George Zimmerman trial: The prosecution’s opening statement

zimmerman prosecutors john guy

The prosecution and defense went head-to-head with their opening statements in the heavily scrutinized George Zimmerman second-degree murder trial in the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin.

The trial is taking place in Sanford, Fla. The state went first, of course, and prosecutor John Guy came out firing, accusing Zimmerman of shooting Martin “not because he had to but because he wanted to.”


Here is a synopsis of Guy’s opening statement:


  • Prosecutor John Guy said the evidence will show that the Zimmerman had a live round in the chamber before he left his car, meaning that he was ready to shoot right away.
  • In the background you will hear the gunshot, [then] the screaming stops. Trayvon Martin’s screaming stops immediately, meaning that it was Trayvon screaming.
  • Zimmerman was a criminal justice major and aspiring police officer. He eventually became a neighborhood watch coordinator. He reached out to the Sanford Police Department who came to his community to share dos and don’ts of neighborhood watch. He and the rest of his neighbors were told not to follow suspects, not to confront suspects and to just watch and call the police.
  • The prosecution says that Zimmerman profiled Trayvon Martin as someone who was going to commit a crime. Meaning that Zimmerman already had his mind made up about Martin when he exited his vehicle.
  • There was no DNA from Zimmerman on Martin, but there was blood from Martin on Zimmerman.
  • Zimmerman took kick boxing classes, mixed martial arts.
  • The medical examiner marveled at how thin Travyon was. He was 5 foot 11 and 150 pounds. He didn’t have bruised knuckles, only injury to his hands that was photographed was a small abrasion on left ring finger. Trayvon was right handed.
  • No bruising on Trayvon’s knuckles or on his hands, refuting Zimmerman’s claims that Martin was beating him up.
  • No Trayvon Martin DNA on Zimmerman’s gun, meaning that there was no struggle for the pistol that killed Martin.

Stay tuned for a synopsis of George Zimmerman’s defense team’s opening statement.

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