.
March 22nd, 2012
12:03 AM ET
Did Trayvon Martin's shooter use slur in 911 tapes?
CNN's Gary Tuchman explores a crucial part of the 911 call George Zimmerman made to police before Trayvon Martin died. Jeffrey Toobin explains why it's significant to the case. A warning, some of the language you'll hear is offensive. It's uncensored because it is evidence, and bleeping it could make it even harder to hear anything.
 |
Post by: Anderson Cooper, Gary Tuchman Filed under: Crime & Punishment • Gary Tuchman • Jeffrey Toobin |
About this Show:
Anderson Cooper goes beyond the headlines to tell stories from many points of view, so you can make up your own mind about the news. Tune in weeknights at 8 and 10 ET on CNN.
Questions or comments? Send an email
Want to know more? Go behind the scenes with AC361°
Subscribe to the podcast
Subscribe to the AC360 podcast on iTunes!
On Twitter
Search the AC360 blog
I loved as much as you will receive carried out right here. The sketch is tasteful, your authored material stylish. nonetheless, you command get got an impatience over that you wish be delivering the following. unwell unquestionably come further formerly again since exactly the same nearly very often inside case you shield this increase.
Why look for shadow when we have the object. Zimmerman told 911 that " a BLACK boy in a hoodie. he is up to NO GOOD. He must be DOING DRUG or something." Zimmerman already hated Trayvon right from the beginning because he is black. What was suspicious about Trayvon? Why was Zimmerman following him? Just because he was black. Is that racial or not?
Clear as a bell...... I know many supporters are so desperate and wish to be faithful to zimmerman..However, geez dont insult your own intelligence.. The guys uses racial slurs.. That is SOMETHING HE WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH AS A CONSEQUENCE.....
Clearly he used the slur. Sad people are so desperate they refuse to accept facts.
It is incredible to watch this video, to watch them listening to "punks punks punks punks" play over and over again and see them scratch their empty heads wondering what the heck that word could possibly be. Unbelievable.
"from some neighborhood watch guy"?????
That also means you are not obligated to answer your school teachers, parents, childcare worker or anyone else. This world would be anarchy. So Zimmerman was in his car or a building (as it was raining) and there was a dude walking around with a hoody in the rain. Hmmm, suspicious? yea!
Sounds like punks to me, stop race-baiting.
Very troubling. As with most audio it's a case of what is really there vs what a person think's they hear. In the "unbiased" first run on the tap I did hear the C followed by an OO or U sound. The next letter I can't make out but I heard an unmistakable S at the end. I've run it through my own audio software and the more I clean it the more I am getting a T for that mystery letter...which even with his accent isn't a word relevant to anything.
Does Zimmerman speak spanish? No one has said. Did he have a conceal carry permit? I haven't seen that either and it seems a common sense question.
I'll sit on my opinions wait to see what they get when they put it through a truely high tech audio device. I also agree with an above post. I'd like to see that other tape analyzed to determine who's voice it is screaming for help.
Sure you can bump up the bass and tweak this and that and if you play the recording backwards it even says "I want a hamburger".
Sounds like "phone" to me. Sounds like Zimmerman's crying for help on the 911 calls too. Match those up with you fancy computer.
I have to say I heard it. What is crazy to me though is put this aside and every single other fact in this case, now what are you left with????? ZIMMERMAN MURDERED THIS HUMAN BEING, PERIOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ARREST HIM NOW. I dont care what color you are, if you are walking and somebody kills you, justice should be served. Then to top it all off he called 911 before he killed Trayvon, come on America, WAKE UP!!!!!!!! That to me made it a sealed shut, zimmerman is guilty, case in my mind. This is one of the saddest moments in our country when you have this much in your face evidence and this guy is out an about.
There is a hard "ks" sound that almost sounds like "xs" as it is heard at the end of the word box. There is no way to say what they are alleging he said and make the "XS" sound at the end of the word.
I wish people would stop looking so hard to make race an issue. Racism is a two way street in this situation.
CLEAR AS DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! well play hiscry for help help help to and see if it matches !!!!
I listened to the enhanced version last night on Andreson Cooper and was convinced of the word that was used, and had developed my opinion. I fell asleep watching TV and was awoke by the repeat of the program and the playing of the tape...In my half awake state I heard "phone". F***** Phone. Now I'm not sure what to think. I hope justice is served and Trayvon's family finds peace.
People hear what they want to hear. I am undecided on this case, but I know he said "punks".
I don't hear that at all. I hear phones. Like he is complaining about his phone reception. Not saying he was in the right. Just that there is enough other evidence to focus on instead of this muddy little piece.
He said and he was racial profiling!!! How can anyone say they didn't hear it??? No justice No peace!!!
it does sound like it
It does sound like it to me. Has this man been arrested and jailed. At least until there is a hearing. The bottom line is the poor boy is dead nothing can bring him back. At least it is cut and dry he shot the boy period. This man looks foreign to me or maybe he had just been on the sunbed!!! What the police Departments all over the world should understand if the shoe was on the other foot. The perpetrator would have been thrown in no questions asked later DON'T THEY GET IT. The boy is someone's child,friend and most of all a person who GOD put on this earth. LET JUSTICE BE SERVICED. JAIL THE MURDERER FOR LIFE. What are they waiting for.
Yeah its clear what was said....he had every intention of killing that young man not in self defense but out if pure racial hatred......he should definitely be prosecuted at this point.....
Yeah he did say it. I heard it on the first recorder. This is a shame.
Sounds like it to me as well!!!!
Yes it was a racial slur. Zimmerman's neighbor wants to claim he said, "f'ing cold". Well, basic phonics proves that the word "cold" is a hard K and long "O" sound.
He says punks. Clear as day.
i agree it sounds like punks to me
Really, "punks", not even close...stop trying to play it down....so sad!!
no sir you can clearly hear coons with a strong K sound in the beginning and not a P. definitely no k in the middle as in punKs. Phonetically they aren't even similar in sound.
It's definitely there. He said it!
Zimmerman did used the racial slur you can hear it plain as day. Why is this man taking the easy way out, do him like he did young and innocent Martin. Zimmerman is a cold-blooded killer, let the street trail him if the justice system is that scary.
I am comfused on how he is not in Jail, He is not an officer he was a "Volunteer" neighborhood watch man. I can not believe George Zimmerman is not in jail. Also it sounds like a racial slur to me. Hope the family gets justice!! My heart goes out to them.
Well organized story. He does not need to give an explanation to someone who ran up to him asking questions. We teach our kids stranger danger. On top of that Zimmerman did not answer Treyvon's question which is why are you following me. If he would have stood back and answered THAT question, this murder would never have happened. Again the question is this!! WHERE IS ZIMMERMAN and why do external people (NOT THE COPS) are finding all this information!!!
Of course he said it. I dont know why anyone without a hearing problem wouldnt hear this.
Yes, unfortunately he clearly is saying f.....king coon, but let's see how they(authorities) try to spin this because they seem to be trying to prove Zimmerman is innocent of killing this young man. How could they not drug test him?, nor confiscate his weapon for testing, and if he claims there was blood on his shirt why didn't the confiscate his shirt to see who's blood was on that shirt. Isn't that police work 101? So now to cover their behinds and to save their jobs I don't trust how they will try to spin this phone call. Nobody seems to answer or ask this question either. Why did Zimmerman even get out of his vehicle the kid was just walking down the street. And when the police dispatcher told him not to follow, why did he continue? How can this be self defense. My understanding is he has moved. Where is He? do the authorities even know this information? has he now fled the country? In addition everybody involved with this case that night should be fired. How did they let this young man lay in the morgue for 3 days without trying to identify him when they had his cellphone? SAD
They DID confiscate his firearm.
Its clearly a racial slur!!!!
Anyone who states they can't hear what is being said, they're full of it! It's clear what was said, police just don't want to do nothing about it.
Now that you've enhanced that audio, and uncovered the truth about what Zimmerman said, why not enhance the audio of Trayvon's last desperate cries for help, just before he was shot. That will also add proof that it wasn't self defense.
Hey Anderson why don't you ask the Rev. Sharpton was to express for the rape and murder of Channon Christian and her boyfriend. take a look at the case. The black male rape of a white is a racially motivated but there was no outrage.for a hate crime to be charged. Why – because the victim were white. Who keeps your selective coverage "honest"'.
As to this case, this was an idiot wannabe cop that was overly aggressive when he should have left it to the cops and got in over his head and now will go to prison as he probably should.
The point is that he might not go to prison. He's still not in prison now, and he still hasn't been arrested. Without public outcry, he likely wouldn't have been. In the case of Channon Christian, the perpetrators were arrested, tried, and found guilty, one receiving the death penalty. That's quite different from this case.
What is the slur? I don't hear anything.
Yeah, there's no doubt about it...the racist slur is in there. Very sad...
Oh he DEFINITELY SAID IT!
Stand your ground or not, who was Zimmerman standing his ground against? A teenage boy with candy in his hands. A boy he could have acted like a caring adult and demanded to return to his home. I do that sometimes, when I feel a kid is out at the wrong time or place. Sometimes, I have to give them rides home and get to know their families. Racial slur or not, he identified the kid as black and went further to say they always get away. A clear sign that he was already frustrated from somewhere in his past. That kids like young Martin were perpetrators of crime and getting away with it, so he vented his long held frustrations. When you carry a gun, there's great need for you to be subdued and open-minded. You know you are lethal at that point. A little negative force can drive you to loose your cool.
I amy angry at this case. I know it is dislike of a Latino man of an African American boy. A guy who sounded like he desperately wanted to be a cop but who settled for Neighborhood Watch Volunteer job. Okay. I got all that, a perfect setup for the Stand Your Ground Law.
What I cannot understand is why the Florida legislators and the past Governors of Florida and the chief lobbyist of the NRA, are exempt from blame. The NRA lobbyist threatened and promised, like an abusive parent,, and who slammed this bill though and who pushed, until she got more shoot to kill fixes to the amendments. What about their responsibility? Why can't they be sued by the citizens of Florida and the families of the people who were killed by this ignorant, racist, disgusting bill?
great job!! i honestly couldn't hear it clearly yesterday....I thought that's what he said, but i wasn't willing to bet on it...Now there is no doubt in my mind.
Yep, sounds like a racial slur to me......Anyone that can't hear it needs to clean the crap from their ears
sounds like it to me
Yes,he said it and meant it too
I'm curios as to why Frank Taffe was on the Jane Veliz-Mitchell show tonight DECLARING with much CONTEMPT that George Zimmerman did NOT in anyway make a racial slur...saying instead that Zimmerman said it was F***ing COLD....and that we all need to keep it real and stop SENSATIONALIZING as this is much ado about nothing. When Rolanda Jones said that nevertheless no matter what was said a child was killed. To which Taffe responded he was NOT a child he was a 17yr old TEENAGER with a very menacing look on his face. He then said it Trayvon had simply stated his business in the neighborhood he would still be alive.I am just unsure what to make of Taffe's responses he acts as if Trayvon is at fault and caused his own death.
Hey im an adiuo eninner
play the tape trough a program that allows the sound to go to a filter and be typed on into another program
you will here the slur this way
I am a dual citizen - US/CANADIAN Question - Did Zimmerman have a permit to own the gun he used to shoot Trayvon? Question: Did Zimmerman have a permit or licence to carry the gun he used to shoot Trayvon ? Did Zimmerman handle the gun in a manor that compiled to the all rules and regulations set out in the permits or licences issued or any other government rules and regulations? So, if the answer is that Zimmerman - as a neighborhood watch volunteer person complied with all the rules and regulations and did not violate anything then please let me know - I have a dozen buddies at least who are prepared to volunteer and who would like to apply for neighborhood watch positions down in Florida –
YES, it sounded like a racial slur. WHERE IS THE FBI?
PS: Will be at the old court house in Titusville, FL 3 pm on Sunday ... asking Norm Wolfinger to try the case (State Attorney for Brevard-Seminole)
Yeah he said it and I heard it before they went to just that frame, hopefully an arrest will be soon
YES, it sounded like a racial slur. WHERE IS THE FBI?
Why isn't anyone showing Martins mug shots? He was in Orlando because his mother threw him out of the house for smoking pot at school.
While I agree this should never have happened, many of us have lost faith in Anderson Cooper because last night he wanted people to believe that the word on that 911 tape was koon and not anything else. While it may have been, it also could have been punk. For the first time ever, Anderson Cooper acted like media trash, so shame on you for trying to incite more racial tension. God bless this young mans family, and I hope they get some closure soon.