Jury selection in the Trayvon Martin murder case began on Monday, as Circuit Judge Debra Nelson quickly rejecting a request from defense lawyer Mark O'Mara to delay the trial, the Associated Press reported.
"We're not fully ready and we need more time," O'Mara told the judge.
Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda objected and said lawyers defending George Zimmerman had "plenty of time" to prepare for it.
Nelson agreed and denied the motion.
The trial begins almos16 months following the deadly encounter between Zimmerman, a neighborhood volunteer watchman who shot and killed the 17-year-old Martin, claiming it in self-defense. Prosecutors, and many Martin supporters argue that Zimmerman profiled and unfairly murdered an unarmed black 17-year-old because he 'looked' suspicious.
A spokesman for Zimmerman's attorneys indicated that the selection of the six-person jury could last up to three weeks, with the trial likely lasting three to four weeks.
Robert Zimmerman said his family is confident that George Zimmerman would be acquitted.
Trayvon Martin's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, also attended the proceedings.
"We are relieved that the start of the trial is here with the jury selection as we seek justice for our son Trayvon," Tracy Martin said. "We also seek a fair and impartial trial. We ask that the community continue to stay peaceful as we place our faith in the justice system. We ask that the community do the same."
Prosecutors plan to argue that Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, profiled Martin, wrongly assumed he was a criminal, disregarded a police dispatcher's instructions not to follow the teen, confronted the young man, and killed him.
"Both sides are going to have to be careful in juror selection because the race issues in this case are highly charged," said Randy Reep, a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor in Jacksonville, Fla. "If I was the prosecutor in this case, I would be desiring to have black people or other minorities who have had bad experiences based solely on their 'profileable' characteristics."
