Judge in Zimmerman case won't step down
SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — A central Florida judge says he's staying on the case of a neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing an unarmed teenager.
In a Wednesday ruling, Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester denied a motion by George Zimmerman's defense attorney to disqualify himself because of disparaging remarks he made during a bond hearing.
Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, filed the motion after the July 5 bond hearing during which Lester questioned Zimmerman's honesty and suggested he plotted to leave the country.
Zimmerman is accused of fatally shooting Trayvon Martin in a Sanford neighborhood in February.
Lester said Zimmerman "flaunted the system" by failing to disclose how much money he'd raised through donations and that it appeared he was preparing to flee to avoid prosecution for second-degree murder.
Zimmerman is currently staying in an unknown location.
In a Wednesday ruling, Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester denied a motion by George Zimmerman's defense attorney to disqualify himself because of disparaging remarks he made during a bond hearing.
Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, filed the motion after the July 5 bond hearing during which Lester questioned Zimmerman's honesty and suggested he plotted to leave the country.
Zimmerman is accused of fatally shooting Trayvon Martin in a Sanford neighborhood in February.
Lester said Zimmerman "flaunted the system" by failing to disclose how much money he'd raised through donations and that it appeared he was preparing to flee to avoid prosecution for second-degree murder.
Zimmerman is currently staying in an unknown location.
Despite all the information that came out on the thug, Trayvon Martin, people are still willing to convict Zimmerman. Pathetic.
Gawd! I'm so sick of seeing his smarmy face. Get it over with, either way and get him off of the news!
Can someone just convict this guy. Are they seeing the fact he tried to flee the country. That is guilty to me. He is trying to dodge prison time but he should really trying to dodge the people who are going to be waiting for him if he wins. Lose lose situation right there.
@truth206 You are exactly the kind of news follower the media loves. They insinuate something, inject an idea and you eat it up as fact.
 @truth206 when did he try to flee the country? you dont know any facts other then what nbc has given and those have been proven to be tampered with.
Can anyone say mistrial... if he does get convicted, it will be overturned by a higher court, and then he will be retried. The problem is that the media has gotten ahold of this, and there is no way, that he can get a fair trial...
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Yes! I am so glad the judge has refused to step down. Zimmerman is a lying, conniving, murdering POS and am so glad the judge isn't allowing Zimmerman to bully him.
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 @Tattooed_Angel weird that you still believe that after pictures of the little thug surfaced showing he was no darling little boy president obama wished he had. [roll eyes].
 @Tattooed_Angel So when he walks free because of reasonable doubt, then what?
 @Sid Vishess We will see race riots.
@DarkParty Not in Washington.
When I see that photo I have to wonder if he thinks he can just hold his breath and make this all go away...
Judge and prosecutor are of one mind in their views about the Zimmerman case. They both fear that an acquittal will cause anger and result in a racial explosion. The business community needs peaceful and orderly shoppers, which is why Zimmerman must be found guilty and sentenced to a long prison term.
 @polnick THAT is no reason to convict an innocent man. Sharpton, Jackson and Spike Lee need to stop inciting people with lies.
@polnick There will be a racial explosion, thanks to the media reporting that he was a "white" Hispanic and continually pushing that nonsense. I am a Native and this man is no more "white" than I am.
 @polnick april 29th 1992
@DarkParty There was a riot on the streets, tell me, where were you?
 @This_again?  I was sittin' home watchin' my TV
How did they EVER call this guy "white-Hispanic"? He is as brown as I am.
He got caught in a lieâis he thinking that the judge did something wrong?!?!? Wow.Â
Zimmerman lied through his teeth about financial hardship so he could get a reduced bond. Â He got exposed, and called out on it. Â Why should that result in the judge excusing himself? Â I've said from the get-go that if Zimmermans side of the story is true, he will walk, but he's the only true witness to the event, and clearly has no credibility. Â This will get interesting.Â
 @eichler34 Take this to the bank: Zimmerman will not testify. Hard to impeach his credibility if he don't take the stand.
@Sid Vishess. He has given a number of recorded interviews to the police as well as to the media. You believe that they wonât use those recordings in open court? nahâ¦â¦ Of course not. Will never happen. Nahâ¦.. I wonder if he has yet figured out that even faux news, insannnity, as well as his other supporters are really not his friends. Well it appears that his lawyer figured that out, or actually knew it, long long ago. But it appears he was just not able to keep Z from talking and talking and talking. I seems that his lawyer did want to rein him in but had only moderate success with that.
@Sid Vishess. I never said that Z will personally testify on the stand in open court. You just continue to go on and on trying to put statements in people's posts don't you? It is usually crazy for nearly any defendant to testify. However I have said that many of the video recordings and statements that he has made will be shown in open court, thus showing how much he has lied and contradicted himself, thus impeaching his credibility without him taking the stand. I.e. they put his statements and videos âon the standâ. Maybe nearly as good as (or maybe even better than) him getting on the stand. As far as the blood, I am sure that you have bled as much or even more when you have fallen backwards off of your bar stool and hit the back of your head on the floor.
 @flyskiwindsurf  @Sid Thank you for the additional reasons that Zimmerman will not testify. If one's statements have been either lies or inconsistent,  it is suicide to get on the stand.The big hurdle the prosecution has to get by is that bloody picture of the back of Zimmerman's head.
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Again, this is NOT a Left or Right thing. I am sure you don't want an innocent man to be Nifonged (withholding exculpatory evidence etc...).
@Sid Vishess. bwahahahaâ¦. #1 in cable news. But so what anyway? Various things have been #1 that make people with a brain wonderâ¦.. why??? And of course âthere will be a reasonable doubtâ about any of Zâs credibility at all âin the minds of the jurorsâ after Zâs various lies and various inconsistent statements are pointed out in open court.
 @flyskiwindsurf  @Sid Not sure what Fox News (#1) has to do with this.  Anything he said CAN be used against him. That's fine. In my opinion he won't testify. In my opinion, there will be a reasonable doubt in the minds of the jurors. Some things are like that. Got nothing to do with Left or Right.