George Zimmerman's attorney Mark O'Mara may ask judge to recuse herself from the Trayvon Martin shooting case

By: Julia Dahl
Topics: Daily Blotter

George Zimmerman (center) and his attorney Mark O'Mara (right) appear in court on April 12, 2012

/ CBS

(CBS) George Zimmerman's attorney Mark O' Mara said Friday that he will likely file a motion to disqualify the randomly selected trial judge assigned to hear his client's case.

Pictures: George Zimmerman charged with murder

In a short status hearing Friday afternoon, Circuit Court Judge Jessica Reckseidler spoke with O'Mara via telephone about whether she should recuse herself based on her husband's connection with Mark NeJame, a CNN analyst who has commented on the case. Reckseidler's husband is law partners with NeJame.

NeJame was approached by Zimmerman to take his case but told CNN Friday afternoon that he declined to offer partly because it would have required him to spend too much time away from his family.

Meanwhile, Reckseidler told O'Mara that if he wishes to file a motion to disqualify her he must do so in writing. She also asked that, if possible, the request be made before Zimmerman's next hearing, which is set for April 20.

Complete coverage of the Trayvon Martin case on CBS News

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by sa1_ April 16, 2012 12:08 PM EDT: According to Mark O'Mara's website, he "currently serves as the legal analyst for Central Florida's WKMG Channel 6." More importantly, for any judge appointed to this case is their ability to discern the Truth, and render the right decision.; Reply to this comment


by catwoman1952 April 16, 2012 11:12 AM EDT: defense lawyers, I believe that if their client is found guilty, then they should be prosecuted too................human slime!; Reply to this comment


by andie52 April 16, 2012 8:31 AM EDT: George never should have had a gun permit He was arrested and charged with "resisting officer with violence" and "battery of law enforcement officer," both which are third-degree felonies. The charge was reduced to "resisting officer without violence" and then waived when he entered an alcohol education program.; Reply to this comment

by occupy_cbs April 15, 2012 6:50 PM EDT

oshojoe: "there is credible evidence that he was exceedingly violent that night"

Absolutely.....from the Orange County, FL Circuit Court Clerk of the Court Records page, we can tell that george michael zimmerman had numerous arrests, including CRIMINAL FELONY of RESISTING OFFICER WITH VIOLENCE of BATTERY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER:

07/18/2005
Div 10
OKane, Julie H

Criminal Felony
Closed

CR-RESISTING OFFICER WITH VIOLENCE
BATTERY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
2005-MM-010436-A-O

-----

Seems that georgie zimmerman also liked to beat up women too:

Domestic Violence
Closed - SRS

2005-DR-013069-O

ZIMMERMAN, GEORGE M vs. ZUAZO, VERONICA A

08/10/2005
Div 46

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by occupy_cbs April 15, 2012 7:19 PM EDT: It certainly appears that georgie zimmerman had moved on from assaulting police officers with violence and domestic abuse on women, to murdering innocent teenagers, only because Trayvon "looked suspicious."

by oshojoe April 15, 2012 7:35 AM EDT

is it racist to note that black men are vastly over-represented when it comes to violent crime in the United States? "Trayvon" isn't the innocent little boy some would have you believe; in fact, there is credible evidence that he was exceedingly violent that night and attempted to bounce zimmerman's head off the sidewalk repeatedly like a b-ball; I guess george zimmerman was just supposed to do nothing and allow himself to be beaten to death by a thug whose suspicious activity attracted attention in the first place? It sure is fascinating how race determines so many things in contemporary America.

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by mick7744 April 15, 2012 8:39 AM EDT: WHAT "credible evidence" is that, oshojo? The survivor of a two person encounter's WORD that it all happened just the way he and his father say it happened...?

And is that with or without all their frequent changes and enhancements, made to fit the changing (real) evidence?

Anyone who actually believes Zimmerman's father's ridiculous story that Trayvon Martin was, at 140 pounds, optimistic enough and STUPID enough to actually say to his killer, "You're going to die tonight" thereby nailing down his son's self-defense "case"...is much too mentally incompetent to ever be allowed out unsupervised.

They represent a danger to themselves and others.


by occupy_cbs April 15, 2012 6:53 PM EDT: Surely you jest, and have no PROOF of your phony accusations, but we do know that georgie zimmerman was very violent, and had been arrested for both felony battery on law enforcement as well as domestic violence.

07/18/2005
Div 10
OKane, Julie H

Criminal Felony
Closed

CR-RESISTING OFFICER WITH VIOLENCE
BATTERY ON LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER
2005-MM-010436-A-O
ZIMMERMAN, GEORGE MICHAEL

-----

I'm sure old man zimmerman, the ex-judge, will try to get him off on this 2nd degree murder charge too!

by mick7744 April 15, 2012 7:07 AM EDT

by Rockyra_Coon

@Occupy, What makes you think Zimmerman's past plea bargains were any different than the plea bargains that happen every day? It's not his fault who his father is.

**********************************

But it most certainly IS his father's fault WHAT Zimmerman is...what he allowed his son to become...a "legally" well-armed, violence-prone punk with a rigid, authoritarian attitude backed up by a reusable get-out-of-jail-free card

I hope Zimmerman Sr is thoroughly investigated for his roll in the mockery of justice that touched off all the media furor and passionate race-baiting to begin with. He's been subverting the course of...WHAT?

If the whole truth was ever to become known, Edward Zimmerman would probably end up doing more time than his trigger-happy, cop-wannabee son...and rightly so...

Reply to this comment


by occupy_cbs April 15, 2012 6:58 PM EDT: "But it most certainly IS his father's fault WHAT Zimmerman is...what he allowed his son to become...a "legally" well-armed, violence-prone punk with a rigid, authoritarian attitude backed up by a reusable get-out-of-jail-free card"

Absolutely!

Seems as if robert zimmerman -- the ex-judge -- should be held accountable for his "violence-prone punk" son's actions also, especially after he saw to it that he could legally carry a concealed weapon and murder innocent teenagers for no reason!


by mick7744 April 15, 2012 1:39 AM EDT: by Rockyra_Coon

In some places, young black men commit 85% of violent crime.

************************************

Since you love to create "statistics" out of thin air, to toss around, Rockyra_Coon...try this one...

IN ALL places...virtually ALL people...regardless of race, color, creed, sexual orientation or national origin...will LIE to the authorities to some degree or another after they've shot someone to death, under suspicious circumstances, about how it happened...

That's why there are supposed to be investigations into such matters...but in this case, there was not...; Reply to this comment


by mick7744 April 15, 2012 12:49 AM EDT: Rockyra_Coon: "They may not have believed Zimmerman, but his account of what happened is what we have to go on."

"I don't see anything wrong with approaching someone with the intent of talking to them? This is the real issue. Is it wrong, aggressive, or racist to approach someone to talk? "

********************************************

"OH-KAY...so the live guy here says that everything was the fault of the dead guy...and his daddy says that since this is such an open and shut case of self-defense...we shouldn't bother with any further investigation"

"I mean...what ELSE do we have to go on?"

"Fifty percent of the witnesses say it was self-defense...that's good enough for me...who's buying the first round?"

OF COURSE you would believe Zimmerman's very self-serving version of events, Rockyra_Coon...

But then...you also believe Sean Hannity!

And BTW...if Zimmerman had approached ME, "just to talk" and demanded that I explain my presence to his satisfaction...the end result would have been primarily the same...

ONE OF US sure as hell would have died that night!

And I'm no 140 pound kid to be impressed by a cop-wannabee with a piece-of-crap 9mm sidearm and a Gestapo attitude...; Reply to this comment


by msfaye1234 April 14, 2012 10:59 PM EDT: @reality_sanity. my problem with the girlfriend creditablity is she stated that she heard the confrontation between GZ and TM, she was aware that TM was being followed, and she claims the TM was afraid. She hears what she says sounded like a push and TM phone goes dead, she calls him back and he does answer. I am curious about why didn't she call 911 and say, "my friend was being followed by a strange person, I heard them confront each other, it sounded like they may have gotten into a fight please send someone to help him. She could have call TM's father or his mother she could have called someone, she could have told her mother what had happen, but instead she tells no one,she goes to sleep and she knows nothing until she hears it on the news. A reasonable normal person would have call someone or told someone. Something is not right. Trayvon had already told her that he wasn't going to run, suggesting that he was not afraid of ZM, I think that she knew that TM was returning to confront GZ about following him, I think that she felt that TM could handle himself, most girlfriend do feel that way about their boyfriends, I am sure that he presented himself to her as no punk, so when she hear the pushing, she wasn't worried about TM, because if she had been she would have called someone or tell her parents.; Reply to this comment


by cocomeloco April 14, 2012 4:22 PM EDT: It would be nice if the media would show the updated picture i just saw of Trayvon from his very own twitter account with his middle finger in the air and tattoos on his arm. Its funny how the media only shows us what they want us to see.; Reply to this comment