New Judge Named In Zimmerman Case
ORLANDO, Fla. (CBSMiami) - Circuit Court Judge Jessica Recksiedler has disqualified herself from the George Zimmerman second-degree murder case over Trayvon Martin. Instead Judge Kenneth Lester will take over the trial.
Judge Recksiedler had previously disclosed that her husband works for the firm owned by Mark NeJame, who is under contract with CNN to provide analysis of the trial.
In addition, NeJame was originally approached by Zimmerman to be his attorney.
Zimmerman eventually chose Mark O'Mara as his attorney.
In her order, Judge Reckseidler said, "even though this Court finds that neither of these, standing alone, is legally sufficient for disqualification, the cumulative effect of the events and the totality of the circumstances provides a legally sufficient basis fro this Court to grant the Motion to Disqualify."
Chief Judge Alan Dickey will make the ultimate decision on which judge will eventually get the case.
Judge John D. Galluzzo would be the next in line to hear the case, but he informed Chief Judge Dickey that he would have a conflict due to his prior business and personal relationship with O'Mara.
That opened the door for Judge Kenneth Lester.
"Even though Judge Recksiedler had to grant the motion for disqualification in this case, she is very capable of presiding over this or any other criminal case and I have complete confidence in Judge Lester as well," Judge Dickey said.
Judge Lester was elected in September 1996 and re-elected in 2008, which will keep him on the bench through 2014.
Zimmerman, 28, is charged with second degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year old Trayvon Martin.
Zimmerman has said that he shot the teen in self defense, according to Sanford police. Initially they did not charge him citing the state's 'Stand Your Ground'. This sparked out and protests across the country. Last week special prosecutor Angela Courey had Zimmerman arrested and charged after a review of the police investigation.
