As George Zimmerman's supporters work to stem the rising tide of public outrage aimed at the neighborhood watchman who shot and killed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin last month, a new picture of the victim—culled from the 17-year-old's Facebook and Twitter accounts and witness testimony—has emerged.
"With a single punch," the Orlando Sentinel, citing police sources, reported Monday, "Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer ... climbed on top of [him] and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, leaving him bloody and battered."
"That is the account Zimmerman gave police," the paper said, "and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say."
Zimmerman's attorney, Craig Sonner, says that Zimmerman acted in self-defense and is not a racist as some have portrayed him.
"I think we need to let the investigation come forward and let all the facts in this case come out," Sonner said on the "Today" show. "I think it's going to tell a different story than the way it's been related and portrayed in the media."
According to a CNN poll released Monday, 73 percent of Americans think police should arrest Zimmerman.
Meanwhile, the difference between the typical teenager Martin's family and supporters say he was and the way he presented himself on social media is the subject of increasing debate.
As Dan Linehan, a blogger at Wagist.com, pointed out, correspondence with Martin on Twitter before he died alludes to an incident with a bus driver. "Yu ain't tell me you swung on a bus driver," Martin's cousin wrote to him on Feb. 21.
The same week, Martin was suspended for 10 days from Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School in North Miami-Dade. "He was not suspended for something dealing with violence or anything like that," his father said. "It wasn't a crime he committed, but he was in an unauthorized area [on school property]," declining to offer more details.
But a family spokesman told the Associated Press on Monday that Martin was suspended because marijuana residue was found in his book bag.
More than 25,000 were expected to attend an afternoon rally in Sanford, Fla., on Monday for Martin, including the Rev. Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and other civil rights leaders.
Baylor has just two wins to go for 40-0. Tennessee's future is far less certain.
Brittney Griner had 23 points, 15 rebounds and nine blocks before being ejected with less than a minute left and top-seeded Baylor rolled over Tennessee 77-58 Monday night to advance to the Final Four.
Shekinna Stricklen had 22 points for Tennessee (27-9), whose seniors became its first four-year class not to reach a Final Four.
The second-seeded Lady Vols now face an uncertain future, as Pat Summitt has yet to say if she'll return for a 39th season as Tennessee coach. She announced in August she'd been diagnosed with early onset dementia, Alzheimer's type.
"This team is about Pat Summitt. This team has battled all year," said Tennessee associate head coach Holly Warlick as she fought back tears. "I'm proud of them. I thought our team and coaching staff obviously was in a difficult situation. But I thought this team was responsive. I wouldn't trade anything that we did this year."
The Lady Bears (38-0), who are back in the national semifinals for the second time in three years, will face either Stanford or Duke on Sunday night in Denver. Should Baylor win it all, it'll become the first men's or women's team in NCAA history to finish a year with 40 wins.
Baylor held Tennessee to just 30.3 percent shooting from the floor. Much of that was because of the inside presence of the 6-foot-8 Griner, who was just one block shy of her fifth career triple-double.
"Defense wins ballgames for you," Baylor coach Kim Mulkey said. "I guess learned from two of the best. I learned from (Summitt) and (former Louisiana Tech coach) Leon Barmore, you better guard people. And these kids are going to guard you."
A rather ugly game for a purist's perspective got even uglier in the final 46.8 seconds.
Baylor's Odyssey Sims, who led the Bears with 27 points, tumbled to the floor, and she and Stricklen had to be separated and were each assessed technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.
No punches were thrown, but Griner and teammates Terran Condrey and Jordan Madden were ejected for leaving the bench. The NCAA says none of the players will be suspended for the Final Four.
"Just got caught in the heat of the moment," Sims said. "Everything's fine now."
As for Summitt, she was given a standing ovation from Tennessee and Baylor fans alike when she came out roughly 15 minutes before tipoff. But as defeat became apparent, she sat silently on the bench with her legs crossed.
According to the intrepid reporters at TMZ, Kobe Bryant is now the proud owner of a Ferrari 458 Italia, a fancy-and-fast-as-hell "supercar" that officially makes him the coolest guy in school. (Or, at least, the coolest guy on the Los Angeles Lakers bench.)
"We're told the Black Mamba paid $329,000 yesterday for the car ... which he paid for in full with a check," TMZ reported. It was probably a designer Batman check, because Kobe is Batman. (Also: Duh.)
Kobe's new ride "represents one of the largest leaps forward in technology, performance and emissions ever seen from" Ferrari, according to Motor Authority. Its 4.5-liter V-8 engine won the Best Performance Engine category in the 2011 International Engine of the Year competition, so, y'know, this is some kind of engine! Also, 570 horsepower? That would be an awful lot of horses, so that's got to be an awful lot of power.
[Y! Autos: Up close with Eric Clapton's $4.75 million Ferrari]
The folks at Cosby Sweaters point out that Kobe has an endorsement deal with Mercedes — he's also got a deal with Smart — but Bryant's long been known for having a vast, wide-ranging fleet, including a Ferrari F430. (Like it's much of a surprise that Kobe loves Italian stuff.)
Kobe might have gotten taken for a bit of a ride, though — the manufacturer's suggested retail price on the 2012 458 Italia is $230,275. Oh, well. I guess you have to pay a premium for all of those horses.
President Barack Obama told Russia's leader Monday that he would have more flexibility after the November election to deal with the contentious issue of missile defense, a candid assessment of political reality that was picked up by a microphone without either leader apparently knowing.
Obama's Republican opponents pounced on the comment, saying the president has a hidden agenda that could include concessions to the Russians if he is re-elected this fall.
"This is my last election," Obama is heard telling outgoing Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. "After my election, I have more flexibility."
Medvedev replied in English, according to a tape by ABC News: "I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir," an apparent reference to incoming President Vladmir Putin.
Obama and Medvedev did not intend for their comments, made during a meeting in Seoul, South Korea, to be made public.
Once they were, the White House said Obama's words reflected the reality that domestic political concerns in both the U.S. and Russia this year would make it difficult to fully address their long-standing differences over the contentious issue of missile defense. Obama, should he win re-election, would not have to face voters again.
"Since 2012 is an election year in both countries, with an election and leadership transition in Russia and an election in the United States, it is clearly not a year in which we are going to achieve a breakthrough," White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes said.
Obama's candid remarks Monday illustrated the political constraints that hem in any president who is running for re-election and dealing with a congressional chamber — in this case, the House — controlled by the rival party. Republicans have fought Obama fiercely on health care, taxes and other issues. They are eager to deny him any political victories in a season in which they feel the White House is within reach, although Obama's remarks suggested he feels good about his re-election prospects.
Even if Obama was confiding a political reality in a supposedly private moment, the comments gave the GOP new openings to question his sincerity and long-range plans.
Mitt Romney, the leading Republican contender to face Obama this fall, told a San Diego audience the unguarded comments were "an alarming and troubling development."
"This is no time for our president to be pulling his punches with the American people, and not telling us what he's intending to do with regards to our missile defense system, with regards to our military might and with regards to our commitment to Israel," Romney said.
South Korea - At the tail end of his 90 minute meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev Monday, President Obama said that he would have "more flexibility" to deal with controversial issues such as missile defense, but incoming Russian President Vladimir Putin needs to give him "space."
The exchange was picked up by microphones as reporters were let into the room for remarks by the two leaders.
The exchange:
President Obama: On all these issues, but particularly missile defense, this, this can be solved but it's important for him to give me space.
President Medvedev: Yeah, I understand. I understand your message about space. Space for you…
President Obama: This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility.
President Medvedev: I understand. I will transmit this information to Vladimir.
When asked to explain what President Obama meant, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications Ben Rhodes told ABC News that there is room for the U.S. and Russia to reach an accommodation, but "there is a lot of rhetoric around this issue - there always is - in both countries.
Kendra Wilkinson hasn’t been on the site since August, but in our defense, her fake breasts haven’t been shoved into a bikini and we’re not running a charity. So on that note, here she is hosting a pool party at Wet Republic over the weekend and just by looking at her swimsuit, I can safely say that somewhere a Barbie Dreamhouse is down a bikini.
BARBIE: Argh! Again? *dials phone* Ken, are you wearing my bikini?
KEN: Oh, c’mon, it looks better on me! Wait, are you talking about the pink one?
BARBIE: The white one.
KEN: That old thing? Ish, plea-Ohmygod, Chris Brown, you do give good head. I think I just saw Jesus. Barbs, I’m gonna have to call you back, I need Chocolate Thunder here to hold the wheel while I smoke. Tootles!
Based on a true story.
Here’s Katherine Heigl running around and doing some chores in her workout clothes yesterday afternoon in sunny L.A., and looking like a supernova of hotness while doing so. Yeah, I said it! The girl looks hot! Actually, she looks more than just hot, and it’s all thanks to her bodacious bosom busting out of her tight tanktop. Hello! Heck, even her lower half looks a hell of a lot tighter than it usually does. So it’s all good if you ask me. Enjoy!
I can't say I'm highly familiar with the Echo Awards, but I assume it has something to do with audible sounds and contributions thereof to the world; that does little to explain Katy Cocktease and her central placement at the awards, but, perhaps the Echo Awards are all about finding hot, divorcee, divas who heavily flaunt their bodies and caress their delicious D-cups on stage for an adoring ogling public.
There's no denying that Katy Perry has a certain quality that makes us badly want to see her, touch her, and for some of you out there, smell her, but it also frustrates us with how 'good girl' she suddenly claims to be when we get down to the nitty gritty. So many arbitrary rules, Still, an Echo Award. We're not sure, but we think that's prestigious. Enjoy.
My return trip in 2011 was a homecoming of sorts as I was fortunate to live in this magical country when I was a kid. Although it was a relatively short period of time, it had a profound impact on my life, so when I heard about the devastating earthquake on the morning of Jan. 12, 2010, I knew I had to go back and find a way to help.
The experiences I had upon going back to Haiti and seeing the incredible poverty and turmoil this already impoverished nation was coping with have affected my life in a way that has forever changed me. I photographed my way through the trip and although I saw the most incredibly awful things, I also saw hope and defiance.
I'm creating this book to share my personal experience, to help to raise awareness, and in some small way continue to share not only what Haiti has gone through, but where they are going.
I'm very excited that the incredibly gifted Fabien Baron has generously donated his time and skills to design it, and honored that he has chosen to contribute to this project.
