Florida shooting suspect to return to jail
(AFP) – 51 minutes ago
MIAMI — The neighborhood watch volunteer charged with shooting dead an unarmed black teen in Florida in February will turn himself in by a Sunday deadline after his bail was revoked, his attorney said.
A judge on Friday ordered George Zimmerman to return to jail after prosecutors alleged that he had misled the court about having no money despite tens of thousands of dollars sitting in online fundraising accounts.
His return to jail would represent another twist in a high-profile case that has stoked racial tensions in the United States.
The shooting in the central Florida city of Sanford set off a wave of protests because police initially refused to take legal action against Zimmerman, 28, accepting his assertion that he shot Martin in self-defense.
Zimmerman's attorney Mark O'Mara wrote on his website that the volunteer security guard, who faces second degree murder charges in the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, would turn himself in by Sunday's court deadline.
"The defense team has coordinated with the Sanford Police Department to ensure Mr. Zimmerman's security when he turns himself in before today's 2:30pm (1830 GMT) deadline," O'Mara wrote.
"While out on bond, Mr Zimmerman has been living in a secure, undisclosed location as there are significant threats against his life," added the attorney, who said he would be requesting a new bond hearing.
The judge in April set Zimmerman's bond at $150,000, but prosecutors say that figure relied on "false representations and statements" by the defendant and his wife.
As a condition of his bond, Zimmerman surrendered to authorities a passport that expired in May 2012. But prosecutors say he failed to disclose a second passport, reportedly obtained two weeks after he shot Martin.
Copyright © 2012 AFP. All rights reserved. More »