Yesterday, Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson granted George Zimmerman’s defense team access to Trayvon Martin’s school records and his social media content, reports the Orlando Sentinel.
“Though it sounds horrible to come before you and say, ‘I really want to go after the victim’s reputation,’ that is simply what the Sixth Amendment tells us we have to do,” said Mark O’Mara, Zimmerman’s lead attorney.
Judge Nelson agreed to open Martin’s school records and more to see if there is any history of aggression. Those records, if proven violent, will help Zimmerman’s self-defense claim. However, those records will not be given to the media or the jury.
Zimmerman’s medical records will be given to the prosecution after Judge Nelson reviews them.
In a statement to The Grio, Martin family attorney Ben Crump said, “Trayvon Martin died because George Zimmerman profiled him as a criminally minded young ‘punk’ under the guise of protecting his neighborhood. And now, Trayvon Martin is being profiled again, posthumously as a MMA (mixed martial arts) loving, violent thing under the guise of pursuing justice. Neither of these assertions are true. THIS HAS TO STOP! Profiling, like racism and sexism, has no place in our justice system.”
The case is expected to go to trial on June 10, 2013.