Bond Hearing Scheduled for June 29th
HatTip Sibilj SANFORD, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) – An attorney for the former neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing Trayvon Martin has confirmed with FOX 35 that there will be a new bond hearing for his client later this month.
George Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, said a new bond hearing date is set for June 29.
Zimmerman returned to the Seminole County jail on Sunday, two days after his $150,000 bond was revoked. Prosecutors say Zimmerman and his wife misled a judge about how much money they had to put up for the bond.
SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. – The legal team for the man accused of shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin paid their client a visit Tuesday evening.
George Zimmerman sits in the Seminole County jail in a protective custody cell awaiting his next bond hearing.
According to Mark O’Mara, Zimmerman’s bond hearing will be June 29.
The bond hearing was pushed back a couple of weeks because of scheduling issues with Judge Kenneth Lester and the other attorneys.
Lester revoked Zimmerman’s bond after the state alleged he and his wife conspired to lie to the court about their finances.
Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, said his client has learned his lesson that he has to be completely truthful when he presents himself to the court.
O’Mara said he is happy to have the time to prepare Zimmerman’s testimony, but said Zimmerman is worried about his wife’s possible legal issues for not telling the truth during the first bond hearing.
Shelly Zimmerman could face perjury charges along with her husband for lying about the money, according to veteran defense attorney Jeff Deen.
“He’s worried now because the judge is now worried about their lack of candor,” said O’Mara. “The focus is going to be on Shelly, because Shelly is the one that didn’t state affirmatively that the money was available when she knew it was there. So, yes we are going to have to deal with that.”
Zimmerman was fearful to disclose the fact that he had more than $100,000 in a legal fund that he raised on his website, according to O’Mara.
O’Mara said he is confident he can keep Zimmerman’s explanation under oath to the judge limited which limits the amount of cross examination he may face at the next hearing. (read more)
This is an odd development. “Generally” one of the main priorities of a Defense Lawyer is to regain his/her clients liberty and freedom as soon as possible. Yet, a decision for even “filing” another bond motion is being delayed, and the hearing to review the original bond testimony conflict is not scheduled for a few “weeks”.
Something is up, and I will not speculate on it except to say that an attorney will “generally” do everything and anything within his/her power to gain the custodial release of a client. Postponing at least an attempt to regain freedom is, well, unusual to say the least.
And this doesn’t have anything to do with Judge Lester being ‘unavailable’ at the moment. Every judge has a way to work around scheduling conflicts. The law does not cease to apply just because a judiciary member is unavailable.