Soon after state prosecutors in the George Zimmerman second-degree murder trial fired off a blistering and efficient opening statement — punctuated with the statement that Zimmerman “didn’t shoot Trayvon Martin because he had to but because he wanted to” — the defense lead Don West followed with the opening statement on behalf of Zimmerman, offering a knock-knock joke that fell flat before the stone-faced jurors.
“Who’s there?” West said. “George Zimmerman. George Zimmerman who? OK, good. You’re on the jury.”
West later apologized for the joke, saying he was sorry if he offended anyone. West was summarily and immediately pummeled by legal pundits on television and by observers on social media.
Prior to the failed attempt at humor, West told a somber version of events, one that portrayed his client as a victim who acted to save his own life. Here are other highlights from Zimmerman’s defense team’s opening statements:
- “The young man lost his life. Another is fighting for his,” West said. “The evidence will show that this is a sad case. There are no monsters here.”
- In the call to the dispatcher, Zimmerman said Martin looked suspicious and “black,” and noted that there was a string of recent crime in the neighborhood. The call was the one in which Zimmerman used the obscenities that Guy recalled.
- West told jurors that Zimmerman was being viciously attacked when he shot Martin. Zimmerman was sucker-punched by Martin, who then pounded Zimmerman’s head into the concrete sidewalk, West said. He played for jurors the call to a police dispatcher in which Zimmerman used the obscenities.
- Martin had opportunities to go home after Zimmerman followed him and then lost track of him, West said, but instead the teen confronted the neighborhood watch volunteer.
