Trayvon Martin

[bcneil]

From the Orlando Sentinel

Tom Owen, forensic consultant for Owen Forensic Services LLC and chair emeritus for the American Board of Recorded Evidence, used voice identification software to rule out Zimmerman. Another expert contacted by the Sentinel, utilizing different techniques, came to the same conclusion.

Zimmerman claims self-defense in the shooting and told police he was the one screaming for help. But these experts say the evidence tells a different story.

Owen, a court-qualified expert witness and former chief engineer for the New York Public Library’s Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound, is an authority on biometric voice analysis — a computerized process comparing attributes of voices to determine whether they match.

After the Sentinel contacted Owen, he used software called Easy Voice Biometrics to compare Zimmerman’s voice to the 911 call screams.

“I took all of the screams and put those together, and cut out everything else,” Owen says.

The software compared that audio to Zimmerman’s voice. It returned a 48 percent match. Owen said to reach a positive match with audio of this quality, he’d expect higher than 90 percent.

“As a result of that, you can say with reasonable scientific certainty that it’s not Zimmerman,” Owen says, stressing that he cannot confirm the voice as Trayvon’s, because he didn’t have a sample of the teen’s voice to compare.

Forensic voice identification is not a new or novel concept; in fact, a recent U.S. Department of Justice committee report notes that federal interest in the technology “has a history of nearly 70 years.”

Why aren't they comparing Martins voice as well??? He had a cellphone, did he have a voicemail greeting? No home videos? No friends with iphone videos. They need to find something......if these computer programs can tell its him screaming, sure looks bad for zimmerman.

 

[myselftheother]

There's a roundup of coverage on Mother Jones:

http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/03/what-happened-trayvon-martin-explained#naacpletter

Unfortunately, it's not really a 'news' site, as the reporting in the article is more of a blog rather than a reliable news source. Race is an issue with this shooting, and it's a horribly tragic case, indicative of the 'culture' in the US that's seems to be catching fire....racial tensions being enflamed by the 'media', such as these sort of sites, even by NBC, FOX...is this going to be a summer of racial tensions in the US? More Chicago race riots? What sort of powder keg has been set to blow?

 

[uncleg]

There's a roundup of coverage on Mother Jones:

http://motherjones.com/politics/2012/03/what-happened-trayvon-martin-explained#naacpletter

Another "Jones" site, probably makes Silky a happy camper...........

Not really sure why this thing is getting as much attention as it is, not when you consider the problems the U.S. really has to deal with. Interesting issue on this was raised looking at Chicago, 480 murders/shootings Jan.1/12 to March 31/12, up from 358 during the same time period last year. A boy 13 years old shot sitting on his front steps on Apr. 08/12, two others 15 and 16, sitting with him injured. Over the St. Patrick's day weekend 49 people shot and killed, including a six year old girl crossing the street in front of her home................didn't make it out of the local news market, yet Martin is getting International coverage ??????????????

 

[HankQuinlan]

Another "Jones" site, probably makes Silky a happy camper...........

Not really sure why this thing is getting as much attention as it is, not when you consider the problems the U.S. really has to deal with. Interesting issue on this was raised looking at Chicago, 480 murders/shootings Jan.1/12 to March 31/12, up from 358 during the same time period last year. A boy 13 years old shot sitting on his front steps on Apr. 08/12, two others 15 and 16, sitting with him injured. Over the St. Patrick's day weekend 49 people shot and killed, including a six year old girl crossing the street in front of her home................didn't make it out of the local news market, yet Martin is getting International coverage ??????????????

Because everyone knows who killed him, but nothing is being done about it. That makes it news.

 

[Tugela]

From the Orlando Sentinel

Tom Owen, forensic consultant for Owen Forensic Services LLC and chair emeritus for the American Board of Recorded Evidence, used voice identification software to rule out Zimmerman. Another expert contacted by the Sentinel, utilizing different techniques, came to the same conclusion.

Zimmerman claims self-defense in the shooting and told police he was the one screaming for help. But these experts say the evidence tells a different story.

Owen, a court-qualified expert witness and former chief engineer for the New York Public Library’s Rodgers and Hammerstein Archives of Recorded Sound, is an authority on biometric voice analysis — a computerized process comparing attributes of voices to determine whether they match.

After the Sentinel contacted Owen, he used software called Easy Voice Biometrics to compare Zimmerman’s voice to the 911 call screams.

“I took all of the screams and put those together, and cut out everything else,” Owen says.

The software compared that audio to Zimmerman’s voice. It returned a 48 percent match. Owen said to reach a positive match with audio of this quality, he’d expect higher than 90 percent.

“As a result of that, you can say with reasonable scientific certainty that it’s not Zimmerman,” Owen says, stressing that he cannot confirm the voice as Trayvon’s, because he didn’t have a sample of the teen’s voice to compare.

Forensic voice identification is not a new or novel concept; in fact, a recent U.S. Department of Justice committee report notes that federal interest in the technology “has a history of nearly 70 years.”

This "expert" didnt have a sample of Zimmerman's voice under stress either, so it he can't make a proper comparison. He could if the sample being compared to was not under stress, but the audio is of someone screaming, so it clearly IS under stress.

 

[DavidMR]

This "expert" didnt have a sample of Zimmerman's voice under stress either, so it he can't make a proper comparison. He could if the sample being compared to was not under stress, but the audio is of someone screaming, so it clearly IS under stress.

Well, you make an interesting argument but I really don't know if there's anything to it. How do I know if the voice expert needs tapes of Zimmerman in distress?

 

[DavidMR]

Just today, it seems that Zimmerman has lost his legal team.

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2...orneys-withdraw-from-trayvon-martin-case?lite

 

[Elmore]

He is in custody now. Looks like he will be charged.

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/04/11/prosecutor-to-announce-decision-on-zimmerman/?hpt=hp_t1

 

[DavidMR]

Yes, Zimmerman is in custody and will be charged with second degree murder, according to the New York Times.


http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/12/us/zimmerman-to-be-charged-in-trayvon-martin-shooting.html?_r=1&hp

 

[cocomocha]

Guess we will find out whether or not the FBI voice "experts" concur with the "talking head" Tom Owens. Moreover wondering if Mr Owens is sweating the damage to his professional reputation should their findings not concur with his findings.

 

[DavidMR]

Guess we will find out whether or not the FBI voice "experts" concur with the "talking head" Tom Owens.

What is the appropriate response if the FBI do agree with Owens?

 

[Jason_96]

Has anyone been following this media circus down in the USA? In the year 2012 we essentially have "wild west" style justice being perpetuated against George Zimmerman, a Latino man that hasn't even had a trial never mind a conviction. Lets look at the facts so far.

The New Black Panther Party has offered a bounty of $10,000 to anyone who captures Zimmerman. New Black Panther organizer Mikhail Muhammad said that he doesn't "obey the white man's law, I don't follow the American law."

Douchebag Spike Lee sent out a tweet in an attempt to publicize Zimmerman's home address. The address Lee tweeted out however, to his more than 250,000 followers, actually belongs to an elderly couple, David McClain, 72, and his 70-year-old wife Elaine, who subsequently received threats and hate mail directed at Zimmerman.

Of course the usual race pimps like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson have crawled out of their holes and are exploiting the Travon Martin tragedy to instigate a racial divide in America.

My prediction (and hope) is that George Zimmerman will be found innocent of any wrongdoing.

I hope Georgie Boy is found guilty and the brothers take good care of him the pen. He's a murdering sack of shit as far as I'm concerned. Even if he's found not guilty his life will never be the same.

 

[vancity_cowboy]

I hope Georgie Boy is found guilty and the brothers take good care of him the pen. He's a murdering sack of shit as far as I'm concerned. Even if he's found not guilty his life will never be the same.

like in the movie 'american history x' with edward norton, lol

 

[uncleg]

................as the politics kick in on this case, does anybody really think that no matter what the verdict, there will still be a sector of the public that will consider this to be solely a race issue ??????????

 

[uncleg]

Yes, but my point is, they are making all kinds of excuses for Zimmerman and vilifying Martin, as your pic illustrates. The point of your picture is to show that Martin is being portrayed as a cherub and Zimmerman as a monster. But the exact opposite is the truth. Zimmerman is being given all kind of slack. "Wait until the evidence comes out." "There's more to the story than you know". People seem to be comfortable lobbing contempt and suspicion on Martin.
Are you saying race wasn't an issue? Zimmerman profiled Martin based on race. If Martin had shot Zimmerman, do you think he would have been cut loose by the police after a 7 hour investigation. Even if he had managed to get the gun from Zimmerman and shot Zimmerman with his own gun, do you think he would have been released in 7 hours without charges?

Really, don't know what news you're watching, but I haven't seen anything yet that vilifies Martin. Yes, there was mention of an incident in school that went nowhere, just like they mentioned a previous run-in with the law for Zimmerman, that also went nowhere. Just where exactly is Zimmerman being given all kinds of slack? You consider waiting for the evidence and the whole story to come out, as cutting slack ?? As to race being an issue, sure it is and in the U.S. it's going to be playing a role for a long time to come. Presume, it was a white kid that Zimmerman shot, you think Sharpton and bunch would have been there ? As to Martin shooting Zimmerman, everything being equal, the outcome would have been the same. Had he taken the gun from Zimmerman and shot him, under the existing circumstances, he would have been in trouble.

 

[HankQuinlan]

................as the politics kick in on this case, does anybody really think that no matter what the verdict, there will still be a sector of the public that will consider this to be solely a race issue ??????????

False comparison as far as media interest in what was a well-reported crime. They found and charged a bunch of scumbags with perpetrating the outrage against the young black women. Why would there be outrage against the authorities? The outrage in this case stems from the fact that a known killer was not charged, and will die down if justice is seen to be done.

As far as media outrage about white-on-white "injustice" goes, google Nancy Grace; that is her reason for existence.

 

[westcoast555]

I was referring to internet chatter

Where do I think Zimmerman was given all kinds of slack? 7 hour police investigation which cleared him,initially. I saw one former prosecutor talking about it, saying it was bizarre, and again internet chatter also to be found on this board.
Again, if Martin had managed to get the gun from Zimmerman and shot him, yes he would have been in big trouble, not cleared by the cops in 7 hours.
The only reason Zimmerman is in trouble is because public outcry forced the state prosecutors to charge him. The police didn't.
Why would Al Sharpton get involved in a white on white shooting?

I think people have forgotten that the original lead investigator WANTED to charge Zimmerman and got overruled by some good ole boys network bullshit...

 

[DavidMR]

You consider waiting for the evidence and the whole story to come out, as cutting slack ?? As to race being an issue, sure it is and in the U.S. it's going to be playing a role for a long time to come. Presume, it was a white kid that Zimmerman shot, you think Sharpton and bunch would have been there ? As to Martin shooting Zimmerman, everything being equal, the outcome would have been the same. Had he taken the gun from Zimmerman and shot him, under the existing circumstances, he would have been in trouble.

I don't know where you found those posters but your anxieties about justice are pretty clear.

 

[uncleg]

I don't know where you found those posters but your anxieties about justice are pretty clear.

Really. So why don't you tell me what my anxieties are....

 

[wilde]

Presume, it was a white kid that Zimmerman shot

Then I would bet you a few bucks that Zimmerman would have, at the very least, be arrested (not charged, just arrested).