Rest in Power: The Trayvon Martin Story (2018–…): Season 1, Episode 4 - The Burden of Proof - full transcript

Rescue 38,
law enforcement advise,

can approach.

They will be behind...

Now to Florida

where opening statements

in George Zimmerman's
second-degree murder trial

are slated
to begin this morning.

We were
finally gonna get justice.

But it was a circus.

Assholes!

F--king punks.



These assholes,
they always get away.

I'd like to tell you
a little joke.

Knock, knock.

Who's there?

He told a joke

at a murder trial.

Day two of the
George Zimmerman trial now,

and man, it's moving
along at lightning pace.

This morning,
jurors are expected to hear

from the veteran Homicide
detective Chris Serino.

You think he was
telling the truth?

Yes.

They poked holes
in their own case!

Uh-oh.



The most bizarre
witness in 20 years

I've seen on the stand.

It was just a clown show.

None of it made
any sense at all!

We're not--don't have the...

Anyway, um...

You listening?

That was two scoops of crazy!

It just all felt
like being in hell.

The day prosecutors have been

building up to for 16 months.

The trial of George Zimmerman

is set to begin.

He's charged
in the shooting death

of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

I know people
are fascinated by crime

and they're fascinated
by trials,

but it was a circus.

Whew.

The trial!
Lord have mercy!

News cameras, CNN.

Shit, weren't no
sports going on,

but I swear I seen ESPN.

People took
this case very personally.

You could see factions.

George Zimmerman!

George Zimmerman!

He wasn't even man enough

to go after a man!

He took a child's life!

I hope he burn in f--kin' hell!

They made the law,

stand your ground, self-defense.

The number one Republican issue
at the time was gun rights.

People are talking
about stand your ground

and saying the trial
could become a threat

to your right to bear arms,

and that just makes
people go crazy.

People feel it in their hearts.

That something
has gone terribly wrong

in our country.

And we will never
surrender our guns!

You heard the NRA
all over America.

This is an attack
on the Second Amendment.

Lawful people have
the right to carry arms

to defend themselves.

What do we do?
Stand up, fight back!

What do we do?
Stand up, fight back!

But for Trayvon's supporters,

the trial became a catalyst

for a new civil rights movement.

No justice, no peace!

It was simply a case

that had become bigger
than the case itself.

I wouldn't say
that Trayvon Martin's case

further divided the country.

All it did was
expose the divide.

I mean,
we've always been divided.

We the jury find the defendant,

Orenthal James Simpson,

not guilty of the crime of
murder count A, a felony...

Trayvon was like
the OJ Simpson case

in that it broke down

over racial lines.

I mean, tell me
if you go to church,

tell me what your race is,

tell me what your
education level is,

I could probably
make a pretty educated guess

as to whether you think
George Zimmerman

is guilty or innocent.

African Americans
put huge stakes

on the outcome of this trial,

because it was really
a fundamental question

whether or not a teenager
could walk around

in his own neighborhood,

and if he was killed, would
there be any accountability?

There's a lot of cynicism
in the black community

as to whether or not
you can get justice

for a black teenage boy.

Hands up, you get shot.

Hands down, you get shot.

Run, you get shot.
Don't run, you get shot.

There's nothing we can do.

And Trayvon signified
that helplessness.

You know, we realize
that it's very hard

to convict a policeman.

Well, this wasn't a policeman,
this was a civilian.

And so, I think that
there was a kernel of hope

that people put in it.

The case just seemed
so straightforward!

It's not just George Zimmerman.

The justice system
itself was on trial.

Good morning, please be seated.

Good morning,
we're on the record.

Case number 12CF1083,

State vs. George Zimmerman.

Before opening arguments,

the judge made
an important ruling.

The judge ruled that
any talk of racial profiling

would not be allowed
in front of the jury.

I would ask the State to stay
away from racial profiling,

but not the word
"profiled" itself,

if it's used in other terms.

Racial profiling is all
this case is about!

That's the entire thing!

For second-degree murder,

you have to prove
ill will, hatred, spite.

Those are all states of mind.

If you have
to prove ill will or spite

without discussing race,

between two people

that didn't know each other,

that's almost impossible.

To take race out,

is to take the core

of the ill will, spite
part of the case.

You have to talk about race.

If racial profiling
had been admitted,

it could use
George Zimmerman's background

to build a case that
he had this inordinate fear

of this young black man.

George Zimmerman had
made several phone calls

about teenagers of color

before this night.

Trayvon Martin
was literally walking home

with candy in his hand,

and he was perceived
as a threat.

And the reason
he was perceived as a threat

was the color of his skin.

Any black prosecutor
would have insisted

that that was part of the case,

because it was part of the case.

What happened in trial

was completely controlled
by the State Attorney.

Our legal team had no
control over anything

that happened in that courtroom.

Only thing we could do

is speculate
like all the rest of America.

The rule of sequestration
is being invoked.

That means are
there any witnesses

who are gonna be testifying
here in the courtroom?

Do you want them out
at this point?

Yes.

And Mr. Crump will
also leave the courtroom?

Is he listed as a witness?

Yes, he is, your honor. Yes, he will.

They barred me
from the courtroom

during the trial,

saying that I was
a possible witness.

You knew they were never
gonna let me take that stand.

Mark O'Mara knew well
in order to get Ben Crump

out of the prosecution's ear

that he would have to put
him on the witness stand,

but that was done out of spite.

I think they blamed
Ben for pushing this issue,

for putting this case
in the limelight.

And having him
kicked out of the courtroom

was some payback.

It was retaliation.

Something I would've done.

I mean, he's gone.

He becomes a non-factor.

And hence, he's not allowed

to talk about the case.

And so, to have an adversary

silenced is a win.

At this time, we'll begin
with our opening statements.

Mr. Guy, you may proceed

Good morning.

Good morning.

F--king punks!

These assholes,
they always get away.

Those were the words

in that grown man's mouth

when he got out of his car

armed with a fully loaded

semiautomatic pistol

and two flashlights

to follow, on foot,

Trayvon Benjamin Martin.

He told the police

that Trayvon Martin
approached him,

confronted him,

said a couple of words to him,

and then punched him
and knocked him to the ground,

just moments after that.

Ladies and gentlemen,
that did not happen.

He said that Trayvon Martin

had him down on the ground,

and covered his mouth
and his nose.

His nose that was
bleeding already,

from having been struck
by the first punch.

That didn't happen.

They looked at
Trayvon Martin's hands.

There was no blood on them.

He didn't have bruised knuckles.

He didn't have swollen hands.

The defendant claimed
that Trayvon Martin

went for his gun.

Well, guess what.

Trayvon Martin's DNA

was not on that gun.

George Zimmerman did not shoot
Trayvon Martin

because he had to,

he shot him for the worst
of all reasons...

Because he wanted to.

Thank you for your time.

The opening statement
blew me away.

I was floored.

I thought it was by far
one of the best

opening statements
I had ever heard.

It was a
textbook opening statement.

This is an all-female jury,

and they were riveted.

This is how it's done.

I don't agree.

They staked it out
trying to appeal

to the sympathies of the jury

with a very emotional
opening statement,

but emotion isn't evidence.

Next up is the defense,

and we're told that Don West

will be delivering
their opening statements.

West is
known as a really respected

figure in Florida law.

A very intellectual
and thoughtful attorney.

So we should expect that
his opening statement

will be very cerebral
and very precise.

I'd like to tell you
a little joke.

I know how that may
sound a bit weird.

Here's how it goes:

"Knock, knock."

"Who's there?"

"George Zimmerman."

"George Zimmerman who?"

"All right, good.
You're on the jury."

Nothing?

That's funny.

He told a joke
at a murder trial.

So it started off on a bad note.

Well, maybe that was,
you know, amusing to him,

but I didn't find
anything funny about it.

Don West
might've looked like a jerk,

might've looked
like he was being rude,

but he knew exactly
what he was doing.

If I've heard it once,

I've heard it a thousand times.

That Trayvon Martin was unarmed.

What the evidence will show you

is that's not true.

Trayvon Martin armed himself

with the concrete sidewalk

and used it to smash
George Zimmerman's head.

That is a deadly weapon.

Trayvon Martin
is armed with the sidewalk.

The sidewalk is his weapon.

What it did show you
was the lengths

that the defense
was willing to go

in order to save their client

and that Trayvon Martin
was not the victim.

He's the villain.

From the beginning,
you could hear black Americans

all over the country
just laughing.

And it's like, here we go again.

Everybody have their
notepads and pencils ready?

Okay, the State will call
your first witness, please.

Chad Joseph.

Mr. Joseph,
how old are you?

15.

And how did you
meet Trayvon Martin?

By Tracy.

That's my mom's boyfriend.

Trayvon sort of adopted him

as his little brother.

Did Trayvon Martin
ask you if you wanted anything

before he left for the store?

Yes. - And what was that?

Skittles.

I've served on juries,

and I can tell you it's not
the folder full of forensics,

it's the story
you're telling your jurors.

Here's a teenager, a kid,

heading home
to his little brother

to bring him some candy.

Then he sees a stranger.

These assholes,

they always get away.

As the evidence was presented...

I think that was probably
the worst thing for me,

because I didn't want
to see the pictures.

I didn't want to see
him laying on the ground.

When I was there,

I'm sitting
in front of his mother,

who's seeing images

of her deceased son.

No parent should
have to do that.

Ever.

And then, we saw the hoodie.

To so many watching,
it's not a piece of evidence.

That's an icon.

That sweatshirt symbolizes
the racial profiling

they believe George Zimmerman
is guilty of.

I don't know, I guess
you psyche yourself out.

You make your mind think that,

"Mm, that wasn't Trayvon's."

State, please call
their next witness.

We call
Investigator Chris Serino.

Chris Serino was supposed to be

a star witness
for the prosecution.

He was the lead detective
when the case first began.

That the testimony
you shall give

will be the truth,
the whole truth,

and nothing but the truth,
so help you God?

Yes, I do. - Thank you.

He was supposed
to be the guy that came in

and proved to the jury

that this was
second-degree murder.

The problem
is his initial filing

was manslaughter,

not murder.

And how do you explain to a jury

that the lead detective
did not think

he did not have enough evidence

for second-degree murder?

The officer was really
caught in crossfire.

He had political pressure.

He had society pressures.

He had media pressures.

The way the police handled
this stinks to high heaven.

Chris Serino's initial sense

of the case seemed
to be manslaughter.

I don't even think
he wanted to submit that.

And in fact, there were

multiple, multiple versions

that he submitted,

and it kept getting changed.

Man, that was not Chris.

That was from up top.

Whether if it came
from City Hall,

or the Chief just pulled
the trigger on it,

I couldn't tell you.

But Chris told me
that he wrote it

and Captain O'Connor
had to, like, re--

like, kind of almost
rewrote it for him.

And Chris was so scared
about testifying to that

that he hired a lawyer.

He hired Baez.

If there was
one person who the public

held in contempt

as far as being
a defense attorney,

it was Jose Baez.

Not because he represented
Casey Anthony,

but because of the way

he represented Casey Anthony.

There's a sense
that at this point,

Chris Serino was trying
to protect Chris Serino.

Protect his own reputation.

What if Chris Serino is trying

to make sure he doesn't
become the fall guy?

Well, that's not
gonna happen on my watch.

Good afternoon, sir.
Christopher F. Serino.

What is your occupation?

I'm a Sanford police officer.

How long have you been a member

of the
Sanford Police Department?

Going on 16 years.

Chris Serino winds up

being a missed opportunity
for the prosecutors.

Sort of a non-entity.

Is that where you
understood Mr. Martin...

Trayvon Martin was standing...

The day he got killed?

Yes, it was.

Bernie was stuck,

especially in light of the
fact that he couldn't ask him

about his manslaughter
recommendation.

And then, Mark O'Mara
gets a hold of him,

and what unfolded
was somehow worse.

Good afternoon, officer.

Good afternoon, sir.

You told him Trayvon Martin

would videotape

a lot of what he was doing.

And that this whole event
may well have been on video.

Correct? Yes, sir.

And what did he say
when you told him that?

I believe his words were,
"Thank God,

I was hoping somebody
would videotape it."

His statement,
what did that indicate to you?

Either he was telling the truth,

or he was a complete,

pathological liar,
one of the two.

Okay.

Was there anything else
in this case

where you got the insight

that he might be
a pathological liar?

No.

You think
he was telling the truth?

Yes.

Object!

But the prosecution
doesn't even try.

Today,
Detective Serino's testimony

sent shockwaves
through the media.

Listen to some
of this questioning.

You think
he's telling the truth?

Yes.

Chris Serino made that comment

that he had a sense
he believed George Zimmerman.

Oh, boy, oh, boy!

Asking somebody if
they're telling the truth

and this is a witness
talking about another witness.

And then the prosecution

objected the next day.

By the way,
we object to that thing

that happened yesterday.

But what is
the specific objection?

Mr. O'Mara was asking
the investigator

specifically to comment
in terms of the truth,

the veracity of what the
defendant said or didn't say,

and that's improper.

It's not like you
can un-ring the bell.

Ladies and gentlemen,
my instruction to you

is that that
is an improper comment

by a witness as to
the truth and veracity

of another witness,

and you are to disregard

the question and the answer.

From a trial lawyer standpoint,

that's taking a highlighter.

The prosecution may not

have been on their game.

It was excruciating to listen to

from a prosecution perspective.

George Zimmerman was honest.

He was trustworthy.

There are defense attorneys
across the country

slack-jawed tonight

thinking what a great job
Mark O'Mara did.

It will be taught
in law schools.

Mark O'Mara,
he knew the weaknesses

of the State of Florida,

and he capitalized on them 110%.

Today, we're
expecting the prosecution

to unveil what it's
calling a star witness,

a teenage girl who was
among the last to talk

with Trayvon Martin
before he died.

...testimony in these
proceedings will be the truth,

the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, so help you God?

Yes, ma'am. Thank you.

She was on
the phone with Trayvon

seconds before he was shot.

She just wanted to tell

what happened with her friend,

what she remembered,

what she heard.

That was
a turning point in the trial.

She was the prosecution's
star witness.

I want to focus

on February 26 of 2012.

That evening, were you all
talking on the telephone?

Yes.

Tell us, if you can,
what he described happen.

Uh...

He just told me

the man looked creepy.

Okay, and what did you say?

Okay. They're having
trouble hearing you.

So repeat your answer.

When you said
what you asked him--

I had asked him
how the man looked like.

He looked like a
"creepy-ass cracker."

Creepy-ass cracker?

Okay, let me
make sure we got that.

"Creepy-ass cracker."

Yeah. - Okay.

She was the voice
of Trayvon Martin.

But she had not been prepared
at all for that moment.

Would you please
repeat your answer?

At that time,

I didn't know nothing
about a trial.

It's not normal to me.

It's not like
a regular thing I do.

I did not feel comfortable.

That was the first time
I ever went to court.

Rachel Jeantel is somebody

who was made fun of
in high school.

And Trayvon Martin,
who's this cool kid,

this good-looking teenage boy

is one of the few people
who's nice to her.

We were friends.
We were good friends.

It really took a toll on me.

It's still taking a toll on me.

Rachel has all these
questions in her mind.

What if she hadn't told
him to run?

What if I just told him

to hang up with me
and call the police?

Was she burdened by guilt?
Absolutely.

I felt guilty.

I could've did something.

I kept calling Trayvon.

When the phone hung up,

I kept calling him.

I should've called 911.

Really, I should've called 911.

This is a young woman

who is just, you know, overcome

and burdened
with grief and with guilt.

Okay.

They're a series
of decisions that she makes

to try to protect herself,
like I think

a lot of young women
in her circumstance would do.

Her parents
are Latino and Haitian.

A lot of these families
have mixed status.

Some people have papers,
some people do not.

There is a real sort of
aversion to authority,

aversion to the police.

I was very paranoid at the time.

Very paranoid.

I was panicking.

Rachel Jeantel wrote a letter

to Sybrina about what
actually happened to Trayvon.

I was on the phone

when Trayvon decided to go
to the corner store.

I didn't know how
to write cursive.

I didn't want to be unproper,

so another person
wrote the letter for me.

In this letter, she changes
her name, she changes her age.

She doesn't want to be
a witness in a murder trial.

In the letter
to Ms. Fulton,

you said your name,
"My name is Diamond Eugene."

Yes, it is.

And you said that you were 16?

Yes.

The problem was

some of the things
that she'd said in the past

tripped her up when she tried
to correct them in the future.

Good afternoon, Ms. Jeantel.

Good afternoon,
Mr. Don.

"Mr. Don."

This was the same Mr. Don

who had put her
through hours and hours

of grueling
deposition testimony.

What I was wondering was why

you lied about your age

to make yourself younger

than you actually were.

Objection,
she's already answered

why she lied about her age.

Why did you make yourself

younger than you were?

Excuse me, I'm not going to
answer this question again.

Can you give me
another question,

'cause I'm not going
to repeat myself.

There had been a heated exchange

between the two of them
in the deposition.

Why did you make yourself
younger than you were?

You could've made
yourself older.

Trying to protect my identity.

I had told you this.

I had a serious issue
with Don West.

I disliked this man.

And please do not ask me
that question again.

I'm sorry, I don't
believe you answered it.

So I am gonna ask it again. Yes, I did.

The question is
why did you lie about your age?

Objection
she just answered the--

I need a break, I need a break.
- Let's take a break.

So Don would attack her
and frustrate her

and keep her off-kilter.

It worked, and he did
a good job of that.

I was just angry.

But I did want
justice for Trayvon.

So I had to grow up,

take it like a woman.

When he got her
in the courtroom,

he knew what buttons to push.

The next thing that
you heard him say was,

"Why you following me?"

"Why are you following me?"
Yes.

You're right.

You're right.

You can go.

You can go!

I'm sorry, it takes me a little
bit of time sometimes

to come up
with the next question.

Rachel Jeantel violated
all of the rules

that witnesses
are supposed to follow.

She rolled her eyes.

She made gratuitous comments

that were inappropriate
for the context.

Do you watch "The First 48"?

They call the first number

that the victim talked to.

What?
I'm sorry, "The First 48"?

A show. "The First 48."

All of which
contributed I think,

to how credible
she was ultimately.

I had told you--

Any time a witness
gets combative

or defensive,

you're winning.

You listening?

It's real simple
from a defense perspective.

You got a witness like that,

and you just want them
to talk, and talk, and talk.

I had told you
during the interview,

between me and Crump,
I had rushed on it.

Yes.

How much more time do you think

that you need
to finish your cross?

Well, I certainly wouldn't...

I don't know for sure,
I would think

we should plan on
at least a couple of hours.

What?

Ms. Jeantel, be quiet.

Ladies and gentlemen,

we're going to break
for the evening.

Everybody still remain seated.

This was a headache,

and I was overwhelmed.

And then the next day...

Oh my God.

The next day,

she's sort of put on display

in order to sort of make

her deficiencies a mockery,

to sort of make them
into a show.

And it's a racial show.

Are you able to read
that copy well enough

that you can tell us

if it's in fact the same letter?

No.

Are you unable
to read that at all?

I don't understand.

Um... Cursive.

I don't read cursive.

He already knew the answer
to the question.

I don't read cursive.

I don't know
how to read cursive.

This is an attempt
to make her an other,

to distance Rachel Jeantel
from the jury,

saying, "This could
never be your daughter."

She says she
doesn't read cursive.

That was an embarrassing,

humiliating moment, I must say,
for that 19-year-old.

One of the things
that was striking

is sort of how little objection

was thrown up as she's
being just manhandled.

People are not born to be

witnesses to murder trials.

An attorney's job
is to take a witness

and to try to help them
through the process,

but they didn't do that.

She just seemed
up there with no net.

You can hear laughing
in the courtroom,

but I didn't find
anything funny.

She's sort of seen
as this sort of ghetto figure.

When she's a girl, she's a kid.

Don't tell me that
those jurors weren't thinking

this young black girl
is different from me

because they were.

She was the most bizarre
witness in 20 years

I've probably seen on the stand.

I'm sorry, she comes in in jeans

and a sweater,
and a little blouse.

You gonna say I'm big,
I'm black.

"She talked ghetto."

We have to excuse
her poor manners,

her disrespectful language,

and cocky ignorance
because she's black?

Rachel Jeantel
was treated like an ignorant,

barely literate black girl.

She was pilloried
and she was clowned.

This was a team of
lawyers that over time,

became more and more villainous

to black people
watching the trial.

Race permeated
every aspect of this case,

and the intelligence
of the defense

was the subtlety
in bringing it out.

Jeantel was
very good for the defense.

She was precious.

Are you making

a reference to the movie?

No! - Okay.

Not at all, I thought
her testimony was precious.

It was priceless.

I would cry
if that was my witness.

If that's their star witness,

umm... good luck.

Please be seated.
Good morning.

We're back on the record,

case number 12CF1083,

State vs. George Zimmerman.

During the trial,

there wasn't a clear strategy

of how to portray Trayvon.

They didn't
have one single person

come up to speak about
who Trayvon Martin was.

This would've
endeared him to the jury,

so that maybe the jury
could've broken

through those barriers of race

to see Trayvon Martin
as their own son.

Maybe the jury could've met
Trayvon's football coach.

Trayvon was one of the best
players coming out of our park.

Maybe the jury
could've met Trayvon's cousin.

We worked in a concession stand

on the football field.

He was my best friend
growing up.

Maybe the jury

could've met Trayvon's uncle.

We go to basketball
or football games.

And when we come in,

my nurse would be off,

he would put me in the bed.

That's the kind
of person Trayvon was.

Maybe the jury could've met

Trayvon's aviation teacher.

Trayvon was so motivated.

Kid was always smiling,

and you could tell he
was happy about being there.

I remember flying with Trayvon.

He was just blown away
by the beauty of it.

And he wasn't afraid
of asking questions,

because I was
the youngest person

and also the first black man

to fly solo around the world.

The same thing my mentor
saw in me,

I saw in him.

Trayvon was a carbon copy of me

at a younger age,

going through that same
challenge that I went through.

Nine out of ten people,

if you go back
to their high school,

yes, they smoked pot.

Yes, they skipped school.

Yes, they had issues.

They're young adults,
they got hormones raging,

they have different
distractions in life.

I look at my own self,
when I was in high school,

I hated school.

I used to skip school
all the time.

I'm no different than he was.

The difference
is I lived longer.

Because someone
decided to end his life.

And that...

That hit me.

An unfortunate
aspect of Florida law

is that when the assailant
doesn't know the victim,

you're not able to bring in
character witnesses.

But most prosecutors
are creative enough

to call a witness who would
get something in

about that person's character.

Yes.

They put
his brother on the stand,

but those aren't
the questions they ask.

Since your brother's death,

have you had an opportunity
to hear a tape

that contains screaming

and a gunshot?

Yes.

And did you recognize
any voices on that tape?

Yes.

Whose voice do you recognize?

My brother.

Trayvon's? Yes.

Your Honor, that's all I have.
Thank you.

I watch hours of testimony

from certain witnesses and
then comes Jahvaris Fulton,

the best living example

of who Trayvon Martin
would've become,

and they put him up there
for four minutes.

And when
it comes to the defense,

his family is on trial.

You said a moment ago

that you actually
were not as certain

that it was your brother's voice

when you first
heard it though, correct?

Correct.

Matter of fact,
you had talked to a reporter

about who's voice
it may have been, correct?

Yes.

I would think it was my brother,

but I'm not completely positive.

This reporter,
he came to my school,

and I was still trying

to wrap my head around

what happened.

I just think he's
away right now, you know?

He went to go visit some family

and then he just
didn't come back yet.

And, like, I just
still don't believe it.

I guess it was probably
by shock and denial

and sadness I didn't really want

to believe that it was him.

No other questions, Your Honor.

Thank you very much.

The State may call
your next witness.

The State will call
Sybrina Fulton.

I remember
just not wanting to be there,

but I knew I had to for my son.

By the time
Sybrina got to the stand,

she had built up this armor.

She had blockers on where
she couldn't see nothing

but what was straight
in front of her.

Do you have any children?

Yes, I do.

And can you tell us
who they are and their names?

My youngest son
is Trayvon Benjamin Martin.

He's in Heaven.

And my oldest son
is Jahvaris Lamar Fulton.

I want to play a
recording for you, ma'am.

911. Do you need
police, fire, or medical?

Um, maybe both, I'm not sure.

There someone
screaming outside...

I can't imagine

somebody with a loaded gun
screaming for help.

And I absolutely know
that was Trayvon.

Good morning, ma'am. - Good morning.

First, truly apologize
for your loss.

Objection, improper.
Not a question.

Okay, you need
to make a question.

Sorry. Excuse me?

You need to ask a question.

Mark O'Mara tried
the apologetic approach,

but we already knew
what he was gonna do.

If it was your son,
in fact, screaming

as you testified,

that would suggest that
it was Mr. Zimmerman's fault

that led to his death, correct?

Correct.

And if it was
not your son screaming,

if it was in fact
George Zimmerman,

then you would have to accept

that it was Trayvon Martin who
caused his own death, correct?

Objection.
This is speculation.

Sustained.

As a mom, you certainly hope

that your son, Trayvon Martin,

would not have done anything

that would've led
to his own death, correct?

What I hope for is that this
would have never happened,

and he would still be here.

That's my hope.

Again, I don't need to put you
through more than we need to.

No other questions, Your Honor.

She went on the stand
and she held her own.

She didn't crack,
she didn't bend,

she didn't fold,
they couldn't shake her,

and she stuck to her guns.

Just because you have strength

doesn't mean that you're
not feeling the pain.

I don't think people understand

that type of pain.

That type of pain is so unusual.

And it's so deep.

And it's something
that we have to live with

every single day.

I've thought long
and hard about that night.

I really wish
Trayvon had just ran

and just wouldn't stop running.

Spending that time
alone in the hotel...

You know, you really
start to feel the hurt,

the pain that
you're going through,

'cause you're by yourself.

There was some times when

I really wanted to break down,

but I would just lean on God,

and I would just say a prayer,

and I would just
lift myself back up

to where I needed to be.

Day nine of court proceedings

now underway in Florida.

So far, 32 witnesses
have taken the stand.

Today, we expect
to hear testimony

from the medical examiner.

Shiping Bao
performed the autopsy

and then was called by the State

in support of their murder play.

In most murder cases,

you do not have a witness
to the murder.

So the medical examiner

is typically your
most important witness.

Dr. Bao, I'm gonna show you

State's exhibit 81.

Do you recognize
that photograph, sir?

State's exhibit 102.

Is that a close-up
of the gunshot wound?

I want to talk about

the position
of the body when shot.

Are you able to say

the position that
Trayvon Martin was

in terms of whether
he was standing up,

sitting down, lying down,

on top of somebody,
below somebody--

are you able to say
unequivocally the position

of the body when it was shot,
when he was shot?

Okay.

All of a sudden,

Bao goes off
on these insane tangents.

Well, hold on, Dr. Bao.

Okay.

You're talking
about your opinion

is based on your experience.

Okay.

We just can't get
into specifics,

but the jury understands that.

Okay.

And then he starts
to say, "I need my notes.

I need my notes.
I need my notes."

I'm going to request that
we have a copy of the notes.

And then, arguing
with the defense counsel.

He was a nightmare of a witness.

Your Honor,
may the witness please--

Dr. Bao,
after you have answered,

wait for the next question.

Thank you.
You may proceed.

Thank you, so--Again--

Stop!

I thought, is this the best
that they could come up with?

This is a case
of national interest,

and he was a complete disaster.

Let me make sure I understand.

No, if you might let me ask--

I have never
seen a witness, ever,

that claimed
a total lack of memory.

I almost fell out
of the chair when he said,

"I don't remember anything."

He didn't remember
even one part of the autopsy.

So that was a bad start.

Except for one thing,

you can't remember
anything about it.

I didn't have to do a
whole lot in cross-examination

because the train had
already left the station.

If you're a juror,
and you just watched

Dr. Shiping Bao
fall apart on the stand,

you have nothing
but reasonable doubt.

Everybody
could see Dr. Bao

in full bloom of his idiocy.

Zero. I remember zero.
And I'm the expert!

It was a train wreck,
a disaster, the Hindenburg.

My God!
You know, the prosecution's

allowed to talk to
and prep their witnesses!

That was two scoops of crazy!

I started doubting
my belief in God.

And it just all
felt like being in hell.