The trial of the man accused in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin is scheduled for next June, a judge ruled Wednesday.
In her first hearing on the case since she was appointed this summer, Seminole County Circuit Court Judge Debra S. Nelson said that the trial of Sanford, Fla., resident George Zimmerman would start June 10, the New York Times reported. Defense and prosecution lawyers told the Times that the trial should last about three weeks.
Zimmerman--free on bail at press time--is facing second-degree murder charges connected with shooting Martin, 17, an African-American youth who was unarmed and had no criminal record, when walking to the home of his father's girlfriend in Sanford on a rainy Feb. 26 evening.
The racially-charged shooting attracted worldwide attention, including protests, strong condemnations from civil rights leaders such as the Rev. Al Sharpton and demonstrations from NBA players-many of whom, like the Miami Heat, took pictures of themselves wearing dark hooded sweatshirts similar to the one Martin was wearing on the night he was killed.
Nelson was appointed to the case in late August after an appeals' court removed the case's previous judge, Kenneth Lester, for made disparaging remarks about Zimmerman's character and advocated for additional charges against him during a bond hearing, Fox News reported.
Zimmerman was not at the hearing Wednesday, though his attorneys are scheduled to return to court Friday to argue several motions.
After the hearing, Zimmerman attorney Mark O'Mara was reportedly noncommittal when asked by The Orlando Sentinel about when he'd be fully prepared for the case.
"I don't know today when we'll be ready for trial," he told the Sentinel.
However, afterwards, the defense team for Zimmerman tweeted that they would likely be seeking a hearing under the highly-debated "Stand Your Ground" self-defense law prior to the June 10 trial date.
Under the "Stand Your Ground" law-approved by the Florida state legislature in 2005- a person may use deadly force in self-defense when they have reason to believe that their lives are being threatened, and said person could use the law as a defense or immunity to criminal charges and civil suit.
Meanwhile, Trayvon's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, are taking aim at Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law with a newly created web site and movement of the same name called Change for Trayvon, the Huffington Post reported.
Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Martin's family, told the Post that the committee was formed in response to a growing number of states that have placed Stand Your Ground laws -- which Trayvon's parents believe prevented Zimmerman from being immediately arrested -- on ballots for the upcoming November election.
"The family is saying straightforward that it is not just about Trayvon; all of our children have the possibility of being a Trayvon and having to face this battle against the Stand Your Ground law and the way it's written," Crump told The Post. "They're saying its too late for them, we can't do anything about Trayvon. But it's not too late for others."
A statement from Trayvon's parents posted on the web site explains that the purpose of the site and the movement is to allow for discussion on the controversial law.
"Although these laws have good intentions, their result has allowed shooters to avoid justice, and for families to not have an opportunity for closure in these tragic deaths," the statement from Trayvon's parents reads.
"We have created this movement to honor our son who taught us that live is truly beautiful," the statement continues. "Please join the Change for Trayvon Martin movement today so that we can create change that saves lives and prevents parents from experiencing the grief that we have had to endure."
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