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Florida braces for George Zimmerman trial verdict Trayvon Martin death 'no fault of his own' - prosecutor
(35 minutes later)
Florida officials have appealed for calm as the trial of a neighbourhood watchman who shot dead an unarmed black 17-year-old enters its final phase. An unarmed black teenager was shot dead "through no fault of his own" but because a neighbourhood watch volunteer deemed him a criminal, a prosecutor has said near the end of a murder trial.
Closing arguments have begun in the trial of George Zimmerman, 29, who is charged with the second-degree murder of Trayvon Martin in February 2012. Florida prosecutors said George Zimmerman, 29, lied about what happened the night he killed Trayvon Martin, 17.
A judge told jurors on Thursday that they could convict him of manslaughter, but ruled out another lower charge. The accused says he shot the teenager in self-defence during a fight.
The accused says he shot the teenager in self-defence in an Orlando suburb. He is charged with second-degree murder, but the judge has ruled the jury can convict him of manslaughter.
Police took six weeks to arrest Mr Zimmerman after the killing, which stoked racial tensions and spawned mass, peaceful protests. Mass protests
'Don't be violent' Defence lawyers for Mr Zimmerman are expected to make their closing arguments on Friday, following 12 days of testimony.
Community leaders in the town of Sanford, where the shooting occurred, say they have been working to smooth tensions in case Mr Zimmerman is acquitted. Mr Zimmerman could face life in prison if convicted on the murder charge. If convicted of manslaughter, he could face up to 30 years in prison.
"It's all right to be vocal, but we don't want to be violent," said Rev Walter Richardson, a pastor and chairman of Miami-Dade County's Community Relations Board, according to the Associated Press. On the night of 26 February 2012, Martin was walking to the home of his father's fiancee in Sanford, Florida, from a convenience shop when the fatal confrontation ensued.
"We've already lost one soul and we don't want to lose any more." Mr Zimmerman, who was legally armed with a pistol, had been sitting in his vehicle on a dark street when he saw Martin and believed he was up to no good. Mr Zimmerman telephoned police, then left his vehicle in apparent pursuit of the teenager.
Trayvon Martin was walking to the home of his father's fiancee from a convenience shop when the fatal confrontation ensued with the neighbourhood watch volunteer in a gated community on a rainy evening. Moments later, Martin was dead of a gunshot wound to the chest.
Before the prosecution began its closing argument on Thursday, after 12 days of testimony, a judge gave instructions to the sequestered jury of six women. Mr Zimmerman claimed he had shot Martin in self-defence when the teenager tried to grab his gun. In the absence of witnesses contradicting his account, police did not arrest him until six weeks later, following mass peaceful protests.
Seminole County Judge Debra Nelson said they could also convict Mr Zimmerman for manslaughter. 'Who started this?'
But she ruled out another lesser charge of third-degree murder, amid strong objections from the defence team. After 12 days of testimony in Mr Zimmerman's murder trial, prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda gave the state's closing remarks on Thursday.
Lawyers argued the move was a "trick" from the prosecution, because the lesser charge of third-degree murder would be based on the argument that Mr Zimmerman committed child abuse against Martin, who was a minor. He described Mr Zimmerman as a "wannabe cop" and said the neighbourhood watch volunteer had followed the teenager with a gun and provoked him into a fight.
"Oh my God," defence lawyer Don West told the judge. "Just when I thought this case couldn't get any more bizarre, the state is seeking third-degree murder based on child abuse." "[Trayvon] is dead through no fault of his own," he told the jury of six women.
The defence said the jury should consider only a second-degree murder conviction or acquittal. "He is dead because another man made assumptions. Because his assumptions were wrong, Trayvon Benjamin Martin will no longer walk on this Earth."
Mr Zimmerman could face life in prison if he is convicted on the initial charge of murder. Without explicitly bringing up race, Mr de la Rionda said Mr Zimmerman had "profiled" the young black hooded sweatshirt-clad teenager as a criminal.
If convicted for manslaughter he could face a maximum sentence of 30 years in jail. "Who started this?" Mr de la Rionda asked the jury to consider. "Who followed who? Who was minding his own business? And of the two, who was armed?"
Whose screams?Whose screams?
Over several weeks of testimony, prosecutors argued that Mr Zimmerman had lied in his account of the confrontation. Over several weeks of testimony, prosecutors argued that Mr Zimmerman had lied in his account of the confrontation and that Mr Zimmerman, not Martin, had been the aggressor.
The defendant told police that Martin had attacked him unprovoked, pummelled him and slammed his head against the concrete pavement, while he struggled for his life and ultimately fired his gun in self-defence.
A prosecutor said during opening statements that Mr Zimmerman shot Martin "because he wanted to", after deciding the teenager did not belong in the neighbourhood.
And prosecutors portrayed the defendant as an aspiring police officer who was familiar with Florida's lax laws on armed self-defence.
Martin's parents told the court the voice heard screaming for help on an emergency call during the fight was their son's.Martin's parents told the court the voice heard screaming for help on an emergency call during the fight was their son's.
And a prosecution witness testified none of Mr Zimmerman's DNA had been found on Martin's body - especially under his fingernails.And a prosecution witness testified none of Mr Zimmerman's DNA had been found on Martin's body - especially under his fingernails.
Meanwhile, the defence showed a video recording of Mr Zimmerman explaining to police his version of events, and dwelt on Mr Zimmerman's injuries, which they said showed the teenager was severely beating him. Meanwhile, Mr Zimmerman's defence team said that Martin had attacked the defendant unprovoked, pummelled him and slammed his head against the concrete pavement and made a grab for his gun, while he struggled for his life and ultimately fired his gun in self-defence.
Mr Zimmerman chose not to testify. But his lawyers showed the jury a video recording of Mr Zimmerman explaining to police his version of events.
The lawyers dwelt on Mr Zimmerman's injuries, which they said showed the teenager was severely beating him before the fatal shot.
Both of Mr Zimmerman's parents, as well as friends and an uncle, told the court the cries heard on the emergency call were those of Mr Zimmerman.Both of Mr Zimmerman's parents, as well as friends and an uncle, told the court the cries heard on the emergency call were those of Mr Zimmerman.
A forensic pathologist testified that Mr Zimmerman had fired his gun from beneath Martin, evidence, the defence said, that the teenager was beating him up. And forensic pathologist testified that Mr Zimmerman had fired his gun from beneath Martin, evidence, the defence said, that the teenager was beating him up.
The trial has reportedly taken an emotional toll on both the defendant and the victim's family. Florida community leaders have appealed for calm as the trial heads towards its conclusion, fearing outrage if Mr Zimmerman is acquitted.
Defence lawyers said Mr Zimmerman was very worried about the verdict and feared for his personal safety in the future. "It's all right to be vocal, but we don't want to be violent," said the Rev Walter Richardson, a pastor and chairman of Miami-Dade County's Community Relations Board, according to the Associated Press.
"We've already lost one soul and we don't want to lose any more."