Lawyers have started taking depositions of several witnesses in the Trayvon Martin case.
The trial of George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin is still months away, but there is a good deal of activity going on in preparation for the nationally anticipated court proceedings.
So far, Zimmerman's lawyers have taken depositions of several figures in the case, including a significant witness for the prosecution, Mary Cutcher. Immediately after hearing a gunshot, Cutcher told authorities in Sanford, Fla., she went outside and saw a man standing above Martin’s body and that it seemed like the man was pressing down on the body.
Following the killing, she criticized the police department in Sanford for not arresting Zimmerman immediately.
Weeks later, Zimmerman was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Martin, a 17-year-old Black teenager who was walking in the gated community in the Orlando suburb. The shooting, which took place nearly a year ago, sparked national controversy.
Zimmerman says he shot the teenager in self-defense while Martin’s parents say they believe their son was the victim of racial profiling.
Another witness is a woman who called 911 before Zimmerman shot Martin; during the call, cries for help can be heard as well as a gunshot. The woman told authorities that she had not seen the interaction between Zimmerman and Martin because it was dark outside.
The trial is scheduled to begin in June.
BET National News - Keep up to date with breaking news stories from around the nation, including headlines from the hip hop and entertainment world. Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.
(Photo: Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel-Pool/Getty Images)
On Facebook
On Twitter
