Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda is appealing to Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson and asking that all record subpoenas on Trayvon Martin filed by lead prosecutor Mark O’Hara be kept a secret.
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The Orlando Sentinel reports that de la Rionda has no qualms with Mr. O’Mara digging up records on Trayvon Martin, as long as those records are kept a secret in order to avoid media frenzy that can inadvertently influence public perception, and sway potential jurors in favor of Zimmerman.
De la Rionda, is accusing Mr. O’Mara of trying to damage Trayvon’s reputation by using his law firm’s website to publicize the subpoenas. De la Rionda also said of O’Mara, “he is not allowed to chum the waters and then, by innuendo or otherwise, to publish irrelevant items … to the media in an attempt to influence public perception or otherwise curry favor with potential jurors.”
The former judge presiding over the George Zimmerman case, Kenneth R. Lester Jr., wanted the names of witnesses along with Zimmerman’s address and whereabouts to be kept a secret, but later ordered all evidence to be made public.
Zimmerman, 28, who has claimed self-defense in the February shooting death of unarmed, 17-year-old, black teenager Trayvon Martin, is currently out on a $1 million bail, while awaiting trial for second-degree murder