Trial judge to Zimmerman camp: Not stepping down

Media pool photos by Orlando Sentinel / Accused killer George Zimmerman and his attorney, Mark O'Mara, are shown here in the June 29 bond hearing at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford where Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester heard arguments on why he should be granted bail after his truthfulness was called into question about his finances. The judge on July 5 granted $1 million bail. It was comments made by the judge in his bond order that riled Zimmerman's attorneys and prompted them to request he step down.

SANFORD -- The judge in the second-degree murder case against George Zimmerman is standing his own ground by refusing a defense motion to step aside. Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. issued his ruling this morning dismissing the defense request by defense counsel Mark O'Mara who had charged the judge was biased against Zimmerman because of remarks he made at his second bond hearing last month.

Lester had described the man accused of shooting unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin as a manipulator in his latest bond hearing order and the judge went as far as to say that had it not been for the satellite device monitoring system tracking his movements the heat-packing neighborhood watchman may very well have fled the country.

O'Mara and defense co-counsel Don West took Lester's comments as a strong showing that Zimmerman would not be able to get a fair trial if the judge were to remain on the bench.

The judge today issued his ruling without waxing poetic, stating simply: "The court finds the (defense) motion to be legally insufficient." Zimmerman's defense team could appeal the judge's ruling to the 5th District Court of Appeal in Daytona Beach, but has not yet indicated if that option will be exercised.

Zimmerman is free on $1 million bond awaiting trial on the murder charge in the Feb. 26 shooting of the unarmed teen, who was returning from a nearby 7-Eleven where he purchased ice-tea and some Skittles on his way back to the gated community in Sanford where the Miami boy's father, Tracy Martin, was visiting his girlfriend. Zimmerman, who was patrolling the neighborhood, said he fired a single shot killing Trayvon because he was standing his ground while staving off a violent attack from the teen. 

Sanford police did not charge Zimmerman in he fatal shooting, reiterating the 27-year-old Zimmerman's claim that he was standing his ground and had the right to use lethal force because he feared for his life. The police department's decision led to mass demonstrations around the country and made worldwide headlines with an emphasis placed on Trayvon Martin's hoodie and racial stereotypes. Zimmerman, who is of white and Latino heritage, was eventually charged with second-degree murder after Gov. Scott appointed Angela Courey as special prosecutor to investigate the fatal shooting. She filed the murder charge, based on evidence she said showed Zimmerman was profiling the teen and shot and killed him in cold blood, even after a 9-1-1 told Zimmerman not to follow Martin. Zimmerman could get life in prison, if convicted at trial.

Here is a video montage of the case by Headline Surfer, the 24/7 Internet newspaper in New Smyrna Beach, originally called NSBNews.net, leading off with an exclusive interview with Trayvon Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, during a protest rally in Miami shortly after the homicide.

These four videos, including the brief interview with the Rev. Al Sharpton, were shot at a big protest demonstration rally in Miami where headline Surfer interviewed Trayvon Martin's parents. 

The first two videos highlight 9-1-1 calls made the night of the shooting. The third video highlights a protest march by college students from Daytona Beach to the Sanford police department in after police there agreed with Zimmerman's stand-your-ground killing justification.