The trial of George Zimmerman will not be delayed, a judge ruled on Tuesday. Zimmerman is being charged in the murder of Florida teen Trayvon Martin in February 2012.
Circuit Judge Debra Nelson ruled that the trial will start on June 10 as previously scheduled. According to USA Today, she also ruled that Martin’s school records, marijuana use, fights, photos or text messages found on his phone could not be used as evidence. Nelson said that she didn’t see how these pieces of evidence were relevant to the case, although she said that she could change the ruling during the trial.
The Orlando Sentinel reports that Nelson also said that the fact that marijuana was found in Martin’s system cannot be mentioned in opening statements. She also shot down a request from the state for a gag order.
During the hearing, Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, said that Martin’s marijuana use played a key role in their defense, noting that it could have affected Martin’s behavior on Feb. 26, 2012, the day the 17-year-old was killed. “We have a lot of evidence that marijuana use had something to do with the event,” O’Mara said, reports CBS News. “It could have affected his behavior.”
Benjamin Crump, a lawyer for Martin’s family, commented that “Most lawyers knew this evidence was inadmissible. We have to not let people get away with polluting the jury.”
Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder and pleaded not guilty. He had been a neighborhood watch member when he shot and killed Martin, who was unarmed, during a confrontation.