Subscribe
The Daily Grind Video
CLOSE

After two weeks of intense testimony from witnesses, the state is expected to rest their case in the George Zimmerman second-degree murder trial.

That means the last witnessed to be called with be Trayvon Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, and Dr. Shipping Bao, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on the teenager.

After a short holiday break to observe the fourth of July, jurors will hear the last of testimony and as the state rests, the defense will either start calling their witnesses or ask Circuit Judge Debra Nelson for a judgement of acquittal. 

In short, the ruling would mean the state’s case was insufficient.

We’ll keep you updated on the latest.

LATEST UPDATES FROM THE COURTROOM:

2:00 PM EST: Cross examination of Dr. Bao continues.

– West and Bao are discussing the procedure of packaging a victims clothes, autopsy and fingernail scraping.

1:00 PM EST: Sidebar conference with attorneys and judge to determing if the state withheld evidence. Judge Nelson decides that no violation was made.

12:00 PM EST: Court recesses for lunch

10:17 AM EST: Dr. Shiping Bao, the medical examiner who performed the autopsy on Trayvon Martin, takes the stand.

– Dr. Bao told the jury that the bullet that hit Trayvon pierced his heart and that he probably was still “suffering” or in pain for one to 10 minutes after being shot.

– “His heart was still beating.” Dr. Rao on Trayvon.

– Dr. Bao also told the court that Trayvon’s injuries were not “survivable.” He continued, “no chance, zero.”

– The small abrasions on Trayvon’s fingers were also discussed. Dr. Bao told the court that they could have happened before, during or after the fight with Zimmerman.

– Of the position of Zimmerman and Trayvon’s body at the time of the shooting: “I have no fact, I have zero opinion.”

– During cross examination, Bao confirmed that Trayvon’s hands weren’t bagged at the shooting scene to preserve evidence.

– Dr. Bao has to refer to his notes. He says he does not remember the autopsy.

– Trayvon’s clothes were placed in plastic, which would have degraded the DNA evidence. Dr. Bao confirms that the clothes were supposed to be put in paper bags.

9:07 AM EST: Jahvaris Fulton, Trayvon’s brother, takes the stand.

– Identifies himself as Trayvon’s relative. “That’s my brother.” Says that they were really close.

– Jahvaris testified that he told a reporter that he wasn’t sure if the screams on the 911 call were Trayvon’s. He explained, saying that he was in denial and hoped that it wasn’t his brother.

8:30 AM EST: COURT RESUMES

– Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon’s mother, takes the stand.

– Fulton asked to name her sons. When she mentions Trayvon, she says “He’s in heaven.”

– Identifies Trayvon by telling court about his tattoos. Trayvon had two tattos, praying hands and “my name” on his left wrist. The teenager was right-handed.

– Bernie de la Rionda plays the 911 tape with screams in the background. Asked if she can identify the screaming. “Yes, it’s Trayvon Benjamin Martin.”

– During cross examination, O’Mara tells Fulton that he’s sorry for her loss. BDLR objects.

– O’Mara questions Fulton about the first time she heard the tape. It ws revealed that she wasn’t prepared for the screams when she first heard the tape with Trayvon’s father, Jahvaris Fulton, family lawyers, and mayor.

– O’Mara asks Fulton a series of questions about “hope.” She replies, “I don’t hope for anything.”

– During redirect, Fulton tells BDLR that she what she hoped was that Trayvon was still here, alive. 

—–

WHAT HAPPENED EARLIER THIS WEEK:

– A DNA expert 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.

– Amy Siewart, a firearms analyst, confirmed that Zimmerman had a magazine and a bullet in the chamber of his gun the night he shot Martin. 

– Capt. Alexis Carter, a former instructor of Zimmerman’s, told the court that they mentioned “Stand Your Ground” law in his course, however, it wasn’t discussed in detail.

– 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 4Day 17, Day 18.