Attorneys for George Zimmerman said Thursday that they plan to seek a "Stand Your Ground" hearing in the case of his fatal shooting of unarmed Florida teen Trayvon Martin, NBC 6 South Florida reported. Zimmerman’s lawyers said on their website that the hearing would be a "mini-trial," with the defense presenting most of the arguments, witnesses, experts and evidence that they would in a criminal trial. "Now that the State has released the majority of their discovery, the defense asserts that there is clear support for a strong claim of self-defense," they wrote. Preparing for the hearing could take several months, they added. Judge Kenneth Lester could dismiss charges against Zimmerman if he finds that the defense has conclusively shown that Zimmerman shot Martin because he "reasonably believed" his life was in danger or he risked serious bodily injury. If the claim succeeded, Zimmerman would also be protected from a wrongful death civil lawsuit. Prosecutors would likely appeal a successful ruling for the defense on an invocation of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law.
