Jun 1, 2012 No Comments ›› Pat Dollard
(CNN) – Prosecutors in Florida asked a judge Friday to revoke bond for George Zimmerman, who is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Trayvon Martin.
Prosecutors argued that Zimmerman “misrepresented, misled and deceived the court” during an April bond hearing about whether he had a U.S. passport and about his family’s financial circumstances.
Meanwhile, Zimmerman’s defense team and prosecutors will be on the same side in court Friday afternoon fighting media companies’ request to release more information in the case.
Seminole County Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. will preside over the hearing. Prosecution and defense lawyers will argue that a host of material should remain sealed. Scott Ponce of the Miami-based law firm Holland & Knight will argue for more disclosure on behalf of various newspapers, TV stations and their parent companies.
The opposing arguments were laid out in motions filed in advance of Friday’s hearing.
Martin, 17, was shot to death February 26 while walking in a Sanford, Florida, neighborhood where he was staying during a visit with his father. Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer, told police he shot the teenager in self-defense.
The incident spurred protests among people who criticized police handling of the investigation and said Martin, who was unarmed and carrying a bag of Skittles and an Arizona Iced Tea at the time of his death, was racially profiled. The slain teen was African-American and Zimmerman is Hispanic.
Zimmerman, 28, was charged with second-degree murder on April 11 and is free on bail.
