Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
Live Coverage of the Goerge Zimmerman Trial
Aired June 28, 2013 - 09:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BERNIE DE LA RIONDA, PROSECUTOR: And towards the back exterior of the hour, is there a living quarters? Meaning like a living room or dining room combination?
JOHN GOOD, NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENT: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. Is there a sliding glass door that goes out into your backyard?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Do you have back porch -- back in February, did you have a back porch of that residence?
GOOD: I guess it would be considered a back porch, yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. Tell us what you mean when you mean when you say "consider a back porch."
GOOD: It's just a slab of concrete with two pillars on each side.
DE LA RIONDA: So you don't actually have a screened in porch or anything?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: It's just a slab of concrete and you open a glass door and step out and there's concrete?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: And if you were to step out in the backyard, is there a walkway that separates I guess your yard and then the yard from the townhomes across from you?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. On your sliding glass door, were there blinds at all back in February of 2012 specifically on February 26th, 2012?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Tell us if you could about those blinds.
GOOD: They were always closed.
DE LA RIONDA: And the blinds, what type of blinds are they? Regular blinds?
(CROSSTALK)
GOOD: Junky, white tall blinds.
DE LA RIONDA: Vertical or horizontal?
GOOD: Vertical.
DE LA RIONDA: When you say they're closed meaning the whole sliding glass door you could not see out into the backyard?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: Was that back in February of 2012 just on purpose?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. Let's focus on that February 26th, 2012. Were you home that evening, sir?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: And at around 7:05, 7:10, 7:15, around that time, were you home with your wife at that time?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: What were you all doing?
GOOD: Watching TV.
DE LA RIONDA: And there might be more than one TV in the residence, was it downstairs in the living room?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: If you could kind of explain to the jury the layout of the living room, do you have a recliner, sofa, and where were you -- especially if you can recall where were you and where was your wife?
GOOD: We were sitting on the couch against the left side of the wall. Kitchen is on the right. L-shaped couch. We were watching the TV from there with sliding glass door on the left.
DE LA RIONDA: So if you were watching the TV sliding glass door to your left?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. And at some point while you were watching TV, I guess I should ask you when you were watching TV, do you recall what program you were watching?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Was the volume up? Some watch it muted.
GOOD: We could hear the TV.
DE LA RIONDA: In terms of how loud it was, do you recall how loud it was?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. Did you hear some noise outside?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. And was the noise you heard outside such that you were able to hear it inside? In other words, was it loud or do you recall in terms of describing it to jury the noise when you first heard it?
GOOD: It was faint.
DE LA RIONDA: And in terms of where the noise was coming from in relation to your backyard, can you say it was coming from -- if you were looking out the backyard -- tothe left to the right, front could you tell?
GOOD: I could not tell.
DE LA RIONDA: When you first heard the faint noise, what did you think in terms of what was going on outside or did you have an impression as to what was going on outside?
GOOD: The first time we heard something I didn't think anything of it.
DE LA RIONDA: And when we say faint, or when you say faint, I apologize, could you make out anything other than some noise?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. Did you then hear further noises?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. And if you could describe to the jury when you heard a faint noise, then you heard further noise, was that like seconds later, a minute later, two minutes later? I know you didn't have a stop watch, but --
GOOD: I believe I stated I can't tell the time frame. Maybe a couple minutes. I can't be sure.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. You weren't timing it I gather?
GOOD: I don't time daily life.
DE LA RIONDA: And then you heard further noise maybe a few minutes later. What was the noise you heard later?
GOOD: The same noise just louder. Seemed like it was getting closer.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. At that time when you heard the second time you heard noise, could you tell where the noise could you make out any words?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Could you tell whether it was one individual or two individuals at that time?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: What happened then in terms of what's going on outside? After you heard additional noise, you couldn't make out words, you couldn't tell whether it was one or two people, what, then, did you hear?
GOOD: That's when I proceed to go to the sliding glass door to look out.
DE LA RIONDA: You got up from the couch and went to the sliding glass door. Did you open the blinds or what did you do?
GOOD: I cracked the blinds to see if I could see anything going on outside.
DE LA RIONDA: Now, are there lights I'm assuming inside the living quarters at that time where you were at?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Are there lights outside?
GOOD: There's one on the back porch.
DE LA RIONDA: Do you recall whether the light was on or not?
GOOD: It was on.
DE LA RIONDA: Do you need to take a minute to get a drink?
GOOD: I'm okay.
DE LA RIONDA: What I'm trying to ask is when you were looking out, was your view obstructed in any way either by the interior lights inside your residence or the exterior lighting?
GOOD: I would say the screen obstructed it somewhat.
DE LA RIONDA: Especially if you can tell the jury when you looked out through the blinds, let's make sure we have a good description of when you looked out through the blinds, you said they were vertical or horizontal?
GOOD: Vertical.
DE LA RIONDA: Did you peek through or did you kind of move like a few or how? Describe --
GOOD: I peeked through one. If I moved a few, a couple of them would fall off probably.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. And when you looked out, tell us what you saw from your vantage point inside the residence?
GOOD: I couldn't really see anything except it looked like someone or something was out there.
DE LA RIONDA: What then did you proceed to do, sir, if anything?
GOOD: Under direct reply from my wife not to go outside, I opened the blinds and opened the sliding glass door.
DE LA RIONDA: So you made a fatal mistake and disregarded your wife?
GOOD: Yes. I'm sure there will be more.
DE LA RIONDA: All right. I gather she was still in the living room?
GOOD: Correct. She was on the phone.
DE LA RIONDA: I'm sorry?
GOOD: She was on the phone.
DE LA RIONDA: Was she just talking to somebody?
GOOD: She was talking to technology service group.
DE LA RIONDA: Something. I mean, it wasn't related. She didn't call 911 at that point?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: She distinctively told you not to go outside but you disregarded her request, command, whatever, correct?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: And when you say you actually stepped outside, if you could demonstrate to the jury or describe -- picturing a sliding glass door, do you have to unlock it and then just move it -- or describe if you could --
GOOD: Sliding glass door you had to pull the screened in part back and I literally only took one step outside the door onto the concrete slab.
DE LA RIONDA: When you say you took one step, do you mean literally like you put one foot in and one foot still inside?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: So one foot on the concrete one foot still in the house, are you looking out at that time?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: What do you see when you look out there at that time?
GOOD: It looked like a tussle. I could really only see one person, and I think I described it as possibly being some type of dog attack because there are a lot of dogs that walk in that back area and I could only see an object.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. What then did you observe after that?
GOOD: It seemed like a tussle. They were vertical to me just like the blinds were. And then at one point I yelled out what's going on? Stop it, I believe.
DE LA RIONDA:: So do you watch football?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. You know how on football they have instant replay?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: I'm going to as best I can do an instant replay with you realizing that we're not going to have the -- anyway, my question is you stepped outside and in terms of how long you had one foot out, was it seconds? Was it minutes? How long do you think?
GOOD: Seconds.
DE LA RIONDA: And in terms of estimating assuming you didn't have a stop watch with you, correct? And your wife was not timing you at all.
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Is that accurate?
GOOD: Accurate.
DE LA RIONDA: Can you estimate how long was it one second, two seconds, three seconds, four, five, six, seven or can you say?
GOOD: In regards to?
DE LA RIONDA: How long you actually -- when you put one foot out --
GOOD: A few seconds.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. You mentioned when you put your foot out and you first saw something out there, you mentioned vertical. Can you elaborate a little bit more on that?
GOOD: If I'm looking at someone in the backyard, their face directly onto the ground so they are vertical. Not horizontal. Vertical to me.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. They are vertical meaning the same way you are right now in terms of like this?
GOOD: They would make a T with a sidewalk.
DE LA RIONDA: In terms of the sidewalk that we're going to show you some photographs, how close to the sidewalk was -- could you tell if it was one or two people?
GOOD: I couldn't tell at that time, no.
DE LA RIONDA: How close was the object to the sidewalk?
GOOD: They weren't on the sidewalk but like I said I could only see so far because it was vertical to me.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. Could you make out anything other than there was an object there?
GOOD: Not at that time.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. And did the object end up moving?
GOOD: The object --
DE LA RIONDA: What was on the ground, did it end up moving?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: In relation to where it was first when you first observed it to when you described the second time when they appeared, you said horizontal. How far from the original place did the object move? (INAUDIBLE) persons, but how far did they move.
GOOD: Not far. I wouldn't say. Just up on the concrete.
DE LA RIONDA: All right. At that point could you tell there was one individual there at least or two people?
GOOD: I could tell there were two when they were still vertical.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. All right. If you could, could you tell at that time in terms of describing who was on top and who was on the bottom?
GOOD: I could only see colors of clothing.
DE LA RIONDA: The color of clothing on top, what could you see?
GOOD: It was dark.
DE LA RIONDA: How about the color of clothing at the bottom?
GOOD: I believe it was a light white or red color.
DE LA RIONDA: And are you going from memory since you said it was only a matter of seconds, right?
GOOD: I don't understand your question.
DE LA RIONDA: My question is, you're not making notes as you're doing this. You're not taking photographs or anything as you're doing this, right?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: So positions changed. How long did it take for the positions to change? Was it just an ongoing process or was there a stop.
GOOD: It was quick. Because like I said, I only have seen a few seconds of what happened any way. So, I would say 10 seconds max total for everything.
DE LA RIONDA: Could it be as little as two or three seconds?
GOOD: It could be.
DE LA RIONDA: You mentioned the second positioning or the change in position if we call it, they were horizontal. At that point could you tell it was two individuals? The same people?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: And in terms of describing the individuals are you able to describe their faces or just clothing descriptions?
GOOD: Going back to when they were vertical, I could tell the person on the bottom had lighter skin color, correct.
DE LA RIONDA: All right. When you saw them horizontal at that positioning, who was on top and who was on the bottom?
GOOD: The same position still.
DE LA RIONDA: All right. If you can describe the position of the person on top in relation to the person on the bottom.
GOOD: I believe I described it as a straddling position.
DE LA RIONDA: And what do you mean by that?
GOOD: With the legs over the lower part of the body.
DE LA RIONDA: And the person on the bottom, could you tell whether that person was face up or face down?
GOOD: Face up.
DE LA RIONDA: When you first observed the -- now you know two individuals at that time, could you see whether the person on the bottom was face up or face down?
GOOD: When they were vertical?
DE LA RIONDA: When you first saw them, when you first stepped out, could you tell whether the person on the bottom was face up or face down.
GOOD: When I first stepped out, no. I couldn't see anybody.
DE LA RIONDA: And then at some point when you observed the second time you're talking about, you saw the person on the bottom was face up?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: The person on the top you said was straddling you described it?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: Could you tell what was going on at that time?
GOOD: I think at that time is when I thought it was serious.
DE LA RIONDA: What made you think that?
GOOD: Because it looked like there were strikes being thrown or punches being thrown but as I clarified due to the lighting, it could also have been holding down. But there were arm movements going downward.
DE LA RIONDA: The arm movements that you describe would that have been from the person on top?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: And you say that was a dark0colored attire of some type?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: The person on top, if you can, you say arm movement. How would you describe the arm movement?
GOOD: Shoulder down.
DE LA RIONDA: Okay. Could you see that person's hands?
GOOD: Just appendages. It was too dark to see that type of stuff.
DE LA RIONDA: The person on top, could you tell whether that person on top was actually striking -- here's what I'm going to do. Were they going like this?
GOOD: I could not hear that, no.
DE LA RIONDA: Could you hear this?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Could you tell whether the person on top was just holding the person or trying to hold the person on the bottom?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: At this point, your honor, I would object. That's leading.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Overruled.
DE LA RIONDA: I think you stated -- your testimony in terms of whether the person on the top was holding down the person on the bottom, could you tell?
GOOD: I said it could have been possible as there was arm motion going downward and not just once but multiple times.
DE LA RIONDA: You can't say one way or the other or can you say?
GOOD: I can't 100 percent say, no.
DE LA RIONDA: You mentioned you said something. Did you yell it out or did you say, please?
(END LIFE FEED)
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: We have to take a break. We'll be back with much more after this.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: All right let's head back to the trial, the George Zimmerman trial. On the stand right now John Good he's a neighbor. He's talking about how he was on the patio, it was very dark that night and he saw two figures tussling. He also testified that a figure wearing darker clothing was straddling a figure wearing a whitish/reddish jacket and that would intimate to me that Trayvon Martin was on top throwing some kind of punches at George Zimmerman.
We're going to -- you see the side panels there we have that's what we call them. That's what you missed during the break. So read those. Let's listen in again.
(BEGIN LIVE FEED)
DE LA RIONDA: When you stepped out, you mentioned two individuals that you describe. Did you see anybody else out there?
GOOD: Not at first.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok. At some point later on did you see individuals?
GOOD: At the very end, after yes.
DE LA RIONDA: When you are stepping outside and you said something did you notice any other neighbors or anything even if you didn't see them outside did you notice anybody like peeking out or anything, any from any of the windows or were you paying attention to this?
GOOD: My focus wasn't on that. . DE LA RIONDA: At the point where you're seeing the two individuals, one on top of the other and I think you describe a straddling position, can you see the person on the bottom, their hands?
GOOD: They were at a side-view, so I don't think so.
DE LA RIONDA: Could, by that, could you tell whether the person on the bottom had a gun out already?
GOOD: No. .
DE LA RIONDA: You can't say one way or the other?
GOOD: I can't tell, no.
DE LA RIONDA: Sir, I'm going to play the 911 recording and we'll walk through.
DEBRA NELSON, PRESIDING JUDGE: Any objections?
DE LA RIONDA: No, your honor.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911. Can you please --
DE LA RIONDA: No, can you stop a second?
I apologize, I neglected to put on the record what the exhibit number is. For the record that is states exhibit 162.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 911 do you need police, fire or medical?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Police. I just heard a shot right behind my house.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You're at?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 1221 Twin Tree Lane, they are wrestling right in the back of my porch?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just heard one shot going on?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Either that or a rocket at the window or something I don't know the guy is yelling "help." I'm not going out.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You said 1221, you said 1221.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No 1221 Twin Tree Lane, Sanford, Florida.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: 122 --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: 1221 Twin Tree Lane, Sanford, Florida.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is that one or two word. This is not expecting answer --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Twin tree, it's two words. UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ok. And you hear somebody yelling for help?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm pretty sure the guy is dead.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Is there anything else that you heard?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No. The guy yelling, help, oh my God, No, there is a guy with the flash light in the back yard now. I think there is flashlights and there is a guy. I don't know if that's a cop. Oh my God.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ok. I had several calls. And you just heard are sure -- did you hear a voice, it was just one person?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There's two guys. There's one -- there's two guys in the back yard with flashlights.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ok.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And there's a black guy down. It looks like he's been shot and he's dead.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's laying and there is multiple people calling right now.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Ok.
I have several officers going out there, ok.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Ok. Thank you.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Thank you bye-bye.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: All right.
(END AUDIO CLIP)
DE LA RIONDA: Mr. Good, you recognize that being your voice?
GOOD: Unfortunately.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok you mentioned that somebody with a flashlight, was that what you were saying, then later, other individuals appeared, is that correct?
GOOD: Yes, it looked like people came around the corner at some point.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok I want to go back to what you described out there. And I think you described a straddling position. Is that the case of the posture of the person on top versus the person on the bottom?
GOOD: It's both. Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok at some point, you also used the word or the descriptive words as MMA style. Do you recall saying that? GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok and did you mean by that what, sir?
GOOD: As a straddle position like that. It's a common position you would see in a --
DE LA RIONDA: So is that like MMA is like mixed martial arts, is that correct?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: You watch that on TV and stuff or?
GOOD: Ah, not recently.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok but you -- when you say that, you were referring to just the position the person on top had over the person on the bottom or I don't want to put words if your mouth. What do you mean by --
GOOD: And the actions of the arms just looked like something I had seen on TV before, so that's like the first thing that came to my mind.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok could that also be referred to like wrestling, that type of thing?
GOOD: I don't understand your question.
DE LA RIONDA: My question is, did you ever see the person on top pick the person from the bottom and actually slam them into the concrete?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Did you ever see the person on top slamming the person on the bottom's head on the concrete over and over and over?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Did you see at any time the person on top grab the person on the bottom's head and slam it into the concrete?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Sir, back when you were living at that residence back in February of last year, I believe Miss Louder also used to lived there, is that correct, she was your next door neighbor?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: And at some point I believe in a deposition you actually heard in the recording that -- that 911 call that she made was cries for help. Do you recall that?
DE LA RIONDA: Yes. Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Prior to that deposition, had you heard that recording?
GOOD: No.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok at that deposition, when you heard the recording, did you make an observation as to whether you felt that was a different cries for help than the ones you heard?
GOOD: It did not sounded -- it didn't sound the same as what I heard outside.
DE LA RIONDA: Did not sound the same thank you. Sir I'm going to show you some photographs and hopefully with the court's permission, may I publish those to the jury, your honor?
NELSON: Yes, you may.
DE LA RIONDA: First of all, states exhibit number 1, and again I'm going back to February of last year so hopefully you'd remembered. Do you recognize this? I guess this is a Google photograph -- aerial photograph of the retreat of Twin Lakes.
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok and I'm going as best I can blow up an area. You were living in this residence right here, is that correct?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: The back yard, we are talking the sidewalk or I think people refer to it as a dog path, would this be it right here?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: So is the area that you are talking about, am I circling it right here?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok. And for the record, that was states exhibit number 1. I just emphasize a part of that exhibit.
Sir, I'm showing you now states exhibit number 6. Can you make out your back yard on that exhibit, sir?
GOOD: I guess.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok. Would this have been Miss Louder's residence and your residence is right here in the back yard?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: Or the back sliding glass door?
GOOD: Correct.
DE LA RIONDA: Ok. I neglected to ask you about the conditions in terms of the weather that night, February 26th, 2012, at around 7:05, 7:10, 7:15 p.m. Is it safe to assume it was dark at that time, sir?
GOOD: Yes.
DE LA RIONDA: And do you recall the weather conditions in terms of whether it was raining --
(END LIVE FEED)
COSTELLO: all right. We're going to take a quick break. We'll come back with more.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COSTELLO: Good morning. I'm Carol Costello. Thank you so much for joining us. It's just about 10:00 Eastern time. We are listening to testimony from neighbor John Good. He stepped out on to his back porch the night Trayvon Martin was killed and saw two dark figures persons tussling. In the grass and then later on the sidewalk. He also testified that the lighter-colored man was on the bottom and the 1000 we are listening to testimony from neighbor John good. He stepped out on to his back porch the night Trayvon Martin was killed and saw two dark persons tussling. He testified the lighter-colored man was on the bottom and the darker-colored person on the top was throwing some kind of blows. Ten he went back into his house to call 911. There was that gun shot.
