Issues Cleared Before Monday's Opening Statements In Zimmerman Trial
SANFORD (CBSMiami/AP) - The all-female jury for the trial of George Zimmerman, the man claiming self-defense in the shooting of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, are expected to hear opening statements Monday.
On Friday, Judge Debra Nelson ruled that prosecutors may say that Zimmerman, 29, profiled 17-year-old Martin but they are not allowed to say that Martin, from Miami, was racially profiled.
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
The judge said all of those statements may be used, provided that race is not discussed if the issue of profiling is brought up.
Zimmerman, an ex-neighborhood watch volunteer, is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder for fatally shooting Martin in February of 2012.
The judge said all of those statements may be used, provided that race is not discussed if the issue of profiling is brought up.
On Thursday, after about two weeks of narrowing down potential jurors, six women moved forward from the second round of questioning in the selection process.
The women will remain unidentified until sometime after the trial is over, which could last two weeks to a month after the opening statements on Monday.
Race and ethnicity have played a prominent role in the case. While the court did not release the racial makeup of the jury, the panel appeared to reporters covering jury selection to be made up of five white women and a sixth who may be Hispanic. Below are some details the unidentified women shared during the two weeks of jury selection.
Juror B-51 is retired, not married and doesn't have kids. She has lived in Seminole County for nine years. She has worked in real estate and run a call center where she said she had experience resolving conflicts. When asked if Zimmerman did something wrong by following Martin instead of waiting for police, she said: "Yeah, I guess he did do something wrong."
Female juror B-29 recently moved to central Florida from Chicago. She enjoys watching the "Real Housewives" on television and works as a nurse on an Alzheimer's section of a nursing home. She said she hadn't paid much attention to the shooting. She said she has been arrested, but her case was disposed of. It's not clear why she was arrested or exactly what happened to her case, though she said she was treated fairly. She is married and has several children. A prosecutor described her as "black or Hispanic" during jury selection.
Juror B-76 is a white woman who has lived in central Florida for 18 years. She manages rental properties with her husband of 30 years. She has two adult children, including one who is an attorney. She is involved with rescuing animals in her free time. During jury selection, she said she had been the victim of a nonviolent crime. "Everyone deserves a fair trial," she said.
Juror B-37 is a white woman who volunteers rescuing animals. She is married to an attorney and has two adult children. She said she and her husband used to have concealed weapons permits. During the last round of questioning, she said she had an issue with the type of weapons people are allowed to carry. She also thought weapons' training was inadequate for people seeking permits. "It should become harder," she said.
Juror E-6 is a white woman who is married and has two children. She has worked in financial services and has lived in Seminole County for two years. She is active in her church and involved with her children's school. During jury selection, she said she didn't know the facts of the case well.
Juror E-40 is a white woman who works as a safety officer and recently moved to Seminole County from Iowa. She describes herself as a football fan. During jury selection, she said she had been the victim of a nonviolent crime.
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