Zimmerman Surrenders – No Sanction Hearing

The Orlando Sentinel reports that paperwork has been filed at the Seminole County criminal courthouse setting forth that Zimmerman says he is giving up his promised fight to make the state pay his legal bills and the hearing on sanctions based on allegations that the State violated rules of discovery.

George Zimmerman

The docket sheet provides that on February 20, 2014, a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal of Any Future Hearings and All Pending Issues was filed in Zimmerman’s criminal case.

Asst. SA Richard Mantei

 

 

On February 25, 2014, Assistant State’s Attorney Richard Mantei filed papers asking the judge to deny Zimmerman’s request and to rule in Corey’s favor, saying that he wants the hearing to resume “to make a complete record and establish the state committed no discovery violations….”

The defense alleged that the State did not provide them with photos discovered on Trayvon’s cell phone.  Subsequently, Judge Nelson denied the defense’s request to use those photos at trial and also denied that text messages from Trayvon Martin’s cell phone be presented as evidence.  There was no witness to testify as to the intent of the photos and text messages to support nor refute the defense’s contentions as to Trayvon’s character.  At least one of the photos, showing only a hand, did not present the individual’s identity.

Judge Debra Nelson

If Judge Nelson grants Zimmerman’s request to dismiss all pending matters, she will then proceed in the case of Zimmerman v. NBC.  That case was put on hold by stipulation until after Zimmerman’s criminal trial.  At the last status hearing, Judge Nelson denied that the case proceed because of the matters still pending in the criminal case.

If Judge Nelson denies Zimmerman’s request, then she will more than likely schedule a hearing on the sanctions.  The question then becomes, will Mark O’Mara and/or Don West proceed?  O’Mara has already withdrawn his representation from the lawsuit against NBC.

In the same article, the Orlando Sentinel reports that the judge in Shellie Zimmerman’s divorce case has set aside the default order.  That means that George can now argue for division of marital debts, the dogs, and any future assets he might acquire from his lawsuit against NBC.