George Zimmerman’s Arrests and Legal Problems

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List of George Zimmerman's Arrests
George Zimmerman's legal troubles continued, even after he got away with murder.

The article provides a list of George Zimmerman’s arrests and legal problems.

Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman Case Overview

Zimmerman Charged With 2nd-Degree Murder

On Wednesday, April 11, 2012, Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey announced that George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed an unarmed boy named Trayvon Martin, was charged with second-degree murder. During the press conference in Jacksonville, Florida, she said he turned himself in and was held somewhere in the state. If convicted, he may face life in prison.

Few cases have captured such widespread attention as the recent killing of 17-year-old Florida high school student Trayvon Martin. On February 26th, George Zimmerman, a self-appointed neighborhood captain, shot and killed Trayvon Martin, who was on his way home from a convenience store with Skittles and a bottle of iced tea.

On the night of the killing, George Zimmerman reportedly patrolled a neighborhood as a self-appointed neighborhood watchman. He noticed Trayvon Martin walking in the neighborhood and began following him. Then, he called the police and reported the situation. The 911 operator specifically told Zimmerman to stop following Trayvon, but he continued to pursue him anyway. Shortly thereafter, several eyewitnesses called 911 and reported that they had a scuffle going on, then someone cried for help, and then they heard the sound of a gunshot.

The Sanford police entered the scene and found Zimmerman armed with a handgun, standing over Martin’s body. Zimmerman reportedly had a bloody nose and a wound on the back of his head. Trayvon was unresponsive, and officials pronounced him dead at the scene.

When questioned by the Sanford police at the scene, George told police that he shot Martin in self-defense. Florida has a Stand Your Ground law that says a person may use force in self-defense when their life may be in danger. More on this law is below.

The police department did not arrest him then, nor did they test him for drug or alcohol use.

The lead homicide detective on the case, Chris Serino, said he didn’t believe his testimony. He recommended that he be arrested for manslaughter. But the State Attorney’s office, headed by Norman Wolfinger, instructed him not to press charges because there wasn’t enough evidence to lead to a conviction. The Sanford police Chief, Billy Lee, says there is no evidence to dispute his claim of self-defense. The police chief has since stepped down.

Despite a nationwide public outcry, petitions, and protests, Zimmerman was not arrested. Leading the protests, Trayvon’s parents have demanded that an arrest be made. Also, they asked the police to release recordings of the 911 tapes.

The U.S. Justice Department launched an investigation into the case. In addition, a grand jury reviewed the evidence in the case.

George Zimmerman Arrested Again Regarding Finances

The accused killer of Trayvon Martin is back in jail after a judge revoked his bail over questions about his finances.

At a June 1st hearing, Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester said that George Zimmerman falsely represented his financial state when the $150,000 bond amount was granted.  In April, his wife testified that they had limited funds. It was later discovered that the defendant had raised over $200,000 from a website to gather contributions to support his defense.

Prosecutor Berne de la Rionda said, “The court was led to believe they didn’t have a single penny.  It was misleading, and I don’t know what words to use other than it was a blatant lie.”

The Circuit Court Judge agreed with prosecutors, saying that Zimmerman “can’t sit back and obtain the benefit of a lower bond based upon those falsehoods.” The judge gave him 48 hours to turn himself in, with a deadline of 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 3rd. Zimmerman turned himself in before the deadline. His attorney called the failure to disclose the additional funds a “misunderstanding.”  “The vast majority of the funds in question are in an independent trust, and neither Mr. Zimmerman nor his attorneys have direct access to the money,” his defense team said on their website.

Prosecutors also accused Zimmerman of owning two passports on Friday and failing to surrender the second one. However, the judge dismissed the passport issue.

Allegedly Points a Shotgun at His Girlfriend

George Zimmerman, who still reigns as the Most Hated Man in America, was arrested on Monday, November 18th, 2013, in Apopka, Florida. The local police charged him with threatening his girlfriend with a loaded gun.

The Florida Seminole County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call from a person who reported a disturbance at the home of Samantha Scheibe. Samantha is (or was before this incident) Zimmerman’s new girlfriend. Ms. Scheibe made the 911 call at 12:30 PM E.T.

Scheibe told the police that she and Zimmerman were arguing, and she alleged that he got angry when she asked him to leave. She said he broke some of her things and then pointed a double-barrel or long-barreled shotgun at her. She also alleged that he pushed her out of the house and barricaded the door with furniture to prevent her re-entry.

Zimmerman also called 911 and told the police that his girlfriend was acting crazy and pregnant with his child. He told police that he never pulled a gun and that his gun was in a locked bag during the incident.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office officially charged Zimmerman with three crimes, a felony and two misdemeanors. The charges included:

  • Felony aggravated assault
  • Misdemeanor battery
  • Misdemeanor criminal mischief

Since he was acquitted of the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, he has had multiple run-ins with law enforcement officials. Here is a list of George Zimmerman’s arrests since that time:

  • In September, he was arrested after a domestic dispute with his estranged wife, Shellie Zimmerman. Neither party officially filed charges due to a lack of evidence. Sounds somewhat familiar.
  • In September, in Lake Mary, Florida, he was issued a traffic ticket for $256 for driving 60 mph in a 45 mph zone.
  • In July, law enforcement pulled him over for speeding in Texas, but the police officer only gave him a verbal warning.

Zimmerman went to the county jail and then to court on Tuesday, November 19th at 1:30 PM E.T. Seminole County Police are waiting for a search warrant to search the house where the incident occurred for weapons and other items.

Regardless of the actual circumstances of this incident, he continues to live behind the scenes as one of the most hated people in America.

George Zimmerman threatened Jay-Z.

In a story we’re compiling, George Zimmerman continues to think he is invincible and that his day of reckoning will never come. In late 2017, he threatened Jay-Z with violence (possibly even death) regarding a documentary Jay-Z was funding.

If you have any questions about the ever-growing list of George Zimmerman’s arrests, please post a message below. 

Related: Learn the Stand Your Ground law in our Glossary of Legal Terms.

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