Trayvon Martin Case: Zimmerman Asks For New Judge After Conflict Revealed

SANFORD, Florida -- The neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing an unarmed black teenager in Florida asked a judge in the case to step down Monday after she revealed a potential conflict of interest.

George Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, filed the request and said Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler revealed the potential conflict last week.

Zimmerman was charged last week with second-degree murder in Trayvon Martin's Feb. 26 death. The lack of an arrest in the shooting inspired weeks of protests nationwide.

Zimmerman is pleading not guilty, saying it was self-defense.

Recksiedler's potential conflict involves her husband, who works with attorney Mark NeJame. Zimmerman's family first approached NeJame about representing Zimmerman. He declined and referred them to O'Mara.

Also Monday, Florida's governor rejected any suggestions that charges were filed in the case because of public pressure. Rick Scott said he doesn't believe special prosecutor Angela Corey is influenced by anything but the facts.

News organizations in Florida, including The Associated Press, are challenging the sealing of records related to the case against Zimmerman.

O'Mara asked for the records to be sealed last week.

Records such as full police reports, autopsy reports and transcripts of witness interviews are normally public under Florida law. Zimmerman's case doesn't meet the standards that are typically used to create an exemption, according to the motion filed by the news organizations.

Those standards allow the sealing of records if their public release would create an imminent threat to the administration of justice, if there are no alternatives for protecting a defendant's right to a fair trial and if closing the records protects the rights of the person being tried.

A spokeswoman for Corey said her office was reviewing the media motion but had no immediate comment. O'Mara didn't immediately return an email seeking comment on Monday.

Hearings for the requests by O'Mara and the news organizations have not immediately been scheduled. If a new judge is assigned to the case, Zimmerman's bail hearing – originally scheduled for Friday – could be pushed back.

Loading Slideshow

• Trayvon Martin

  This family photo taken at age 12 was one of the first images used when Trayvon Martin's death made national news.

• Trayvon Martin

  This image of Trayvon was submitted to news outlets by the Martin family.

• Trayvon Martin

  The Martin family also shared this photo of Trayvon in a Pop Warner football jersey. According to <a href="http://www.bet.com/news/national/2012/03/16/the-cruel-fatethat-came-to-an-average-kid-trayvon-martin.html" target="_hplink">BET,</a> Trayvon had a passion for football basketball, baseball and horseback riding.

• Trayvon Martin

  This image of a young Trayvon Martin was also submitted by the Martin family and widely used in the media. As the story gained national attention, there was a push to find updated photos that accurately depicted the teen at the time of the killing.

• Trayvon Martin

  This photo of Trayvon in a hooded sweatshirt became <a href="http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/trayvon-martin-rally-in-north-amityville-1.3648463?qr=1" target="_hplink">a signature image</a> used in rallies across the nation. The hooded sweatshirt became a political symbol for Trayvon supporters who wanted to show solidarity. The Miami Heat <a href="http://www.thegrio.com/specials/trayvon-martin/miami-heat-players-pose-in-hoodies-to-support-trayvon-martin.php" target="_hplink">tweeted a photo of the team donning hooded sweatshirts</a> in support of the Martin family, and <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/trayvon-martin-rep-bobby-rush-house-floor-hoodie_n_1385258.html" target="_hplink">Rep. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.) was thrown off the House floor</a> for wearing a hooded sweatshirt in the teen's honor.

• Trayvon Martin

  This photo was posted by <a href="http://dailycaller.com/2012/03/26/the-daily-caller-obtains-trayvon-martins-tweets/" target="_hplink">the Daily Caller</a> via Trayvon Martin's Twitter profile. Conservative bloggers used this photo and a series of the 17-year-old's tweets to build <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/29/white-supremacist-trayvon-martin-email_n_1389584.html">a smear campaign</a> against the teen. A much-circulated <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2012/03/27/when_in_doubt_smear_the_dead_kid.html" target="_hplink">photo</a> of a grimacing teen with his middle finger extended -- that many right-leaning sites suggested was the Trayvon Martin the "mainstream media" did not want the public to see -- was circulated on the white supremacist site <a href="http://stormfront.org" target="_hplink">stormfront.org</a>, in an attempt to portray Martin as a hoodlum.

• Trayvon Martin

  This photo has been widely used in an attempt to more accurately depict an older Trayvon Martin.

• George Zimmerman

  This photo of George Zimmerman at 28 was <a href="http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2012-03-23/news/os-trayvon-martin-george-zimmerman-job-20120323_1_robert-zimmerman-source-new-details" target="_hplink">obtained by the Orlando Sentinel</a> after one of Zimmerman's co-workers spoke to the newspaper and submitted the image. The unnamed co-worker told the newspaper that Zimmerman was an employee at the Maitland office of Digital Risk, LLC, a mortgage risk-management firm.

• George Zimmerman

  Taken in 2005 at age 22, this is Zimmerman's mug shot from Orange County (Fla.) Jail. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/09/george-zimmerman-trayvon-martin_n_1335984.html?1331340352" target="_hplink">He was arrested and charged</a> with resisting a police officer with violence and battery to a law enforcement officer.

• George Zimmerman

  This screenshot, of <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/28/trayvon-martin-police-video_n_1386764.html" target="_hplink">a video obtained by ABC News</a>, shows Zimmerman at the Sanford Police Department the night of the fatal confrontation. In the video, Zimmerman shows minimal signs of scars and bruises, seemingly inconsistent with <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/26/trayvon-martin-case-georg_n_1381322.html?">his account</a> of his violent struggle with Trayvon Martin. ABC News later released an <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/02/trayvon-martin-case-enhan_n_1397022.html" target="_hplink">enhanced video</a> showing signs of injury on Zimmerman's head.

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Comments

[Mayra Dominguez Otero]

04:20 PM on 04/29/2012

People in Law Enforcement always uses violence as a last resort. There was no reason why he had to kill the young teenger. Common sense he should have known better, not to pull out that weapon. He could have hurt or even kill some-one in the area while walking there child/pet. This to me is the worst storie and I hope people would learn that you cannot abuse your authority, no matter what you do even in a situation like.

[queenhav]

04:55 PM on 04/20/2012

"Some residents called me wanting to do a startup," said Dorival, a civilian police employee. About 30 people came to the clubhouse for that first session, she said. "Everyone was enthusiastic." Zimmerman volunteered to be captain.

"I told them, this is not about being a vigilante police force," Dorival said. "You're not even supposed to patrol on neighborhood watch. And you're certainly not supposed to carry a gun."

[dmcginity]

07:20 PM on 04/20/2012

if zimm didn't have a gun then he would be dead from the attacks of martin. and things would be normal and happy in your world.

[savvy7]

09:47 PM on 04/20/2012

PROVE IT!

[Mallory Bernard]

09:12 PM on 04/21/2012

Dead how? Ice tea to the head? I can only hope that if I were in the same situation, minutes from being murdered, no longer amoungst the living, that I could also inflict some injury upon my murderer. Wow, young Trayvon is confined to his grave from trying to get away from a person who wanted him locked up or dead. Zimm got his wish.

[dmcginity]

11:20 AM on 04/20/2012

bond for zim!

[Brian1111]

09:23 AM on 04/20/2012

Has anybody seen the new ABC exclusive new pictures of Zimmerman. Taken 3 minutes after police arrive, it shows a bloodied head of Zimmerman

[MileHighhvr2011]

08:52 PM on 04/21/2012

OH! Don't bring up that can of worms!! Let's just ignore those FACTS and blame Zimmerman for EVERYTHING. After all, Trayvon was an angel and saint ya know?!

[iC2fools]

02:33 AM on 04/20/2012

zimmerman wanted to meet privately with Trayvon's parents, the day before his bond hearing.

IMHO - Oh HE$$ NO!

Sympathy before court, 'look at me I'm a nice guy to finally want to meet the parents of the deceased so can I go home now'. A day before court desperate move, SMH.

Well today ain't looking all that great zimmerman and tommorrow either......

[Odessa1]

06:01 PM on 04/19/2012

Zimmenator is much safer in jail until trial where he should have been from the git go!

[racerrodig]

08:05 PM on 04/19/2012

You know what I find very strange. All of the conflicts from the Z camp. There was an article that said he hosted a party to celebrate his earning a degree in criminal justice, then it's posted he didn't have a degree in anything. He was a mortgage rep of some kind but nobody knows where. AND where is his alleged wife ?????? Then he stated Trayvon's last words were "You got it" then dear ole dad says it was "Ya got me" Where do they come from??

[HotheadPaisen]

08:47 PM on 04/19/2012

Have you watched his brother Robert's statements to Piers Morgan on what 'really happened' that night?
The only thing less believable than what they say, is what they say next.

[WokeorSleep]

05:40 PM on 04/19/2012

I just learned Zimmerman's family is going to be allowed to testify by PHONE on Zimmerman's
behalf...I have never heard of this before...Why are these people being given so much
preferencial treatment?...Why is it there are so many twists and turns with those who would
hear this case/defend Zimmerman stepping away?...I've heard as everyone else the
conflict of interest in regard to this case...how many more will recuse themselves?

[savvy7]

09:50 PM on 04/20/2012

Did the Zimmerman family get NeJame's name before or after his associate's wife was assigned to adjudicate the case? And, why does his being a partner in the same law firm as the judge's husband matter? Partners in a law firm don't necessarily work on the same case and don't they have enough self-discipline to avoid discussing the case? Just seems like a strange turn of events.

[WokeorSleep]

12:27 AM on 04/21/2012

Something about an attorney affiliated with HLN as a regular on the show and
thought with the media attention a possible conflict of interest.

[Edward L Johnson]

04:01 PM on 04/19/2012

The so-called minster who think the minsters who came out to protest the Martin killing are not racist. He is. He is an overfed minster who need to follow the teaching of Crist. Be humble and love all your follow people. Don't be such a racist.

[WokeorSleep]

06:30 PM on 04/19/2012

He is trying to save face among his follwers..not looking forward to the SCLC coming down
on him...He wants to maintain his tax exempt status...BEWARE OF THE WOLF IN
SHEEP CLOTHING.

[iC2fools]

01:21 AM on 04/20/2012

Thanks, I hadn't thought about SCLC. IMHO BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS!

The religious Rush Limbaugh.....

[jonathanzimmel]

12:38 AM on 04/19/2012

not trying to stir the pot just an observation. doesn't he look darker and less white than the picture of him that had been used until this point?

[MarvinM]

03:02 PM on 04/19/2012

Perhaps, but I don't think it means anything. Most likely just lighting differences when the pictures were taken. Also, over years or even months people can have skin colors of somewhat different shades depending on amount of sun they get and usage - or not - of sunblock.

He has changed a bit from the older mugshot picture - he's lost weight. In fact, I'd say he's lost weight from the video of the night he was first taken in to the picture used on this article when he got arrested, Feb. 26 or 27 to April whatevreitwas is enough time to drop ten pounds, maybe more.

[jonathanzimmel]

03:33 PM on 04/19/2012

again not saying it means anything unless his defense is trying to make it look less racial.
if he is truly fearing for his life and in hiding i would think the stress of that would lead to weight loss.
then again if he was truly in hiding i doubt he'd be getting much sun.

who knows. no big deal either way but since the case has been racially charged i found it interesting he appeared looking "less white" at least in my opinion

[queenhav]

09:18 PM on 04/18/2012

so sad!

[Debanne]

07:47 PM on 04/18/2012

It is likely Zimmerman was familiar with Trayvon. For those interested I copied this paragraph from the Tampa Bay Times.

Trayvon Martin lived with his dad, who resides in the Miami area, and had visited his dad's girlfriend at the Retreat several times before. The kids in the neighborhood always looked forward to playing football with him. But to George Zimmerman, he was a stranger.

Here's the article http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article1221799.ece

[Antifish]

12:00 AM on 04/19/2012

You're quite the detective. Funny, how some of the witnesses, who live there year round, didn't know who George Zimmerman was before that night.

[ReddKatt]

01:45 AM on 04/19/2012

Great article. I am literally shocked Zimmerman was Neighborhood Watch captain for a community where he was renting and not an owner. In addition, I am equally surprised that says Zimmerman started calling 911 almost immediately upon moving in. Calling for STUPID things like people driving with their lights off and someone leaving their garage door open. I don't care what anyone says, THAT'S NOT NORMAL. The article went on to say that NW volunteers aren't even supposed to patrol the neighborhood. I wonder if any of this will have an impact on the events that took place that night. What it boils down to is Zimmerman was basically a stalker.

[racerrodig]

10:19 AM on 04/19/2012

Exactly and says "Hey look at me......cause I'm watching you" I used to belong to a NW and there were those who never left the house and those who walked around. When we walked we had a handheld police radio on a secondary channel dedicated to our Watch. If you are a Federally Chartered Watch it is against their rules to be armed. In out charter if you got found out you were armed you were out period, no ifs, ands or buts about it. If you used a gun you were toast.

[WokeorSleep]

06:19 PM on 04/19/2012

Perhaps Zimmerman was one of the burglers or the burglar...The people who live in that community that heard and saw what happened that night did not say"that's
George/Mr. Zimmerman our neighborhood watch...Those that saw him...
described him as a hispanic male and not their watch person.

[bailey1katie]

05:26 PM on 04/18/2012

George Zimmerman's family should keep a photo album just for his mugshots :")

[whitechick1988]

09:06 AM on 04/19/2012

Maybe you should ask for a current photo of Trayvon be on the website and out to the media instead of his photo from elementary school...such bigotry!

[racerrodig]

10:20 AM on 04/19/2012

How is that bigoted??

[WokeorSleep]

06:22 PM on 04/19/2012

There are
You either missed something or you are blind.

[Supersteel]

04:38 PM on 04/18/2012

Goodbye sexy judge

[nawseeya]

05:18 AM on 04/19/2012

lol!!
she sure is beautiful

[Rimser]

03:47 PM on 04/18/2012

The judge should probably recuse herself just on the basis of the appearance of impropriety. At this stage, no harm, no foul.

[Victoria4319]

03:40 PM on 04/18/2012

Since the arrest of George Zimmerman there is always a new development. Now the judge has reclused herself which makes sense based ont he reason why. Although Zimmerman's his new attorney is much better than the last two, I must give him credit. He's allowing the chips
to fall where they lay.