Circuit Judge Debra Nelson told a potential juror on the fourth day of selection that all panelists will be kept isolated
During the first four days of jury selection, attorneys have asked potential jurors about the hardships they would face if they were kept away from their families during the trial. And some have said they also worried about their safety if they served.
Defense attorney Don West explained to one jury candidate that if picked she would have limited contact with her family, would be monitored by court security outside the courtroom and would have to live in a hotel for the duration.
"You would not be able to participate in day-to-day routine activities," West said. "You will be limited in contact with the outside world."
Zimmerman, a 29-year-old former neighborhood watch volunteer, is pleading not guilty to second-degree murder, claiming he shot unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in self-defense. A 44-day delay in Zimmerman's arrest led to protests around the nation. They questioned whether the Sanford Police Department was investigating the case seriously since Martin was a black teen from the Miami area. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic.
Attorneys started off Thursday with a pool of 20 potential jurors who they wanted for a second round of questioning. They needed an additional 10 candidates before they could move past the first round of asking questions about what potential jurors knew about the case from news coverage or social media.
By mid-afternoon Thursday, attorneys had interviewed 29 potential witnesses over four days.
Attorneys need to find six jurors and four alternates. In Florida, 12 jurors are required only for criminal trials involving capital cases, when the death penalty is being considered.
Potential panelists included a recent high school graduate who said classmates at his central Florida high school claimed to be friends with Martin even though Martin was from the Miami area. But the overwhelming opinion of his classmates and friends on social media was that "George was guilty," although he made it clear he had never voiced his opinion.
When asked if he thought race played a role in the case, he said, "For sure."
"It just got people really riled up," he said.
Following him was a middle-aged white woman who appeared to already have made up her mind. Her impression was that Martin's prior use of marijuana and an image of a gun found on his cell phone were indications that "he was going down the wrong path." She also said she believed Zimmerman was just "looking after his neighborhood."
"I believe every American has a right to defend himself," said the woman, known as Juror E-81. "I think the more people armed, the better."
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