George Zimmerman is suing over an edited 911 police call from the night he gunned down Trayvon Martin. The case against NBC News was stayed pending the outcome of the criminal case. Now that’s out of the way, Zimmerman’s Philadelphia attorney James Beasley is ready to proceed, according to The Washington Post. 
“We’re going to start in earnest ASAP. We just have to get the stay lifted which is a ministerial act,” Beasley told the paper via e-mail. When asked how the not-guilty verdict affects the civil case against NBC News, Beasley responded, “This verdict of not guilty is just that, and shows that at least this jury didn’t believe that George was a racist, profiling, or anything that the press accused George of being. That probably doesn’t get you that much, but it’s simply time for us to start the case and hold accountable anyone who was irresponsible in their journalism.” The original 24-page complaint accused NBC of creating “this false and defamatory misimpression using the oldest form of yellow journalism: manipulating Zimmerman’s own words, splicing together disparate parts of the recording to create the illusion of statements that Zimmerman never actually made.”
Related: First TV Broadcast And Cable Coverage Of Zimmerman Verdict
Filed in Seminole County, the suit adds that “NBC News saw the death of Trayvon Martin not as a tragedy but as an opportunity to increase ratings, and so set about to create the myth that George Zimmerman was a racist and predatory villain.” NBC correspondent Ron Allen is named as a defendant, as are Lilia Rodriguez Luciano and Jeff Burnside; the latter two were fired after an internal investigation determined that the tape had been edited. NBC apologized to Zimmerman, but that was not enough. Here’s how NBC, in a March 27, 2012, broadcast of the Today show, manipulated the tape:
Here is what NBC edited:
Zimmerman: “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black.”But the full tape went like this:
Zimmerman: “This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about.”
911 Police Dispatcher: “OK, and this guy — is he black, white or Hispanic?”
Zimmerman: “He looks black.”
Related: About 11M Watch Zimmerman Verdict On Cable News Nets
NBC responded to Zimmerman’s complaint by noting that, if he was convicted of the second-degree murder charge, “that fact alone will constitute substantial evidence that the destruction of his reputation is the result of his own criminal conduct, and not of the broadcasts at issue which, like countless other news reports disseminated by media entities throughout the country, reported on the underlying events.” But on Saturday, a Florida jury found Zimmerman not guilty of all charges. Zimmerman is claiming “severe and extreme emotional stress” over the edited tape and the perception it created, asking for damages “substantially in excess of the jurisdictional limit”. While naming no dollar figure, the complaint says, “plaintiff seeks substantial compensation and exemplary damages to punish the defendants for their outrageous fraud upon the public, designed to mislead our nation, create a national uproar, forever ostracize Zimmerman, and taint his jury pool, all to profit and attract attention to their television news programs.” Zimmerman is asking for a jury trial. Besides Philadelphia’s Beasley Firm, Zimmerman is represented by the Orlando firm The O’Mara Law Group.
Related: CNN’s Jeff Zucker Gives Himself High Marks For Zimmerman Trial Coverage
Good for you George! Extremely irresponsible journalism was rampant in the coverage of this trial.
after seeing the actual 911 conversation, I am really upset to see professional journalist changing the outcome of the whole wording— creating conflict between races. Go for the compensation–
I hope he bankrupts these racist bigots. They need to out of the broadcast business. Totally disgusting.
Yes, it is the news media who are the racist bigots and certainly not Zimmerman. After all, NBC broadcast the man’s own words and the man himself gunned down an unarmed teenager, clearly it’s the media who are the racists.
Glad you agree.
his own words? you read the transcript of the cuts NBC made, right? Zimmerman didn’t even bring up race. The dispatcher specifically asked — and then George wasn’t even sure trayvon was black.
if this country is going to have a more open discussion on race — we all need to acknowledge the Facts here.
I hope Zimmerman sues the ass off NBC as well as that of Ron, Lilla and Jeff at NBC. It is not enough that they were just fired. They should be punished for what they did. It is the liberal media that has turned the events in Florida into a race based event. Zimmerman’s lawyers should go after all the publications/news outlets that mislead the public in order to push their own liberal agendas.
Actually, it was George Zimmerman and his gun that turned the events in Florida into a race based event. What NBC did is inexcusable, but if anyone benefits financially from this, it should be Trayvon Martin’s family.
Under your logic, George Zimmerman must possess an extraordinary weapon: A gun that can detect the race of people. In addition, the FBI has been unable to identify one iota of evidence that George was racist. Therefore, it is not George or his gun that has turned this into a race issue. The only people that HAVE turned this into a race based event are the NAACP, the DOJ, the media and people who just want an excuse to run wild through the streets.
Well said. Personal opinion of Zimmerman aside, the editing and broadcast of the 911 call is inexcusable. I can only hope that, if Zimmerman gains compensation from this, he gives at least a part of it to Travon’s family. It would certainly help to de-defame him at the very least, if that’s really his concern here.
Hopes he get “””$$$$$$$ Billions $$$$$$$$”””
It’s so heart-warming when conservatives starting yelling for the trial lawyers to go in and soak a big U.S. corporation.
They should be sued, terrible reporting. I also hope a civil suit will be brought against Zimmerman.
OMeara
&
West need to collect their payment. It has to be. Million
The Justice Dept.. should stay out of this…its over…he got off and forget it…
Wow! I’m proud of all these posts! They aren’t knee jerk reactions to emotions and not facts.
How do you like the View and CNN only using Trayvon’s 13 year old picture. Race-bait much?
Very good to hear and I hope they win a massive sum. NBC’s vile, disgusting and bias reporting has done more in dividing this country than race hustlers like Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson.
NBC did wrong, though they, at least, almost immediately admitted what they had done. I’m amazed that anyone thinks that is the real outrage here.
Zimmerman went out with a gun, looking for trouble. He tracked Martin, he refused to listen to the police who told him to stay in his car, he stalked him, and then he killed him. How is the armed stalker transformed into the victim?
I hope Zimmerman is sued for wrongful death (and if he gets any money from NBC, that it is taken from him). He needs to suffer some kind of punishment for taking a life. The idea that Zimmerman could get rich from committing murder is sickening.
It’s good that Zimmerman is proceeding immediately with his defamation suit, if he wins any money then Martin’s family can make a claim against it with their wrongful death suit but for now they just need to wait and let Zimmerman and his schmuck lawyer proceed on course.
Rachel, The police did not tell Zimmerman anything. He was on the phone with 911 dispatcher not the police. There had been numerous break-ins in the area.
you left out the part where Trayvon assaulted the guy for asking him what he was doing.
NBC never admitted to the wrongdoing. They just quietly fired the journalists.
if organizations were sued for terrible reporting , fox wouldnt be on the air.
So what they edit the 911 call that did not cause him stress him murdering a innocent 17 yr. old kid for no reason & worrying about what going to happen to him in prison if he was found guilty caused the stress & NO I’m not a fan of nbc
Furious at NBC for this…because I can think of nothing more vile than George Zimmerman making money for killing an unarmed kid. George Zimmerman might have not been guilty in court, but he’s certainly guilty beyond a reasonable doubt of a) following a teenager around with a loaded gun and b) being a pathological liar about what happened that night.
It’s disgusting, but I don’t know how he loses this lawsuit given the idiocy of what NBC did.
There is not factual basis whatsoever for your second point. In fact, according to the Prosecution’s own witnesses you are absolutely wrong.
The evidence even shows that Martin is who attacked Zimmerman. Zimmerman following a suspicious person was not illegal – and martin’s actions of walking though private property right next to recently-urglarized homes was suspicious actions as the second Prosecution witness (a minority woman and police officer) plainly said. Race was never a factor until the dispatcher asked for a description according to SOP.
@ Writer pathological Liar ??? Really were you there? There are only two people who know what happened that night and I’m sure your not one of them. However I do agree that he should not have had a loaded gun. @ Monte that edit of a 911 call did more than cast Zimmerman in a bad light the edit of that tape was the beginning of the attempt to boost ratings by racially splitting this country.
Bravo. Change the laws AND change the way the media reports. Agreed the media has made this into a race thing. Another portion of the call the media had chosen not to air, is where GZ tells them he can’t see him anymore cause he ran between the houses and dispatch asks him if e can get to where he can see him. AND yes, tired of seeing pics of TM able 12/13
enough. quit while you’re ahead, zimmerman.
Mixed feelings on the actual Zimmerman case but absolutely supportive of this defamation case NBC KNEW what they were doing and willfully defamed George Zimmerman. Then they did not even apologize and tried to act like it was a “mistake.” Their actions go beyond negligence. They set out to destroy George and he should be compensated for it. If the Martins then sue Zimmerman and are awarded it, fine by me- but NBC must pay.
Whatever Zimmerman gets from NBC, I hope he has to turn around and sign it over to the Martin as restitution in their wrongful death lawsuit against him.
The facts of the case show that Martin assaulted Zimmerman.
A civil trial may nominally give a little money to Martin’s family, but they will never collect as it will be tossed/reduced on appeal.
NBC better settle this out of court and fast or this is going to truly drag out for months and months to come and Zimmerman has a case here. How stupid was NBC for doing this!
George Zimmerman may not be a murderer, but he is still a killer. He himself set the bar on defamation kind of high. For him to prevail against NBC, he will need to prove actual malice (knowing and reckless disregard for the truth) and show that it has affected his life and relationships. This is tough enough to do against and individual and nearly impossible against a news organization, especially one that corrected its mistake.
Although Zimmerman seems to be some sort of anti-integration cultural hero, he’ll probably die soon from a drug overdose induced by stinging moral guilt. “I killed a young teenager on accident…” is on repeat in his simple mind.
Rachel you did not watch the trial according to your post. The witness identified Trayvon ONTOP of Zimmerman and Zimmerman yelling help. The forensic scientists proved that Trayvon was shot while hovering over Zimmerman who was on his back. Zimmerman was attacked from behind while walking back to his car. You were missinformed by the media…they did not present accurate facts and you are outraged because of their lies. Zimmerman was persecuted in the media and you fell for their lies. You should be outraged at that.
It’s sad, but true, that the media is no longer a place to turn to for the truth; for the unbiased opinion. It’s all about ratings; not about facts. It’s scary that not only words can be altered, but pictures as well. I’ve come to be quite skeptical in general, and have lost my respect for the media in general.
Zimmerman is gonna lose this lawsuit. They are free to edit whatever they want, do it all the time and those were his words. You don’t see too many lawsuits like this win. If that’s the case then Martin’s family can sue Faux News for publishing pictures of Martin that WERE NOT HIM looking like a criminal. If that’s the case, every news outlet that has one of it’s paid commentators that called Martin a thug can be sued. Give me a break.
John
you do john they just are settled out of court and you never hear about it. i worked for a news paper along time ago and we got hit with a defimation of character and for not reporting the whole truth., even though are leading editor said we had all our facts straight. it was settled out of court like this one will be.
Well said Deb. I’m a 2nd yr law student & watched every minute of the trial. I relied on the evidence, NOT news reports & edited calls or edited interviews to produce high ratings.
Martin attacked Zimmerman, Zimmerman defended himself. Why is that so hard for people to accept?
Has NBC forgotten how Tom Brokaw sliced & diced Richard Jewell? I believe Brokaw said something like, “…That’s the way we do it…”