The Alleged Threat
Unlike the Zimmermans' false claims that DPZ "described [to Dawn] how he felt Rod was scary during the meeting," DPZ did NOT describe any type of action or language by Rod that would constitute Rod being scary or threatening to punch DPZ.
Rod is quiet and laid back by nature, so for Rod to go out of his comfort zone and approach DPZ to express his concern was out of the ordinary for Rod, which might have caught DPZ off guard. In fact, DPZ admitted, "WE JUST SAT THERE." (see page 7 line 10) DPZ, again, described his feelings and beliefs (no actions or words on Rod's part), which, again, was rooted from DPZ's prior expressed stereotyped belief of Filipino men.
[See page 7 lines 3-13 of May 20 Transcript]
Dawn: Was he nice when he came to you?
DPZ: No, he was scary. I mean I, I don't get scared about anything, but I thought okay, if you're gonna hit, you're gonna hit--
Dawn: No, no.
DPZ: and I'm probably not going to get up, 'cause at 63 I can't move like I used to. Uh, but the fact-
Dawn: I apologize.
DPZ: WE SAT THERE, and I just - you don't have to apologize. I would rather him come do this with me than anybody else. I'd rather have a dad come in, just get it off their chest, 'cause you saw as we got to the end- we're not disagreeing.
Dawn: Yep.
DPZ falsely claims that Rod entering his office
“enraged; his fists clenched, his eyes bulging, bloodshot and glazed over and he was shaking.”
DPZ also fabricated that Rod looked at him and said,
"Don't talk, don't say anything. I am so mad I could hit someone."
In Defendants’ Trial Brief, DPZ claims that in response to Rod’s statement, he
"lowered his chair as far as it would go and slumped down so he would not be towering over [Rod] [NOTE: DPZ is 6'2" and Rod is 5'6"] and kept silent as [Rod] had told him to do."
These fictional detailed descriptions came only after Dawn inquired with DPZ multiple times as to his daughter, Michelle’s, defamatory statement, followed by his spending countless hours watching and studying the Schools’ audio-videos of May 20, 2016 and May 25, 2016.
1) DPZ's sworn testimonies of Rod saying, "Don't talk, don't say anything. I am so mad I could hit someone," as well as DPZ claiming to have kept silent "as [Rod] had told him to do," are SIMPLY FABRICATED AND FALSE. His testimonies contradict what he told Dawn during their conversation just seconds after the meeting where he alleged Rod threatened him.
[See page 3 lines 1-3 of May 20 Transcript]
DPZ: And uh, that's the reason I brought him here [to DPZ's/Pastor's office], uh, and just, he [Rod] said, "DON'T TALK" I [DPZ] said, "FINE. GO AHEAD AND GET IT OUT."
[See page 13 lines 16-18 of May 20 Transcript]
DPZ: I would prefer him [Rod] to come sit with me as a dad, and I just said, I listen to him, 'cause he said, "Don't talk. I just wanna get this and go." And we just start talking about being dads, because I, I told him what I meant (inaudible) 'cause you don't find too may dads, but I also, you know, I- if I named the names you'd know, the fam- the Filipino dads who've come in here—”
Both Michelle and DPZ stated that they watched the Schools' audio-videos numerous times. In fact, Michelle testified at trial that she watched the videos over 100 times.
However, Michelle and DPZ focus on the following statements by Dawn:
1) He was screaming at me.
2) He’s the nicest guy, but he goes crazy.
3) He hung up on me.
These three statements took less than 10 seconds in total to say, and have been grossly taken out of context by the Zimmermans in order to fabricate reasons as to their belief, and to disprove that the statement made by Michelle against Rod was defamatory.
These statements were made within the first 2-1/2 minutes of the almost 16 minute conversation with DPZ doing most of the talking, bragging, gossiping, showing his abuse of power, racist beliefs, arrogance and lack of humility - even refusing to end the conversation when Dawn prompted him to attend the School event by saying “Dr. go.”
Instead, DPZ responded,
“No, no, no – that’s all right. I just wanna say this because, like, we really need your prayers…”
(See page 4 lines 4-7 of the May 20 Transcript).
The Zimmermans claim that Rod did not deny that he threatened DPZ with physical violence. This is FALSE.
The Zimmermans are changing the narrative and are falsely alleging that Rod said,
"I know, I know, I know, I know-" in response to Michelle saying "how she was scared when she heard her father was threatened with physical violence."
CLICK HERE for transcribed excerpts of the May 24, 2016 meeting.
[See pages 1-2 of May 24 Transcript]
1) What Michelle and DPZ fail to share is that just 1 minute into the May 24, 2016, meeting, Rod mentions how Randi looks very uncomfortable in the May 20, 2016 video while being questioned by Gloria Zimmerman.
The conversation leads into Michelle mentioning a threat of violence, in which Rod says
“NO” six times (see page 2 lines 1-5).
Confused, Rod looks to DPZ for affirmation and to clarify with his daughter.
DPZ quickly shuts down any further discussion on the topic by telling Michelle directly:
“We’ll deal with this as adults, not with, not with children.” (See page 2 line 10)
Rod interprets DPZ’s response as talking "as adults" at a later time, then you can see that Rod moves on with the conversation relating to the topic of Gloria’s mistreatment of Randi – which was the sole reason of the meeting.
2) [See pages 3-7 of the May 24 Transcript]
The Zimmermans falsely allege that Rod’s “I know…” response was an admittance to threatening DPZ.
Rod truly had no idea he was being accused of physical violence, and was only responding to Michelle’s comment where she referenced the situation involving Jasmine and Randi as “something really small.”
When Rod said, “and let me explain to you also why I came to that point,” he went on to explain that he saw Jasmine and Randi crying, running to the car "as if somebody died…” as indicated in this section:
DPZ: uh (DPZ chuckles)
Michelle: So, just think about that. If you’re talking about family, you know how you’re all saying, “Well, this really hurt me when this about.” When I heard that my dad was threatened with physical violence, that really scared me. And I was thinking, “OVER THIS? That was going on where it started with SOMETHING REALLY SMALL—”
Rod: (addresses Michelle) Okay, and-
Michelle: that, I’m serious-
Rod: I know, I know, I know, I know –
Michelle: it really scared me, and I cried.
Rod: And, and let me explain to you also why I came to that point. And, when I saw my two girls crying, running to the car crying, as if somebody died, and then, and in my mind I think B------ was behind them, so I think they don’t wanna tell B------ what’s going on, ‘cause in my mind I heard, ‘don’t tell -Brandon’, and I, when we’re all in the car and I got a full load of kids all that I heard is they were bawling. And I thought, at first I thought, their Nana, but I go ‘No, it can’t be ‘cause why would they hide it from me ‘cause’-
DPZ: Right.
Rod: cause’ I asked Randi Jade, “what’s going on?” (references Randi Jade’s response). “Well, I I, can I just tell you at home?” So, in my mind the whole time I was driving, ‘Oh my gosh, um, B------‘s grandma died.” She has- she could- stage cancer, I mean really bad. So, you know, I live and die-
Michelle: Yeah.
Rod: for my kids. We spend, we invest money on our kids. I could have cars, brand new, every single year, but I put it on their education. So,
DPZ: (jokingly) Trade your kids in for a new car (scans the room & puts both thumbs up in the air and shrugs shoulders).
Rod: (continues to address Michelle) So, so you’re, so basically what I’m telling you as a parent, I care about my kids so much-
DPZ: (Speaking over Rod) And I know that you cared, which is why I stayed.
Rod: Their pain is my pain.
To read more about the False Narratives of the Zimmerman's, visit the following pages: