Jurors in the trial of George Zimmerman have called it a day without returning a verdict Friday, July 12, 2013.
The Florida jury began deliberating Zimmerman’s fate on Friday after the defense and the prosecution finished their closing statements. At around 6pm, the jury notified the court that they wanted to adjourn for the evening.
Deliberations will begin again at 9am on Saturday .
Zimmerman is on trial for the shooting and death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin. The six-woman jury will have to decide whether he shot the teen in self-defense (his claim) or if he in fact murdered the teen (the prosecution’s case).
In addition to a second-degree murder charge, the judge has allowed a lesser charge of manslaughter to be considered.
Closing arguments were tense, emotional, and at some times, theatrical on Friday. Defense lawyer Mark O’Mara said in his closing argument that Zimmerman is “not guilty of anything but protecting his own life.”
Prosecutor John Guy kept it simple: “Did he have to shoot Trayvon Martin? No, he did not.”
After the day closed, O’Mara expressed optimism about the defense’s case.
“I’m happy with the way we did and the summations and now we wait for the jury,” he told NBC .
Martin’s father, Tracy, said that he was happy with the way the prosecution had handled his slain son’s case. “They did good,” he said.
Now we wait for the jury. What do you think? Is George Zimmerman guilty, or not guilty?
