In an interesting turn of events in the Trayvon Martin murder case, an attorney for George Zimmerman said in court Tuesday that he did not need a two-week immunity hearing in April to determine whether the defendant acted in self defense under Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law.
Zimmerman, 29, killed Martin, 17, during a confrontation on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida and his defense has maintained that he shot Martin (who was unarmed) in self defense. According to news reports, the two-week immunity hearing was scheduled to determine whether Zimmerman could be exempt from culpability by "Stand Your Ground" in which a person is given immunity for using deadly force if he or she had a reasonable fear of imminent death or great bodily injury.
In an immunity hearing, a judge would decide if Zimmerman was protected by that law and Zimmerman did not appear at the hearing, according to the Orlando Sentinel. His attorney told the judge he would like to integrate the law into the trial and the move would give the defense more time to prepare. Zimmerman wants to have a jury of his peers decide his case.
So George Zimmerman believes a jury deciding his fate and an acquittal by a judge would be his best chance. Majority of the court of public opinion still believes Zimmerman could not have been in fear of his life when he chased down Trayvon Martin, fighting then shooting him in the chest. Martin was unarmed but had a bag of Skittles and an Arizona Iced Tea and was wearing a hoodie, which made him look threatening to the neighborhood. But, the courts will decide the outcome.
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