SANFORD, Fla. — The credibility of Trayvon Martin’s shooter could be an issue at trial after a judge said that George Zimmerman and his wife lied to the court about their finances to obtain a bond, legal experts say.
That’s because the case hinges on jurors believing his account of what happened the night the 17-year-old was killed. Zimmerman wasn’t charged in the case until more than a month after the shooting, saying he shot Martin in self-defense under Florida’s so-called stand your ground law. Protests were held across the nation, and the case spurred debate about race. Martin was black; Zimmerman’s father is white and his mother is from Peru.
The questioning of Zimmerman’s truthfulness by the judge Friday could undermine his credibility if it is brought up at trial. It also might complicate how his defense presents him as a witness, said Orlando-area attorney Randy McClean, who is a former prosecutor.
“The other key witness, unfortunately, is deceased,” McClean said. “Basically, Zimmerman is going to be asking the jury to believe his version of the facts. … As the case stands now, his credibility is absolutely critical to the case.”
Zimmerman had not yet turned himself in Saturday after having his bond revoked a day earlier. He must do so by today. Zimmerman went into hiding in the weeks after the shooting because of the tense debate surrounding the case, and his exact whereabouts since he bonded out of jail remain unclear.
Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder for the February shooting. The neighborhood watch volunteer says he shot Martin in self-defense because the unarmed 17-year-old was beating him up after confronting Zimmerman about following him in a gated community outside Orlando.
Witness accounts of the rainy night Martin was shot are spotty. There is no video of the fight, though photos prosecutors have released showed Zimmerman with wounds to his face and the back of his head.
Zimmerman’s credibility would be important if his attorney, Mark O’Mara, tries to get a judge to dismiss the charges based on the law, said Orlando defense attorney David Hill.
“If he was in on something that was not truthfully revealed to the judge, when there is a ‘stand your ground’ hearing, of course you’re going to second-guess him,” Hill said.
