After months of anticipation George Zimmerman's trial for the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin begins today in Sanford, Fla. The expected mobs of protestors did not show up for the first day of the trial as jury selection begins, according to the Associated Press.
One reason that the case has received so much nationwide attention is because of how people perceived the state's 44 day delay to charge Zimmerman. Demonstrations were held around the country as the case touched on such hot button issues as race and gun control, reports the Associated Press.
The defense will be hard pressed to find jurors who don't have at least some knowledge of the case already given the amount of attention it has received, they hope to find people who have yet to make up their minds about the case, according to USA Today.
Defense attorney Mark O'Mara started the trial off by requesting a delay from Judge Debra nelson. The defense says they need several more weeks to prepare properly for the case while blaming prosecutors for failing to turn over evidence in a timely manner and being unable to have an opportunity to interview one of the lawyers for Martin's family. The request was turned down and jury selection began, according to the Associated Press.
The fact that an unarmed Trayvon Martin was shot and killed by the 29-year-old Zimmerman is established and not up for debate. What the defense will need to prove is that Zimmerman was acting out of self-defense in order to prevent death or great bodily harm, according to the CBS News.
It is thought that the defense is going to attempt to portray Trayvon Martin as a troubled kid who was looking for trouble with an interest in drugs and guns. Martin's father, Tracy, spoke to CBS News about being prepared to hear his son spoken of in that light.
"I have no choice but to be ready for it," Tracy Martin said. "I feel that my son and my family has already taken the worst blow we could take - my son was killed. My son was taken away from us. You can't do anything worse to us."
A live stream and updates of the jury selection process can be seen here.
