The trial of George Zimmerman begins today.

Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in 17-year-old Trayvon Martin’s killing and has pleaded not guilty, saying he acted in self-defense. Circuit Judge Debra Nelson has previously denied a defense motion to delay the trial.

What actually happened that fateful night?  Orlandosentinel.com reported at the time, that

With a single punch, Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who eventually shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old, then Trayvon climbed on top of George Zimmerman and slammed his head into the sidewalk, leaving him bloody and battered, law-enforcement authorities told the Orlando Sentinel.

That is the account Zimmerman gave police, and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say. There have been no reports that a witness saw the initial punch Zimmerman told police about.

Zimmerman has not spoken publicly about what happened Feb. 26. But that night, and in later meetings, he described and re-enacted for police what he says took place.

In his version of events, Zimmerman had turned around and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from behind, the two exchanged words and then Trayvon punched him in the nose, sending him to the ground, and began beating him. Zimmerman told police he shot the teenager in self-defense.

…This is what the Sentinel has learned about Zimmerman’s account to investigators:

He said he was on his way to the grocery store when he spotted Trayvon walking through his gated community.

Trayvon was visiting his father’s fiancée, who lived there. He had been suspended from school in Miami after being found with an empty marijuana baggie. Miami schools have a zero-tolerance policy for drug possession.

Police have been reluctant to provide details about their evidence.

…On Feb. 26, when Zimmerman first spotted Trayvon, he called police and reported a suspicious person, describing Trayvon as black, acting strangely and perhaps on drugs.

Zimmerman got out of his SUV to follow Trayvon on foot. When a dispatch employee asked Zimmerman if he was following the 17-year-old, Zimmerman said yes. The dispatcher told Zimmerman he did not need to do that.

There is about a one-minute gap during which police say they’re not sure what happened.

Zimmerman told them he lost sight of Trayvon and was walking back to his SUV when Trayvon approached him from the left rear, and they exchanged words.

Trayvon asked Zimmerman if he had a problem. Zimmerman said no and reached for his cell phone, he told police. Trayvon then said, “Well, you do now” or something similar and punched Zimmerman in the nose, according to the account he gave police.

Zimmerman fell to the ground and Trayvon got on top of him and began slamming his head into the sidewalk, he told police.

Zimmerman began yelling for help.

Several witnesses heard those cries, and there has been a dispute about whether they came from Zimmerman or Trayvon.

Lawyers for Trayvon’s family say it was Trayvon, but police say their evidence indicates it was Zimmerman.

One witness, who has since talked to local television news reporters, told police he saw Zimmerman on the ground with Trayvon on top, pounding him — and was unequivocal that it was Zimmerman who was crying for help.

Zimmerman then shot Trayvon once in the chest at very close range, according to authorities.

When police arrived less than two minutes later, Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose, had a swollen lip and had bloody lacerations to the back of his head.

Paramedics gave him first aid but he said he did not need to go to the hospital. He got medical care the next day.

The Daily Caller got access to the “Tweets”  of Trayvon.  They reveal a young man who was playing “Gangsta”, spewing vulgarities and talking tough.

Even though all the evidence seems to reveal that the young man was not as pure as the driven snow, it is still unfortunate that his young life ended that night.

Have those character flaws led to a re-writing of Trayvon’s life-story in an attempt to appease activists and convict George Zimmerman?

Just recently, a A court employee was placed on administrative leave for not turning text messages and photos from Tryvon’s phone, over to the defense. Former Prosecutor Wesley White said,

I was saddened by it, but I’m not surprised.

White had first learned about the evidence through the employee more than a month ago.

White led the Nassau County state attorney’s office before resigning in December, due to differences of opinion with the current prosecutor. He is now in private practice.

According to White, the photos Kruidbos got off the phone, were of a hand holding a gun and one depicted drugs. The content of the text messages wasn’t told to him.

I’m an officer of the court and I’m obliged to inform the court of any misconduct or any potential misconduct coming before the court. Whether it’s by the defense or prosecution.

This revelation led the Defense to release photos of a gun, marijuana plant and Martin’s text messages to the public. They announced that if prosecutors were going to label Zimmerman as the aggressor and Martin as the innocent bystander, they wanted the information to defend him.

However, the judge in the case, Judge Nelson,  has ruled that Defense Attorneys won’t be able to mention the teen’s drug use, suspension from school and past fighting during opening statements at the trial.

The thing is, since there were no eye witnesses as to what happened that night, shouldn’t Trayvon’s past behavior be taken into account?

The Miami Herald published the following on March 26th:

The Miami Gardens teen who has become a national symbol of racial injustice was suspended three times, and had a spotty school record that his family’s attorneys say is irrelevant to the facts that led up to his being gunned down on Feb. 26.

In October, a school police investigator said he saw Trayvon on the school surveillance camera in an unauthorized area “hiding and being suspicious.” Then he said he saw Trayvon mark up a door with “W.T.F” — an acronym for “what the f—.” The officer said he found Trayvon the next day and went through his book bag in search of the graffiti marker.

Instead the officer reported he found women’s jewelry and a screwdriver that he described as a “burglary tool,” according to a Miami-Dade Schools Police report obtained by The Miami Herald. Word of the incident came as the family’s lawyer acknowledged that the boy was suspended in February for getting caught with an empty bag with traces of marijuana, which he called “irrelevant” and an attempt to demonize a victim.

Trayvon’s backpack contained 12 pieces of jewelry, in addition to a watch and a large flathead screwdriver, according to the report, which described silver wedding bands and earrings with diamonds.

Trayvon was asked if the jewelry belonged to his family or a girlfriend.

“Martin replied it’s not mine. A friend gave it to me,” he responded, according to the report. Trayvon declined to name the friend.

Trayvon was not disciplined because of the discovery, but was instead suspended for graffiti, according to the report. School police impounded the jewelry and sent photos of the items to detectives at Miami-Dade Police for further investigation.

A lawyer for the dead teen’s family acknowledged Trayvon had been suspended for graffiti, but said the family knew nothing about the jewelry and the screwdriver.

I’ll bet they didn’t.

CiteHR.com, in a article titled “Why Does Character Matter?” states that

Character can be defined in a variety of ways. Mental images abound as to the true definition but perhaps they can be summed up as, the motivation to do what is right; or who you are when no one is watching. To be a person of character, one must posses certain character traits like patience, love, perseverance, self-control, humility, diligence, and so on.

…Personal character clarifies one’s value system and defines behavior in a most explicit manner. As we observe culture and human behavior, we can almost always trace backwards from behavior to find the meaning, values, and beliefs rooted in a person’s worldview that subsequently influences behavior. In other words, our behavior is often consistent with our values; the way we act has meaning based on what we believe about ourselves, other people, the world, and for many a higher power.

Potential evidence as to Zimmerman’s character comes from an attempt to meet with Trayvon’s parents, which they refused.  Of course, witnesses have come forth to testify on behalf of George Zimmerman, also.

The only evidence we have of Trayvon’s character are his spotty school record, and the bloody gashes on the back of Zimmerman’s head, where Trayvon repeatedly slammed it into the sidewalk.

Did Trayvon, as a witness has related he said to Zimmerman, lay an a@@ whuppin’ on Zimmerman or did the 6’1″ teenager slam Zimmerman’s head into the sidewalk because he was scared of the older, smaller, neighborhood watch volunteer?

An impartial jury will have to decide that….and if “content of character” matters.

Until He Comes, 

KJ