George Zimmerman Judge Rejects Bid to Delay Trial, Jury Selection Begins
PHOTO: George Zimmerman stands as the judge enters the courtroom in Seminole circuit court for a pretrial hearing, in Sanford, Fla., June 8, 2013./Trayvon Martin, 17, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman.
George Zimmerman stands as the judge enters the courtroom in Seminole circuit court for a pretrial hearing, in Sanford, Fla., June 8, 2013./Trayvon Martin, 17, was fatally shot by neighborhood watch leader George Zimmerman. (AP|ABC)
Auto Start: On | Off

Share
Share
Email
Print
Single Page
Text Size
- / +

By MATT GUTMAN (@mattgutmanABC) and SENI TIENABESO (@seniABC)
SANFORD, Fla., June 10, 2013

The judge in the George Zimmerman murder trial denied a last minute attempt by his defense attorneys today to delay the start of one of the most controversial cases in recent years.

It took Judge Debra Nelson seconds to deny Mark O'Mara's motion to continue the trial on the grounds that his team was not ready.

Gathered behind O'Mara in the Florida court was a team of nearly 10 lawyers and assistants. Also sitting behind the defense was Shellie Zimmerman, the wife of the man accused of shooting the unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin last year.

The Martin family entered the courtroom stonefaced after delivering a statement outside the courthouse asking for calm.

"We are relieved that the start of the trial is here with jury selection as we seek justice for our son Trayvon...we ask the community continue to stay peaceful as we place our faith in the justice system," the parents said.

But Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin's mother, let her composure slip and teared up as she left the courtroom during an early break.

The judge began the difficult task of questioning the first few dozen jurors, who had filled out questionnaires specifically compiled for this trial. By the end of jury selection some 500 potential jurors may be grilled about their positions on race, guns, and the media as prosecutors and George Zimmerman's defense attorneys work to whittle the mass of jurors down to the six and four alternates who could decide Zimmerman's fate.

But it's the demographic look of the six jurors and four alternates that ultimately may be more important than their views, legal experts say.

If the Zimmerman legal team can pack the Seminole County, Fla., jury with white, conservative, pro-conviction jurors, they could beat the 2nd degree murder charge, says Jose Baez, who successfully defended Casey Anthony in 2011.


[link to abcnews.go.com]