George Zimmerman, shown here on the left with his attorney Mark O'Mara last June,
is making his last pre-trial appearance Tuesday.
George Zimmerman is appearing Tuesday in what likely will be his final hearing before his trial for second-degree murder begins June 10. He was indicted last spring in the slaying of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in the central Florida city of Sanford. Because he was not immediately arrested, the case generated a public outcry, including accusations of racism, a governor-ordered investigation by a special prosecutor, large protests around the nation and the exit of Sanford's police chief. Zimmerman claims he shot Martin in self-defense.
Among other things on a long list of items heard in a two-hour session in court Tuesday morning, Zimmerman and his lawyers sought to delay the trial and to block testimony of a state audio analyst. Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson refused to grant the delay. Several other matters didn't go Zimmerman's way either:
The judge already has ruled this morning on several key issues: The defense may not bring up Trayvon Martin's past marijuana use at trial, or his school suspensions or alleged participation in fights, without clearing several legal hurdles and another ruling granting permission.
The attorneys also cannot mention during their opening arguments that the active ingredient of marijuana was found in the teen's system, ruled the judge, who also denied the state's motion for a gag order in the case.
Jurors will be referred to in court by number, not name, and they will not be allowed to be photographed during the trial. They will also not be allowed to travel to the scene of the shooting during the trial. Zimmerman's lawyer Mark O'Mara asked that the jury pool be sequestered, he said, because he is concerned that publicity the case is receiving might influence potential jurors. The judge rejected the request.
As for influencing potential jurors, O'Mara's hypocrisy has been on display in that arena almost since he took over the case. The most recent effort was the public release of texts Martin exchanged with friends that the defense hopes would show the teenager in a negative light because he smoked marijuana, talked about getting a gun and had been in some fights. Martin had no police record.