Female jury will try George Zimmerman in shooting death of Trayvon Martin

A jury has been selected for the Florida trial of George Zimmerman, who is accused of second-degree murder in the shooting of Trayvon Martin last year. Zimmerman’s attorneys will argue that he killed Martin in self-defense.

Martin was black, and Zimmerman identifies as Hispanic, and the judge is trying to make sure that racial tension does not affect the outcome of the trial. Today, the judge set limits on what prosecutors could tell the jury in their opening statement:

Prosecutors can argue in opening statements that George Zimmerman profiled Trayvon Martin based on factors such as age or clothing before he shot the unarmed 17-year-old, but they cannot say he was profiled based on race. . .

Judge Debra Nelson made the ruling ahead of Monday’s expected opening statements in Zimmerman’s second-degree murder trial.

Defense attorneys had asked the judge to prohibit prosecutors from using a series of words in opening statements that they deemed inflammatory. Those words included “profiled,” “vigilante,” “wannabe cop,” and that Zimmerman had confronted Martin, who was black. Zimmerman identifies as Hispanic.

The judge said all of those statements may be used, provided that race is not discussed if the issue of profiling is brought up.

Prosecutor John Guy had argued that there were a number of ways someone could be profiled other than race.

“That is not a racially charged term unless it’s made so, and we don’t intend to make it a racially charged term,” Guy said. “There are a number of avenues someone can be profiled in any one way or combination. We don’t intend to say he was solely profiled because of race.”Associated Press

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