Bond dispute may hurt Zimmerman at trial

SANFORD, Fla. -- The credibility of Trayvon Martin's shooter could be an issue at trial after a judge said that George Zimmerman and his wife lied to the court about their finances to obtain a bond, legal experts say.

That's because the case hinges on jurors believing his account of what happened the night the 17-year-old was killed. Zimmerman wasn't charged in the case until more than a month after the shooting, saying he shot Martin in self-defense under Florida's stand your ground law. Protests were held across the nation, and the case spurred debate about race. Martin was black; Zimmerman's father is white and his mother is from Peru.

The questioning of Zimmerman's truthfulness by the judge on Friday could undermine his credibility if it is brought up at trial. It also may complicate how his defense presents him as a witness, said Orlando-area attorney Randy McClean, who is a former prosecutor.

"The other key witness, unfortunately, is deceased," McClean said. "Basically, Zimmerman is going to be asking the jury to believe his version of the facts . . . As the case stands now, his credibility is absolutely critical to the case." Zimmerman had not yet turned himself in Saturday after having his bond revoked a day earlier. He must do so by Sunday. Zimmerman went into hiding in the weeks after the shooting amid the tense debate surrounding the case, and his exact whereabouts since he bonded out of jail remain unclear. It also was not immediately clear exactly where Zimmerman would surrender.

Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder for the February shooting. The neighborhood watch volunteer says he shot Martin in self-defense because the unarmed teenager was beating him up after confronting Zimmerman about following him in a gated community outside Orlando.

At a bond hearing in April, his wife, Shellie, testified that the couple had limited funds available.

Prosecutors pointed out in their motion that Zimmerman had $135,000 available then. It had been raised from donations through a website he set up, and they suggested more has been collected since and deposited in a bank account.