Zimmerman Jury Set; All Women, No Blacks

George Zimmerman jury

The jury in the George Zimmerman 2nd degree murder trial is set. The jury is comprised of all women — 6 whites and 1 Hispanic. Zimmerman was charged with 2nd degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February 2012. Zimmerman claimed self-defense, saying he feared for his life when he left the safety of his truck to pursue the unarmed teenager who was returning home from a convenience store.

Under Florida law, 12 jurors are required only when the death penalty is being considered. If convicted, Zimmerman faces life in prison.

Reporting by: Dennis Byron

Hip Hop Enquirer has been in the courtroom during the selection process and while there have been several black jurors interviewed by both sides, today both defense and the prosecution have used their 10 allowed peremptory strikes to excludes people of color for one reason or another.

In particular, George Zimmerman’s defense attorney Mark O’ Mara spent an exceptional amount of time questioning black jurors on their biases as it related to this case.

The profiles of the jurors selected are broken down as follows:

B-29
A Hispanic woman who moved to Florida from Chicago four months before the trial began. She has been married for 10 years, and has eight children. Her oldest son is 20.

B-76
A white woman who previously owned a construction company with her husband. She has lived in Seminole County since 1995. She has two children; her older son, 28, is a foreclosure/divorce lawyer.

B-37
A White woman. Married with two daughters. Animal rescue volunteer, has multiple pets. Husband is a space attorney, works with rockets. Father was Air Force captain. 18-year Seminole County resident.

B-51
White woman. Retired from real estate, 9-year Seminole Co. resident, in Central Fla. since 1987. Was juror 3 years ago, and in 1991 in Orange County.

E-6
White woman. Husband is an engineer. Children are 11 and 13. Unemployed, volunteers at kids’ school. 2-year Seminole Co. resident, had lived in Orange Co. since 2004.

E-40
White woman. Moved to Fla. from Iowa in Nov. 2012. Works as safety officer, husband is a chemical engineer. Son is 28. Was on jury 20 years ago in Pa. drug dealing case.