George Zimmerman Trial Updates & Live Stream: Trayvon Martin Was Profiled Prosecution Argues

Forget complexity. When George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin it was profiling, plain and simple, the prosecution argued in its opening statements in court Monday.

In a case personifying American polarization over issues like race, guns, and self-defense laws like Florida's "stand your ground" statute, prosecutor John Guy began Monday's proceedings by insisting the larger controversy obfuscated a straightforward truth—that Zimmerman "profiled, followed and murdered an unarmed teenager."

A Hispanic neighborhood watchman, Zimmerman, 29, stands accused of second-degree murder in the killing of Martin, a 17-year-old African-American, in a Florida gated community in February of last year. Zimmerman claims he fatally shot the unarmed teen in self-defense and has pleaded not guilty. Martin's lawyers maintain he was murdered "in cold blood," an assertion gravely reiterated for jurors as the prosecution portrayed Zimmerman's innate tendency for racial profiling.

"F--king punks. These a--holes always get away ... Excuse my language but those were his words, not mine," Guy described Zimmerman as saying in his opening statements.

Attempting to show Zimmerman's alleged crime was virtually inevitable, prosecutor Guy contextualized the defendant for jurors. Zimmerman was a criminal justice major and a wannabe police officer, so he chose to become a neighborhood watchman, Guy told the jury.

"He was told do not be the vigilante police," Guy explained.

But despite any instruction he'd received, Zimmerman decided for himself that Martin was a criminal, Guy argued.

"When he saw Trayvon Martin he didn't see a young man ... He saw someone that was 'real suspicious,'" Guy said.

Prosecuting attorney Guy told jurors that there was no evidence to back up Martin's alleged attack, or Zimmerman's version of events, adding that a nurse would testify that Zimmerman's injuries from the incident were also minor.

In the prosecution's most visceral attack of the morning, Guy emphasized that Zimmerman didn't kill Martin "because he had to" due to an instinct for self-preservation; he said the defendant simply killed Martin for "the worst possible reason-because he wanted to."

Conversley, Zimmerman contends he was attacked by Martin first. Zimmerman claims he was driving around the gated community when he came upon Martin, exchanged words, and the teen then charged at him, knocked him to the ground, sucker punched him in the nose, and banged his head into the ground repeatedly, forcing him to fight for his life, and ultimately killing Martin.

Zimmerman's attorneys bizarrely began proceedings with a knock-knock joke implying the entire case was a witch hunt looking for a scapegoat to persecute for a complicated crime.

"Let me say, I would like to tell you a little joke. I know how that may sound a bit weird in this context under these circumstances, but I think you're the perfect audience for it. As long as you don't - if you don't like it or don't think it's funny or inappropriate that you don't hold it against Mr. Zimmerman. Hold it against me if you want, but not Mr. Zimmerman. I have your assurance you won't," defense attorney Don West said.

"Knock knock. Who's there? George Zimmerman. George Zimmerman who? All right. Good. You're on the Jury. Nothing? That's funny. After what you folks have been through the last two or three weeks."

Following opening statements, the prosecution will likely begin calling witnesses to testify.

While many had wondered if Zimmerman would invoke Florida's controversial "stand your ground law," which allows the use of deadly force when a person believes their life is in danger, he waived his right to use the defense in pre-trial hearings. However, the defense could still come into play if and when Zimmerman testifies.

A study conducted by the Tampa Bay Times found that a majority of Florida Latinos support the "stand your ground" law (47 percent to 42 percent). The same study also found that the "stand your ground law" was most successful when the victim is black, and the perpetrator is white: when a white person fatally shoots a black victim 34 percent of the murders are ruled as "justifiable"; when a black person fatally shoots a white victim, just 3 percent of homicides are determined to be "justifiable."

The Times' study notes that "police and sheriff's offices often consider Hispanics as an ethnic group and record their race as white or black. As a result, some Hispanics may be counted in their race category in the Times' calculations."