Live Updates, Day Four, June 13, 2013

[cboldt]

Juror K-80 is her number. Nelson announces she will in fact sequester jury. Weird timing for a ruling from the bench.

I think the ruling is designed to mislead jurors into conflating sequestration with anonymity.  But, the questions of hardship are difficult to answer without setting the parameters of the trial, and it's better to get the right answer now instead of after the jury has been selected.

The court wants people who are in the jury pool to trust the court, and if the court plays "hide the ball," then the people will, too.

[TalkLeft]

Let's discuss the ruling in the comments thread so this stays on live updates. Thanks.

[Cylinder]

West explains sequester to K-80. Jurors will be kept together with court security. Talks about limited visitation. Limited contact. Limited media contact. Entertainment provided through court. Instead of 4-6 weeks, 2-4 week trial. K-80 says she can be sequestered but has concerns about child care.  West explains anonymous jury. ID will be protected during trial and for a short, but as yet undetermined, period after verdict. Knowing that some post-trial anonymity will occur, can she be assured that threats wouldn't affect verdict. Answers yes.

[cboldt]

West is making clear that anonymity would attach for some period of time after trial, but that amount of time has not been determined.  (I don't think the press agrees with this, and is apt to fight for short period of anonymity).  Well, I'm glad that he is at least making the extinction of anonymity known to the prospects.

West makes the point that the verdict should not reflect fear.  Then he asks, can the juror give assurance that whatever her verdict is, it would be based only on the evidence and the law.  She says yes.

Sidebar @ 13:59

[Cylinder]

K-80 sent with Deputy Jarvis. Hard to tell her disposition.

[Cylinder]

K-95 up.

[Cylinder]

K-95 sounds like an older female. Can't recall with channels she saw the media reports. Probably right at the beginning. She reads FB but seldom posts. Does not take newspaper. Recalls shooting, a lot of people coming in town for rallies, other than that doesn't remember much. Full time student, does relay for life. Wrote on questionnaire "conflicting stories, one self-defense, another not self-defense" in response to news articles.

Wasn't curious about summons. Was rescheduled from last month's jury pool. Had discussions with parents from Ohio about shooting and her security. Used to be part of HOA. Quit HOA because they did not have liability insurance that would cover gardener.  For her, that was unethical. Didn't discuss it at college.

Says case is about a gentleman who shot a teenager. Bernie's going into rehabilitation mode. I think he likes this one.

[Cylinder]

K-95 with BDLR.
Didn't understand why media was making assumptions. Didn't like traffic from demonstrations. Though that demonstrations was bringing commotion and disruption. Bernie cools on witness. Witness brings up Chief Lee resigning or having to quit. Wouldn't hold demonstrations against state or Zimmerman.

Remembers seeing age discrepancy in Martin photos. Can't remember any other photos. Did not watch pre-trial proceedings. Asks blue car/red car question. She asserts she would use courtroom evidence. Bernie reveals question 5 is about sequestration. Would not present hardship.

Witness asks if she will have internet access to submit homework.

Doesn't know if which "side" caused demonstrations. Just remembered traffic.

[Cylinder]

K-96 with MOM.

Channel surfer. Mainly watches Weather Channel and local news. First impression was that media tried to turn this into racial issue. She did not form an opinion on this due to incomplete information. She just moved on and didn't give it a second thought. Didn't have any impact on her day-to-day life.

Remembers Chief Lee but it didn't have any impact. Wondered why big names came to little Sanford when other places had other crimes. Did not understand. Made joke about maybe resort locale made them come here. Too busy to pay attention and didn't care (not to be insensitive). Says she would absolutely be able to pay attention for trial for 2-4 weeks. Would not be hardship.

Excused for jury duty last month and took 14-year-old son to Ohio last week. Taking 2 online summer classes. Talking business math and Publisher. Would use sequester to study coursework.

3 things that stick out in her mind about case:

-Young/old photo of Martin. Claims one looks like he was 9. Next was teenaged.
-Skittles. Didn't know significance.
-Hoodie. That's what he was wearing. Can't recall significance.

Saw picture of Zimmerman early on. Remembers something about yelling for help. Someone asked her about it but she didn't know enough to comment.
Sidebar.

[Cylinder]

Court reporter changing paper....

Next up is N-18.

[Cylinder]

N-18 soft-spoken male, sounds like English-as-second-language. Heard about case on news a little. Didn't really interact on the internet. Formed an opinion that Zimmerman was guilty. He thinks he can set that aside.

When he thinks about Zimmerman, he thinks about whatever he heard on the news. He reads the bible, not the newspaper. The news said he was guilty. He says he can put aside earlier thoughts and follow instructions. Understands presumption of innocence. His English is not very fluent. Has to translate to Spanish in head. BDLR asserts he is prohibited from reading questions in Spanish. Sequester would not be hardship.

I think this guy will be excused for language barrier.

He heard the people get upset about the way things were going. It should be equal for everybody. Born in Puerto Rico.

Had no discussions for family and friends. Was thinking about court instructions. I don't know that he understands all questions being asked. State is done.

[Cylinder]

N-18 and West.

First sidebar.

[Cylinder]

N-18 and West:

Believes in 10 Commandments. "Thou shall not kill." Asserts Zimmerman is guilty both under God's law and Man's law. Might have been self-defense - he was not there. Based upon what he heard from the news, does he think Zimmerman is guilty under the law of the court?

State objects. Rephrased. Now N-18 says Zimmerman is not guilty because of self-defense. I get a strong indication that N-18 is not understanding questions and is trying hard to communicate in English. (His English is much better than my Spanish, FWIW)

Sidebar.

[Cylinder]

Once again, "according to news he is guilty." The way the case was and what happened that day... The fight, he shoot him...."If I go out and shoot somebody I'd be guilty...."

Thinks the fact, in and of itself, that Zimmerman shot Martin makes him guilty. Self-defense? It depends. "I don't know what to answer to you, in that case." Does not know self defense law.

State objects to question regarding support for self-defense law. Sustained.

Uses reading time for bible and bible study. View of guilt guided by bible. State objects to religious questions. Sustained.

West questioned about discussing the case in church. Has not.

The news talks about it and the media makes the situation worse by giving too much attention to it. Saw a picture of Zimmerman being hurt. Says that indicated there was a fight. Only knew that Martin got killed. Did not form an opinion about who started fight or what led up to the fight. Now back to justified by self defense and thinks that's what happened here. Now he says he wasn't there.

"There was a fight. That's what I think, there was a fight."

Martin was younger, Zimmerman was a grown man already. Seems like he's leaning back to guilty.

Disabled. Has been praying on this at 3AM each morning. God has run his life and he follow's God's commandments.

Sidebar.

[Cylinder]

Back in session. Next up is B-34.