Prosecutors: George Zimmerman and his wife spoke code on jailhouse phone over money
(CBS News) The attorney representing George Zimmerman said Monday he will ask for another bond hearing. Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain charged with murdering 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, had his bond revoked for misleading the judge about how much money he has.
Zimmerman was caught on jailhouse phone calls, and he was returned to jail Sunday wearing a bulletproof vest under his shirt. Lawyer Mark O'Mara admits his client owes the judge an apology.
"This judge is going to control his courtroom and my client and his family put themselves at risk by not being completely honest," O'Mara said.
At a bond hearing last April, Zimmerman's wife Shellie testified by phone that their family was broke, when in fact they had more than $100,000 in donations on their website. In over 30 hours of recorded jailhouse phone calls, prosecutors say the couple spoke in code about how to manage the money.
Four days before that April hearing, Zimmerman asked his wife, "So total everything, how much are we looking at?"
She responded, "Like $155."
Prosecutors say she meant $155,000.
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"I think Judge Lester may teach him a lesson that he thinks needs to be taught, but I don't think he'll keep him in jail throughout the continuance of this case," O'Mara said.
O'Mara insists the Zimmermans never intended to deceive the court. They were worried that their relatives would want the money.
The Zimmermans raised $204,000 before O'Mara closed their original fundraising websites. But a new site, managed by his legal team, has raised another $37,000, and raises another $1,000 a day.
As soon as this week, Zimmerman's lawyers expect to get the state's case kept from the public due to sensitivity concerns. It includes Zimmerman's original statements to police, and text messages he sent in the month after the shooting that disparaged leaders of rallies for Trayvon Martin.
