Closing Arguments In George Zimmerman Trial Appeal To Emotion, Justice

The jury begins deliberating in Zimmerman's second-degree murder trial.

By
Adrian Carrasquillo
by Adrian Carrasquillo

BuzzFeed News Reporter

Demetrius Martin cries as he remembers his brother, Trayvon Martin.

Prosecutor Bernie De La Rionda during closing arguments on Thursday:

"A teenager is dead. He is dead through no fault of his own. He is dead because another man made assumptions. That man assumed certain things. He's dead not just because the man made those assumptions, [but] because he acted upon those assumptions and unfortunately because his assumptions were wrong, Trayvon Benjamin Martin no longer walks on this earth."

"I had a dream that a witness would not be judged on the color of her personality but on the content of her testimony."

Jacob Langston/Orlando Sentinel/MCT

De La Rionda talking about witness Rachel Jeantel, who spoke to Martin in the last moments of his life, and was criticized by many for her raw demeanor and emotional testimony.

"Did what she tell you, as best she could, and maybe her English wasn't the best... but did she speak the truth? Because when you think of it, she was the person that was speaking to the victim," De La Rionda said.

During his closing arguments, Mark O'Mara, defense attorney, said Zimmerman's injuries weren't minor.

Pool / Reuters

He said Martin wasn't unarmed because he had the concrete on the ground to hit Zimmerman against.

"This is the person who attacked George Zimmerman."

The defense showed the jury this picture of Martin, taken four months before his death.

O'Mara during closing arguments:

Getty Images

Prosecutor John Guy during closing arguments:

Getty Images
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