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| Zimmerman trial hears opening statements | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A Florida court has heard hard-hitting opening statements in the trial of a neighbourhood watchman who shot dead an unarmed black teenager. | A Florida court has heard hard-hitting opening statements in the trial of a neighbourhood watchman who shot dead an unarmed black teenager. |
| Prosecutors told a jury of six women that George Zimmerman, 29, shot Trayvon Martin "because he wanted to". | Prosecutors told a jury of six women that George Zimmerman, 29, shot Trayvon Martin "because he wanted to". |
| But defence lawyers said the accused acted out of self-defence after he was attacked by the 17-year-old in Sanford, an Orlando suburb, in February 2012. | |
| The case fuelled debate about race, as police took 44 days to make an arrest. | The case fuelled debate about race, as police took 44 days to make an arrest. |
| Prosecutors allege that Mr Zimmerman, who is accused of second-degree murder, presumed Martin was up to no good because he was black. | |
| 'No monsters' | |
| The jury heard profanity-laced quotes from a phone call to police by Mr Zimmerman, after he spotted the teenager walking in the gated community, in which the defendant tells an emergency dispatcher: "They always get away." | |
| "George Zimmerman didn't shoot Trayvon Martin because he had to," prosecutor John Guy told the court. | "George Zimmerman didn't shoot Trayvon Martin because he had to," prosecutor John Guy told the court. |
| "He shot him for the worst of all reasons: because he wanted to." | "He shot him for the worst of all reasons: because he wanted to." |
| But defence lawyers said Mr Zimmerman had been attacked first. "There are no monsters here," Don West told the jury. | But defence lawyers said Mr Zimmerman had been attacked first. "There are no monsters here," Don West told the jury. |
| The trial at a circuit court in Sanford is expected to focus on events leading up to the death. | |
| Neither prosecutors nor defence lawyers dispute that Mr Zimmerman shot Martin in the chest with a 9mm handgun, and that the teenager died at the scene. | Neither prosecutors nor defence lawyers dispute that Mr Zimmerman shot Martin in the chest with a 9mm handgun, and that the teenager died at the scene. |
| It is believed that Mr Zimmerman, who had a concealed-weapons permit, rang the police when he saw Martin, who had his hood up while walking in the rain. | It is believed that Mr Zimmerman, who had a concealed-weapons permit, rang the police when he saw Martin, who had his hood up while walking in the rain. |
| At some point the defendant got out of his car and followed the teenager. Minutes later, the fatal confrontation ensued. | |
| Mr Zimmerman has told police he lost sight of the teenager and was attacked as he went back to his car. | Mr Zimmerman has told police he lost sight of the teenager and was attacked as he went back to his car. |
| But prosecutors say it was the defendant who started the argument. | But prosecutors say it was the defendant who started the argument. |
| There have been conflicting reports from witnesses about how the fight unfolded. | There have been conflicting reports from witnesses about how the fight unfolded. |
| The trial is expected to last between two and four weeks, and the sequestered jurors will be constantly supervised by the local sheriff's office. | The trial is expected to last between two and four weeks, and the sequestered jurors will be constantly supervised by the local sheriff's office. |