Friend Trayvon Martin Encounter Racially Charged

One of the most important prosecution witnesses in George Zimmerman's murder trial has left the witness stand.

Rachel Jeantel testified Thursday for a second consecutive day about the last phone call she had with 17 year old Trayvon Martin in the moments before his deadly encounter with Zimmerman.

She is one of the prosecution's most important witnesses since she bolsters prosecutors' contention that Zimmerman was the aggressor in his confrontation with Martin.

Zimmerman is pleading not guilty to second degree murder claiming self defense.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

George Zimmerman's defense attorney on Thursday challenged the credibility of a key prosecution witness' account of what she heard over the phone in the moments before the deadly exchange between the neighborhood watch volunteer and 17 year old Trayvon Martin that left the Miami teen with a bullet in his chest.

The defense attorney challenged 19 year old Rachel Jeantel about her claim that the encounter was racially charged and about her differing accounts of what she heard over the phone when Zimmerman and Martin first exchanged words. The often testy exchanges between Jeantel and defense attorney Don West came a day after Jeantel admitted to lying about her age and lying about why she skipped Martin's funeral.

Jeantel was on the phone with Martin as he walked from a convenience store through the neighborhood where he was visiting and she was the last person to speak with him before his encounter with Zimmerman on Feb. 26 2012 at the Retreat at Twin Lakes townhome complex. Jeantel is one of the prosecution's most important witnesses because she bolsters the contention that Zimmerman was the aggressor.

Jeantel has given slightly differing versions about what she has heard in a deposition in a letter to Martin's mother and in a recorded interview with an attorney for the Martin family. Among the differences cited by West

In some accounts she said race was an issue but not in others.

Jeantel testified Wednesday that her friend's last words were Get off Get off before Martin's phone went silent. But on Thursday under cross examination she conceded that she hadn't mentioned that in her account of what happened to Martin's mother Sybrina Fulton. She had left out some details to spare Fulton's feelings and also because neither Fulton nor the Martin family attorney asked her directly about them Jeantel said.

After Martin asks why he is being followed Zimmerman responds What are you doing around here in one account by Jeantel. In another account according to West she says Zimmerman said What are you talking about

Zimmerman 29 could get life in prison if convicted of second degree murder. Zimmerman followed Martin in his truck and called a police dispatch number before he and the teen got into a fight.

Zimmerman has said he opened fire only after the teenager jumped him and began slamming his head against the concrete sidewalk. Zimmerman identifies himself as Hispanic and has denied the confrontation had anything to do with race as Martin's family and their supporters have claimed.

Jeantel testified Thursday that she thought race was an issue because Martin told her he was being followed by a white man. She told jurors on Wednesday that Martin had described being followed by a creepy ass cracker.

He was being followed Jeantel said.

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