Opening statements in the murder trial of George Zimmerman, who last year shot Trayvon Martin to death in a confrontation that caused racial tension, are set to begin Monday in front of a jury that has been cut off from the world over the weekend.
The panel of six jurors, all women, plus four alternates — two women and two men — is sequestered because of the national attention surrounding the trial of the neighborhood watchman.
Zimmerman, 29, shot 17-year-old Martin, who was black, in a Florida gated community last year. He argues self-defense.
The 10 jurors will stay in an undisclosed hotel with no access to TV, newspapers or the Internet, officials said. They’ll be allowed to use cellphones once a day to catch up with family and friends.
Their isolation will last for the entire trial, which is estimated to take two to four weeks and will take place in Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford.
Circuit Judge Debra Nelson assured potential jurors they won’t be holed up in their rooms for the entire time.
“There will be planned activities for you,” she said during jury selections.
With News Wire Services