Jury selection will be entering its second phase in the George Zimmerman murder trial on Wednesday. After a week and a half attorneys were able to whittle down the jury pool to 40 potential jurors, now the goal is to get that number down to 10, 6 jurors and 4 alternates, according to the Associated Press.
The first phase of jury selection was focused on finding out how much exposure to the media coverage of Trayvon Martin's shooting each juror had. The second phase will feature more traditional and in depth questions. Both the prosecution and the defense have 10 preemptory challenges that can be used to eliminate jurors. The attorneys also have unlimited challenges for cause. Once the 20 preemptory challenges have been used what is left will be the jury, according to the Associated Press.
Race is expected to be a central issue in the case because prosecutors claim that Zimmerman followed Martin because of his race. The pool of 40 potential jurors is made up of 27 whites, seven blacks, three people of mixed race and three Hispanics. There are 16 men and 24 women in the potential jury pool, reports the Associated Press.
The prosecution will try to pick out jurors that have lower incomes and are young because they tend to be more emotional, jury consultant Susan Constantine told the Orlando Sentinel. Zimmerman's attorneys will be aiming to select older people who are the type of people who tend to focus on facts.
Experts are expecting the second phase of jury selection to move at a much quicker pace than the mind numbing seven day process that was the first phase of jury selection. It's possible that it may only take one day and that the trial's first witness could be called to the stand on Thursday, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
To see a live stream of the trial please click here.
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