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July 8th, 2013
11:10 PM ET

Does family testimony help?

Randi Kaye looks at whether family members testifying helps, hurts or does nothing in high-profile criminal trials.

Watch: Anderson and a panel of legal experts discuss whether or not the testimony will persuade a jury.

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Filed under: Anderson Cooper • Crime & Punishment • George Zimmerman • Trayvon Martin
soundoff (5 Responses)
  1. Cindy

    I don't believe family member help in a defense case unless they can relate crucial information about the events surrounding the crime. There is too many unclear details from family members in this case being given. They have not stuck to their stories and that does not make solid information. That just means they were passionate about their son. However if their son was 17, smoking pot, texting comments about fighting, and out at 11 at night, they put their child in danger by not making him responsible for his time and activities.

    July 10, 2013 at 1:03 pm |
  2. Jim Ligon

    When Trayvor Martin was shoot, did the bullet round go completly thru his body? if so the bullet round could be found
    where he was shot and the shooter would have to be on top of him.
    thank you Jim Ligon.

    July 9, 2013 at 7:16 pm |
  3. Anne Carlton

    I think that the Jury will be able to read the conviction of the parents and take that into account. More important to me, however is that I heard no analysis of what was happening during the scream and gun shot. The sound of the scream distinctly changes – something like a small fading sqeal after the shot. Why wasn't this examined by the prosecution? It appears to give a clear indication as to the progression of events. It does sound to me like the screamer was the one who was shot. The impact caused him to expel his breath shortly. Most news media are also skewing the picture by cutting their sound footage too early in the sequence.

    July 9, 2013 at 3:32 pm |
  4. Vincent Egonmwan

    I am not a lawyer but regardless of the myriad of the evidences that George Zimmerman's defend team has tendered and /or is yet to tender, the determining factor that will be very crucial in this case is as follows. Who started the whole issue? Tryvon was walking along on the street. George was driving. Did Trayvon see Zimmerman and started pursuing him for unknown reason(s)? Did Zimmerman see Trayvon committing a crime and tried to stop him? The prosecutors don't need to fall into the trap of the defendant's team, The greatest weapon is who started the scene. Let's hope that justice won't be blind in this case as we have seen in some similar cases.

    July 9, 2013 at 2:07 pm |
  5. Betty Stambaugh

    This is about the Zimmerman case. Zimmerman is left handed so I don't think Zimmerman would have been carrying his gun on his right side so Martin would have been shot on the left side of his chest. Why isn't anyone saying any thing about this?

    July 9, 2013 at 12:00 pm |
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