Sanford, FL- George Zimmerman turned himself in to Florida authorities on Sunday after Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester revoked his bond on Friday. The Judge gave Zimmerman 48 hours to report to jail after determining that Zimmerman and his wife mislead the court about the amount of money he had when his $150,000 bond was set during a hearing in April.
“He can’t sit back and obtain the benefit of a lower bond based upon those material falsehoods,” Lester said. According to reports, Zimmerman had at least $135,000 in a pay pal account. However, during April’s bond hearing, Zimmerman’s wife claimed they had limited funds because she was a nursing student and George Zimmerman wasn’t working. “This court was led to believe they didn’t have a single penny,” said Prosecutor Bernie De la Rionda. “It was misleading and I don’t know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie.”
Prosecutors also accused Zimmerman of failing to surrender a second passport. However, Judge Lester dismissed the issue equating the failure to someone finding an old driver’s license after applying for a new one. Zimmerman was charged with 2nd Degree murder for the shooting death of Florida teen, Trayvon Martin in February.
A nationwide protest focused attention on the killing, prompting Governor Rick Scott to appoint a special prosecutor to examine the Sanford Police department’s investigation and determine if charges were warranted. Zimmerman has claimed self-defense. However, the lawyers representing Trayvon Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, say that Zimmerman’s failure to disclose the truth about his pay pal account undermine his credibility – especially given that allegations have emerged that he and his wife were speaking in coded language about that account during a jail visit. Those conversations were recorded and may find its way into the trial.
