George Zimmerman's Website Windfall; Myspace Page Reveals Racist Disdain For Mexicans “DatNiggy"

George Zimmerman’s crude Myspace page from 2005 uncovered


While it includes photos of an ethically diverse group of friends, the murder defendant’s 2005 web presence includes disparaging remarks about Mexicans.


Just as George Zimmerman’s attorney pushes the envelope of accepted legal practices by launching a social media operation for his client, another site has popped up that belonged to the controversial former neighborhood watch volunteer who now faces a murder charge.

This one is a 7-year old Myspace page called “only to be king again” that makes disparaging comments about Mexicans. The Web page, which his attorney confirmed Tuesday is legitimate, makes reference to 2005 criminal cases and a brush in court with a woman who Zimmerman called his “ex-hoe.”

There are several photos of Zimmerman on the page, and in one of them he appears to be wearing the same orange polo shirt that he donned in his 2005 police mug shot. Zimmerman used the name “Joe G.” on the site, and posted a biography that mentions he grew up in Manassas, Va., had recently opened an insurance business and missed all his friends.

Last month, a Zimmerman Myspace page under the username “datniggytb” was taken down.

The Joe G page includes a missive written in street slang.

“I dont miss driving around scared to hit mexicans walkin on the side of the street, soft ass wanna be thugs messin with peoples cars when they aint around (what are you provin, that you can dent a car when no ones watchin) dont make you a man in my book,” the 2005 Myspace page said. “Workin 96 hours to get a decent pay check, gettin knifes pulled on you by every mexican you run into!”

Another line suggested his friends went to jail and did not rat him out. “They do a year and dont ever open thier [sic] mouth to get my ass pinched.”

The pictures posted on the page including several with an ethnically diverse group of friends. The blog section boasts about having two felonies knocked down to misdemeanors and describes a court battle with an ex-girlfriend. Zimmerman faced two felonies in 2005 for obstructing justice and battery on a law enforcement officer, but the cases were reduced to misdemeanor simple battery, and he was left with no criminal conviction on his record.

Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, confirmed the page was his client’s, and that it was abandoned in 2005.

The site was the latest discovery in an ongoing social media battle in the Zimmerman case. The Feb. 26 shooting of Miami Gardens teen Trayvon Martin received its first groundswell of attention on social media platforms, which were later used to portray the victim in a negative light. Now the defense is embracing Twitter, Facebook and a blog to provide forums for discussion — and to raise money.

Trayvon Martin’s family took to the Web to raise funds and to gather petitions to demand criminal charges against Zimmerman. His killer’s lawyer uses the medium to raise funds, post articles and announcements, and dispel rumors.

“We are not surprised to discover that our decision is controversial,” O’Mara posted on his site, gzlegalcase.com. “Some have called it unethical, and some have called it brilliant; however, we believe much of the controversy is about the medium, not the message.”

Last week, O’Mara said he ordered his client to wipe his Internet presence clean. Zimmerman took down his website, a Twitter account and any other social media accounts. Any remaining, O’Mara said, were

But once the defense attorney realized how much money Zimmerman had raised on the Web, he quickly set up a more-polished website with a link to a professionally administered legal defense fund. O’Mara said he had agreed to take the case for free, but reconsidered once he learned he could be paid using web donations.

O’Mara hired Shawn Vincent of Orlando’s Digital Marketing Revolution to manage a Facebook page as well. Within hours of the page going up, hundreds of people had posted comments both for and against the defendant, and a few people with fake user names shared harsh opinions of Trayvon Martin’s family. One commenter on O’Mara’s Facebook page said Trayvon’s mother was “mooching” off white people’s money.

Within 24 hours, the site was changed so that users must submit comments for review before they are posted. Insults were deleted. About 1,800 people have “liked” the page so far.

Jayne Navarre, a South Florida consultant who devises social media strategies for lawyers, said O’Mara’s use of social media will “almost certainly” taint a jury pool and compromise Zimmerman’s shot at a fair trial. She said O’Mara also may be violating American Bar Association rules that prohibit a lawyer from helping third parties make prohibited extrajudicial comments.

While use of social media has risen exponentially in the legal field, “what we have not seen is a criminal-defense attorney host social media channels on behalf of their client,” Navarre said. “I would not be surprised to learn that members of the Bar are shocked and even disgusted.”

Under American Bar Association rules, a lawyer can speak publicly on a case as long as it does not prejudice a potential jury. The association is revamping its rules to address social media, she said.

Lawyers usually use social media to advertise, educate, network or recruit employees, she said. Some lawyers and judges have been sanctioned for inappropriate use of social media.

Until now, Navarre said, the most unusual case of a law firm using social media was in 2010, when the Massachusetts-based class action firm Sokolove Law Inc. launched the first known niche social networking site devoted to engaging potential and current class members in online discussions about the birth control pill YAZ.

But the site was considered advertising and was deemed in compliance with ABA rules, she said.

“The tactic certainly was cutting edge, and I don’t think the Bar saw any writing on the wall,” Navarre said. “I find in my social media consulting practice that many lawyers are still dragging their feet for various reasons . . . Others find it unprofessional, period.”


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Sources: Associated Press, CBS News, Gawker, Miami Herald, Youtube, Google Maps

Obama Recruiting A Tweeter: Social Network Manager

Obama Hiring a Tweeter


President Obama's political operation, Organizing for America, is hiring a "social networks manager" whose primary responsibilities will be maintaining the group's Twitter, Facebook and MySpace accounts.

OFA recently posted the job notice to its website, warning applicants that they should be "ready to work hard; this isn't a 9-5 sort of job."

The Obama campaign won plaudits for its use of social networking in 2008. Those interested in tweeting for the president can apply here.
















Social Networks Manager Application:

Job Description:

Organizing for America, the successor organization to Obama for America, is building on the movement that elected President Obama by empowering communities across the country to organize around the issues they care most about. The Democratic National Committee and Organizing for America is hiring a Social Networks Manager

The Social Networks Manager is responsible for maintaining the Democratic Party and Organizing for America accounts on all social networks (such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace accounts, etc.) The Social Networks Manager works closely with the rest of the New Media department to execute grassroots campaigns to advance the President’s agenda for change.

Qualifications:

* Excellent writing and editing skills with strong attention to detail; your writing is strong, sharp, and personable
* Strong organizing and campaigning instincts; you can craft messages that move people to act, and you know what actions will achieve the right impact at the right time
* Strong familiarity with social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, etc.
* Ready to work hard; this isn’t a 9-5 sort of job
* Ability to work under deadline pressure
* Ability to manage multiple complex projects
* Passionate about engaging millions of Americans in advancing President Obama's agenda and changing the country
* Candidates must be willing to relocate to Washington, DC

Preference given for experience with:
* Online organizing experience with an electoral campaign, advocacy organization or non-profit
* Complex project management
* Experience using social media for organizing


EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY POLICY:

The DNC is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity. It is our policy to recruit, hire, train, promote and administer any and all personnel actions without regard to sex, race, age, color, creed, national origin, religion, economic status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ethnic identity, physical disability or any other legally protected basis. The DNC will not tolerate any unlawful discrimination and any such conduct is prohibited.

Sources: Organizing For America, The Hill, Twitter

Did Slain Florida Couple's Questionable Lifestyles Contribute To Their Deaths?...Where Did Their Wealth Come From?

MSNBC, Huffington Post----


(What will happen to the Children?

After saying a private goodbye to Byrd and Melanie Billings, family and friends are turning their attention to the future of the couple’s adopted children. NBC’s Savannah Guthrie speaks with Melanie’s sister, Julie Tittle, family friend Carla Ard, and attorney Crystal Spencer.)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

(New details emerge in criminal investigation. As funeral services are held for Byrd and Melanie Billings, investigators recover more evidence in the crime.)

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

PENSACOLA, Fla. - When the attorney for a slain Florida couple's family disclosed the contents of a safe stolen from their home, she said she wanted to put to rest intense speculation and rumors.

That's hardly likely. More than a week after Byrd and Melanie Billings were shot to death in their home west of Pensacola, their background is still shrouded in mystery.

He was a 66-year-old entrepreneur who dabbled in used cars, boats and the adult entertainment industry. She was a 43-year-old country music lover who fed the homeless and was devoted to her MySpace page.

Together, they adopted 13 children with autism, Down syndrome and other developmental disabilities and lived in a sprawling home west of Pensacola. And together they were slain there in a well-choreographed invasion captured on surveillance video.

They were mourned Friday by hundreds of friends and family in a funeral closed to the media.

A week after the fatal burglary in which eight people were arrested — including a teenager, an Air Force Sergeant and an antique mall owner — there remain almost as many questions as answers.

Why would well-practiced thieves target a home with a security camera in every room? Who was Byrd Billings? And what does Escambia County Sheriff David Morgan mean when he says investigators expect motives to emerge beyond simple robbery?

Shady characters:

Interviews and court records portray Byrd Billings as a former strip club owner-turned used car dealer who was once sentenced to probation for an adoption scam. He frequently crossed paths with "shady characters," according to an ex-wife, but police have offered no evidence linking his past to the killings.

One key question was addressed Friday when family attorney Crystal Spencer disclosed the contents of the safe — documents, childrens' prescriptions and jewelry with "sentimental value."

"Hopefully this will put to rest the intense speculation and rumors that are swirling around the Billings family," she said.

Morgan, who has called the case a "humdinger," confirmed the contents of the safe found buried in a suspect's backyard with bricks piled on top. He said the documents inside included adoption papers and birth certificates but would not say if the killers expected to find other items.

Morgan said his department is still in the midst of a complex investigation that he likened to a chess match.

Here's what is clear so far: Known around Pensacola as "Bud," Byrd Billings spent his early years in Mississippi and Tennessee. He owned a car dealership in Mississippi in the 1980s, and incorporated a boat company in 1976. The corporation was dissolved in the 1980s.

In divorce records from the end of his second marriage, in 1993, Billings reported a net worth of just $1,400, including total cash assets of $100 and a net monthly income of $1,190. Four months after the divorce, Melanie became his third wife.

They were living in a $700,000 home — opulent by Pensacola standards — and associates say they employed several people to care for the children. But how they got there is unclear.

Byrd's background also includes a strange criminal case. In 1990, he and his second wife, Cindy Reeve, pleaded nolo contendere — which means they did not admit guilt but agreed to a punishment — to charges they doctored birth records and tried to obtain a newborn for $2,100. They both received two years probation which was later amended to a year.

Reached by The Associated Press, Reeve said she wanted to be left alone and the adoption "got blowed out of proportion."

However, she said Byrd "always dealt with shady characters."

"Carry on our love"

At the time of their divorce, the documents show, Billings was a consultant for Back Seat Inc., a holding company for a topless bar, which opened in 1990 and no longer exists. He had owned the company at one time. Arety Kapatanis, owner of the Pensacola strip club Arety's Angels, said Billings hired her as a waitress.

"Bud Billings was a man of integrity. He was generous," Kapatanis said. "He ran his business in the most professional manner."

Billings later opened a used car lot, which according to state business records was registered to Melanie and her daughter, Ashley Markham. It sits on a worn-out slab, surrounded by pawn shops and bail bond companies. Next door is the Billings' Worldco Financial Services.

Melanie, in her second marriage, seemed to thrive helping disabled children.

"Their lives centered around children, their family and each other," said her brother, Ed Brock. "They loved deeply and unconditionally. They embraced the complexity of raising children with special needs and they were their advocates. They gave these children a joyous childhood and a much needed voice."

On her MySpace page, Melanie Billings said she was a "total Internet and ebay JUNKIE" and that her favorite song was "I Cross My Heart," by country music star George Strait. She loved the TV shows "CSI," "Law & Order" and "The Sopranos."

The MySpace page also showed photos of some of the couple's 17 children (13 adopted together and four biological children from previous marriages.) Three had died over the years.

On Friday, a funeral program for the Billings featured numerous pictures of the couple and their 17 children.

"We'll be watching all of you from the heavens up above," the program read. "So take good care of each other and carry on our love."



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Sources: MSNBC, Huffington Post, Google Maps