SANFORD, Fla. (AP) — A judge presiding over the trial of neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman is holding a hearing to discuss scheduling and jury selection.
Zimmerman is set to go on trial in June for second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty, claiming he acted in self-defense when he shot Trayvon Martin.
The hearing Thursday in Sanford, Fla., was requested by Zimmerman’s attorneys.
Lead attorney Mark O’Mara says in a motion he wants to discuss the process for what he expects will an “extended” jury selection.
O’Mara also wants to nail down the scheduling of Zimmerman’s “stand your ground” hearing in which the judge will decide if there is enough evidence to go to trial or if the case should be dismissed. That hearing must be held by the end of April.
EDITOR’S NOTE: George Zimmerman sued theGrio’s parent company of NBC News last year, alleging that the network intentionally edited reports on the case to depict Zimmerman as a “racist and predatory villain.” NBC has refuted these claims.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.