Florida teen shooter back in jail
Man charged with killing 17-year-old is detained again after court revokes bail over “misleading” testimony.
George Zimmerman, a former neighbourhood watch volunteer accused of murdering 17-year-old Trayvon Martin earlier this year, has returned to police custody in Florida, after a judge revoked the suspect’s bond, Zimmerman’s defence team said.
Mark O’Mara, an attorney, said that Zimmerman, charged with second-degree murder for shooting dead the unarmed black youth, was detained again on Sunday.
Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester ordered Zimmerman to return to custody on Friday within 48 hours because the suspect and his wife, Shellie, misled the court about how much money they had available when his bond was set for $150,000 in April.
During the bond hearing, the couple had said they had limited funds. But prosecutors said Zimmerman raised about $135,000 through a website he set up to draw donations for his legal defence.
The 28-year-old has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge and says he acted in self-defence when he opened fire on Martin.
The shooting occurred in February during a confrontation at a gated community of houses in Sanford, Florida, where Zimmerman lived and where Martin was visiting his father’s fiance.
The neighbourhood watch volunteer’s arrest was delayed by 44 days, however, leading to protests across the US that forced the Sanford police chief to resign.
Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda described the Zimmermans’ testimony as “misleading”.
“This court was led to believe they didn’t have a single penny,” said De la Rionda. “It was misleading and I don’t know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie.”