Zimmerman jurors request 250-item evidence list; deliberations continue Saturday

SANFORD, Fla. — As six jurors take Friday night to digest several weeks' worth of evidence and testimony in George Zimmerman's murder trial, people in Sanford, central Florida and across the globe are anticipating the decision they could make as soon as Saturday.

After more than three hours of deliberating, the all-women jury decided at 6 p.m. to break for the night and start fresh Saturday morning.

Attorneys made the final push before the jury got the case.

WFTV's legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said the jury's decision to call it quits for the day says one of two things about where the six women are in deliberations.

Zimmerman returned to court with his lawyers to find out the jury was going back to the hotel and coming back Saturday morning at 9 a.m. to get back to work.

"They've either reached their decision and want to sleep on it and if nothing changes tomorrow, we should have a quick verdict, or they're miles apart, we could be here for a while," Sheaffer said.

Sheaffer believes the jurors asked for the list of the 250 items of evidence two hours after they started, because they are detail-oriented and want to be thorough.

They listened to the defense make a three-hour closing argument Friday, using animated video of what they said 17-year-old Trayvon Martin did to Zimmerman.

"There was some anger and hostility and ill will and spite that night. It just had nothing to do with George Zimmerman. Well, that's not true -- it had something to do with George Zimmerman, he was a victim of it," defense attorney Mark O'Mara said.

The state got the last word and said Zimmerman didn't have to shoot Martin, he wanted to.

"Your verdict is not going to change the past, but it will forever define it," Prosecutor John Guy said.

Now the jury has to decide whether they believe prosecutors -- that this was a cold-blooded murder by a wannabe cop, or the defense -- that Zimmerman was being beaten senseless and believed he had no choice.

As the Sanford community waits for a verdict in the Zimmerman trial, all appeared quiet Friday night after some passionate demonstrations outside the courthouse earlier in the day.

Sanford police officers were on patrol across the city, and people Eyewitness News spoke to said it made them feel at ease.

Sanford police said it has planned for any potential unrest for months but most people at the courthouse appeared vocal, not violent.

"Justice for Trayvon! This could be your son," demonstrators called out. "What do we want? Justice!"

They want the jury to convict Zimmerman for killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford 16 months ago.

While Seminole County deputies watched over the crowd of several dozen demonstrators at the courthouse Friday night, Sanford police patrolled the streets of the city where downtown it was a typical and tranquil Friday night.

"I thought it would be a whole bunch of chaos around here to be honest," Sanford resident Genelle Ross said. "I don't feel like I'm in any danger, it's any ordinary day."

Back at the courthouse compound, tempers flared when Martin supporters met with a trio of Zimmerman backers calling for his acquittal.

"I don't know him, but he seems like he's caring and concerned about where he lives," Zimmerman supporter Susan Vargas said.

There were also parent demonstrators who had their young children in tow to witness history, they said.

"They're the future and I don't want this to happen to my grandson or my son," Martin supporter Natalie Mitchell said.

The demonstrators, many who have organized on Facebook, said they plan to be back as long as the jury continues to deliberate.

WFTV