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It’s officially day 18 in the George Zimmerman second-degree murder trial and the details of what really happened the night he murdered Trayvon Martin are slowly but surely taking shape.

After a day of intense testimony from lead police investigator Chris Serino and a medical examiner who identified Zimmerman’s injuries as “insignificant,” attorneys on either side are arguing about Zimmerman’s school records.

The state argues that Zimmerman’s education is important to point out. He took classes at Seminole State College on criminal investigation and he applied to be a police officer.

According to prosecution, these classes underscore the former Neighborhood Watch volunteer’s intense interest in law enforcement.

Another hiccup that attorneys will work out this morning? According to the Orlando Sentinel:

The prosecution also argues testimony from Zimmerman’s professors is needed to rebut his claim, in an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News from last year that was aired in court Tuesday, that he didn’t know about Florida’s controversial “stand your ground” self-defense law before he shot Trayvon.

Zimmerman would have learned about that in class, the state says.

Here are the latest updates from the courtroom.

THE LATEST UPDATES FROM THE COURTROOM:

1:57 PM EST: Anthony Gorgone of Florida Department of Law Enforcement takes the stand. He analyzed blood stains on Trayvon Martin’s clothes.

– Gorgone confirms that Zimmerman’s blood was found on the shirt underneath Trayvon’s hoodie. 

Gorgone confirms that none of the swabs of Zimmerman’s gun found DNA matching Trayvon’s.

– Gorgone confirms that none of Zimmerman’s DNA were in scrapings of Trayvon’s fingernails, or in swabs of the hooded sweatshirt he was wearing, including the cuffs.

11:25 AM EST: Amy Siewert takes the stand. She is the Florida Department of Law Enforcement firearms analyst who tested Zimmerman’s gun and holster. She also tested Trayvon Martin’s clothes for gunpowder and distance testing.

– Siewert’s testing revealed that the gun was touching Trayvon’s hoodie when it was shot.

– Siewert confirmed that Zimmerman had a magazine and a bullet in the chamber of his gun the night he shot Martin. 

– Siewert states that the gun Zimmerman was carrying was actually safe to carry, being that it was only fire if the trigger was pulled.


11:00 AM EST: A professor who taught an online class is the next witness. Scott Pleasants appears before the court via Skype.

– Pleasants taught the various aspects of a criminal investigation, different types of crimes.

– Course work included text on how to testify and criminal profiling. Pleasants cannot confirm in Zimmerman read the course work.

– Pleasant’s testimony is interrupted after his Skype name is displayed on television. Prank callers flood the testimony with calls. 

– After calling on phone, Pleasants indicates Zimmerman’s career goals, which were to be an attorney and eventually a prosecutor.

10:40 AM EST: Court recessed until 11:00 AM

10:35 AM EST: Jim Krzenski takes the stand. He works in administrative services for the Sanford Police Department. 

– Krzenski tells court that Zimmerman wanted to do a police ride along to solidify his chances of a career in law enforcement.

9:51 AM EST: Captain Alexis Carter of the U.S. Army Jag takes the stand. He is a military lawyer and was the instructor for Zimmerman’s criminal litigation course.

– Carter tells the jury that Zimmerman was “one of his better students.” He taught law and criminal procedure and Zimmerman recieved an “A” in his class.

– Carter says that Stand Your Ground was covered in class, but not extensively and not specific to Florida.

– Don West cross examines Carter, asks if Florida’s self-defense law is called “stand your ground.” He replies, “no.”

9:40 AM EST:  A Prince William County (VA) police officer, Scott Kearns, takes the stand. Zimmerman applied to be an officer there.

– Zimmeran’s application was rejected because of bad credit

9:35 AM EST: The first witness of the day, Sonja Boles-Melvin, takes the stand. She is the registrar for the Seminole State College, the school Zimmerman attended.

– Boles says that Zimmerman applied for graduation in October 17, 2011. His expected graduation was Spring 2012.

– Boles is excused.

8:30 AM EST: Court resumes.

– Prosecutiong and defense meet early to discuss Zimmerman’s school records. Mark O’Mara says that the records aren’t relevant. The defense argues that Zimmerman’s knowledge in criminal courses are relevant to how he answered questions and behaved when interrogated by police.

– Mantei argues that “his extracurricular life” mirrored interest. “He profiles,” speaks in “written police jargon.”

– An example of that jargon: “‘I unholstered my firearm,’ not, ‘I pulled my gun.'”

– Nelson finally rules that school records are allowed into trial.

WHAT YOU MISSED YESTERDAY:

– For a full recap of each trial day, see below:

Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4, Day 5Week 2Day 7Day 8Day 9Day 10Week 3, Day 12Day 13Day 14Day 15Week 4, Day 17.