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This is a sensitive and complex issue, please do not make comments without first reading the facts, which are cataloged in the OP.
If you make an uninformed post, or one that isn't relevant to the discussion, you will be moderated. If in doubt, don't post. |
More Juror Updates from earlier today.
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57589022-504083/george-zimmerman-trial-update-more-potential-jurors-questioned-in-case-of-trayvon-martin-killing/
(CBS/AP) SANFORD, Fla. - As jury selection stretched into its third day in the George Zimmerman murder trial, attorneys had interviewed 18 potential jurors by mid-day Wednesday. More than 70 jury candidates had been dismissed by the end of the day on Tuesday.
PICTURES: George Zimmerman in court
READ: Trayvon Martin Shooting: A timeline of events
Proceedings wrapped up for the day shortly after 5 p.m.
Zimmerman, 29, is accused of killing unarmed teen Trayvon Martin during a confrontation in a Sanford, Fla. gated community last year. He claims he killed the teen in self-defense.
Seminole Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said she will keep the identities of the selected jurors anonymous but she rejected a defense request to sequester the initial jury pool of 500 citizens.
Attorneys stopped questioning a man in his 20s Wednesday after he gave answers that indicated he wouldn't be impartial.
The juror, known as "R-39" because potential panelists can be identified only by their numbers, said that "murder is murder," even if it's self-defense.
The potential juror left the Florida courtroom without defense attorneys asking questions.
Four potential jurors questioned Wednesday morning also included a woman in her mid-20s who expressed concerns about her safety if picked; a woman in her 20s who lived nearby the shooting but said she hadn't formed an opinion about it; and a woman in her 50s who said she didn't like the negative image of Sanford that was portrayed in the media after the shooting happened there.
One potential juror, a man, said his understanding of the altercation was that Zimmerman followed Martin and "maybe thought he was doing the right thing," but it ended in "tragedy," the Orlando Sentinel reports. The man said he hadn't formed an opinion and was willing to make a judgment based only on the testimony presented at trial.
Another potential juror questioned Wednesday, identified as "B-61," said she hasn't seen any of the court proceedings in the case or paid closer attention since she received her summons.
"My impressions are we should look at the crime - I don't think it's a racial issue," said the woman, who reported she's watched news reports about the case on Good Morning America. "I think it's more what was right, what was wrong. We have laws for a reason."
In the jury selection process established by Judge Nelson, once 30 jurors have been questioned individually about pretrial exposure and have not been dismissed for cause or hardships, they will be brought together as a group for broader questioning by lawyers on both sides.
Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.
Defense attorneys have asked potential jurors if being isolated during the trial would be a hardship, indicating they plan to ask Nelson to sequester the jury.
Proceedings are set to resume Thursday at 9 a.m.
Seems like a lot of jurors are afraid of backlash. Can't say I necessarily blame them with how this whole case has been handled by the media. I'm also not surprised that they may be going for a jury sequestration.
I honestly just can't wait for this trial to be done and over with. I'm pretty interested in seeing how things pan out and what the verdict will ultimately be.
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Them lying jurors.....
Did Potential Zimmerman Juror Lie to Court?
A potential juror at the George Zimmerman trial who told the court he had little knowledge of the case apparently indicated otherwise on Facebook. "I CAN tell you THIS. 'Justice'…IS Coming," the juror appeared to write of the Zimmerman case on the Facebook page for the "Coffee Party Progressives," a page with which he was confronted in Judge Debra Nelson's courtroom. The potential juror, assigned the number E7, who described himself as an "underemployed" musician and painter, told the court that he did not have a lot of knowledge about the case when it first happened. George Zimmerman was not screaming for help, two experts testify. Read the full story here. In February 2012, Zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman in Sanford, Fla., shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin after an scuffle in the dark. Zimmerman has said he shot the African-American teen, who he said had been acting "suspiciously," in self-defense. The shooting triggered a national debate about race, protests, marches, even high school walkouts. Sixteen months later, Zimmerman faces a charge of second-degree murder. Full Coverage of the George Zimmerman Trial Susan Constantine, a jury consultant, told ABC News, "This is a very high-profile trial, so who wouldn't want to sit on it? It's one reason we get people who would love to be in the position of being that one juror in the middle of all the limelight they never had before." When the assistant state attorney, Bernie De La Rionda, first questioned potential juror E7 this morning, he asked whether the prospective juror was exposed to the case in February 2012 or whether he kept up with it. E7 answered, "No." The potential juror was then asked what else he knew about the Zimmerman case beyond what was listed on his questionnaire. "Hmm. To be strictly honest, it's hard to remember," the potential juror said. He was asked whether he used Facebook or posted anything about the Trayvon Martin shooting. "No. Best to avoid, at times," E7 said, adding he had not formed an opinion on the case. Moments later, both counsels approached the bench and had a discussion over a piece of paper. Potential juror E7 came back into the courtroom and was handed a piece of paper by Judge Nelson. Trayvon Martin drug photos can't be mentioned, says judge. Read the full story here. "There was a posting on Facebook from March 21 under Coffee Party Progressives," Nelson said. "Is that your writing?" The prospective juror confirmed it was his posting and left. An ABC News search of the Facebook page revealed that a person resembling E7 wrote on March 21, 2012, the same date as on the court record, an inflammatory comment in response to a posting about the case touting the site www.justicefortrayvonmartin.com. Besides vowing that justice was coming, the Facebook comment apparently by the prospective juror alleged a conspiracy involving Zimmerman and local police. "With the noise WE made…it couldn't be covered up," the commenter said. "I only hope the Feds go farther than just THIS case in investigating This 'Police Force.'…" That comment subsequently vanished from the Facebook thread. A spokeswoman for the Seminole County Court, Michelle Kennedy, told ABC News that four jurors were dismissed today. It was not clear if E7 was one of them. With jury selection underway in the small community of Sanford, Fla., all but one of the potential jurors questioned in court expressed their willingness to be on the jury. One potential juror even said today she was "happy" when she got the summons. By the end of day three, 25 potential jurors had been questioned in court. Six jurors will be returning Thursday to be questioned. Twenty jurors are in the potential pool. Ten more are needed before the court will begin regular voire dire. A total of 75 jurors have been dismissed.
http://gma.yahoo.com/blogs/abc-blogs/did-potential-zimmerman-juror-lie-court-034710693.html
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Potential juror: George Zimmerman defended himself in Trayvon Martin shooting
With Trayvon Martin’s parents watching uncomfortably from the courtroom gallery, a potential juror on Thursday suggested the slain teen was a pot smoker and aspiring “street fighter” who was “going down the wrong path.”
The woman interviewed on Thursday, on the fourth day of jury selection in the second-degree murder case, said she believed George Zimmerman was a law-abiding gun owner.
“I do believe George was protecting himself,” she said, adding that prosecutors would “have to work very hard” to convince her otherwise if she is selected for the jury.
Her forceful words in defense of Zimmerman were an anomaly. Most of the potential jurors questioned so far have said they haven’t made up their minds on the facts of the case. At least 20 have been selected to move on to a further round of questioning.
It was unclear Thursday if the woman, who insisted she would have a “bulls eye” on her back if she served on the jury, would be dismissed before a future round of questioning. Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon’s parents, left the courtroom immediately after the woman’s questioning was finished.
Prosecutors say Zimmerman “profiled” the unarmed teen from Miami Gardens as he walked in a gated Sanford community in February 2012, then shot him in the chest during a struggle. Because Zimmerman claimed self-defense, Sanford police did not initially charge him with any crimes, prompting outrage from Trayvon’s family and supporters.
The case sparked racial and civil rights turmoil in Sanford and rallies in several U.S. cities while casting a harsh spotlight on Florida’s self-defense law.
During trial preparation in recent months, the details of Trayvon’s life have been part of a Zimmerman defense strategy to paint the teen as less than innocent. Last month, Zimmerman’s defense released a slew of text messages and cell phone images extracted from the teen’s phone. The messages show Trayvon as a tough-talking teen who tried to arrange the purchase of a weapon and one photo showed a marijuana leaf.
Zimmerman’s defense also claimed Trayvon had engaged in fights at school.
The Martin family has been particularly sensitive to the portrayal of Trayvon. On Wednesday after court, they asked the media to stop demonizing the teen.
“The evidence shows there is no blood on Trayvon’s hands,” Martin family lawyer Benjamin Crump told reporters, responding to a former New York City detective appearing on a cable news show and saying the teen would be alive but for his “street attitude.”
“Trayvon is not on trial here, he is the victim. Trayvon’s killer, George Zimmerman, is the man who is on trial.”
Zimmerman’s trial started Monday with lawyers questioning potential jurors about the effects of the massive publicity associated with the case. So far, lawyers in the Zimmerman case have selected 20 possible jurors to move onto a new round of questioning; they are seeking a pool of 30. From those, they will try to pick a panel of six jurors and four alternates.
On Thursday, lawyers also interviewed an older retiree with a love of golf who paid little attention to the case but said race issues in Sanford were “overblown.”
They also interviewed a recent high school graduate who recalled some fellow students claiming to be friends with Trayvon. The teen went to school at Dr. Michael M. Krop High in North Miami-Dade, but was visiting Sanford with his father.
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/06/13/3449262/potential-juror-george-zimmerman.html#storylink=cpy
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On June 12 2013 16:15 RebirthOfLeGenD wrote:Show nested quote +On June 11 2013 06:10 Acritter wrote:On June 11 2013 02:01 dAPhREAk wrote:On June 10 2013 21:14 esdf wrote:On June 09 2013 04:11 Sermokala wrote:On June 09 2013 04:05 Millitron wrote:On June 08 2013 13:02 sluggaslamoo wrote:On June 08 2013 09:51 dAPhREAk wrote:Jury's look into Trayvon Martin's past has its limits In the 15 months since their deadly altercation, George Zimmerman's and Travyon Martin’s pasts have been under a microscope, but recent court rulings could sharply restrict what a jury hears about any events that took place before their encounter on the fateful night.
Florida Circuit Judge Debra Nelson has declared a number of items off-limits for now to jurors who will decide if Zimmerman, 29, is guilty of second-degree murder in shooting death of Martin, 17.
They include:
A photo in which Martin shows his gold teeth to the camera while sticking up his middle fingers.
Martin’s school records, which include a suspension from his Miami high school -- less than a month before his altercation with Zimmerman – for possessing a baggie with marijuana residue.
Texts and photos from Martin’s cellphone that refer to or show firearms. "U gotta gun?" reads a text from Martin's phone, sent eight days before his death. The defense cited a photo of a hand holding a gun, taken with Martin’s phone, and another picture of a gun on a bed.
Texts with marijuana references, and photos that show Martin blowing smoke and what appear to be marijuana plants.
Texts and video that suggest that Martin was involved in organized fights.
Prosecutors argued that the information was irrelevant to what happened the night of Feb. 26, 2012, between two strangers who crossed paths in a gated community of Sanford, Fla., and Martin’s family accused the defense of trying to poison the jury pool with an unflattering portrayal of the teen.
After a hearing late last month, Nelson ruled the texts, photos and school records cannot be mentioned in opening statements or while the jury is in the courtroom unless she decides otherwise later.
There are a couple of scenarios under which Nelson might admit the items as evidence, legal analyst Kendall Coffey told NBC News.
Joe Burbank / AP file
In pre-trial hearings, Judge Debra Nelson has ruled that some texts and phone messages from Trayvon Martin's phone won't be seen by the jury — for now.
“If the prosecution through its presentation puts undue emphasis on Trayvon Martin having an impeccable record, or tries to indicate to a jury that he never had a problem with anyone in his life, you can expect the defense to jump up and vigorously demand they be allowed to rebut that,” Coffey said.
As a result, prosecutors are likely to be very cautious in characterizing Martin so they don’t open the door for Zimmerman’s team to bring in evidence that could make the teen look unsavory to jurors. “And the defense is going to be listening with big ears,” Coffey said.
The defense, he said, may have the most luck in getting the allegation that Martin was an experienced fighter before the jury.
“That’s blockbuster stuff, if they can get it into evidence, to suggest Trayvon Martin was a violent young man,” Coffey said. The trick, he said, would be finding someone from Martin’s community who knew him well enough and would be willing to testify on behalf of Zimmerman.
The judge has not yet decided whether the jury can hear that Martin had the active ingredient in marijuana in his system when he was killed, according to the autopsy report. The defense and prosecution disagree on the significance of the amount detected.
At a pre-trial hearing last week, Zimmerman lawyer Mark O’Mara stressed that he only planned to bring up Martin’s past if prosecutors tried to delve into his client’s history. Details O'Mara might not want the jury to hear include:
Zimmerman’s 2005 arrest for “resisting officer with violence” and “battery of law enforcement officer” after a confrontation with an officer who was questioning a friend for alleged underage drinking. The charges were reduced to “resisting officer without violence” and then waived when he entered an alcohol education program, according to court documents.
A 2005 civil motion filed by Zimmerman’s ex-fiancee for a restraining order alleging domestic violence. Zimmerman counterfiled for a restraining order, and both were granted.
Coffey said the judge will rule on those issues as they arise and said it could depend on whether Zimmerman, who has pleaded not guilty, testifies in his own defense.
“If George Zimmerman gets on the stand and tells his life story as witnesses typically do, a broader category of things about his background are fair game,” he said.
Editor's note: George Zimmerman has sued NBCUniversal for defamation. The company has strongly denied his allegations. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/07/18832092-jurys-look-into-trayvon-martins-past-has-its-limits?lite I don't understand why the traces of marijuana is such a big deal. Marijuana starts fights? That's a first. I guess it would help if there are many uninformed people in the jury. Maybe they could be construed to mean he's into the larger drug culture. Sure, getting high doesn't make you start fights, but everyone agrees that drugs fuel gang violence. That's the only connection I can see, and I agree, it's pretty nonsensical. Its more the suspension from school and the fights and crime that trayvon committed beyond the guns and drugs he shouldn't have been anywhere near. The prosecution can't paint trayvon as an innocent kid like the media did, the judge would have to allow the defense to show the jury how Zimmerman was completely justified in confronting trayvon on what he was doing in the area. I've no idea why jury won't be able to take in to account Martin's school suspension, history of fighting, gun possesion and drug use. This seems to me like it has been constructed to look like a racist case/hatred crime (or how's it called on English) at all costs. Don't know who'd have any interest in making it look like that tho. in the US system, previous history and/or character evidence are irrelevant because they do not show what actually happened on the date in question, and are prejudicial because if jurors know about prior history/character evidence they may make decisions based on that rather than the facts (or absence thereof) showing what happened on the date in question. of course, if you can show some independent relevance (e.g., previous fights may tend to show that trayvon was in fact a good fighter, which supports zimmerman's theory that he got his ass handed to him) then the court will allow it--but courts are very skeptical about this type of evidence. think of this: biggest bully in high school is walking down the street and unprovoked one of his prior victims who is lying in wait kills him with a baseball bat without the bully even seeing whats coming. should they be allowed to show his prior history of bullying to show self defense? of course not. this was a premeditated crime and self defense was clearly inapplicable. however, if you start throwing in all the prior bullying and paint the victim as a bad person, the juror may ignore the clear evidence and acquit. that is not allowed. But history of something like anger issues can be extremely relevant. If someone has a history of getting angry and reacting inappropriately, it can definitely be applied to a case like this. Of course, this is only relevant when we are so lacking in direct evidence that we have to rely on inferences, but simply saying that it's irrelevant can't be correct. If you want an example: say that we're in a he-said-she-said situation, and one party or the other has multiple perjury counts. Who are you going to believe? On June 11 2013 06:08 RebirthOfLeGenD wrote:On June 11 2013 02:34 dAPhREAk wrote:TRIAL IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY -- Prosecutor and Defendant are selecting jurors. Trayvon Martin Killing: 2 Sides Want Very Different Jurors Nearly 16 months after the , the man charged with second-degree murder is due in court Monday for the start of his trial.
According to experts , the prosecution and defense will be looking for very different kinds of people to sit on the jury that will hear the evidence against George Zimmerman:
"Defense attorneys will likely favor people age 40 and older, predicted Orlando jury consultant Susan Constantine. They'll also want managers, authority figures, people who are analytic — engineers, for example — those who are unemotional and will focus on the facts.
"Expect prosecutors to favor people ages 18 to 35, those with lower-paying jobs — for example, social workers, construction workers or people in service industries — and, in general, those who rely more on emotion in making decisions, Constantine said. Defense attorneys will favor whites, prosecutors blacks, she said."
, NPR's Greg Allen recapped the story and previewed the trial. Trayvon's death, and the way local prosecutors initially handled the case, sparked protests in several cities across the nation and reignited the national discussion about race relations.
Zimmerman has said he acted in self defense. But Trayvon's family and its supporters say Zimmerman racially profiled the 17-year-old, who had been walking through a Sanford neighborhood. Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood watch volunteer, had called police to report a "suspicious" looking person was in the area. The two then had a violent encounter. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/10/190310047/trayvon-martin-killing-2-sides-want-very-different-jurors lol such a candid way of saying the prosecution needs people who are going to kneejerk convict and ignore facts. I feel like if I was a prosecutor and that's what I needed to convict someone the case should be dropped. So insane :/ Consider that the jury consultant could be biased. Let me attempt to paint it in a different light: "Defense attorneys will favor people 40 and older in authority positions, who will side with the person in power in the situation and against the young, powerless individual. Prosecutors will favor people with younger, more flexible perspectives, who can empathize with the youth and ignore the attempts of the defense to slander him for drug use." You see? A lot of this is based on how you phrase things. I know there are an infinite amount of ways to say and present the same thing based off what your goal is, I just found this humorous. I'm sure most of the people on the side of the prosecution think they are doing the right thing. On the other hand, I'm sure there is more than one person behind this who is serving their own political agenda by playing the race game. That's the only reason this case has such a toxic publicity to it. This case has always sucked to me. It reminds me of a book I had to read for one of my law classes called No Heroes, No Villains. TL;DR: Some guy kills a cop on a train in the Bronx. The cop was off duty and not in uniform. Due to the sheer nature of the events it could not be exactly determined what the individual had done or what exchange took place between the off duty cop and the accused. Neither murder nor manslaughter fit the bill properly and eventually the guy only got in trouble for illegal possession of a firearm. Which due to the evidence (or lack thereof) was the only fair thing that could be done. Based off the information I have read/seen that's pretty much what I expect to happen here.
Yeah, it is basically this. I've never seen any evidence as to who started throwing punches when the two met. Nothing Zimmerman does is illegal unless he is the one who walks up to Trayvon and initiates a fight with him, which I simply highly doubt happened. We know they fought, Zimmerman was beat up fairly badly, and he shot Trayvon ending the fight. Dunno who started it and that is what matters.
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On June 14 2013 02:29 Romantic wrote:Show nested quote +On June 12 2013 16:15 RebirthOfLeGenD wrote:On June 11 2013 06:10 Acritter wrote:On June 11 2013 02:01 dAPhREAk wrote:On June 10 2013 21:14 esdf wrote:On June 09 2013 04:11 Sermokala wrote:On June 09 2013 04:05 Millitron wrote:On June 08 2013 13:02 sluggaslamoo wrote:On June 08 2013 09:51 dAPhREAk wrote:Jury's look into Trayvon Martin's past has its limits In the 15 months since their deadly altercation, George Zimmerman's and Travyon Martin’s pasts have been under a microscope, but recent court rulings could sharply restrict what a jury hears about any events that took place before their encounter on the fateful night.
Florida Circuit Judge Debra Nelson has declared a number of items off-limits for now to jurors who will decide if Zimmerman, 29, is guilty of second-degree murder in shooting death of Martin, 17.
They include:
A photo in which Martin shows his gold teeth to the camera while sticking up his middle fingers.
Martin’s school records, which include a suspension from his Miami high school -- less than a month before his altercation with Zimmerman – for possessing a baggie with marijuana residue.
Texts and photos from Martin’s cellphone that refer to or show firearms. "U gotta gun?" reads a text from Martin's phone, sent eight days before his death. The defense cited a photo of a hand holding a gun, taken with Martin’s phone, and another picture of a gun on a bed.
Texts with marijuana references, and photos that show Martin blowing smoke and what appear to be marijuana plants.
Texts and video that suggest that Martin was involved in organized fights.
Prosecutors argued that the information was irrelevant to what happened the night of Feb. 26, 2012, between two strangers who crossed paths in a gated community of Sanford, Fla., and Martin’s family accused the defense of trying to poison the jury pool with an unflattering portrayal of the teen.
After a hearing late last month, Nelson ruled the texts, photos and school records cannot be mentioned in opening statements or while the jury is in the courtroom unless she decides otherwise later.
There are a couple of scenarios under which Nelson might admit the items as evidence, legal analyst Kendall Coffey told NBC News.
Joe Burbank / AP file
In pre-trial hearings, Judge Debra Nelson has ruled that some texts and phone messages from Trayvon Martin's phone won't be seen by the jury — for now.
“If the prosecution through its presentation puts undue emphasis on Trayvon Martin having an impeccable record, or tries to indicate to a jury that he never had a problem with anyone in his life, you can expect the defense to jump up and vigorously demand they be allowed to rebut that,” Coffey said.
As a result, prosecutors are likely to be very cautious in characterizing Martin so they don’t open the door for Zimmerman’s team to bring in evidence that could make the teen look unsavory to jurors. “And the defense is going to be listening with big ears,” Coffey said.
The defense, he said, may have the most luck in getting the allegation that Martin was an experienced fighter before the jury.
“That’s blockbuster stuff, if they can get it into evidence, to suggest Trayvon Martin was a violent young man,” Coffey said. The trick, he said, would be finding someone from Martin’s community who knew him well enough and would be willing to testify on behalf of Zimmerman.
The judge has not yet decided whether the jury can hear that Martin had the active ingredient in marijuana in his system when he was killed, according to the autopsy report. The defense and prosecution disagree on the significance of the amount detected.
At a pre-trial hearing last week, Zimmerman lawyer Mark O’Mara stressed that he only planned to bring up Martin’s past if prosecutors tried to delve into his client’s history. Details O'Mara might not want the jury to hear include:
Zimmerman’s 2005 arrest for “resisting officer with violence” and “battery of law enforcement officer” after a confrontation with an officer who was questioning a friend for alleged underage drinking. The charges were reduced to “resisting officer without violence” and then waived when he entered an alcohol education program, according to court documents.
A 2005 civil motion filed by Zimmerman’s ex-fiancee for a restraining order alleging domestic violence. Zimmerman counterfiled for a restraining order, and both were granted.
Coffey said the judge will rule on those issues as they arise and said it could depend on whether Zimmerman, who has pleaded not guilty, testifies in his own defense.
“If George Zimmerman gets on the stand and tells his life story as witnesses typically do, a broader category of things about his background are fair game,” he said.
Editor's note: George Zimmerman has sued NBCUniversal for defamation. The company has strongly denied his allegations. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/07/18832092-jurys-look-into-trayvon-martins-past-has-its-limits?lite I don't understand why the traces of marijuana is such a big deal. Marijuana starts fights? That's a first. I guess it would help if there are many uninformed people in the jury. Maybe they could be construed to mean he's into the larger drug culture. Sure, getting high doesn't make you start fights, but everyone agrees that drugs fuel gang violence. That's the only connection I can see, and I agree, it's pretty nonsensical. Its more the suspension from school and the fights and crime that trayvon committed beyond the guns and drugs he shouldn't have been anywhere near. The prosecution can't paint trayvon as an innocent kid like the media did, the judge would have to allow the defense to show the jury how Zimmerman was completely justified in confronting trayvon on what he was doing in the area. I've no idea why jury won't be able to take in to account Martin's school suspension, history of fighting, gun possesion and drug use. This seems to me like it has been constructed to look like a racist case/hatred crime (or how's it called on English) at all costs. Don't know who'd have any interest in making it look like that tho. in the US system, previous history and/or character evidence are irrelevant because they do not show what actually happened on the date in question, and are prejudicial because if jurors know about prior history/character evidence they may make decisions based on that rather than the facts (or absence thereof) showing what happened on the date in question. of course, if you can show some independent relevance (e.g., previous fights may tend to show that trayvon was in fact a good fighter, which supports zimmerman's theory that he got his ass handed to him) then the court will allow it--but courts are very skeptical about this type of evidence. think of this: biggest bully in high school is walking down the street and unprovoked one of his prior victims who is lying in wait kills him with a baseball bat without the bully even seeing whats coming. should they be allowed to show his prior history of bullying to show self defense? of course not. this was a premeditated crime and self defense was clearly inapplicable. however, if you start throwing in all the prior bullying and paint the victim as a bad person, the juror may ignore the clear evidence and acquit. that is not allowed. But history of something like anger issues can be extremely relevant. If someone has a history of getting angry and reacting inappropriately, it can definitely be applied to a case like this. Of course, this is only relevant when we are so lacking in direct evidence that we have to rely on inferences, but simply saying that it's irrelevant can't be correct. If you want an example: say that we're in a he-said-she-said situation, and one party or the other has multiple perjury counts. Who are you going to believe? On June 11 2013 06:08 RebirthOfLeGenD wrote:On June 11 2013 02:34 dAPhREAk wrote:TRIAL IS CURRENTLY UNDERWAY -- Prosecutor and Defendant are selecting jurors. Trayvon Martin Killing: 2 Sides Want Very Different Jurors Nearly 16 months after the , the man charged with second-degree murder is due in court Monday for the start of his trial.
According to experts , the prosecution and defense will be looking for very different kinds of people to sit on the jury that will hear the evidence against George Zimmerman:
"Defense attorneys will likely favor people age 40 and older, predicted Orlando jury consultant Susan Constantine. They'll also want managers, authority figures, people who are analytic — engineers, for example — those who are unemotional and will focus on the facts.
"Expect prosecutors to favor people ages 18 to 35, those with lower-paying jobs — for example, social workers, construction workers or people in service industries — and, in general, those who rely more on emotion in making decisions, Constantine said. Defense attorneys will favor whites, prosecutors blacks, she said."
, NPR's Greg Allen recapped the story and previewed the trial. Trayvon's death, and the way local prosecutors initially handled the case, sparked protests in several cities across the nation and reignited the national discussion about race relations.
Zimmerman has said he acted in self defense. But Trayvon's family and its supporters say Zimmerman racially profiled the 17-year-old, who had been walking through a Sanford neighborhood. Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood watch volunteer, had called police to report a "suspicious" looking person was in the area. The two then had a violent encounter. http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/06/10/190310047/trayvon-martin-killing-2-sides-want-very-different-jurors lol such a candid way of saying the prosecution needs people who are going to kneejerk convict and ignore facts. I feel like if I was a prosecutor and that's what I needed to convict someone the case should be dropped. So insane :/ Consider that the jury consultant could be biased. Let me attempt to paint it in a different light: "Defense attorneys will favor people 40 and older in authority positions, who will side with the person in power in the situation and against the young, powerless individual. Prosecutors will favor people with younger, more flexible perspectives, who can empathize with the youth and ignore the attempts of the defense to slander him for drug use." You see? A lot of this is based on how you phrase things. I know there are an infinite amount of ways to say and present the same thing based off what your goal is, I just found this humorous. I'm sure most of the people on the side of the prosecution think they are doing the right thing. On the other hand, I'm sure there is more than one person behind this who is serving their own political agenda by playing the race game. That's the only reason this case has such a toxic publicity to it. This case has always sucked to me. It reminds me of a book I had to read for one of my law classes called No Heroes, No Villains. TL;DR: Some guy kills a cop on a train in the Bronx. The cop was off duty and not in uniform. Due to the sheer nature of the events it could not be exactly determined what the individual had done or what exchange took place between the off duty cop and the accused. Neither murder nor manslaughter fit the bill properly and eventually the guy only got in trouble for illegal possession of a firearm. Which due to the evidence (or lack thereof) was the only fair thing that could be done. Based off the information I have read/seen that's pretty much what I expect to happen here. Yeah, it is basically this. I've never seen any evidence as to who started throwing punches when the two met. Nothing Zimmerman does is illegal unless he is the one who walks up to Trayvon and initiates a fight with him, which I simply highly doubt happened. We know they fought, Zimmerman was beat up fairly badly, and he shot Trayvon ending the fight. Dunno who started it and that is what matters.
even if zimmerman walked up to trayvon and punched him in the face without provocation, he still has the ability to assert self defense in certain limited circumstances:
2. (Defendant) initially provoked the use of force against [himself] [herself], unless:
a. The force asserted toward the defendant was so great that [he] [she] reasonably believed that [he] [she] was in imminent danger of death or great 63 bodily harm and had exhausted every reasonable means to escape the danger, other than using deadly force on (assailant).
b. In good faith, the defendant withdrew from physical contact with (assailant) and clearly indicated to (assailant) that [he] [she] wanted to withdraw and stop the use of deadly force, but (assailant) continued or resumed the use of force .
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BIG NEWS - jury to be sequestered. This is not standard.
Trayvon Martin murder trial jury to be sequestered: judge
The jury in the racially-charged Trayvon Martin case in Florida will be sequestered during the murder trial of the neighborhood watchman who killed the unarmed black teenager, the judge ruled on Thursday.
Seating an impartial jury in the trial of George Zimmerman in a central Florida court may not be as problematic as many had initially feared, despite blanket media coverage that captivated the United States for much of 2012.
The search for potential jurors who claim they know little or nothing at all about the shooting has been moving slowly after jury selection began on Monday in Seminole County criminal court.
But in a sign of progress, some potential jurors said they knew the basic outlines of the case and needed to be prodded by lawyers to recall any specific details.
The judge's order to sequester the jury of six and four alternates means that all ten people eventually chosen will be kept in a private location such as a hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last two to four weeks.
Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said the identities of the jurors will not be made public.
No jurors have been selected so far to hear evidence in a case in which Zimmerman claims self-defense in the February 26, 2012 shooting. Zimmerman, a 29-year-old light-skinned Hispanic, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.
"The judge is definitely trying to move things along," said David Weinstein, a former state prosecutor now in private practice in Miami with the firm Clarke Silvergate.
Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers, guided by a judge, select a panel within a day or two although that can drag out in high-profile cases where judges know intense media attention can influence potential jurors.
On Thursday morning, a white recent high school graduate said he surmised a few details from Facebook, such as that a black person was shot and that Zimmerman was the shooter. He said the topic was very controversial among fellow students at school but he recognized many were just making up "facts."
Some 20 prospective jurors have made it through the first round of questioning, focused largely on their exposure and reaction to widespread pre-trial publicity. Ten more are needed before a group of 30 will move on to further questioning about their views on issues related to the case, such as race and gun laws.
The case drew intense scrutiny and ignited protests because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Martin in a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
Some potential jurors, like a middle-aged woman who works in a hospital operating room, told the court she only catches a few minutes of news in the morning before her commute. She and others described a daily work schedule that left little time for television viewing.
One prospect, referred to in court as B-72, even apologized twice for his professed ignorance about the case.
"I know it sounds bad," he said. "I didn't care about it. It didn't involve me. It didn't involve anyone I know."
A black woman referred to as R-65 claimed to have heard nothing about the case until a prayer was offered for both the Martin and Zimmerman families by her pastor at church.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95C0UB20130613
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TLADT24920 Posts
2-4 weeks for the trial? I honestly thought this trial would take months and months considering how high profile it is but it's interesting that they have been able to find some people so far with not much background on the case. This case is getting more interesting. Hopefully justice will come out in the end!
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On June 14 2013 04:51 dAPhREAk wrote:BIG NEWS - jury to be sequestered. This is not standard. Trayvon Martin murder trial jury to be sequestered: judge Show nested quote +The jury in the racially-charged Trayvon Martin case in Florida will be sequestered during the murder trial of the neighborhood watchman who killed the unarmed black teenager, the judge ruled on Thursday.
Seating an impartial jury in the trial of George Zimmerman in a central Florida court may not be as problematic as many had initially feared, despite blanket media coverage that captivated the United States for much of 2012.
The search for potential jurors who claim they know little or nothing at all about the shooting has been moving slowly after jury selection began on Monday in Seminole County criminal court.
But in a sign of progress, some potential jurors said they knew the basic outlines of the case and needed to be prodded by lawyers to recall any specific details.
The judge's order to sequester the jury of six and four alternates means that all ten people eventually chosen will be kept in a private location such as a hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last two to four weeks.
Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said the identities of the jurors will not be made public.
No jurors have been selected so far to hear evidence in a case in which Zimmerman claims self-defense in the February 26, 2012 shooting. Zimmerman, a 29-year-old light-skinned Hispanic, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.
"The judge is definitely trying to move things along," said David Weinstein, a former state prosecutor now in private practice in Miami with the firm Clarke Silvergate.
Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers, guided by a judge, select a panel within a day or two although that can drag out in high-profile cases where judges know intense media attention can influence potential jurors.
On Thursday morning, a white recent high school graduate said he surmised a few details from Facebook, such as that a black person was shot and that Zimmerman was the shooter. He said the topic was very controversial among fellow students at school but he recognized many were just making up "facts."
Some 20 prospective jurors have made it through the first round of questioning, focused largely on their exposure and reaction to widespread pre-trial publicity. Ten more are needed before a group of 30 will move on to further questioning about their views on issues related to the case, such as race and gun laws.
The case drew intense scrutiny and ignited protests because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Martin in a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
Some potential jurors, like a middle-aged woman who works in a hospital operating room, told the court she only catches a few minutes of news in the morning before her commute. She and others described a daily work schedule that left little time for television viewing.
One prospect, referred to in court as B-72, even apologized twice for his professed ignorance about the case.
"I know it sounds bad," he said. "I didn't care about it. It didn't involve me. It didn't involve anyone I know."
A black woman referred to as R-65 claimed to have heard nothing about the case until a prayer was offered for both the Martin and Zimmerman families by her pastor at church. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95C0UB20130613
Though not "standard" in general, sequestering the jury is very common in high-profile cases.
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On June 14 2013 05:38 BigFan wrote:
2-4 weeks for the trial? I honestly thought this trial would take months and months considering how high profile it is but it's interesting that they have been able to find some people so far with not much background on the case. This case is getting more interesting. Hopefully justice will come out in the end!
Attorneys have a bad habit of beating dead horses at trial. It's very rare that they put on tight, concise cases --- particularly in criminal cases.
That said, from my limited understanding of the available evidence, I don't think that there's that much to work. This isn't a heavy-duty forensics case. There aren't issues with identification. Hell, there aren't even any witnesses to the incident other than the defendant. Basically, there's not much reason for this to be a long trial.
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TLADT24920 Posts
On June 14 2013 05:52 xDaunt wrote:Show nested quote +On June 14 2013 05:38 BigFan wrote:
2-4 weeks for the trial? I honestly thought this trial would take months and months considering how high profile it is but it's interesting that they have been able to find some people so far with not much background on the case. This case is getting more interesting. Hopefully justice will come out in the end! Attorneys have a bad habit of beating dead horses at trial. It's very rare that they put on tight, concise cases --- particularly in criminal cases. That said, from my limited understanding of the available evidence, I don't think that there's that much to work. This isn't a heavy-duty forensics case. There aren't issues with identification. Hell, there aren't even any witnesses to the incident other than the defendant. Basically, there's not much reason for this to be a long trial.
hmm fair enough. Was looking at it from the perspective of being a high profile case, not that there isn't much evidence which is true.
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On June 14 2013 05:49 xDaunt wrote:Show nested quote +On June 14 2013 04:51 dAPhREAk wrote:BIG NEWS - jury to be sequestered. This is not standard. Trayvon Martin murder trial jury to be sequestered: judge The jury in the racially-charged Trayvon Martin case in Florida will be sequestered during the murder trial of the neighborhood watchman who killed the unarmed black teenager, the judge ruled on Thursday.
Seating an impartial jury in the trial of George Zimmerman in a central Florida court may not be as problematic as many had initially feared, despite blanket media coverage that captivated the United States for much of 2012.
The search for potential jurors who claim they know little or nothing at all about the shooting has been moving slowly after jury selection began on Monday in Seminole County criminal court.
But in a sign of progress, some potential jurors said they knew the basic outlines of the case and needed to be prodded by lawyers to recall any specific details.
The judge's order to sequester the jury of six and four alternates means that all ten people eventually chosen will be kept in a private location such as a hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last two to four weeks.
Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said the identities of the jurors will not be made public.
No jurors have been selected so far to hear evidence in a case in which Zimmerman claims self-defense in the February 26, 2012 shooting. Zimmerman, a 29-year-old light-skinned Hispanic, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.
"The judge is definitely trying to move things along," said David Weinstein, a former state prosecutor now in private practice in Miami with the firm Clarke Silvergate.
Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers, guided by a judge, select a panel within a day or two although that can drag out in high-profile cases where judges know intense media attention can influence potential jurors.
On Thursday morning, a white recent high school graduate said he surmised a few details from Facebook, such as that a black person was shot and that Zimmerman was the shooter. He said the topic was very controversial among fellow students at school but he recognized many were just making up "facts."
Some 20 prospective jurors have made it through the first round of questioning, focused largely on their exposure and reaction to widespread pre-trial publicity. Ten more are needed before a group of 30 will move on to further questioning about their views on issues related to the case, such as race and gun laws.
The case drew intense scrutiny and ignited protests because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Martin in a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
Some potential jurors, like a middle-aged woman who works in a hospital operating room, told the court she only catches a few minutes of news in the morning before her commute. She and others described a daily work schedule that left little time for television viewing.
One prospect, referred to in court as B-72, even apologized twice for his professed ignorance about the case.
"I know it sounds bad," he said. "I didn't care about it. It didn't involve me. It didn't involve anyone I know."
A black woman referred to as R-65 claimed to have heard nothing about the case until a prayer was offered for both the Martin and Zimmerman families by her pastor at church. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95C0UB20130613 Though not "standard" in general, sequestering the jury is very common in high-profile cases.
i have never seen it done, and the judge originally said that she would not sequester the jury in this case even though it was "high profile." i imagine the jurors expressing fear for their safety changed her mind.
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Are potential jurors sworn under oath to tell the truth? I hope there aren't people lying their way into the jury in an attempt to pervert the course of justice.
Trayvon Martin justice group member tries to get onto George Zimmerman juryA member of a pro-Travyon Martin group was unmasked Wednesday as he tried to get on the Florida jury in George Zimmerman’s trial for shooting the unarmed teen. A white male potential juror identified on his Facebook page as Jerry Counelis gave long, rambling answers about his impartiality when asked basic questions by attorneys. [...] According to its Facebook page, the Coffee Party Progressives is a group “dedicated to seeking justice for Trayvon Martin.” On March 21, Counelis wrote on its page that the justice system “needs an enema.” “In Sanford … & I CAN tell you THIS. ‘Justice’ IS Coming!” he wrote, adding that “with the noise WE made … it couldn’t be covered up.” http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/pro-trayvon-martin-man-george-zimmerman-jury-article-1.1370906
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On June 14 2013 06:29 dAPhREAk wrote:Show nested quote +On June 14 2013 05:49 xDaunt wrote:On June 14 2013 04:51 dAPhREAk wrote:BIG NEWS - jury to be sequestered. This is not standard. Trayvon Martin murder trial jury to be sequestered: judge The jury in the racially-charged Trayvon Martin case in Florida will be sequestered during the murder trial of the neighborhood watchman who killed the unarmed black teenager, the judge ruled on Thursday.
Seating an impartial jury in the trial of George Zimmerman in a central Florida court may not be as problematic as many had initially feared, despite blanket media coverage that captivated the United States for much of 2012.
The search for potential jurors who claim they know little or nothing at all about the shooting has been moving slowly after jury selection began on Monday in Seminole County criminal court.
But in a sign of progress, some potential jurors said they knew the basic outlines of the case and needed to be prodded by lawyers to recall any specific details.
The judge's order to sequester the jury of six and four alternates means that all ten people eventually chosen will be kept in a private location such as a hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last two to four weeks.
Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said the identities of the jurors will not be made public.
No jurors have been selected so far to hear evidence in a case in which Zimmerman claims self-defense in the February 26, 2012 shooting. Zimmerman, a 29-year-old light-skinned Hispanic, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.
"The judge is definitely trying to move things along," said David Weinstein, a former state prosecutor now in private practice in Miami with the firm Clarke Silvergate.
Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers, guided by a judge, select a panel within a day or two although that can drag out in high-profile cases where judges know intense media attention can influence potential jurors.
On Thursday morning, a white recent high school graduate said he surmised a few details from Facebook, such as that a black person was shot and that Zimmerman was the shooter. He said the topic was very controversial among fellow students at school but he recognized many were just making up "facts."
Some 20 prospective jurors have made it through the first round of questioning, focused largely on their exposure and reaction to widespread pre-trial publicity. Ten more are needed before a group of 30 will move on to further questioning about their views on issues related to the case, such as race and gun laws.
The case drew intense scrutiny and ignited protests because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Martin in a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
Some potential jurors, like a middle-aged woman who works in a hospital operating room, told the court she only catches a few minutes of news in the morning before her commute. She and others described a daily work schedule that left little time for television viewing.
One prospect, referred to in court as B-72, even apologized twice for his professed ignorance about the case.
"I know it sounds bad," he said. "I didn't care about it. It didn't involve me. It didn't involve anyone I know."
A black woman referred to as R-65 claimed to have heard nothing about the case until a prayer was offered for both the Martin and Zimmerman families by her pastor at church. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95C0UB20130613 Though not "standard" in general, sequestering the jury is very common in high-profile cases. i have never seen it done, and the judge originally said that she would not sequester the jury in this case even though it was "high profile." i imagine the jurors expressing fear for their safety changed her mind.
If you've never seen a jury sequestered, you haven't followed many court proceedings.
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On June 14 2013 23:38 Zaqwe wrote:Are potential jurors sworn under oath to tell the truth? I hope there aren't people lying their way into the jury in an attempt to pervert the course of justice. Show nested quote +Trayvon Martin justice group member tries to get onto George Zimmerman juryA member of a pro-Travyon Martin group was unmasked Wednesday as he tried to get on the Florida jury in George Zimmerman’s trial for shooting the unarmed teen. A white male potential juror identified on his Facebook page as Jerry Counelis gave long, rambling answers about his impartiality when asked basic questions by attorneys. [...] According to its Facebook page, the Coffee Party Progressives is a group “dedicated to seeking justice for Trayvon Martin.” On March 21, Counelis wrote on its page that the justice system “needs an enema.” “In Sanford … & I CAN tell you THIS. ‘Justice’ IS Coming!” he wrote, adding that “with the noise WE made … it couldn’t be covered up.” http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/pro-trayvon-martin-man-george-zimmerman-jury-article-1.1370906
Yes, jurors are sworn in during voir dire before the lawyers and judge ask them questions.
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How often to jurors in high profile cases get charged for trying to lie their way onto the jury? I have never heard of it happening. Hopefully they enforce it if anyone is caught blatantly lying.
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On June 15 2013 00:30 Zaqwe wrote:
How often to jurors in high profile cases get charged for trying to lie their way onto the jury? I have never heard of it happening. Hopefully they enforce it if anyone is caught blatantly lying.
Unless it's really serious, judges tend to let perjury and "misrepresentations" slide. Personally, I think that they're too lenient.
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On June 14 2013 23:59 Rho_ wrote:Show nested quote +On June 14 2013 06:29 dAPhREAk wrote:On June 14 2013 05:49 xDaunt wrote:On June 14 2013 04:51 dAPhREAk wrote:BIG NEWS - jury to be sequestered. This is not standard. Trayvon Martin murder trial jury to be sequestered: judge The jury in the racially-charged Trayvon Martin case in Florida will be sequestered during the murder trial of the neighborhood watchman who killed the unarmed black teenager, the judge ruled on Thursday.
Seating an impartial jury in the trial of George Zimmerman in a central Florida court may not be as problematic as many had initially feared, despite blanket media coverage that captivated the United States for much of 2012.
The search for potential jurors who claim they know little or nothing at all about the shooting has been moving slowly after jury selection began on Monday in Seminole County criminal court.
But in a sign of progress, some potential jurors said they knew the basic outlines of the case and needed to be prodded by lawyers to recall any specific details.
The judge's order to sequester the jury of six and four alternates means that all ten people eventually chosen will be kept in a private location such as a hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last two to four weeks.
Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said the identities of the jurors will not be made public.
No jurors have been selected so far to hear evidence in a case in which Zimmerman claims self-defense in the February 26, 2012 shooting. Zimmerman, a 29-year-old light-skinned Hispanic, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.
"The judge is definitely trying to move things along," said David Weinstein, a former state prosecutor now in private practice in Miami with the firm Clarke Silvergate.
Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers, guided by a judge, select a panel within a day or two although that can drag out in high-profile cases where judges know intense media attention can influence potential jurors.
On Thursday morning, a white recent high school graduate said he surmised a few details from Facebook, such as that a black person was shot and that Zimmerman was the shooter. He said the topic was very controversial among fellow students at school but he recognized many were just making up "facts."
Some 20 prospective jurors have made it through the first round of questioning, focused largely on their exposure and reaction to widespread pre-trial publicity. Ten more are needed before a group of 30 will move on to further questioning about their views on issues related to the case, such as race and gun laws.
The case drew intense scrutiny and ignited protests because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Martin in a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
Some potential jurors, like a middle-aged woman who works in a hospital operating room, told the court she only catches a few minutes of news in the morning before her commute. She and others described a daily work schedule that left little time for television viewing.
One prospect, referred to in court as B-72, even apologized twice for his professed ignorance about the case.
"I know it sounds bad," he said. "I didn't care about it. It didn't involve me. It didn't involve anyone I know."
A black woman referred to as R-65 claimed to have heard nothing about the case until a prayer was offered for both the Martin and Zimmerman families by her pastor at church. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95C0UB20130613 Though not "standard" in general, sequestering the jury is very common in high-profile cases. i have never seen it done, and the judge originally said that she would not sequester the jury in this case even though it was "high profile." i imagine the jurors expressing fear for their safety changed her mind. If you've never seen a jury sequestered, you haven't followed many court proceedings.
its an incredible burden on the jurors and their family to have them holed up in a hotel...why are you guys acting like this isnt rare? especially since the court did a 180 on this issue because she felt it was inappropriate at first to sequester them.
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On June 15 2013 00:50 dAPhREAk wrote:Show nested quote +On June 14 2013 23:59 Rho_ wrote:On June 14 2013 06:29 dAPhREAk wrote:On June 14 2013 05:49 xDaunt wrote:On June 14 2013 04:51 dAPhREAk wrote:BIG NEWS - jury to be sequestered. This is not standard. Trayvon Martin murder trial jury to be sequestered: judge The jury in the racially-charged Trayvon Martin case in Florida will be sequestered during the murder trial of the neighborhood watchman who killed the unarmed black teenager, the judge ruled on Thursday.
Seating an impartial jury in the trial of George Zimmerman in a central Florida court may not be as problematic as many had initially feared, despite blanket media coverage that captivated the United States for much of 2012.
The search for potential jurors who claim they know little or nothing at all about the shooting has been moving slowly after jury selection began on Monday in Seminole County criminal court.
But in a sign of progress, some potential jurors said they knew the basic outlines of the case and needed to be prodded by lawyers to recall any specific details.
The judge's order to sequester the jury of six and four alternates means that all ten people eventually chosen will be kept in a private location such as a hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last two to four weeks.
Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said the identities of the jurors will not be made public.
No jurors have been selected so far to hear evidence in a case in which Zimmerman claims self-defense in the February 26, 2012 shooting. Zimmerman, a 29-year-old light-skinned Hispanic, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.
"The judge is definitely trying to move things along," said David Weinstein, a former state prosecutor now in private practice in Miami with the firm Clarke Silvergate.
Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers, guided by a judge, select a panel within a day or two although that can drag out in high-profile cases where judges know intense media attention can influence potential jurors.
On Thursday morning, a white recent high school graduate said he surmised a few details from Facebook, such as that a black person was shot and that Zimmerman was the shooter. He said the topic was very controversial among fellow students at school but he recognized many were just making up "facts."
Some 20 prospective jurors have made it through the first round of questioning, focused largely on their exposure and reaction to widespread pre-trial publicity. Ten more are needed before a group of 30 will move on to further questioning about their views on issues related to the case, such as race and gun laws.
The case drew intense scrutiny and ignited protests because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Martin in a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
Some potential jurors, like a middle-aged woman who works in a hospital operating room, told the court she only catches a few minutes of news in the morning before her commute. She and others described a daily work schedule that left little time for television viewing.
One prospect, referred to in court as B-72, even apologized twice for his professed ignorance about the case.
"I know it sounds bad," he said. "I didn't care about it. It didn't involve me. It didn't involve anyone I know."
A black woman referred to as R-65 claimed to have heard nothing about the case until a prayer was offered for both the Martin and Zimmerman families by her pastor at church. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95C0UB20130613 Though not "standard" in general, sequestering the jury is very common in high-profile cases. i have never seen it done, and the judge originally said that she would not sequester the jury in this case even though it was "high profile." i imagine the jurors expressing fear for their safety changed her mind. If you've never seen a jury sequestered, you haven't followed many court proceedings. its an incredible burden on the jurors and their family to have them holed up in a hotel...why are you guys acting like this isnt rare? especially since the court did a 180 on this issue because she felt it was inappropriate at first to sequester them.
I was actually quite shocked at her initial position.
I am no lawyer but with so much publicity, so many death threats, and emotions running so high, what was the justification not to do it in the first place? If it is needed in any case it should be this one.
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On June 15 2013 00:55 Zaqwe wrote:Show nested quote +On June 15 2013 00:50 dAPhREAk wrote:On June 14 2013 23:59 Rho_ wrote:On June 14 2013 06:29 dAPhREAk wrote:On June 14 2013 05:49 xDaunt wrote:On June 14 2013 04:51 dAPhREAk wrote:BIG NEWS - jury to be sequestered. This is not standard. Trayvon Martin murder trial jury to be sequestered: judge The jury in the racially-charged Trayvon Martin case in Florida will be sequestered during the murder trial of the neighborhood watchman who killed the unarmed black teenager, the judge ruled on Thursday.
Seating an impartial jury in the trial of George Zimmerman in a central Florida court may not be as problematic as many had initially feared, despite blanket media coverage that captivated the United States for much of 2012.
The search for potential jurors who claim they know little or nothing at all about the shooting has been moving slowly after jury selection began on Monday in Seminole County criminal court.
But in a sign of progress, some potential jurors said they knew the basic outlines of the case and needed to be prodded by lawyers to recall any specific details.
The judge's order to sequester the jury of six and four alternates means that all ten people eventually chosen will be kept in a private location such as a hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last two to four weeks.
Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said the identities of the jurors will not be made public.
No jurors have been selected so far to hear evidence in a case in which Zimmerman claims self-defense in the February 26, 2012 shooting. Zimmerman, a 29-year-old light-skinned Hispanic, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.
"The judge is definitely trying to move things along," said David Weinstein, a former state prosecutor now in private practice in Miami with the firm Clarke Silvergate.
Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers, guided by a judge, select a panel within a day or two although that can drag out in high-profile cases where judges know intense media attention can influence potential jurors.
On Thursday morning, a white recent high school graduate said he surmised a few details from Facebook, such as that a black person was shot and that Zimmerman was the shooter. He said the topic was very controversial among fellow students at school but he recognized many were just making up "facts."
Some 20 prospective jurors have made it through the first round of questioning, focused largely on their exposure and reaction to widespread pre-trial publicity. Ten more are needed before a group of 30 will move on to further questioning about their views on issues related to the case, such as race and gun laws.
The case drew intense scrutiny and ignited protests because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Martin in a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
Some potential jurors, like a middle-aged woman who works in a hospital operating room, told the court she only catches a few minutes of news in the morning before her commute. She and others described a daily work schedule that left little time for television viewing.
One prospect, referred to in court as B-72, even apologized twice for his professed ignorance about the case.
"I know it sounds bad," he said. "I didn't care about it. It didn't involve me. It didn't involve anyone I know."
A black woman referred to as R-65 claimed to have heard nothing about the case until a prayer was offered for both the Martin and Zimmerman families by her pastor at church. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95C0UB20130613 Though not "standard" in general, sequestering the jury is very common in high-profile cases. i have never seen it done, and the judge originally said that she would not sequester the jury in this case even though it was "high profile." i imagine the jurors expressing fear for their safety changed her mind. If you've never seen a jury sequestered, you haven't followed many court proceedings. its an incredible burden on the jurors and their family to have them holed up in a hotel...why are you guys acting like this isnt rare? especially since the court did a 180 on this issue because she felt it was inappropriate at first to sequester them. I was actually quite shocked at her initial position. I am no lawyer but with so much publicity, so many death threats, and emotions running so high, what was the justification not to do it in the first place? If it is needed in any case it should be this one.
Yep. This is precisely the kind of case where the jury is likely to be sequestered.
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On June 15 2013 00:55 Zaqwe wrote:Show nested quote +On June 15 2013 00:50 dAPhREAk wrote:On June 14 2013 23:59 Rho_ wrote:On June 14 2013 06:29 dAPhREAk wrote:On June 14 2013 05:49 xDaunt wrote:On June 14 2013 04:51 dAPhREAk wrote:BIG NEWS - jury to be sequestered. This is not standard. Trayvon Martin murder trial jury to be sequestered: judge The jury in the racially-charged Trayvon Martin case in Florida will be sequestered during the murder trial of the neighborhood watchman who killed the unarmed black teenager, the judge ruled on Thursday.
Seating an impartial jury in the trial of George Zimmerman in a central Florida court may not be as problematic as many had initially feared, despite blanket media coverage that captivated the United States for much of 2012.
The search for potential jurors who claim they know little or nothing at all about the shooting has been moving slowly after jury selection began on Monday in Seminole County criminal court.
But in a sign of progress, some potential jurors said they knew the basic outlines of the case and needed to be prodded by lawyers to recall any specific details.
The judge's order to sequester the jury of six and four alternates means that all ten people eventually chosen will be kept in a private location such as a hotel for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last two to four weeks.
Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson has said the identities of the jurors will not be made public.
No jurors have been selected so far to hear evidence in a case in which Zimmerman claims self-defense in the February 26, 2012 shooting. Zimmerman, a 29-year-old light-skinned Hispanic, faces up to life imprisonment if convicted of the second-degree murder charge.
"The judge is definitely trying to move things along," said David Weinstein, a former state prosecutor now in private practice in Miami with the firm Clarke Silvergate.
Typically, prosecutors and defense lawyers, guided by a judge, select a panel within a day or two although that can drag out in high-profile cases where judges know intense media attention can influence potential jurors.
On Thursday morning, a white recent high school graduate said he surmised a few details from Facebook, such as that a black person was shot and that Zimmerman was the shooter. He said the topic was very controversial among fellow students at school but he recognized many were just making up "facts."
Some 20 prospective jurors have made it through the first round of questioning, focused largely on their exposure and reaction to widespread pre-trial publicity. Ten more are needed before a group of 30 will move on to further questioning about their views on issues related to the case, such as race and gun laws.
The case drew intense scrutiny and ignited protests because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, saying he acted in self-defense during a confrontation with Martin in a gated community in the central Florida town of Sanford.
Some potential jurors, like a middle-aged woman who works in a hospital operating room, told the court she only catches a few minutes of news in the morning before her commute. She and others described a daily work schedule that left little time for television viewing.
One prospect, referred to in court as B-72, even apologized twice for his professed ignorance about the case.
"I know it sounds bad," he said. "I didn't care about it. It didn't involve me. It didn't involve anyone I know."
A black woman referred to as R-65 claimed to have heard nothing about the case until a prayer was offered for both the Martin and Zimmerman families by her pastor at church. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/13/us-usa-florida-shooting-idUSBRE95C0UB20130613 Though not "standard" in general, sequestering the jury is very common in high-profile cases. i have never seen it done, and the judge originally said that she would not sequester the jury in this case even though it was "high profile." i imagine the jurors expressing fear for their safety changed her mind. If you've never seen a jury sequestered, you haven't followed many court proceedings. its an incredible burden on the jurors and their family to have them holed up in a hotel...why are you guys acting like this isnt rare? especially since the court did a 180 on this issue because she felt it was inappropriate at first to sequester them. I was actually quite shocked at her initial position. I am no lawyer but with so much publicity, so many death threats, and emotions running so high, what was the justification not to do it in the first place? If it is needed in any case it should be this one.
telling jurors that they have to leave their lives for a month (limited or no contact with family, limited or no contact with friends, only regulated tv/radio, etc.) is not something judges are willing to do without substantial justification. she originally granted anonymity of the jurors which covers most of the concerns expressed. the "death threats" is overstated in my opinion.
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