George Zimmerman’s lawyer goes on Fox to discuss Trayvon Martin’s drug use, text messages
From Black Blue Dog
A judge ruled Tuesday (05-28-13) that defense lawyers won’t be allowed to mention Trayvon Martin’s school records, past fighting, gun ownership, gold teeth, or any photos or text messages in the second degree murder trial of George Zimmerman.
The case touched off a fire-storm when Zimmerman claimed that he was acting in self-defense when he killed unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, even causing the state’s ‘stand your ground’ law to come under intense scrutiny.
The two sides met in court on Tuesday to battle over whether the trial would be delayed and the admissibility of Trayvon Martin’s text messages and marijuana usage in the trial.
George Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, had argued that Trayvon Martin’s phone messages prove that the teen was hostile.
“If the state brings up Trayvon Martin’s past or George Zimmerman’s past in the way it makes Trayvon Martin’s past relevant, I think this information really fills out of the picture of who Trayvon Martin was that night and is going to be very relevant,” O’Mara said.
The judge disagreed with O’Mara, but O’Mara had already made his case to Fox News, touting images of Trayvon Martin smoking weed and allegedly holding a gun.
Benjamin Crump, attorney for the Martin family, explained his positions on O’Mara’s Fox News visit and timed release of photos:
Is the defense trying to prove Trayvon deserved to be killed by George Zimmerman because (of) the way he looked? If so, this stereotypical and closed-minded thinking is the same mindset that caused George Zimmerman to get out of his car and pursue Trayvon, an unarmed kid he didn’t know. The pretrial release of these irrelevant red herrings is a desperate and pathetic attempt by the defense to pollute and sway the jury pool.
Florida prosecutors also agree that the images are irrelevant to what took place on the night Martin was fatally wounded.
The judge also denied the defense’s request to delay the trial so it will begin as scheduled on June 10.
