I think (always cause for trouble) that it’s the sequence of how the Judge conducted that questioning that should be in question.
She should have asked him if he had decided yet, and if he said NO, left it at that.
****************************************************************
If you listen to the questioning and compare the two (i.e., the “premature” one and the proper time one) the tone was very different. The premature one seemed to almost be phrased so as to convince or trick Zimmerman into believing that he should take the stand. At least that was my impression at the time of the “premature” outpouring by the judge.
Judge allows lesser included Manslaughter