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Cross posted from Frederick Leatherman Law Blog.
Protesters took the streets, objecting to Trayvon Martin's violent death. Photo by Wendy Kenin.
Good morning everyone. With GZ out on bail wearing a GPS bracelet monitoring him at his secret location, I think this is a great opportunity to consider and discuss the issue of race and the potential for retaliation.
For example, I do not believe GZ’s life is in any actual danger and his claimed need for bulletproof vests, living at a secret location and a 24/7 security detail is an hysterical overreaction that his lawyer should be attempting to stop. Or, perhaps GZ is not afraid and it is merely a charade to garner sympathy and financial support.
Y’all get the picture that I am concerned about, don’t you?
This is really unfortunate and I hope the strategy, assuming that is what it is, is perceived for what it is; namely, stark unreasoning fear of race-based retaliation by a racist projecting his fear and prejudice on everyone else.
Therefore, I ask y’all this question: Is GZ’s fear reality based or is it an admission of guilt that he is a racist, that he did profile TM and he killed him without justification all the while believing he was a thug?
If I were his lawyer, I would be telling him to knock it off and act like a regular person.
If you were his lawyer, would you play the race card as Mark O’Mara appears to be doing, or do you think he is doing the right thing?
Also, Mark O’Mara posted the following statement at his website three days ago and I wonder what y’all think of it.
We steadfastly maintain that George Zimmerman acted in self-defense and that he is not guilty of second degree murder.
In the next hours and days the defense team will be working to get George released on bail and on effective strategies for moving forward. Much of our decision making will be based upon the funds available for mounting a defense. In the days surrounding Mr. Zimmerman’s initial arrest, supporters surprised everyone with the strength of their donations.
For those who have given in the past, for those who have thought about giving, for those who feel Mr. Zimmerman was justified in his actions, for those who feel they would do the same if they were in Mr. Zimmerman’s shoes, for those that think Mr. Zimmerman has been treated unfairly by the media, for those who feel Mr. Zimmerman has been falsely accused as a racist, for those who feel this case is an affront to their constitutional rights — now is the time to show your support.
What do you think of this statement?
71 Comments
Yeah, the donation whoring by the lead defense attorney seems in particular seems unprecedented. And how about Jeralyn Merritt jumping the donation shark too?
The donation hoax or scam, if you will, seems to be a particular phenomenon of the internet age. I have written a series of diaries, the Troll Wars, which are an ARG that is primarily about donation gathering by both sides of the ideological divide.
One seldom if ever receives information about how much money these websites (including FDL) rake in. But it gives a sense of the potentials when you see the lawyer asking for money. He wouldn’t bother to sully himself if it wasn’t substantial.
I think he’s really scared. He clearly considers black males to be threats and has likely accepted most of the ugly racial generalities that pervade the south.
Were I his lawyer, I’d also tell him to keep his mouth shut. If GZ wants to wear a vest and avoid windows, he shouldn’t advertise it.
As for playing the race card, well, what does his lawyer have left? He can’t deny GZ shot TM, he can’t use an SYG defense based on the public facts, and he can’t argue it was an accident.
To make a self defense case, he has only GZ’s words. He probably does not want to put GZ on the stand. His only hope is to build a jury that will see TM as a threat and then play the race card to hype it. That way GZ’s lack of credibility won’t matter as much, since he’s spouting the jury’s prejudices.
Would I play the race card? Well, no. But that’s an ethical decision, not a strategic one.
Boxturtle (The race card is why OJ walked and every atty in the nation knows it)
There are 2 things that have always struck me about the American South whenever I’ve visited:
1. The underlying atmosphere of viciousness.
2. The level of racsim.
I suspect that he’s a racist thug who is afraid of blacks in general and young fit black males in particular. In short I suspect he’s an all too typical southern American male. If I were his lawyer I’d be bearing in mind that old proverb and pounding the table which is what I think is going on here.
He’s looking for the sympathy vote and I suspect will get it.
mfi
Is GZ really scared? In his mind yes. Does he have a reason to be. Hell no. Tell me who cares enough to harm him, other than TMs family? Our side of the fence are too rational to harm him. GZ either has an inflated sense of self-importance or his conscious is getting the better of him.
Last I heard, he’d only raised another 35k, which isn’t enough to make a difference.
The state prosecutor is supposed to release their evidence any minute.
I’ll take a shot in the dark at this one (intentional and sorry Peter).
GZ is afraid of GZ.
Let me refine that a skosh.
GZ is afraid he will meet himself only he’ll be on the receiving end this time.
And I can hardly blame him: He has a bull’s-eye the size of Alaska on his back/front.
And that which goes around is bound to come around sooner or later.
Good luck GZ.
You’re going to need it.
FWIW: I dare GZ to walk around his neighborhood at night wearing a ‘hoodie’.
Thanks masoninblue and stay cool.
The strategy could backfire on GZ, if people see it for what it is; namely, a virtual admission of guilt that he is a racist.
More discovery.
Oh, goodie.
Simple answer to simple question: Yes, from the beginning.
It could backfire. In Ohio, it would. But in a Florida court with a Florida jury, being a racist is worth at least two votes. Most racists feel like they’re picked upon and they’ll stand together against the pickers.
Boxturtle (I wonder if any plea bargain talk has happened)
I was very disheartened by the attorney’s post on his website in order to get more donations.
I cannot say that I was surprised because most of M’OM’s statements regarding the case sound like the same talking points on Fox news or in the writings of racists all over the internet (i.e., Trayvon is responsible for his own death, overhyping GZ’s superficial injuries, etc), so I was not surprised that MO’M would stoops so low, but it still was disheartening to read.
There has got to be another way to represent your client than pimping yourself out to the lowest common demoninator for money.
As for Jeralyn Merritt, does she have any credibility left at this point? She cannot possibly be dispassionately arguing the merits of the case. She has actually taken to raising money for a child killer. How many times has she done the same for the probably hundreds of actually falsely accused and convicted men and women rotting away in prison in our country?
Totally off-topic: I finally looked at GZ’s medical report from his PA. One more thing that completely undermines the idea that he had life-threatening injuries is that GZ appears to have made the visit not only because he needed a “return to work” letter but also because he had complaints of tonsil stones.
O’Mara’s plea for more money appears to indicate otherwise.
I’m seeing both sides digging in for a long battle and, frankly, I see GZ’s case falling apart.
The time to strike a deal may have passed, at least for now.
No one recommended stitches for the two small cuts on GZ’s head. His family physician recommended daily washing with soap and water.
Nevertheless, for some deeply mysterious reason GZ showed up for the police walk-through video wearing two enormous Dumbo-sized butterfly bandages on the back of his head, as if they were the only impediment to his brains spilling out across the lawn.
Okay, prosecution discovery will be released Thursday morning.
Thanks for the heads-up.
I noticed the same thing about the South and I live there.
Do not forget that a large portion of Southern racists these days are transplanted Northern racists. Especially in Florida, where I used to live.
Yes, this is true.
Friends from other countries always comment how deeply racist the US is and how obvious it is to them. Yet, many of our fellow citizens do not see it.
The South never really developed a strong middle class until after World War II, and one reason for that is because unions, which were working with the civil rights movement, were simply not allowed to exist in, say, cotton mills. The tiny class of rich elites presided over a feudal system where the mass of both whites and blacks were in essence serfs, or “sharecroppers” or the urban factory-working equivalent thereof (hence the “company store” where the workers paid excessive prices guaranteed to keep them in debt peonage to the company), and were expert at playing the poor whites and blacks against each other. They still are, in fact.
People think that lynchings were things done in secret by mobs in disguise. Far more often than we’d like to admit, they were done in broad daylight.
The only reason FDR was able to get his New Deal through Congress was by promising the Southern “Dixiecrats” (most of whom would be Republicans three decades later) that he would go easy on promoting civil rights issues through the New Deal. When LBJ’s Great Society plan finally included black Americans in the New Deal, the Dixiecrats left en masse for the Republican Party, which used the “Southern Strategy” to welcome them into a new alliance with American Big Business.
have you ever experienced irony so sublime that it becomes absurd or macabre?
it’s like that
O’Mara’s appeal to racists who would have done the same thing? I find it disgusting. So, now what? So now we have O’Mara contributing to the legitimacy of shooting and killing random blacks or maybe random representatives to our U.S, Congress or maybe random gays. I can no longer bear to even look at a photograph of him. He’s the kind of sleaze that gives lawyers a bad name.
Do bears sh*t in the woods?
Sadly (for Zimmerman, anyway), his easily distracted racist supporters are petering out, so the ambulance chaser is just worried about getting paid. In the process, he’s probably undermining his client’s already thin case.
I’m not willing to be so harsh.
I think he’s basically a good guy with good intentions, but he’s letting his client run the defense. That’s a serious mistake because GZ isn’t half as smart as GZ thinks he is.
This strategy of wearing a bullet proof vest and being guarded by a security detail 24/7 at a secret location looks totally bogus to me because I doubt he is in any real danger.
His hyper fear almost seems like he knows he did something wrong and he’s expecting the worst, while desperately trying to enlist a virtual army of white supporters.
That strategy just plays into the prosecution’s theme of the case; namely, that GZ is a racist who profiled and killed TM without any justification whatsoever.
I think O’Mara needs to get control of GZ because right now GZ appears to be calling the shots and careening like a loose canon through O’Mara’s life.
If others perceive the strategy as I do, the defense is in deep and potentially irreversible trouble.
I doubt you are the only person reacting as you are to this latest defense move.
I should add that trial strategy is a multi-layered and infinitely complex game of move and counter move.
Right now, the defense is out in front making all the moves and that is almost always a bad strategy.
Better to shut-up, but GZ made sure that didn’t happen with his stupid plan to hide the internet donor money and his second passport.
The defense is still reeling from that move and may never recover.
Delicious irony.
fyi
there is semi-substantiated rumors that Omara has been in communique with the “conservative tree house” and extreme right wing web site which alleges that they supports zimmerman financially; and that they have been giving marching orders to Omara, assumed to somehow push their agenda, backed with threats of removing their aggregative financial backing.
If the rumor is true, that would be unethical conduct on O’Mara’s part because a lawyer is supposed to exercise his independent professional judgment on behalf of and in the best interests of his client
To serve the best interests of a financial master at the expense of a client is a conflict of interest and also a violation of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
If he cannot straighten out that situation, he should withdraw.
I dunno. You have been declaring to anyone who’ll listen that this this guy is guilty as sin in post after post … and now ask what people think about Zimmerman’s lawyers appealing to folks who have pre-judged the case? Seems like they are just pretty much doing the exact same thing you are.
The government will put millions of dollars into their side of this case – as much as it takes – because it is now 100% political. Florida earners and property owners are financing that (including me). I am totally fine with it. Sanford botched the whole thing, it needs the extra attention.
It sucks that so many folks love them some show trial – but a political lynching is damn expensive to defend against. And in our system, those without money get straight-up railroaded. Sometimes liberal blogs even opine on this fact … or take up collections for folks facing legal trouble. The defense is appealing to individuals, much like yourself, who have reached a conclusion based on their own personal views long before one could plausibly assert possession of enough knowledge for certainty. It’s just focused on ones that have reached a different conclusion than yourself. Namely, that this was legitimate self-defense. In my opinion, adopting any definitive stance at this point is equally racist … but at least I see some validity to the idea that everyone deserves a fair trial. Admittedly there seems to be disagreement on that point but I think we’ll all agree that, if such a thing were desired, to conduct a truly fair trial requires the defense to have ballpark-equivalent resources to the ones expended by the prosecution.
As for the headline premise … [*Face-palm*]. There are thousands of *documented* death threats against the guy. Kill Zimmerman groups routinely pop up on Twitter and Facebook. The New Black Panthers called for him to be brought in dead if necessary (admittedly, later backing off … kind of). And segments of liberal blogistan are in as embarrassing an orgy of “burn this racist SOB at the stake” as I’ve ever seen. Knowing it only takes *one* unbalanced Jerald Loughner to turn hyperbolic focused hate into a deadly incident, I think it would be horribly irresponsible to ignore the warnings and *not* take precautions.
To me, the racial stuff you are slinging in this post is over the top. Your basic premise seems to be that the seemingly obvious need to protect himself and his family against possible backlash from hate stirred up by folks with a media platform who summarily declare him an absolutely-guilty racist who murdered Martin because he was black (by and large using Zimmerman as proxy for the built up anger over wider systemic neglect and misconduct in the local black community) means … Zimmerman is flat-out admitting to being exactly the racist murderer you’ve been using your media platform to assert he is, for no other reason than because he is actually taking physical steps to protect himself against the possible backlash of people who declare they would happily attack racist murderers if given the chance? Hmmmmmmmm.
Honestly, no. That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense.
I recall having heard reasoning much like this somewhere else once.
As usual, you are inserting your dubious unsupported premises (e.g. 100% political!!! show trial!!! political lynching!!!) sprinkled in with your tiresome “but look at you” false equivalencies. Yeah, Mason offering his opinions on this case is just like GZ’s lawyer pleading to the public to financially support his client. Of course! Who can’t see that!? [*Face-palm*] indeed! But, I guess you needed that bridge to go off on your wordy tangent and establish that false equivalency.
In terms of GZ’s safety concerns, did you notice that the judge mentioned that when he confined GZ to Seminole County and didn’t find it compelling or when the prosecutor noted that GZ and SZ routinely went out and did normal activities while he was previously on bail without even the hint of an incident? Probably not. It’s much better to ignore what actually happened and the people charged with monitoring GZ and invoke a fraud like The New Black Panther Party who, other than being bogeymen for Fox News types are a joke. In fact, off the top of my head, I’d be hard pressed to think of a group as irrelevant as them in the Black community.
While I think lawyers should ultimately follow their clients instructions, the tail is definitely wagging the dog. As I said in one of your earlier posts, GZ’s much maligned previous lawyers are probably laughing their tails off.
You accuse me of “slinging racial stuff” because I dare question “the seemingly obvious need to protect himself and his family against possible backlash from hate stirred up by folks with a media platform who summarily declare him an absolutely-guilty racist who murdered Martin because he was black . . .”
The “seemingly obvious need to protect himself and his family” certainly isn’t obvious to his wife, Shellie, because she denied being threatened by anyone when the prosecutor, Bernardo de la Rionda asked her at the first bond hearing if anyone had threatened her or her family.
Why do you assume facts that are not in evidence?
I haven’t pipe in on this case since the day Pam Spaulding first wrote about it, and completely, imo, front-loaded Zimmerman’s guilt, along with the meme of ‘killed for carrying Skittles’, etc.
Having written, and cared about, many of the murders of young black males who were clearly murdered, often by cops on tape who were found not guilty, or guilty of lesser charges, I admit I was pre-disposed to see this as another instance of the same. It wasn’t until others (realitychecker for one, and others…) pointed out what the SYG was, how very little actual evidence there was then, and that we were prejudging the case in the ways humans often do, and not to their/our credit.
Without weighing in on my own idea of the reason this case has become so over-burdened with pre-analysis, speculation, and verdict…may I please recommend your comment, kgb999? I’ve noticed that dissenters aren’t very welcome on Mason’s posts, but I commend you for bringing your logical counter-arguments to bear in the face of the ‘please get off my posts if you don’t like what I say’ messages.
And…I will get off since I don’t care for pre-judging not only a case, but even attempting to read the minds of the various key players, down to why certain of them changed their accounts of the case.
Why do you assume facts that are not in evidence?
Because he/she is not really interested in discussing the case. He/she is just playing the “counter narrative” game. I’m still chuckling over the “fucking with the bond between a man and his wife” as if it’s somehow immoral or unholy for prosecutors to lean on co-conspirators if they happen to be married. But, it wasn’t as amusing as his/her insistence that your speculation about GZ being a flight risk was unfounded even after the judge stated in his order that it was reasonable.
Front-loaded GZ’s guilt? What does that even mean? That’s an empty assertion. There’s nothing that Pam or, anybody else here, will write about the case that will have any effect on the outcome. Also why would you rely on realitychecker’s interpretation of SYG when you could easily look up the remarks of the actual legislator who wrote the law and his comments about how SYG wouldn’t apply to this case? “Very little actual evidence”? Again, what does that even mean? There’s quite a bit of evidence.
Overall, this convenient naivete that some folks like you are expressing just for this case is a bit much. This is not the first nor last high profile case that will be talked about by us less enlightened folks. Heh. The pro and con and back and forth is just par for the course.
Wow. The cretinous morons that these posts bring out are breathtaking sometimes. Thanks again for a great post, Mason, and for your willingness to deal with the dregs of the internet.
Tut-tut, now, Kris; mind yer manners.
I believe that’s Madame Cretinous Moron and Dr. Dregs to you, dear. ;o)
Well done. : )
Let’s keep in mind that Judge Lester, who has listened to all of the evidence, has concluded,
Judge Lester also found,
This is an evidence based blog with an evidence based discussion.
Anyone, regardless of their political views is welcome to participate, so long as they discuss the evidence and refrain from insults and ad hominem attacks.
If someone wants to discuss the propriety of GZ’s release on $1 M bond, and his conduct in obtaining the first bond in the amount of $150,000 they ought to first read Judge Lester’s 9-page order dated July 5, 2012.
Perhaps then they will not be so quick as to use the “R” word to describe this blog and the ongoing discussion.
While “cretinous moron” is an unwarranted criticism of kgb999 and wendy davis’s comments, I have to admit that I am getting frustrated with comments that insult me and question my motives or support others who do so.
This blog speaks for itself and does not require any defense by me or anyone else.
No one should expect an apology from me because none will be forthcoming.
I have patiently tolerated a lot of crap and I am sick of it.
If you do not like what we are doing here, go elsewhere.
Not referring to you at all Ms. Wendy!
@37 – Mason – not referring to wendydavis. kgb999 and some of the other folks we’ve had on your posts over the past few weeks were the aim of that comment. wendydavis is a wonderful author and contributor and I value her input here even if I don’t necessarily agree with her views on a particular topic.
from where i sit, it looks like jared loughner and george zimmerman are of the same ilk. and jared killed him a u.s. rep and killed and injured some others and george killed him a black kid. looks like george has more of his marbles assembled, but that he’s operating from the same right wing vigilante mentality.
Yes, dear; we get yer drift. Leaving forevermore. So much crap in an open forum; oy!
I apologize. Thought you were referring to kgb and wd, with whom I disagree.
I tend to agree based on what we know so far. Zimmerman appears to be a troubled man with a history of mental illness who was headed toward a tragic outcome.
He is definitely a person who should have not been allowed to carry a firearm.
Notice: Prosecution has announced it will be releasing some more discovery Thursday AM.
And in response to Greenwarrior @39
Not sure GZ has a mental illness rather than bad ideas amid some personality disorder such as narcissism and sociopathic thinking.
He takes medication for ADHD, but neither the condition nor the drugs he takes cause delusions or paranoia.
Loughner apparently is a full blown delusional psychotic and incompetent to stand trial despite having been administered drugs to make him competent.
Also, GZ’s lawyers are not claiming insanity or diminished capacity.
I agree that he should not have been carrying a weapon.
“Debating” with Wendy is a waste of time. She and her ilk are here because they can’t get any traffic at their own blog so they want to co-opt Jane’s readers and turn this blog into her forum. I’m tired of listening to her whine about how she doesn’t get front paged enough, (hell I’ve never been front paged except an occasional PUAC but I can’t remember having ever whined about it), and how she is sooooooo very mistreated around here, (yet for some reason she never goes away). You don’t have to take my word for it though and I wouldn’t ask you to. Head over to her own blog and read through the comments and you’ll see how she truly feels about FDL and it’s readers. You wanna blow shit at me for calling Wendy and her followers out, be my guest but at least take a look before you decide I’m talking out my rear.
Thanks for your piece Mason and sorry for my using your thread to call these phonies and content trolls out.
Well, well, WD not what she would like people to think.
I hate that two faced shit too.
i didn’t mean the similarities to be with mental illness – rather, right wing vigilantism.
I am at a loss to understand why some of these folks who criticize, bitch, and moan don’t do exactly that.
Nobody is compelling anyone to read these diaries or anything else at FDL. If it’s not to your liking, please find other sites that suit you better.
Recommended, Mason!
Thank you, Mason, for sticking with it and continuing to post diaries about something you care about.
Even in the face of many who want to Bring You and FDL down.
Margaret, I’ve read, I’ve frowned. I agree with everything you said.
And, if I was the Snarky Type, I’d have more to say….you betcha.
Too Hot, Too Tired, Just don’t want to go there.
Nuff to say, I’m glad I’m not alone in what I’ve seen.
Too Hot For A Bathing Suit, even.
PS, Just because some of us have read things at Another Blog, certainly doesn’t mean that there are spies there.
Just in case you wanted to use what Peggy and I said to further Rant.
We are mere commenters, except for Once A Month, that’s once in 30 or so days, we host a PUAC.
Good Lord, No One has the time or money to play…Spy.
I’m gonna go laugh for a while.
FYI they were both kicked off of dagblog and before that used to hang out at TPM until Josh shut the diaries down.
oh the good ole
Ad Zimmermanum Primum
Thank you for saying that, Margaret.
You won’t find an argument from me and I’m glad you said it.
Heartfelt thanks also to Tuezday, MsMolly, Demi, Cmaukonen and Tzar.
Love y’all.
Your support means much to me and will help me keep on keepin’ on.
“G”
Namaste
Thanks for the clarification.
I agree about the RW vigilantism.
Dude! Stay your resolve. It’s what a person chooses and owns.
Please say Hey to your sweet wife. She’s a keeper!
Will do.
She’s coring strawberries even as we speak.
I get fresh fruit at 1/2 price most days at Fresh and Easy.
Livin’ off them, in smoothies and bites and also the veggies out of our garden.
Our joke is to find a different way to Do the zucchini, but, we’re still finding New Ways and having fun.
I bet you two are also.
Thank you, Mason. :) and Hugs to botha yaz.
Many hugs in return.
I clicked on your link and read a few comments. A few were enough. It’s middle school over there.
To answer the question in the post, I think O’Mara was wrong to post that appeal to “those who feel they would do the same if they were in Mr. Zimmerman’s shoes” and his attempt to redeem himself by saying that he feels “conflicted” was pathetic. It’s one thing to vigorously defend a client. I would have no problem if he were to argue that GZ had no choice but to shoot Trayvon. But he has crossed the line by appealing directly to those who believe that shooting Trayvon was “a good thing” as Martha would say.
And I find it hard to believe that they are turning down donations from those who make racist comments. I’d have to see the PayPal records on that.
Whoops! My reference to Martha Stewart was only to credit her signature phrase. I am sure she is not in favor of shooting innocent teenagers!
Martha has contacted me privately and asked for equal time . . .
Just kidding. I knew you were using her comment as a figure of speech.
Yes, they are playing with fire and I don’t believe anything good can come of it.
For example, what happens if O’Mara were to decide that it would be in GZ’s best interests to plead guilty to a lesser charge or a reduced sentence of some kind and GZ turned on him.
Would O’Mara be in danger?
I’m not saying he would, but stranger things have happened and I am merely suggesting a possible outcome that should have been considered before embarking on this course.
Welcome to the exciting behind the scenes world of criminal defense work.
Ah.. You twoz have a great rest of the evening.
Good Spirits.
In O’Mara’s place, I’d be worrying about the violent types he is flirting with. It seems that they are already unhappy with him. As you said, he’s playing with fire. The sickening tragedy in AZ comes to mind.
I guess you can’t practice criminal defense law without dealing with the occasional criminal.
I don’t think Zimmerman is psychotic but I would not be surprised if he has a history of mental illness.
Can you explain where O’Mara said he was conflicted?
Is he backing away from the plea he posted on his website?
I do think that what he posted was really despicable.
It just seems to me that he could do a good job representing his client without appealing to racists and gun nuts and still be respectful of Trayvon’s parents loss.
MOM said this the other day, in his interview with Piers Morgan.
I’m starting to wonder if M’OM is as good an attorney as we were led to believe.
Thanks. I don’t have TV so I never see these types of things.
Mason, can you speak a little about the role the bondsman has in GZ’s life currently? I’m assuming since the judge put GZ on a short leash, the bondsman has his foot on GZ’s throat. For all intents and purposes, as I understand such things, the bondsman would be on the hook for the majority of the 1 mil in bond money, if GZ ran. I’m also assuming the bondsman is using GZ as a cash cow, i.e., GZ is paying a pretty penny for the bondsman to provide bodyguards to protect the bondsman’s “investment”, although GZ would think it was for his own security. What are the chances GZ can even go to the nearest 7-11 without an escort?
I understand, vaguely, that some bondsman are a little more benevolent than others; however, I doubt that is the case here.
Thanks.
I had a thought, perhaps MO’M made such an unusual (and unethical?) plea for donations because he knew that the after Thursday’s release of information, sympathy for Zimmerman might severely decline.
Perhaps they feel this might be their last best opportunity to get public donations before more negative information about Zimmerman comes out – info from his ex-girlfriends and info from the ATF(?) agents regarding his assault of an officer.