George Zimmerman’s legal team believes they can beat the second-degree murder rap for killing Trayvon Martin by picking a jury of older, professional and retired individuals who would be more sympathetic to the overzealous neighborhood watch volunteer. The team also wants individuals who haven’t watched much TV coverage of the unfolding drama that sparked national attention and coast-to-coast protest rallies.
They believe the trial, which is scheduled to begin on June 10, will be won or lost during with the jury before the trial even starts.
Zimmerman’s lead criminal defense attorney, Mark O’Meara, according to radaronline.com, “is focused on seating the best jury possible that would likely acquit his client. This will be the most important part of the case, it will call come down to jury selection.
“The case will be won or lost before opening statements. The defense’s ideal juror would be an older working professional, or a retiree, and someone who hasn’t been following the case in the media.”
Zimmerman, 28, faces life in prison if he is convicted for the shooting death of the black teen from Sanford, Fla.
The case has caused outrage across the country since the tragic shooting took place last year.
Zimmerman wants to testify in his defense at the trial.
“George is ready and willing to testify,” a source previously told us. “George feels that the jury needs to hear from his own mouth what really happened leading up to the shooting.
“George maintains it was absolutely self-defense. Normally, criminal defense attorneys don’t want to put their client on the stand, but in this case, Mark O’Mara (George’s attorney) feels so strongly in the evidence, and in his innocence, he would be inclined to allow him to testify.
“The decision to put George on the stand won’t come until the prosecution rests their case,” the insider added.
Earlier this week, Judge Debra Nelson, ruled that Zimmerman’s lawyers couldn’t mention Trayvon’s suspension from school, use of marijuana, or past fighting during opening statements. The judge also denied the defense’s request for a delay in the trial.
The jury won’t be sequestered as requested by O’Mara, and a gag order the prosecutors were seeking barring lawyers from discussing the case with the media, was also denied.
