New York – Hannity Contacted By Shooter In Martin Case

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    In this Wednesday, April 11, 2012 photo provided by the Sanford Police Department, George Zimmerman is shown in a booking photo. Zimmerman, 28, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder Wednesday after weeks of mounting tensions and protests across the country. O'Mara said Zimmerman would plead not guilty. (AP Photo/Sanford Police Department)New York – Fox News Channel’s Sean Hannity has become the second cable news host whose involvement in the Trayvon Martin shooting case has gone beyond merely talking about it on the air.

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    Hannity acknowledged having a conversation with a man he believed to be George Zimmerman, who shot and killed the black Florida teenager Feb. 26 in a case that has ignited racial tensions. Zimmerman’s former lawyers, in quitting the case Tuesday, noted that their client had talked to Hannity more recently than with them.

    Hannity, who last week interviewed Zimmerman’s father on Fox, said there has been a “rush to judgment” about the shooter.

    Over on MSNBC, Al Sharpton has participated in marches and demonstrations in support of Martin while continuing to discuss the case on his evening talk show. There have been stark differences in the attention and focus on the case at the two networks.

    Zimmerman was arrested and charged with second-degree murder on Wednesday. He turned himself in and arrived at jail in Sanford, Fla., where the shooting took place. Cable networks ramped up their coverage to make note of the news.

    Hannity’s involvement in the case came to light Tuesday at a news conference held by Zimmerman’s former lawyers, Hal Uhrig and Craig Sonner. Hannity, who said on his show Tuesday night that he’s been pursuing a Zimmerman interview for weeks, said he was contacted Monday by a man he believes was Zimmerman.

    “He reached out to me, we spoke on the phone about his case and I agreed not to report on the contents of that conversation,” Hannity said.

    On his radio show Monday, Hannity said he had confirmed that Zimmerman was a mentor to minority children. “Now, if you were racist, I don’t think you’d be a mentor to minority children,” he said.

    With Uhrig and Sonner present, Hannity last week on Fox interviewed Zimmerman’s father, Robert. Robert Zimmerman’s face was concealed during the interview.

    During the interview, Hannity told Zimmerman that “I would argue there has been a rush to judgment.” He cited statements made by political and civil rights leaders about the shooting being racially motivated — George Zimmerman’s father is white and his mother Hispanic — and mentioned President Barack Obama’s comment that if he had a son, he would likely look like Trayvon.

    Zimmerman’s father said he agreed. “I just believe it’s very sad that so many people are not telling the truth for their own agenda,” he said.

    During the interview, Zimmerman’s father said he had never heard his son utter a racial slur and, prompted by Hannity, recalled a time when his son helped a black homeless man.

    Hannity also devoted a portion of his show Tuesday to discussing a report that the New Black Panther Party had put a bounty on George Zimmerman’s head.

    There was no progress to report Wednesday on Hannity’s attempt to get a George Zimmerman interview, according to Fox.

    Cable news networks had sharply different appetites for the case, according to research by the Project for Excellence in Journalism. From March 19 to 28, MSNBC — where the prime-time hosts are liberal — the network devoted 49 percent of its on-air time to the Martin story. During the same period at Fox, where the prime-time hosts are conservative, 15 percent of the news hole was spent on the case. It was 40 percent at CNN.

    On March 26, for example, MSNBC carried 14 minutes of a mid-afternoon news conference by Martin’s parents live and uninterrupted by commercials, the project said. CNN aired the news conference for a little more than five minutes. Fox didn’t mention the story at all in that hour, the Excellence Project reported.

    The topics that drew the most attention about the case on MSNBC concerned gun control and Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, the project said. On Fox, the most time spent was on Martin’s background and statements in defense of Zimmerman.

    With Zimmerman’s arrest on Wednesday, Fox aired a lengthy live segment of a news conference held by the defendant’s new lawyer shortly after 7 p.m. ET. At the same time, MSNBC showed Sharpton interviewing Martin’s parents.


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    15 Comments
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    eighthcomment
    eighthcomment
    11 years ago

    If our president is acting on emotion- and every black leader is as well- this is completely not being treated in the way of due process. Everyone must realize that this case is testing our judicial system and whether public opinion will be a factor over the facts

    RimnitzNews
    RimnitzNews
    11 years ago

    so wonder sean hannity was in tank all the time with zimmerman, whats with rush limbaugh ? was he also cantacted by him?

    Member
    11 years ago

    Hannity would choke you just to make you give him a dime.

    Brian
    Brian
    11 years ago

    Obama is dividing this country along racial lines. He made the all time dumbest comment saying that if he had a son, he would look like Trayvon. Had Obama had any sense, he would have said that cooler heads must prevail and we will let the justice dept do what it does. Instead he gets involved in the case through his dumb statement and through Holder. Holder had nothing to say about the BPP bounty placed on Zimmerman’s head, but he has what to say about Zimmerman. How interesting.

    Interestingly, [in my opinion] this racial division that these liberals are stirring will cost Obama in the election when whites and hispanics will vote for the anti obama candidate.

    11 years ago

    I wish to congratulate #8 -&#8 220;PMO in Florida&#8 221;. In addition to using a number of past &#8 220;complimentary terms&#8 221;, which I won&#8 217;t repeat on this board, since they are offensive, he has now coined a new term, namely, &#8 220;a cold, heartless, animal&#8 221;. Is it possible for that person to write one comment on this board, without using any offensive terms? Is he addicted to humiliating people on this board? Perhaps, he should have been a drill instructor in the military, as he could have practiced his skills there, on a daily basis.

    leahle
    leahle
    11 years ago

    This case was made racial when:
    1. Zimmerman received different treatment from the police than a black man would have received (regardless of the victim’s race or circumstances)
    2. Zimmerman was tape recorded making a comment that sounds like a racial slur (professional analysis needed).

    Anon Ibid Opcit
    Anon Ibid Opcit
    11 years ago

    The guy is an idiot.

    One of the first things drummed into everyone in self defense and practical shooting classes is DON’T TALK TO THE PRESS if you’re in a self defense situation. Talk to your lawyer. Talk to your doctor. Talk to your rabbi. Do not talk to anyone else, and especially DO NOT TALK TO THE PRESS. There is absolutely nothing you can do that will help your case. Nothing is off the record. And even if the reporter is absolutely sympathetic his notes and recordings can be subpoenaed.