The following is a LIVE, ongoing rundown of Day 4 of jury selection in the George Zimmerman second-degree murder trial for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. The most recent updates are on top.
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Returning Juror: B-65
5:17 p.m.
Juror B-65 leaves the courtroom. Court is in recess until 9 a.m.
5:12 p.m.
Juror B-65 is called back in to the courtroom. She is a black woman and mother of three who was questioned Tuesday, but now says she would face hardship because her job would only pay for 40 hours of jury duty. Attorneys enter sidebar.
Interview: Juror G-14
5:05 p.m.
Juror G-14 is finished being questioned. Attorneys enter sidebar.
4:51 p.m.
Defense attorney Don West begins asking Juror G-14 what she has seen about the case. She recalls that George Zimmerman was not arrested right away, saying she assumed there was a reason for that. She also recalls a defense filing a motion for a continuance, and another recent motion she couldn't remember in detail. [Likely the motions for a Frye hearing on the state's audio experts.]
The juror said she doesn't have an opinion one way or another on the case, because she doesn't know the whole story. She added, "It's terrible for both parties."
The juror said she thought she heard that Zimmerman was asked not to follow Trayvon Martin, that the police were on their way, but told West if that was to be presented as not true in court, she would not have trouble disregarding what she heard before. She said she doesn't desire to hold to anything that's inaccurate or "false thoughts."
4:27 p.m.
Juror G-14 is a white woman in her 40s or 50s with shoulder-length blond hair and glasses perched on her head.
She said she has seen coverage of the case on the news and on this website, but she didn't actively search out anything about this case online.
The juror said she searched online after receiving her jury summons just to see what trials were coming up in Seminole County.
She recalled seeing photos of the back of George Zimmerman's head, and photos of Trayvon Martin wearing a hoodie. She also recalled "a lot of anger, a lot of people uset" that Zimmerman was not arrested immediately after the shooting. The juror commented that it wasn't really known what had happened in the early coverage of the case, and people speculating early on did not help the matter.
The juror said she felt the protesters coming to Sanford from out of town were prompting "a discussion that didn't need to be had." She also said she remembered hearing about Zimmerman being told not to follow Trayvon.
Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked if the juror can base her decision only on the evidence presented in court. She said yes, adding "assumptions are not a good thing," and the trial is to bring out the facts.
The juror said she has talked to people about the case, but she has never had a strong opinion either way. She said the discussion was just passing comments.
She said she feels the national media is biased, but the local news media does not intend to be as slanted. She added that everyone has a bias; everyone is presenting information the way they want it to be seen. She said she didn't form an opinion on the case, because she heard different information from both sides. "I don't feel like I was being led by the stories presented" as much as she was just hearing new information she hadn't heard before.
Interview: Juror P-67
4:14 p.m.
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara begins questioning Juror P-67. He explains why they are asking him about what he has seen about the case in the media.
O'Mara explains the concept of jury instructions to the juror, including having to disregard what he has already seen and heard and only judge based on what's presented in court. The juror said he can forget what he has seen and heard before the trial.
O'Mara asks about the juror's post on Facebook that he was summoned for jury duty. He said he did it to get people's opinions about it.
3:57 p.m.
Juror P-67 is a Hispanic man, possibly in his 50s or 60s. He was born in Mexico and became an American citizen in Chicago before moving to Florida about four years ago. He also speaks with an accent, but seems to understand prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda better than the previous two jurors.
The juror said he remembers hearing that somebody got shot, and then the protests that followed. He said, laughing, that he got quickly tired of hearing about the case. He said he saw photos of George Zimmerman's injuries, and he remembered seeing Trayvon Martin's "mom and dad" on TV.
The juror said he doesn't think the case is about race, calling the shooting a "fatal accident." He indicates he has seen defense attorney Mark O'Mara about the case, saying only that O'Mara was "doing his job." He tells de la Rionda that he understands O'Mara's apperances on TV are not evidence.
De la Rionda asks the juror about hardship. He said sequestration would not affect him.
The juror said he has lived in Florida for about four years, and said he doesn't have a lot of friends here. He also acknowledged that he posted on Facebook that he was called to jury duty.
Juror P-67 said he heard people say that there was racism involved in the case. The juror did not form an opinion either way.
De la Rionda asked if the juror if he wanted to serve on this jury. He answers, "Sure, why not?" adding he thinks it's important to serve his country.
Interview: Juror B-67
3:55 p.m.
Bernie de la Rionda asks to approach the bench after the juror explains her hardship. The juror is excused.
3:44 p.m.
Juror B-67 is a Hispanic woman with blond hair. She
Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asks the juror what she has seen or heard about the case so far. She said she has heard people talking about "someone killed in Seminole," but doesn't remember much detail.
The juror said she recalls seeing photos of Trayvon Martin "wearing something over his head." She likely means the black-and-white photo of Trayvon wearing a hoodie.
The juror said she isn't sure if she could judge this case, saying she believes "the only person that can judge is God."
When asked about hardship, the juror said she has a daughter at home, and her son is coming to visit from Texas to visit family before he goes to Germany. She is also enrolled in classes at Seminole State College.
Interview: Juror B-34
3:43 p.m.
Bernie de la Rionda asks to approach the bench after Juror B-34 indicated he could not keep an open mind during the trial.
The juror is excused without being questioned by the defense.
3:33 p.m.
Juror B-34 is a Hispanic male originally from Puerto Rico. He is wearing a red polo shirt and speaks with a Spanish accent. He has brown hair with possibly a few gray hairs mixed in, and a brown mustache.
The juror said he saw coverage on the case in the news and on the Internet. He said he has searched for Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman on Google. He said he recalls the rallies in Sanford, but he did not form an opinion on them.
The juror said he realized he was summoned for this case after someone noted the trial was starting on the same day.
Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asks the juror what details he has seen about the case. He said he remembers hearing that Trayvon Martin was walking and was followed and shot. He said he has seen the bloody photos of George Zimmerman, and that indicated to him that there was a fight.
The juror said he heard audio related to the case on YouTube. He described the audio as "neutral" to both sides. He said he looked it up after learning he was summoned for jury duty. The juror explained he looked up information because a similar case happened to his friend. He said he didn't want to talk about that, and de la Rionda apologized.
The juror said he believes "Nobody can take nobody's life," and said he has made up his mind that Zimmerman is guilty, and indicated that he might not be able to keep an open mind during the trial.
Interview: Juror N-18
3:16 p.m.
Juror N-18 is finished with questioning. Judge Nelson calls for a brief recess.
2:50 p.m.
Defense attorney Don West begins questioning Juror N-18.
West said he reads the Bible instead of watching or reading the news. West has trouble in his questioning, as there is an obvious language barrier.
West asked the juror why he believes George Zimmerman is guilty. The juror said it was because there was a shooting, referencing the Ten Commandments: "Thou shalt not kill."
"If I go out and I shoot somebody, I'd be guilty," he said. West asked if the circumstances surrounding the shooting mattered. The juror replid, "It depends."
West tries to ask questions about the juror's belief in the Bible. Bernie de la Rionda objects several times, and Judge Nelson clarifies that quesitons about the Bible should be asked during general voir dire instead of the pre-publicity questioning.
The juror said the media has talked about the case a lot, and has "made the situation worse."
West asked if the juror considered whether George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin in self-defense. The juror acknowledged, "You have to fight for my life. If someone was attacking me, I'd have to defend myself." West then asked if the juror understands the basic legal concept of self-defense. "Not too much," he replied.
The juror said he saw a bloody photo of George Zimmerman, and that made him think there was a fight between him and Trayvon Martin.
West asks about a disability the juror indicated he had. He said his head has been spinning, and he is having back pains from sitting. He then went on to say that he prays every night for both families, and he can't sleep. He also prays or God to give him "strength to be here."
2:42 p.m.
Juror N-18 is a Hispanic male who appears to be in his 50s or 60s. He has a full, gray beard and a white polo shirt. He is a native of Puerto Rico who says Spanish is his native language.
The juror tells prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda he heard about the case in the local and national news, and said he has already formed an opinion that George Zimmerman is guilty. He said he can put what he has seen and heard so far aside and rule based only on the evidence presented in court.
Interview: Juror K-95
2:18 p.m.
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara begins questioning Juror K-95. She described herself as a channel surfer, and said she has a 14-year-old son and a daughter in her 20s. She said she was excused from jury duty a month ago, because she had to take her son to Ohio.
She said she knew about the rallies because they caused traffic problems, but she didn't know what the demonstrations were about. She said she turned off TV coverage the case early on, because she felt the media was trying to make it about race, "so I just changed the channel." She added she didn't pay attention, because the case didn't have any relevance to her own life.
The juror said she is taking two online classes that end in July, but added she could get her homework done as long as she had Internet access while she was sequestered.
O'Mara tries to find out what kind of details the juror has heard about the case. She said she remembers "something about Skittles," and Trayvon Martin wearing a hoodie. She also remembered hearing "something about yelling for help."
1:55 p.m.
Juror K-95 is a white woman, possibly in her 40s. She has shoulder-length brown hair with highlights, and is wearing glasses and a salmon-colored cardigan.
The juror said she read the story of the case on Facebook, but she doesn't post on the social network very often. She said her parents called her from Ohio to talk about the case, but she has not talked about it that much. The juror also said she was once a member of her homeowner's association, but is not currently on the HOA.
She said she saw very conflicting stories from the media on the case, comparing it to the more recent conflicting reports from various media outlets surrounding the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013. She said she has not formed a fixed opinion on the Zimmerman case.
Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked the juror how she would describe the case. She said it was about "a gentleman who shot a teenager." She said there were people who it was self-defense and others who thought it wasn't, but she felt she there weren't enough facts to form an opinion.
The juror said she is a student, so there would be hardships of keeping up with her homework assignments. She jokes that at her age, "going to school is hard."
Juror K-95 said Sanford was "a small, little community," and the number of large rallies that happened following the shooting raised potential for "trouble."
Interview: Juror K-80
1:54 p.m.
Judge Nelson rules the jury will be sequestered, and says the trial is expected to last two to four weeks. Defense attorney Don West informs the juror of this in a very brief questioning from the defense.
Previous estimates from lawyers put the trial length at four to six weeks.
1:39 p.m.
From Margaret Kavanagh in the courtroom: Reporters are typing away on phones and iPads. Defense and prosecution talking to Judge Nelson.
K-80 is staring at people in the courtroom. She seems calm, but a bit nervous at the idea of being selected.
1:10 p.m.
Juror K-80 appears to be a white woman in his late 30s or 40s. She is wearing a lime green sweater and jewelry.
The juror said she saw the case on the news, but got tired of it quickly, comparing it to the Casey Anthony murder trial. She said she does not let her own children watch the news, because she feels the media spins much of the news too negatively. "Death, sex and anything horrid sells," she said.
The juror recalled the protests, calling them "very disturbing," but she did not recall any violence during those protests. She said she believes in free speech. She commented that she saw pictures of Trayvon Martin when he was younger, and wondered why there weren't more recent photos of him.
She added she was very nervous about being on the jury because she didn't want her name "out there for all the world to see." Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda reminded her that her name was not being released. "For now," the juror responded. De la Rionda then explained that Judge Nelson has ordered the jurors' names sealed for an extended period of time following the trial.
The juror said the case's racial undertones bother her. She has not formed an opinion on the case, but added as a mother, she sympathizes with Trayvon Martin's parents.
The juror expressed her concern for her safety and her family's safety if she was chosen as a juror, particularly if she found George Zimmerman not guilty. De la Rionda asked what about if the jury found Zimmerman guilty. The juror said she did not believe there would be as much backlash.
The juror said she believes she could be fair to both sides and rely on the evidence, despite her concerns for her safety. She added she is still worried that her name will eventually be released.
De la Rionda asked what led the juror to believe there were racial overtones in the case. She said it was because of "certain religious leaders" called into the courtroom. She said that wouldn't sway her opinion, but she doesn't want this to become "more than what it should be."
The juror said there would be child care issues if she is picked for this trial, explaining her husband leaves for work at a different time than she does.
Recess
1:09 p.m.
Judge Nelson asks George Zimmerman if he has reviewed and agreed upon new decisions his lawyers have made on which jurors to retain or dismiss. Zimmerman said he has.
1 p.m.
Court is back in session. Attorneys and Judge Nelson immediately enter a sidebar.
11:51 a.m.
Court is in recess for lunch until 1 p.m.
Interview: Juror E-81
11:40 a.m.
Juror E-81 is done being questioned after more than an hour, the longest so far in jury selection.
From Margaret Kavanagh in the courtroom: E-81 appears to have let out a deep breath. She just looked over at Trayvon's dad.
E-81 has left the courtroom [at 11:48 a.m.]
11:15 a.m.
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara begins asking the juror how often she gets her news. She said her first impression of the news when she first heard about the shooting was, "Oh, my God. That's so sad" that someone was killed.
The juror said she did not focus on the Zimmerman case any more than she did on any other news about "a tragedy."
"Someone was shot, and someone died, and that's never a good thing," the juror said, "But I do think George was defending himself."
The juror said she would try to the best of her ability to do what the judge asks, and can abide by the law that it is the state's burden to prove guilt. But again, she says she does not want to be a juror on this case.
"The truth is the truth," she said. "There's no magic to it." She adds if the state can prove to her that their case is the truth, she would accept that.
The juror said she can follow the instructions to follow only the evidence presented in court and not to consider anything she has seen or heard outside the courtroom. "I understand that if it's not presented here, then it's not evidence," she said.
She acknowledged that her current knowledge of the case is, at best, "incomplete," and that the coverage she has seen on the news may have been slanted. She said she can leave her opinion of the facts outside the courtroom.
O'Mara also asked the juror if she would agree not to hold the state to a higher burden than what the judge instructs. She said she would.
The juror said she is worried about her privacy after the trial if she is chosen for the jury. She reiterated she does not want to be sequestered, saying she wants her husband, her home and her bed. She quipped she would rather have her "15 minutes of fame" by winning the lottery, not by being a juror on this case.
10:37 a.m.
Juror E-81 is a woman. She is wearing a pink cardigan and a white dress. She said she has seen coverage on the case on News 13 and in the newspaper.
She said she has already formed the opinion that George Zimmerman is innocent and was defending himself, but she is open to changing her mind if she sees other evidence to the contrary presented in court.
The juror said she based her opinion upon seeing photos of George Zimmerman's injuries, and a photo she said she heard included Trayvon Martin refereeing a street fight. She also recalled seeing pictures from Trayvon Martin's phone of a gun and marijuana.
"If a boy is smoking pot, holding guns, is learning how to street fight, he's going down the wrong path," the juror said, adding she believes Trayvon Martin got aggressive.
The juror said unless something is shown to her in court that can show me otherwise, "my mind is made up."
From Margaret Kavanagh in the courtroom: Trayvon Martin's parents watching intensely. Attorney Ben Crump has his hand on his face, covering his mouth.
The juror recalls hearing Trayvon Martin's mother cared greatly for him and took him horseback riding, while his father was not really present in his life on a regular basis. She said she grew up without a father, adding that might have caused him to go astray.
Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked what caused her to conclude that Trayvon's father was not around on a regular basis. She said she recalls a report that his father was asked for recent pictures of Trayvon, and he didn't have any.
"There was a lot more personal information put out about Trayvon Martin than there was about George," the juror recalled.
She also recalled hearing the jury would not be sequestered, and she sighed with relief. But then, she saw the word "sequestered" on the questionnaire, and that concerned her. "I just want to sleep in my own bed at night," she said.
The juror added she does not want to be on the jury, and the case makes her very anxious. She said she's afraid that no matter what the outcome of the case, some groups would be angry, and she felt like she would walk out of here "with a bullseye" on her back. She said if she didn't have a choice and was selected for the jury, she would listen to everything presented.
"If you could change my mind, that would be OK," the juror said, "but I believe everyone has a right to defend themselves." She added, "I think the more people are armed, the better."
The juror mentions her husband is a retired police officer, but insists regarding her belief that more people should carry weapons, "This is my opinion. It's not someone else's; it's mine."
De la Rionda asked if the juror's mind was made up about the case. Again, she said, "If you can prove to me differently, then do it."
De la Rionda asked if the juror saw evidence that, for example, Trayvon Martin was not involved in street fighting, would she be able to disregard what she saw before in the news. She agreed, again stating, "if it's the truth," she would base her decision only on the facts.
Interview: Juror E-75
9:58 a.m.
Defense attorney Don West asks Juror E-75, "Aren't you cold?" noting the juror is wearing a tank top. "A little bit," the juror replied, chuckling.
"Is it hot in the jury room?" West asked. "A little bit," E-75 said again.
The juror said he's not sure if his job will pay him for days he's on jury duty, but he said his personal funds are sufficient, and he would not face hardship. He added his parents would help pay for car insurance and other bills, and he lives with his parents, so he does not have to pay rent.
The juror explains the Facebook news feed to West, saying that the posts he saw were from his friends online.
The juror reveals he was a junior in high school when the shooting happened. He just graduated a few weeks ago. He said shortly after the shooting, he said many students at school claimed they knew Trayvon Martin, and said that George Zimmerman was guilty. "To be honest, it was mainly minority figures in school," he said. The juror recalled teachers told students to stop talking about it in school because many people were using what the juror called "colorful vocabulary."
The juror said those who claimed they knew Trayvon Martin were firm in their opinion that Zimmerman was guilty and Trayvon did not start the scuffle. He said he, himself, did not form an opinion, and currently doesn't have one in the case.
E-75 said he dismissed a lot of the claims that his classmates knew Trayvon, recalling one student who said Trayvon was white, wearing a ski mask and was robbing houses in the neighborhood. He said the ratio of students at his school who had opinions on the case was about 70–30 favoring Trayvon Martin.
The juror said he and his family has maintained a neutral position about the case. After he received his jury summons, friends tried to voice their opinion on the case, but he said he was not allowed to talk about it.
West asks the juror about his "OBEY" shirt, if it means anything. The juror explained that was simply the name of a brand, and he didn't wear it for any other reason. West concluded questioning by suggesting that the juror that he might want to "bring a jacket next time."
9:52 a.m.
Juror E-75 is a young man wearing a gray tank top.
He told prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda he recalls seeing the case on social media and on TV. He said people at school would talk about the case all day, but he has not done any of his own research.
The juror said he heard some people say George Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin for no reason, and others say it was self-defense. He said would participate in the arguments, explaining, "I would just sit back and listen."
From Margaret Kavanagh in the courtroom: Shellie Zimmerman just arrived in court [at 9:53 a.m.]
The juror said he saw a lot of buzz about the shooting shortly after it happened on Facebook. He said he may have seen links to videos on YouTube, but he didn't watch anything. He remembers reading, "An African-American was shot dead; George Zimmerman was at fault." The juror told de la Rionda he has "no doubt" he could be fair if picked for the jury, and he would have no trouble disregarding what he has seen and read outside of court.
Regarding possible hardship, the juror said he "worked it out" with his employer.
Interview: Juror E-50
9:27 a.m.
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara asks the juror what he remembers the most about the case. The juror said he remembers that the incident involved "a white man and a black young man," and that he heard Zimmerman was part of a neighborhood watch.
The juror explains he is vice president of his homeowner's association, and he understands the concept of a neighborhood watch volunteer. He, himself, has not volunteered in a neighborhood watch.
E-50 said he thought the racial aspect of the case was blown out of propotion. He believes if it was two white people or two black people involved, it might not have been as big of a deal ni the news.
The juror said his son died of complications from paranoid schizophrenia about five years ago. He said that experience would not impact his ability to address this case.
O'Mara asked what photos the juror has seen of George Zimmerman. The juror said he recalls Zimmerman being "less in weight." Zimmermnan smiled and quietly laughed to himself.
The juror said he does not use the Internet, joking he remembers when Western Union was considered to be fast. He reflected on when he felt times were safer. Nowadays, he said, everything feels like it's "TMI." [too much information] O'Mara comments, "That's an Internet term." The juror explains his daughter uses it.
9:10 a.m.
Juror E-50 is a white man who appears to be in his 50s or 60s. He is wearing a white, striped shirt. He tells prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda that he is retired.
The juror told de la Rionda he recalls hearing that "there was an incident" that showed up in newspapers and on TV. He remembers hearing that "there were some problems with crowds," and seeing photos of George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin.
The juror described himself as "an outdoor person" who golfs a lot, and his 4-year-old grandchild keeps him busy, so he does not watch much TV. Smiling slightly, he said he doesn't weigh too much on the news. "It's boring," he said. He also compared news reporters to "weathermen," saying he's skeptical of what they say.
E-50 said he does not use Facebook. "I'm a West Virginia boy," he explains.
Regarding the Zimmerman case, he said he and his family briefly talked about it when it first happened, saying they felt sorry for both parties. "It was a shame" for both families, he said.
The juror mentioned he has also lost a child. De la Rionda asks if he can disregard his personal experience if selected for the jury. "Oh, of course," the juror replied.
E-50 said he heard people use racial slurs in talking about the case. He said he shook his head, saying he doesn't view anyone by their race. "People are people" he said.
From Margaret Kavanagh in the courtroom: His voice got a little bit lower when being asked about hearing racist remarks. A little hard to hear him.
The juror said serving on this trial would be a potential hardship, as he helps his daughter care for her child, and his daughter is looking to start a new job soon.
O'Mara asks how being on the jury would affect his life. He joked, "It would mess up my golf game, that's for sure," and then gets serious, explaining he helps his daughter take care of his grandson. His daughter is currently not working, but is looking to possibly start a new job soon.
Court begins
9:09 a.m.
Trayvon Martin's family has entered the courtroom.
9:05 a.m.
George Zimmerman and the defense have entered the courtroom. Mark O'Mara is drinking water.
Judge Debra Nelson asks Zimmerman if he approved of Wednesday's questioning by his defense. He said yes.
From Margaret Kavanagh in the courtroom: Anyone entering Courtroom 5D goes through a metal detector. On the table next to it is hand sanitizer and a pile of coupons for a Mexican restaurant.
8:47 a.m.
From reporter Margaret Kavanagh in the courtroom: Just got out of a meeting with members of the media and Seminole County Court officials. They're laying down the law about cell phones ringing in the courtroom.
In court Wednesday, someone's cell phone went off, and that person is no longer allowed in the courtroom.
Court leaders have told reporters if they hear a cell phone go off, they will hand the phone's owner a piece of paper with red writing on it and ask them to leave.