In July, 2013, one of the most followed and publicized criminal trials finished with a two word verdict that reverberated throughout the country. George Zimmerman, who was charged and tried in the killing of Trayvon Martin, was acquitted. His lead counsel, Mark O’Mara, became a household name. I go on one on one with Mark O’Mara during this episode of Killer Cross Examination.
This is an incredible interview – one you do not want to miss. O’Mara shares with me the moment that was approached to represent Zimmerman, what he thought about Zimmerman based on the news coverage and what he discovered as soon as he met him in the local jail. He shares with us his courtroom style, his reverence and respect for the burden of proof and how he attempts to get jurors to relate to judging a case using the standard, beyond a reasonable doubt and even shares a story about his attempts to familiarize the jurors with the concept during the jury selection in the Zimmerman case. O’Mara describes as his job, as a criminal defense lawyer, as “training prosecutors” (teaser: he trains them by opposing them in court and winning and showing them the err of their ways). He shared moments during the Zimmerman trial including his feeling about cross examining the lead detective and obtaining a startling admission and asking the judge to break for the day so the jury would go home with the latest bit of testimony in their heads, how they divided up the work between he and his co-counsel, his feelings about the prosecution team, how he felt during a cross examination to Trayvon Martin’s mother and how he used the prosecution’s doll as an exhibit to tell his client’s case. If you want to hear the man himself take us deep into the Zimmerman defense, do not miss this podcast.
But he shares more than that – he discussed how the Zimmerman case broadened his practice and how a family of a young man, Adrein Green who was killed by the police in the same city that the Zimmerman/Martin incident happened, turned to him to attempt to get justice. Since then, he has taken on more and more police misconduct and police brutality cases and become involved in cases in which he is suing or litigating against large drug companies and other corporations on behalf of a large group of plaintiffs.
Talking to Mark, I can tell that he passionately loves being a trial lawyer: he shared that if he could, he’d try a case a day. If you want to learn more about Mark, visit www.omaralawgroup.com, on twitter at @markomaralaw or on instagram @omara_lawgroup.
Please be aware we are relying on impressions, recollections, memories and interpretations.
