A jury of six women has been chosen for the murder trial of George Zimmerman, the Florida neighborhood watchman charged with second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February 2012.
According to CNN, the jury will begin hearing opening arguments on Monday. Zimmerman told the judge that he agreed with the jury selection, which included four alternate jurors -- two women and two men.
"This is probably as critical if not more critical than the evidence," Zimmerman's lawyer, Mark O'Mara, said of the jury's importance.
According to USA Today, both O'Mara and Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda said a juror who had already made up his or her mind was detrimental to both sides of the case.
"It's devastating to the case to have a juror who has an agenda," O'Mara said.
The shooting death of Martin, a black teen who was walking through the gated community, by the white and Hispanic George Zimmerman has had racial overtones. But as far as most media reports could glean, five members of the six-person jury are white women and only one is an unconfirmed minority.
