Disbar Them

Toward the end of his closing statement on Thursday, Florida Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda posted a slide on a screen in a fifth-floor Seminole County courtroom.

“Which Owner would be more inclined to yell for help?” read the banner on the top of the slide. The slide was divided in two. On the left was a photo of George Zimmerman’s Kel-Tec PF-9 9mm handgun, and on the right was a can of Arizona Watermelon Fruit Juice Cocktail. Beneath the photo of the gun was the question, “Who followed?” Under the can was the question, “Who ran?”

So absurd was de la Rionda’s presentation, and the whole case for that matter, that the can was turned sideways so the label could not be read. Throughout the trial, prosecutors have called the drink “iced tea” lest the word “watermelon” be said in court. ”F***ing” was okay. De la Rionda said it more times than the average rapper, but “watermelon,” apparently because of its racial connotations, was not.

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