George Zimmerman trial: Jury selected in Trayvon Martin shooting case

Orlando Sentinel ^ | June 20, 2013 | Rene Stutzman and Jeff Weiner

[Bubba_Leroy]

A jury has been selected for the second-degree murder trial of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, after more than a week of intensive jury selection in the high-profile case.

The lawyers have selected 10 Seminole County residents -- six jurors and four alternates -- to serve as jurors for a trial which is expected to last two to four weeks, and is sure to be closely watched across the nation.

Prosecutors say Zimmerman profiled, pursued and killed the unarmed teen Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford. Zimmerman says he fired in self-defense after he was attacked by Trayvon, a high school junior from Miami Gardens.

[Bubba_Leroy]

This just in from Reuters: "Six all-female jurors selected in Trayvon Martin case"

So there are no partly-female jurors.

[CityCenter]

I have served on juries in King County Superior court in Seattle. Very liberal area. The women on those juries took it very serioulsy and went by the letter of the judge’s instructions.

That said, I would rather serve with 5 women than a bunch of liberal men. Or a bunch of conservative men who have as much built in bias as anyone else. Prove to me they don’t because based on the smarky sexist remarks in this thread, I don’t think you can.

[Tijeras_Slim]

So there are no partly-female jurors.

These days it's probably a necessary clarification.

[Right Wing Assault]

All six jurors are women, five white and one Hispanic.

So, I'm just guessing that means George must be a white, Hispanic, WOMAN? Also, no SOBs (sons of barack)?

[Bubba_Leroy]

If Barry had a son, he would not look like any of the jurors.

[Jeff Winston]

Women are going to be very receptive to the notion that Zimmerman was pinned to the ground getting beat in the face when he fired the shot. Which really undermines the whole murder 2 charge.

If I were on the jury (I'm not, obviously) the photo of Zimmerman's smashed nose is all I would need.

Story over. Not guilty. Now go the hell home.

[usflagwaver]

I am a female, and when I was on a jury about a gay guy being “lewd” in a park with a vice cop, at one point we had all women on the jury. I remember the defense lawyer saying he had to add some men to the jury, so they ended up doing so. In the end, every man voted not guilty and every woman voted guilty. The men thought it was entrapment. So we had a hung jury.

[Fantasywriter]

Thanks for commenting from the POV of a trial lawyer. I am a woman, so if this sounds sexist, so be it. I have seen photos of Zimmerman bleeding profusely. My sense is that a man wd look at those & think, ‘So there was a scuffle’. A woman will recoil at the sight of so much blood, & imagine Trayvon beat the living tar out of Zimmerman. How does this hurt Z?

Apologies to all women who are sanguine at the sight of blood (nurses, etc.). I am squeamish, & percentage-wise more woman than men fall into this/my category.

[rhubarbk]

And expect that the taxpayers will rebuild it for them.

[rhubarbk]

It’s pretty apparent that that is the case . . . :-)

[Carriage Hill]

Most prescient post on the thread.

[GOPJ]

If a death penalty is possible then the jury is 12... otherwise it’s usually 6...

[rhubarbk]

Bubba . . . you’re killing me here!

[Responsibility2nd]

I expect they will get Martin’s mother on the stand to testify what a good boy Trayvon was. (puke)

And the defense will counter with George’s mom. At least they will all be in Court.

Now. Which set of moms will the jurors like best? Which mom will get the positive attention?

So. I’m guessing an all women jury might be OK with regard to the mom factor.

[thefactor]

Your comment is perfect for this:

[thefactor]

Your comment is perfect for this:

[Carriage Hill]

"As a trail lawyer, I know the..."

Just in case I'm out hiking again, where should I look for you?

(;^0~)

[Carriage Hill]

I swear I didn’t even get to your reply before I replied to lawdave. Heh.

[Sans-Culotte]

I am a female, and when I was on a jury about a gay guy being “lewd” in a park with a vice cop, at one point we had all women on the jury. I remember the defense lawyer saying he had to add some men to the jury, so they ended up doing so. In the end, every man voted not guilty and every woman voted guilty. The men thought it was entrapment. So we had a hung jury.

Remember that I said "many" and not "all". On the last jury I was on, I was the only male. One of the women on the jury was very solid and needed no persuading. It was a red light violation. There was no question of the guy's guilt; it was caught on the cop's dashboard camera. But a couple did not want to convict because the driver had been to the drug store "to get medicine for a sick child". The solid woman and I browbeat the others into submission eventually.

And I will say the dumbest juror with which I served was a know-it-all man who didn't know diddly. The judge was rather shocked that we did not find guilty on that case, and asked the prosecutor if he wanted the jury polled. The prosecutor declined, but I wish he had polled us so the idiot could have been and object of ridicule.

[pepsionice]

I would agree. I think most women will put themselves into his shoes, and ask themselves over and over....what would they have done? The worst case scenario is a hung jury....but I think he walks on this episode.