SANFORD, Fla. – A judge ruled Tuesday to limit the what attorneys can mention in their opening statement at the trial of a neighbourhood watch volunteer who fatally shot the teen last year.
Attorneys won’t be able to mention Trayvon Martin’s drug use, suspension from school and past fighting during opening statements in the trial of George Zimmerman.
Circuit Judge Debra Nelson also refused to allow jurors to travel to the shooting scene during trial, and rejected a defence request to delay the trial set to begin June 10.
Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in the 17-year-old’s killing and has pleaded not guilty, saying he acted in self-defence.
The judge also ruled that some of the Martin’s texts and other social media statements won’t be allowed in opening statements, though some of the teen’s personal history could be allowed later with a ruling from the judge depending on how the case progresses.
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Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, told the judge that Martin’s marijuana use and past fighting was central to the argument that Zimmerman used self-defence when he confronted Martin last year at a gated community in Sanford, Florida.
“We have a lot of evidence that marijuana use had something to do with the event,” O’Mara said. “It could have affected his behaviour.”
An attorney for Martin’s family, Benjamin Crump, said the teen’s parents were pleased with the judge’s rulings.
“Trayvon Martin is not on trial,” Crump said.
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