Trayvon Martin Trial To Continue With No Delay, Defense Prohibited From Using Photos, Texts

The Trayvon Martin murder trial will continue as scheduled on June 10, a Florida judge ruled, denying George Zimmerman’s defense a last-minute attempt to delay the looming court date

In addition to denying trial delays, Circuit Court Judge Debra Nelson also ruled on certain evidence regarding Trayvon Martin’s life before he was gunned down on a Sanford street by Zimmerman in 2012.

Judge Nelson decided that evidence proposed by the defense including photographs, allegations of marijuana use, text messages, an alleged “history” of fights involving the deceased, and reports the slain teen had “gold teeth” will all be inadmissible during the trial.

Noting that Nelson termed the information “irrelevant,” USAToday explains conjecture about the case itself not relating to the events on the night Martin was killed by Zimmerman should not be included in testimony and evidence.

The paper says:

“She also said witnesses can’t mention whether they think George Zimmerman’s prosecution is politically motivated … She ruled that any hearsay statements to help Zimmerman is admissible. She ruled that a toxicology test showing Trayvon Martin had marijuana in his system the night of his killing is not admissible.”

Another defense motion to bring the jury to the scene of the shooting was denied, and Judge Nelson ruled that in order to keep juror names secret and to maintain juror identification by number, the proposal would present a “logistical nightmare” to the court.

Lawyer for George Zimmerman, Mark O’Mara, has recently contended that a speech expert’s determination over a disputed 911 call necessitated more time for the defense to prepare for the trial.

Previously, screams heard on the audio were claimed as coming from Zimmerman by the defense, but the expert later determined the pleas (including the statement “I’m begging you” before the gun was fired) were those of Trayvon Martin and not the defendant.

The expert, Alan Reich, said that George Zimmerman was not the voice heard on the call, as the patterns did not match samples of Zimmerman’s voice, and the screams stopped when the shot was fired.