Trayvon Martin Trial Update: Rachel Jeantel's Testimony Has Mixed Results, Zimmerman Account Upcoming
The Trayvon Martin trial is now entering it's second week, and appears to be far from decisive in its expected outcome. Let's review what has happened so far, and take a look at what is on tap this week for one of the most controversial trials in recent memory.
Undoubtedly, the most notable event last week was the testimony of Trayvon Martin's friend Rachel Jeantel. Her account of the events surrounding Martin's death certainly did not help to paint the defendant, George Zimmerman, in a favorable light.
"Rachel Jeantel, a friend of Martin's who was on the phone with him when Zimmerman approached him, said she heard Martin ask Zimmerman, 'Why are you following me for?' and then heard 'What you doing around here?' from a man she described as hard-breathing. She said Martin told her a 'creepy' white guy was following him," noted isciencetimes.com.
Jeantel's testimony wasn't all good news for the prosecution however. Earlier in the week she was unable to read a letter that she had supposedly written to Trayvon Martin's family detailing just what led to his death. Apparently she is at least partially illiterate, and had to dictate the letter to a friend to write. That information certainly was a blow to Jeantel's credibility for the trial.
Furthermore, many people have drawn attention to Jeantel's demeanor during the court proceedings. Often times she appeared to be either dispassionate or downright hostile during her involvement in the trial. That attitude may reflect poorly on the prosecution's case, as Jeantel's actions do not seem congruent with someone who wants justice for a friend's death.
"To me, the fact that she was irritated to be there was a major factor because that's something that is difficult to explain away," Elura Nanos, a former prosecutor, told The Huffington Post. "Why wouldn't she want to be there? There's no clear reason why she wouldn't want to be there other than it's just an inconvenience."
Still, Jeantel's behavior may not be that big of a deal after all. As some experts have noted, her relationship with authority figures is actually quite common in the African-American community due to generations of tense relations.
"The relationship between blacks and law enforcement is a tumultuous one," Rashawn Ray, associate professor of sociology at University of Maryland, was quoted as saying. "It is plagued by continuous incidents of unjust treatment and discrimination."
Now that the second week of the trial has begun, we will be able to hearZimmerman's account, explaining the circumstances of the night he fatally shot Trayvon Martin. It is not yet known whether Zimmerman will testify at the trial. Zimmerman has pled not guilty to second-degree murder and could face life in prison if convicted.
Subscribe to Latin Post!
Sign up for our free newsletter for the Latest coverage!