George Zimmerman defense to make final arguments in murder case

SANFORD, Fla. -- George Zimmerman’s attorneys opened his murder trial defense last month with a knock-knock joke, but they will be all seriousness when they make final arguments to the jury Friday.

Afterward, the prosecution will get an hour to rebut. Then Judge Debra S. Nelson will issue legal instructions to the six-woman jury that will deliberate Zimmerman’s fate.

Zimmerman, 29, is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of Trayvon Martin, 17, on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford. Martin was visiting his father and his father’s fiancee at the Retreat at Twin Lakes, a gated neighborhood where Zimmerman lived. Martin had gone to a convenience store to get candy and a soft drink and was on his way back when Zimmerman spotted him. He called police to report a suspicious person and followed Martin. Zimmerman maintains he shot Martin in self-defense after the teenager attacked him.

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In its closing, the defense is expected to stress the same themes it did as it presented its case and cross-examined prosecution witnesses: Zimmerman was a conscientious citizen and a concerned neighbor who called authorities to report a suspicious person. He left his vehicle and was attacked by Martin.

The defense will argue that the evidence shows that Martin straddled Zimmerman, who was on the ground, and that Martin was beating him and battering his head, causing injuries. Further, it will contend that the pummeling so frightened Zimmerman that he took out his 9-millimeter handgun and fired a single shot, killing Martin.

The prosecution has argued that Zimmerman’s wounds, a bloody nose and two lacerations, were minor. The defense will contend that the wounds were serious – especially the ones on the back of the head -- and that by shooting Martin, Zimmerman prevented even worse injuries. The key to self-defense is for Zimmerman to have had a reasonable fear that he would be hurt before he fired.

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To buttress the point, the defense will cite its witnesses who say it is Zimmerman’s voice screaming on a 911 tape seconds before the fatal shot rings out. The Martin family maintains it is Trayvon Martin’s voice instead.

To demonstrate its theory of the confrontation between Zimmerman and Martin, prosecutors climbed onto a pliable foam dummy as a visual aid to illustrate the various positions. The defense may use an animated version of its theory of events as a prop. The judge refused to allow the defense to introduce the animation as evidence, but said it could be used in final arguments.

The defense also is likely to repeat its argument that the encounter between Zimmerman and Martin was a tragedy for all members of both families.

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