, and discussed using a rental car to drive to a hotel parking garage. There, they would change into another rental car to throw off anybody who tried to follow him.

Shellie Zimmerman told her husband that the website had crashed because of supporters leaving words of support, as well as donations.

"Wow, that is awesome," Zimmerman said. "Those people need to start vocalizing themselves."

Prosecutors originally had planned to release 151 of Zimmerman's jailhouse calls, but O'Mara objected. A hearing over their release is set at the same time as Zimmerman's bond hearing next week.

"It is our contention that the calls are not only irrelevant to the charges against Mr. Zimmerman, but they could jeopardize friends and family of Mr. Zimmerman who are unrelated to the case," O'Mara said on a website for Zimmerman's legal defense.

Shellie Zimmerman was arrested last week on a charge of making a false statement. George Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense during the confrontation with the 17-year-old teen in a gated community in Sanford, Fla.

Complete coverage of the George Zimmerman-Trayvon Martin case on Crimesider

26 Photos

George Zimmerman faces murder charges

View the Full Gallery »

47 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 47 Comments

by andie52 June 19, 2012 6:32 PM EDT

Google-

NOT RACE, BUT MENTAL ILLNESS: the phenotype that is George Zimmerman

It will scare the heck out of you

Reply to this comment


by ahendryx819 June 20, 2012 6:09 PM EDT: Allen: No. What YOU said is "Bu***hit." You make it sound as if Zimmerman was the one walking down the street minding his own business. But no. That was Trayvon. Zimmerman is the one who stepped out of line by following him. Don't believe me? just ask the 911 dispatcher who took the initial call.


by ReckonedTruth June 19, 2012 10:27 AM EDT: Is it me? ..or does GZ wife look like a tran*ie?; Reply to this comment

by andie52 June 19, 2012 10:12 AM EDT

Zimmer is a liar he evn lied on his website
"I have created a Paypal account solely linked on this website as I would like to provide an avenue to thank my supporters personally and ensure that any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defense, in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment. I will also personally, maintain accountability of all funds received. I reassure you, every donation is appreciated."

Reply to this comment


by ReckonedTruth June 19, 2012 10:20 AM EDT: "in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment"..

He lied again, he wasn't working the day of the incident..and was not employed for awhile and got fired from his last job as well for his aggressive bullying character..


by ReckonedTruth June 19, 2012 9:39 AM EDT: Oh pluuzzeee Zimmerman you want to use the FEAR FACTOR now?.. you're ONLY BIG AND BAD WHEN YOU ARE WALKING WITH A GUN.. you little SHORT FAT P*NK.. because no one in your family is probably walking with a gun to intimidate or provoke someone into a fight? RIGHT? Stupid is as stupid does ALL DAY LONG!!!.. And i still havn't seen anything to INDICATE this so called thug with no gus..because all thugs have guns, RIGHT? was trying to kill GZ with WHAT? A school yard beat down because TM was stalked, confronted..by GZ? Another LIE..

GZ you're the ONE with the record of violence and was STILL able to obtain a GUN in florida GZ(shame on FL.,) not Trayvon Martin...

you're the one GZ who can't keep a job because of your sociopath character and SOOO.. you and your wife live off the taxpayers of florida(a hand out..did you know this NEO-CONS?YEP! GZ and wifey on welfare?).. and now the neo-cons are rewarding GZ for killing a UNARMED teenager who was 17 years young..

No one is thinking about GZ and his family..to do bodily harm, all the AMERICAN PPL wanted was for you GZ to be arrested and a COMPLETE INVESTIGATION as DUE PROCESS as like any other shooting and NOT ALLOW you GZ to KEEP your GUN after the shooting(even COPS have to turn in their fire-arms after a shooting and YOU- GZ are NO COP only a WANNA-BE LOSER with a sociopath character).. and that's all the BP wanted as well..so a bounty was OFFERED- as in a citizen's arrest is what the BP wanted..no one wanted to murder you-GZ or your wife everyone at this point knows where your family is and what hotel your wife is staying as well and the rest of your family-SO CALL IN HIDING also- HIDING FOR WHAT?.. the JUDGE asked Shellie Zimmerman at the BOND hearing..did she personally GET a THREAT of any kind? And she said NO!

So GZ & family cut the DRAMA.. as if AMERICA care about you as if you're so type of celebs-that only happens in make-believe..the only americans who do care about you in large %..are your TYPE GZ.. neo-cons -race-based sociopaths..who are rewarding you by giving you donations because you killed a UNARMED African American Teenager.. so GZ it was YOU who STALKED..confronted and GOD's knows what else you did or said to this KID to provoke a fight besides profiling him for WHAT?.. when TM was on his way HOME MINDING HIS OWN BUSINESS to attend his baby brother @ his stepmother's residence- who resided in a gated community..

Cut the drama-- zimmerman family.. no one wants to murder anyone in the zimmeran family.. you're NOt that important or no longer a THREAT to a civil society..and the charges levelled against you (2nd degree murder) you should NOt be bond out of jail..under JUSTICE and compliance to the LAW.. especially now.. since you and your family committed PERJURY INTENTIONALLY.. didn't daddy dearest tell you that you can't LIE under a SWORN OATH EVER? I hope Shellie is sentence to 30 days(perjury) sitting in a cell next to hubby..

Dumb is as dumb does EVERY DAY!!!; Reply to this comment

by vsmit June 19, 2012 8:20 AM EDT

More churn by the government because they don't have a case here. Anything to deflect from the fact that a much larger and stronger Martin beat Zimmerman and tried to kill him, leaving Zimmerman with no choice but to defended himself.

Reply to this comment


by ahendryx819 June 19, 2012 10:17 AM EDT: Oh, yeah, it was completely Trayvon who started that fight, right? The fact that Zimmerman stalked him and confronted him first has nothing to do with it. Oh, and do you have any evidence that Trayvon WAS trying to kill him? NO.


by johnnycanuck56 June 19, 2012 2:31 PM EDT: why do people like you persist with the much larger and stronger nonsense


by 55minus5 June 19, 2012 7:35 AM EDT: by troutfishman2 June 18, 2012 8:26 PM EDT
This is ironically funny.
He kills another person, now HE wants a bullet proof vest?
--------
What else? A helmet? An iron mask with goggles? Bulletproof boots?; Reply to this comment


by rwsmith29456 June 19, 2012 2:04 AM EDT: Who cares about bullet proof vests, they have nothing to do with the trial. Btw she LOOKS evil. And not very good.; Reply to this comment

by pohd1 June 19, 2012 12:43 AM EDT

What morons guess they did not read article. Why would judge release the calls? This is destroying the jury pool. Casting a prejudicial shadow over the trial. It makes points for the prosecutors who are trying to win the trial before it starts. Sounds like Casey Anthony case all over. Looks like the prosecutors fear defeat so trying to win the case in the media.

Reply to this comment


by ahendryx819 June 19, 2012 10:12 AM EDT: Oh, yeah, the jailhouse tapes really screwed Casey Anthony over, right? Oh wait...

by ariz_1944 June 18, 2012 10:27 PM EDT

7-luckyseven YOU are a TOTAL IDIOT!!
IF you could READ, you would KNOW by now that ZIMMERMAN got OUT of his truck, and followed Trayvon for approx 250 feet, AWAY FROM HIS TRUCK!!! IF the HEMROID HAD STAYED in his truck, AS HE WAS DIRECTED TO DO, I wouldn't HAVE to explain FACTS TO BRAIN DEAD A$$HOLES LIKE YOU!!

Reply to this comment


by ahendryx819 June 19, 2012 10:11 AM EDT: "Following someone is not a crime anywhere..."

Um, yeah, it is. It's called STALKING. It includes following, and any other behavior that causes a reasonable person to feel fear. Which, as his girlfriend said, he expressed fear of the person following him and started running. THAT is only the FIRST of Zimmerman's crimes that night.


by rightontarget June 19, 2012 11:10 AM EDT: BY 7-luckyseven: "Zimmerman took out a wild mass murdering psychopath and did the world a favor saving untold numbers of lives from this homicidal maniac."
*************************************

LMAO!!!!! Good grief, get off the drugs!!!!! You can take the aluminum foil down from your windows too because the aliens are not comming to get you. The only "maniac" in this senario was the egomaniac, Zimmerman.


by johnnycanuck56 June 19, 2012 2:35 PM EDT: stalking may be too strong because it suggests a long period of time.
I think that Harassment or even HUNTING might apply

by mick7744 June 18, 2012 9:01 PM EDT

I'm sure that even a status-craving cop-wannabe like Zimmerman sorely regrets and will always regret willfully disregarding the 911 operator's instructions and following Trayvon Martin that night...

Because now and for the rest of his wretched exixtance...Trayvon Martin will be following him...

Reply to this comment


by 55minus5 June 19, 2012 7:31 AM EDT: Yes. He's not only killed the kid, he's ruined his own life. I wonder how long that cow of his wife will be taking it.


by ahendryx819 June 19, 2012 10:09 AM EDT: No, I don't think he regretted killing Trayvon, until he was actually arrested and charged. Until that point, I think he actually thought he was going to get away with murder.