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Judge Rules Zimmerman 911 Calls Admissable, Dismisses Alternate Juror

UPDATE: July 9, 2013: It was brought to our attention that in the second paragraph, "While Zimmerman's attorneys said the calls were irrelevant, prosecutors argued that they showed Martin's state of mind" should instead read "...Zimmerman's state of mind." It has since been corrected, and we apologize for the error.

While testimony resumed in the murder trial of George Zimmerman in Sanford Wednesday, the judge ruled on the admissibility of Zimmerman's earlier 911 calls reporting other people as suspicious. An alternate juror was also dismissed before witnesses took the stand.

The Orlando Sentinel reportsCircuit Court Judge Debra Nelson ruled that jurors can hear Zimmerman's calls to police about people he felt were suspicious in the months before he shot and killed Trayvon Martin in February 2012. While Zimmerman's attorneys said the calls were irrelevant, prosecutors argued that they showed Martin's Zimmerman's state of mind. 

Earlier Wednesday, an alternate juror was dismissed. While Nelson wouldn't say why the man, identified as juror B-72, was let go, she did say it was not related to the case.

We'll have updates of the trial later today from WMFE and NPR.

Copyright 2013 WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7

Mark Schreiner has been the producer and reporter for "University Beat" on WUSF 89.7 FM since 2001 and on WUSF TV from 2007-2017.