Almost a week after attorneys for George Zimmerman asked that his trial be pushed from June to November, the request has been denied. Today, Judge Debra Nelson rejected the motion and stated that Zimmerman's trial will begin on June 10. Zimmerman has been charged with second degree murder after fatally shooting Trayvon Martin in Sanford, FL last February.
Zimmerman's lawyers have requested more time to prepare for the trial, claiming that the prosecutor has been very slow in turning over evidence. The state attorney denies this vehemently. Judge Nelson also added that Zimmerman's lead attorney, Mark O'Mara, has been on the case for over a year and that his challenges in securing evidence are "not insurmountable."
O'Mara says he's willing to begin the trial in June, but wants it done the right way. "There is no benefit to the defense team, there is certainly no benefit to Mr. Zimmerman and there is no benefit to the Martin family to keep this case going. I am very sensitive to that, but the reality is we have to try it once," he says.
According to prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda, the amount of time needed to prepare for the case falls on Zimmerman's defense. "I have never had a case, at least here in central Florida, as a normal thing where the defense creates their own website, creates their own Facebook, creates their own Twitter and just publishes stuff out there, encourages discussion among various groups," he says.
Today would've been Martin's 18th birthday.
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[via NBC Washington]
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