Outrageous judicial behavior in Zimmerman trial

Watch this outrageous behavior from the judge in the Zimmerman case. Zimmerman's lawyer objects to her asking if he wants to testify. She overrules him several times, each time more hostile.

As Donald Sensing writes,

There is absolutely no reason for the judge in a felony trial ever to directly interrogate the defendant on any subject. Yet here is Judge Debra Nelson grilling (there is no other word for it) murder defendant George Zimmerman on whether he plans to testify. Note how harshly she overrules defense counsel's entirely reasonable objections.

You know when a judge should properly learn whether a defendant will testify? When the defense counsel calls the defendant to the stand, that's when. If that does not happen and the defense counsel says, "The defense rests," that's the other answer. There is never any reason for a judge to know in advance whether the defendant will testify.

What possible purpose could this harangue serve other than to influence the jury against Zimmerman?

By the way, did you catch the other Zimmerman attorney incredulously asking Attorney West, "What's going on here?" It occurs at about the 1:36 mark.