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  • 31
    Jul
    2012
    9:36am, EDT

    George Zimmerman's wife will not be at arraignment after not guilty plea

    The Seminole County Sheriff's Office via Getty Images

    Shellie Zimmerman, wife of George Zimmerman, the man accused of shooting Trayvon Martin, is seen in a police mug shot June 12, 2012 in Sanford, Fla.

    By NBC News staff

    Shellie Zimmerman will not appear at her scheduled arraignment Tuesday after pleading not guilty to perjury for allegedly lying about the family's finances, a court official told WPTV.com.

    Shellie, the wife of George Zimmerman, was arrested June 12 on one count of perjury.

    "Neither Ms. Zimmerman or her attorney are required to attend the arraignment," Seminole County, Fla., court spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy told WPTV. "Ms. Zimmerman's name will remain on the docket, but her case will not be called."

    Shellie Zimmerman's lawyer, Kelly Sims, entered a written not guilty plea last week, along with a waiver for her client not to personally attend her arraignment.

    George Zimmerman, 28, was charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting of Trayvon Martin. He pleaded not guilty, and claims that he acted in self-defense.


    His $150,000 bond was revoked after it was alleged that he and Shellie Zimmerman misled the court about their finances, neglecting to disclose they had raised at least $135,000 in a PayPal account.

    Florida prosecutors said George Zimmerman, speaking by phone from jail, gave detailed instructions to his wife to conduct a series of money transfers and transactions in allegedly coded exchanges that were intended to hide from the court how much money had been raised to help pay for his legal defense.

    Zimmerman spoke to wife in code from jail to hide assets, prosecutors allege


    Follow @NBCNewsUS

    Prosecutors released six recorded calls Zimmerman made from April 12 through April 17 while he was in Seminole County Jail. In the calls, he gave his wife Shellie detailed instructions to change passwords and answer security questions for the accounts, allowing her to move money. He then instructed her to move the money in a series of transactions carried out over days.

    At George Zimmerman's April 20 bond hearing, when asked whether the couple had financial means to assist in his defense, Shellie Zimmerman said: "Uhm, not -- not that I'm aware of," according to an affidavit.

    NBC News' Jamie Novograd and Kari Huus contributed to this report.

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    72 comments

    Lying is the heart of this case, and the only defense.

    Show more
    Explore related topics: crime, trayvon-martin, george-zimmerman, shellie-zimmerman
  • 12
    Jun
    2012
    4:29pm, EDT

    Shellie Zimmerman, wife of Trayvon Martin killer, arrested on perjury charge

    By NBC's Jamie Novogrod

    Seminole County Sheriff's Office

    Shellie Zimmerman, wife of George Zimmerman, the man accused of shooting Trayvon Martin, is seen Tuesday in a police booking photo Sanford, Fla.

    Updated: 1:32 a.m. ET: Shellie Zimmerman, wife of George Zimmerman, charged with murdering Trayvon Martin, was arrested Tuesday on one count of perjury, the Seminole County, Fla., Sheriff’s Department said.


    Follow @msnbc_us

    Deputies arrested Shellie Zimmerman, 25,  about 3:30 p.m. ET, after they were advised by the office of State Attorney Angela Corey that a warrant had been issued.

    She was booked into John E. Polk Correctional Facility and released on $1,000 bond, officials said.


    George Zimmerman, 28, was charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting of Martin. He pleaded not guilty. Police say that he claimed on the night of the shooting that he acted in self-defense.

    See more msnbc.com coverage of the Trayvon Martin case 

    His $150,000 bond was revoked after allegations that during an April 20 bail hearing he and Shellie Zimmerman misled the court about their finances, neglecting to disclose they had raised at least $135,000 in a PayPal account.

    The order issued Tuesday by Assistant State Attorney John Guy charged Shellie Zimmerman with knowingly making false statements during the April hearing.

    Speaking outside the Seminole County Jail late Tuesday evening, George Zimmerman’s attorney Mark O’Mara said his client is worried about his wife after learning of the arrest.

    “Now that she’s being charged with a crime he’s worried about her,” O’Mara said, adding that George Zimmerman is concerned because she is “out in the public eye.”

    O’Mara also said that the prosecution surprised him with Tuesday’s arrest, complaining the surprise fell short of professional courtesy. “I didn’t actually get a phone call until after the arrest, and I had asked for one before that,” O’Mara said.

    Also Tuesday, the court released Seminole County Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester’s order revoking George Zimmerman’s bond.

    "There are several factors that weigh against his release ... Most importantly, though, is the fact that he has now demonstrated that he does not properly respect the law or the integrity of the judicial process."

    Follow NBC's Jamie Novogrod on Twitter here.

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    3436 comments

    Well, looks like the defense is going to have a slightly steeper uphill battle as they keep knocking out the witnesses credibility, one by one. Rightfully so in my opinion because this guy is as guilty as they come. Bye-bye Zimmerman. Hope you like the bars.

    Show more
    Explore related topics: florida, crime, courts, trayvon-martin, george-zimmerman, shellie-zimmerman

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