Circuit Judge Debra Nelson ruled Wednesday that the state could introduce evidence showing that George Zimmerman, on trial for murdering Trayvon Martin, studied criminal law courses and that he applied to be a cop in Virginia.
Prosecutors successfully argued that Zimmerman’s knowledge of criminal litigation, his wanting to be a police officer and familiarity with Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law, while not necessarily a bad thing, are all relevant to his state of mind at the time he killed Martin, an unarmed black teen, on February 26, 2012.
Defense attorney, Mark O’Mara pushed back hard saying, the fact that Zimmerman took a course in Criminal Litigation at Seminole State College and his wanting to be a cop were not related to the facts of the case.
“I have reviewed the case law…and the testimony bears directly in this case,” Nelson ruled.
Zimmerman had a brief moment of levity when prosecutors called Lt. Captain Alexis Carter to the stand. Carter, who taught a course in Criminal Litigation at Seminole State College described Zimmerman as one of the better students. He confirmed that the course included instruction on ‘Florida’s Stand Your Ground’ self-defense law.
Defense attorney Don West asked Carter to explain how the claim of self-defense worked. After an objection by the state, he was asked to restrict his answer to Florida. West then discussed the issue of injuries.
“On the issue of injuries, though, when you talk about that with the class and your understanding of the law is that the focus is what’s going on in the person’s mind, not whether they have actually been injured,” West argued. “It’s the fear of the injury, is it not?”
“It’s imminent injury, or imminent fear, Carter explained. “So the fact alone that there isn’t an injury doesn’t necessarily mean that the person did not have a real apprehension of fear. The fact that there were injuries could show or support that that person had a reasonable apprehension of fear.”
“You don’t have to wait until you’re almost dead until you can defend yourself?” West inquired, tongue in cheek.
“No, I would advise you probably don’t do that,” Carter replied.
At that point, Zimmerman allowed himself to laugh for several seconds before regaining his stoic composure by looking downward.
Prosecutors also called Professor Scott Pleasants, a criminal justice professor at Seminole State College, to testify.
Pleasants, who is in Colorado began his testimony via Skype before being interrupted by internet trollers. There was a steady stream of incoming calls appearing on the Skype screen with each one being accompanied by a loud pinging sound.
See Video Here of Internet Trollers disrupting Pleasants testimony.
As concern grew over the Skype bombing, O’Mara remarked, “I gotta tell you, there’s now a really good chance that we’re being toyed with,” to prosecutor Richard Mantei.
Judge Nelson, realizing that Pleasants’ Skype testimony wasn’t working, ordered the attorneys to hang up the phone. “I don’t want those up on the screen,” she said.
Pleasants resumed his testimony via cellular phone.
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in the fatal shooting of Martin. He has claimed self-defense.
Prosecutors say, Zimmerman followed, profiled and killed Martin, believing the teen was up to no good.
