Word of The Day

[pdxmike]

primogeniture

We had a great dictionary when I was growing up, so I asked my mom if I could borrow it to look up "primogeniture" but she said when my dad died he gave it and all his other stuff to my older brother. 

[headmount]

So good that there are sponsors to give some of these surfers enough dough so that they don't have to do other things to make money.  'Other things' is a very wide spectrum but for a surfer it usually doesn't include a responsible 9-5 job where speaking clearly is important.

[Ichabod Spoonbill]

I actually have a 9-5 job where I have to know vocabulary and speak clearly. I be an English teacher.

[TallDude]

I actually have a surf or paddle distance 8:00 am to 10:00 am, work 10:30 am to 5:30, kids, work 8:30 pm to 1:00 am.
I WRITE IN CAPS ALL DAY & ABBRV EVRYTHG. [4X4 P. USE CB44 @BTM CC44 ABV. -ALT. AC ON >4 KP. LOADS]. this forum allows me the freedom of cap less expression without abbreviation. I'M WORK'G NOW..... kind of.....

[Strand Leper]

From the Zimmerman trial:  "creepy-assed-cracker"

Some really poor witness preparation by the prosecution. Or just awful witnesses for the prosecution.

Not sure which. Actually, a little of both.

SL

[SeaMe]

From the Zimmerman trial:  "creepy-assed-cracker"

Some really poor witness preparation by the prosecution. Or just awful witnesses for the prosecution.

Not sure which. Actually, a little of both.

SL

I don't know, she won me over today when she told the condescending defense attorney, "That's real retarded, sir." Also, keep in mind that English is her third language. (Does that make the WotD trilingual?  )  I'll order off a menu in a foreign language, but testify in court? Uh-uh. She's smarter than everyone assumes.

[Strand Leper]

Well, she admittedly can't read cursive... and calling someone "retarded" is not exactly endearing to a jury.  I am fairly convinced that she is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

As to the condescending defense attorney, he is doing an amazing job of tearing up her credibility by showing that she was manipulated by the prosecution and the Martin family attorneys (rather than attacking her).  Dealing with a rude and hostile witness... while a DA is objecting to every sentence coming out of your mouth... is one of the more difficult things to do in law... kind of like hitting a curve ball.

When you hear about the settings in which she was interviewed, (with Martin's dead mother sitting next to her), it is one of the most shockingly inappropriate interviews that I have ever heard of (in a high profile case) in my 18 years of practicing law.

SL

[hbsteve]

When you hear about the settings in which she was interviewed, (with Martin's dead mother sitting next to her), it is one of the most shockingly inappropriate interviews that I have ever heard of (in a high profile case) in my 18 years of practicing law.

SL

I agree.  Having Martin's dead mother sitting next to her is inappropriate.

[Strand Leper]

SeaMe,

If you listen to the last six minutes of the re-cross of this witness (from today), she testified that she has spoken English since Kindergarden, and was educated in English for her entire life.

SL

[tautologies]

Word of the day: e-thug

[SeaMe]

Well, she admittedly can't read cursive... and calling someone "retarded" is not exactly endearing to a jury.  I am fairly convinced that she is not the sharpest tool in the shed.

As to the condescending defense attorney, he is doing an amazing job of tearing up her credibility by showing that she was manipulated by the prosecution and the Martin family attorneys (rather than attacking her).  Dealing with a rude and hostile witness... while a DA is objecting to every sentence coming out of your mouth... is one of the more difficult things to do in law... kind of like hitting a curve ball.

When you hear about the settings in which she was interviewed, (with Martin's dead mother sitting next to her), it is one of the most shockingly inappropriate interviews that I have ever heard of (in a high profile case) in my 18 years of practicing law.

SL

I agree that her being interviewed in the presence of Trayvon's mother was incredibly inappropriate. However, I think Jeantel's manner of speaking is more a matter of culture and frustration with the process of testifying, than it is an indication of her IQ. This reporter's article explains it well: http://ideas.time.com/2013/06/28/rachel-jeantel-explained-linguistically/?hpt=hp_t2

The defense attorney is doing his job, but think it's a mistake to think he's endearing himself to the non-attorneys who are watching. Yesterday he came across to me (not-a-lawyer) as being incredibly rude and condescending. If this is him expressing his annoyance at the DA's objections, then shame on him. The DA has a job to do too, and this is hardly Bugliosi v. Kanarek. 

Of course, a trial shouldn't be a spectator sport, and what anyone other than the jury thinks should be irrelevant, but I guess those days are gone…

SeaMe,

If you listen to the last six minutes of the re-cross of this witness (from today), she testified that she has spoken English since Kindergarden, and was educated in English for her entire life.

SL

True, but starting to learn the language in Kindergarten is not the same as being raised with it in the home. The child starts at a disadvantage since the children around him or her already know what he or she is just starting to learn. That child has to play a great deal of catch-up early on.

[Strand Leper]

Sea,

Thanks for your perspective. I agree that defense kept her on the stand a twitch too long. I think it will come to light that she was manipulated by the Martin family and the prosecution... I have interviewed many witnesses, both the manner I which the interviews were conducted and the manner in which the questions were asked significantly impacted her answers. Prosecutors are supposed to be fact finders in the investigation stage... Not advocates... That is for trial. They crossed the line and became advocates during the investigation. People should be losing their bar cards over this.

I think it may be an example of how our education has failed certain of journal youth, certain area of the country, and certain subcultures. The "axe" vs. ask was not a big deal... That is cultural slang... I lwatched to the entire direct and cross, and came away saddened that this person was educated from kindergarten in the US, and on a day when she was trying to speak her best English, sounded as she did.

SL

[JeanG]

The Zimmerman case is great because it provides a focal point for the social justice movement (black victim shot by white man for buying Skittles) AND the gun control movement. The fact that Zimmerman never should have been brought to trial in the first place, that the actual criminal case is about as weak as they come, that the 'stand your ground law' would get the case thrown out in an instant if not for the media firestorm... well those are simply minor inconvenient details.

[tautologies]

The fact that Zimmerman never should have been brought to trial in the first place, that the actual criminal case is about as weak as they come

HUH???

[lucabrasi]

Sensational.
As there was not enough evidence to bring this to trial but media pressure basically forced charges the prosecutors were forced to be advocates. Sensationalism, opinion, advocacy, race, and agenda is the bulk of the evidence the case is built on. Any tidbit, pre trial and now that is pro Martin is plastered front page to see or click on. Anything pro Zimmerman is generally buried and must be searched out even tho it is the overwhelming majority of evidence. White and white, black and black, brown and brown........we would never ever have heard about this and it would never have hit a courtroom. Where did you see a photo of Travon that was current and not pre adolescence? The media has also edited the 911 call rather than use it in its entire context from the start.