Round two of jury selection for George Zimmerman's trial began on Wednesday, with attorneys questioning a group of 40 potential jurors in the hope of finding a panel to try the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, the Orlando Sentinel reported. For the first time since the trial began, Zimmerman's parents and sister were present in the courtroom.
In a statement, his brother Robert Zimmerman Jr. said "the time was right to do what they could to visibly advocate for George's innocence."The trial reached a milestone Tuesday, when the state and defense got 40 potential jurors through the pretrial publicity phase of questioning, during which they were asked about what they know, and how they feel, about the high-profile case.
The two sides asked surviving jurors questions on more general topics.
This afternoon, prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda asked the potential jurors whether they'd been a victim of a crime in the past. Fourteen said they were crime victims, four of those by violent crime, reporters present at the courtroom said.
Circuit Judge Debra Nelson began by asking the potential jurors if they are related to Zimmerman or the attorneys in the case. None said they were; Judge Nelson also read the charge against Zimmerman: second-degree murder.
Then, the jurors were given a list of potential witnesses and asked if they recognized any of the names, and several indicated that they did.
De la Rionda began today's questioning this morning by polling the jurors on their lives, generic topics, like where they work and what their spouses do for a living. They also asked them whether they have children and whether they've served jury duties before as well.
Zimmerman shot Trayvon Marin on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford Florida, claiming it was in self-defense after, he said he was attacked by the 17-year-old. Zimmerman was later charged with second-degree murder.
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