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In the beginning phases of the high-profile case determining what could be a controversial verdict for George Zimmerman, a small win has come his way.  The judge presiding over the case ruled Thursday (June 13), that  jurors will be sequestered for the remainder of the trial.  

Prosecutors and defense attorneys have so far selected a pool of 20 and have been filtering through potential jurors since Monday (June 10). Of those already picked, three are African-American.

The process of selecting the remaining panelists has taken longer than expected. Thus, moving Judge Debra Nelson to order the jury’s isolation.

Sequestering jurors is common place in prominent criminal prosecutions to prevent the group from being tainted by outside opinions or information. Nationwide outrage stemming from Trayvon Martin’s Feb. 26 slaying, drew protests, and raised racial tensions, making the story a frequent fixture in the news sector.  As such, jury selection has been difficult. Potential jurors ranged from those who seem to have their minds already made up, to others who needed lawyers to reiterate many specifics about the case.

All 10 of those chosen (six jurors and four alternates) will be kept in private locations to secure objectivity during the case, which attorneys say is set to last between two to four weeks. So far, there has been no evidence sharing and there will be other potentials questioned to complete the a pool of potentials, before the final 10 are selected.

If convicted, Zimmerman could land in jail for life .

 

Photo: Reuters