Page 2 - Strangling Case News Today

Charge, and its not alleged in the information that way, and i just dont think that the evidence supports that. >> reporter: the pressure now on mark omara to close out the defenses case friday before it heads to the jury. martin savidge, cnn sanford, florida. >> a lot to talk about tonight between the fight over tlesser charges, the judge tangling with the attorneys and the i have a dream speech trying to redeem rachel jeantel to the lesser charges ruling, theres a lot to talk about, as i said....

Alleges that the defendant shot and killed the victim, that the victim was under the age of 18 and child abuse must be according to the third degree felony murder instruction defined. >> reporter: defense attorney don west was outraged. >> oh my god. just when i thought this case couldnt get any more bizarre. >> reporter: the debate brought more testy exchanges between west and judge debra nelson. >> i understand. ive already ruled, and you have -- you continually disagree with this court every ...

Effective moment danny said the prosecutor used. i want to play that. >> trayvon martin. he was there legally. he hadnt broken in or snuck in or trespassed. he was there legally. he bought skittles and some kind of watermelon or iced tea or whatever its called. that was his crime. >> mark, do you find it effective to use props, to use things like that and the gun et cetera? >> yeah, i think it is effective when you use props. i dont think its effective to be yelling the whole time. i think that ...

>> sunny, i know youve been favorable towards the prosecution throughout this. did you think that was a bridge too far for them. >> yeah, that was a stretch. i mean, i think it was a surprise to everyone. i was in the courtroom when they announced it, and you could hear the lawyers in the courtroom grasp. i was among those. they were really shocked. i think the judge made the right ruling, that the government tried for it, they tried for ag assault at one point but the case law didnt support the...

Announced it, and you could hear the lawyers in the courtroom grasp. i was among those. they were really shocked. i think the judge made the right ruling, that the government tried for it, they tried for ag assault at one point but the case law didnt support them -- or the facts of this case dont support felony murder child abuse. i think the judge got it right. >> danny, how do you think the prosecution did in the closing? >> overall look, the prosecution i said from the beginning is doing well...

Questions. weve all had judges ask questions and i think thats devastating to my case, but the decision to object or question a judges decision like that is a tough thing to do. >> sunny -- >> danny, ive actually had cases where ive objected to the judges questions, and they have actually sustained the objection. so there is an upside and downside. >> sunny, she certainly seems to move, you know, be very conscious of wanting to move this case along. >> yeah, and i think jeff is right on this. it...

Tactic of using zimmermans words against him. >> he does not want to admit at all that he is following him or chasing him or profiling him. >> reporter: while the jury sat impasse sievely for much of the delivery, zimmermans parents in court for the first time as spectators looked at times incredulous. >> the man that is guilty of second-degree murder, thank you. >> reporter: earlier the court heard arguments on lesser charges that could be presented to the jury. it was no surprise the state ask...

A judge, something on display again today as she clashed with defense attorney don west over jury instructions. >> i am not giving that instruction. >> its an error to not instruct this jury properly on the law. >> you continually disagree with this court every time i make a ruling. if i have made a mistake in this case, you will appeal. this is my ruling on this issue. >> reporter: but it was this moment after a hearing late into the night that will forever be cemented in trial watchers minds. ...

Be here for weeks and weeks and weeks so i think she was certainly the right judge for this case, and shes really just done a terrific job of keeping everyone in line. >> is there any -- i mean, at this point did anybody see any reasons for appeal or grounds for appeal, if in fact, there is a conviction? >> absolutely. there are absolutely -- >> what? >> many grounds for appeal in this case. >> name one. >> what? >> oh, name one? i can give you a -- >> start with one. >> the prosecution discover...

I think hes going to do what i was saying last night, the definition of reasonable doubt is. if there is two reasonable interpretations, one that points towards guilt, one that points towards innocence, you must adopt the one that points towards innocence and find him not guilty. in this case i think thats what hell do. >> hes got one very specific assignment, i think. hes got to show that self-defense is a defense both to murder and to manslaughter. hes got a big problem with this manslaughter....