VOA标准英语2012--Florida Man Accused of Killing Unarmed Teenager Makes Court Appearance

Florida Man Accused of Killing¹ Unarmed Teenager Makes Court Appearance

George Zimmerman's first court appearance before a Florida judge came a day after he surrendered to police in connection with the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

It was the first time the public had gotten to see and hear from George Zimmerman. The judge said he had found probable cause to move ahead with the case and told Zimmerman he will be formally charged during an arraignment² May 29th. 

Zimmerman did not enter a plea during the brief appearance. He turned himself in to authorities Wednesday night, just before special prosecutor³ Angela Corey announced the charges against him.

Corey told reporters she will fight for Trayvon Martin. 

"It's V for victim -- that is who we work tirelessly for and that is all we know is justice for our victims," Corey said. 

Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self defense⁴ after spotting the teenager in a gated community where Martin's father lives. He told police Martin attacked him during a confrontation⁵.

The shooting sparked a national outcry and demonstrations⁶ led by Martin’s parents who insist their son was murdered. They also accuse Zimmerman of targeting their son because he was black. Trayvon Martin’s mother Sybrina Fulton. 

"We just wanted an arrest and we got it," Fulton said.

Many in Sanford, Florida -- the city where the shooting took place -- welcomed the charges.

"All of us were wanting this to move on and get to this process where it is now into the justice system," one resident said.

"It was long overdue⁷ and I am glad they decided⁸ to do something," another said.

Police did not initially⁹ charge Zimmerman with a crime because of a Florida law that says a person has a right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force. Prosecutor Corey says she's prepared to argue the issue if Zimmerman uses the self defense law in court.

"If Stand Your Ground becomes an issue we fight it if we believe it is the right thing to do. So if it becomes an issue in this case we will fight that affirmative defense," Corey said.

Mark O'Mara, Zimmerman's attorney, would not reveal his strategy, but he says his client is worried about getting a fair trial. 

"There is a lot of information and there is a lot of ground swell¹⁰ of emotion on all sides of the issue. We need to calm this down and this case needs to be tried in a courtroom," O'Mara said. 

If found guilty of the second-degree murder charge, Zimmerman could face up to life in prison. 

1 killing   

n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财

参考例句：

• Investors are set to make a killing from the sell-off.投资者准备清仓以便大赚一笔。
• Last week my brother made a killing on Wall Street.上个周我兄弟在华尔街赚了一大笔。

2 arraignment   

n.提问，传讯，责难

参考例句：

• She was remanded to juvenile detention at her arraignment yesterday. 她昨天被送回了对少年拘留在她的传讯。 来自互联网
• Wyatt asks the desk clerk which courthouse he is being transferred to for arraignment. 他向接待警员询问了马宏将在哪个法庭接受传讯。 来自互联网

3 prosecutor   

n.起诉人；检察官，公诉人

参考例句：

• The defender argued down the prosecutor at the court.辩护人在法庭上驳倒了起诉人。
• The prosecutor would tear your testimony to pieces.检查官会把你的证言驳得体无完肤。

4 defense   

n.防御，保卫；[pl.]防务工事；辩护，答辩

参考例句：

• The accused has the right to defense.被告人有权获得辩护。
• The war has impacted the area with military and defense workers.战争使那个地区挤满了军队和防御工程人员。

5 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

6 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

7 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

8 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

9 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

10 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。