Zimmerman evidence hearing

Trayvon Martin's parents surrounded by the pre...

Wikipedia-David Shankbo...

The hearing on re-sealed evidence in the trial of George Zimmerman, the man who is charged with the murder of the Afro-American teenager Trayvon Martin, takes place.

As part of the formal preparations for the the trial, Judge Kenneth Lester set the hearing in order to examine which evidence should remain secret. The defence team of Zimmerman agreed with the prosecution to keep some of the edvidence secret from the public.

The defence team wishes to keep the defendant's e-mails and text messages away from the public, fearing they might incite a bias against him, as they may expose some racially charged comments he had made. On the same grounds, the state wishes to keep information concerning an act he committed against a woman secret.

Both sides agree that witnesses names and contact information should be redacted to prevent possible harrassments and threats.

Some lawyers and journalists, who fight for the public's right to know the information, are expected to attend the hearing too.