Don Cheadle rips NBC for Zimmerman 911 tape

byJoel Gehrke
Commentary Staff Writer

Don Cheadle, actor and anti-genocide activist, mocked NBC News and accused the network of "bias" for their broadcast of an edited 911 tape portraying Trayvon Martin shooter George Zimmerman as a racist.

"Dear NBC News, Huh???" Cheadle tweeted along with a link to the story containing NBC's apology. "It was 'an error made in the production process that we deeply regret.' Really? 'Error?'" he added in a follow-up tweet. "Anybody out there know anything about editing?"

NBC's Today Show aired audio of Zimmerman calling 911 about Trayvon Martin. The NBC version has Zimmerman saying Martin is "suspicious," without providing any reason except "he looks black." The full tape shows that Zimmerman only mentioned Martin's race in response to a direct question from the 911 dispatcher.

"Unless the AVID malfunctioned, SOMEBODY was faking the funk," Cheadle said of NBC's edited tape. "Why?, is the question. What was furthered beyond NBC news ratings?"

Cheadle added that it was "Dangerous subject matter to be f*cking with. Irresponsible, incendiary and completely counter to the furtherance of justice for either side."

In two more tweets, he said: "I pray this kind of bullsh*t doesn't effect the investigation or sway the facts in any way. There needs to be a proper outcome based on fact. Truth doesn't need 'help.' If Zimmerman is proven guilty of a crime he should be charged accordingly and prosecuted to the full extent."

The actor attributed NBC's error to a "biased" view of the case. "I think what it mostly does is reveal how biased many still are in both polarizing directions; assumptions aplenty," he suggested.

And he was not satisfied with the network's apology. "They were caught," he tweeted dismissively. "What else were they gonna do?"

Don Cheadle rips NBC for Zimmerman 911 tape | Campaign 2012 | Washington Examiner