George Zimmerman drops public defender, asks for return of knife & phones
Zimmerman to be represented by Jayne Weintraub, a south-Florida lawyer and legal commentator.
By Jeff Weiner, Orlando Sentinel
6:25 p.m. EST, November 25, 2013
Less than a week after he requested to be declared indigent, citing millions in debts, George Zimmerman swapped his public defender in his domestic violence case for a private attorney, his former lawyer confirmed.
Zimmerman was represented by the 18th Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office during a court appearance on Tuesday, the day after his domestic violence arrest. He was granted $9,000 bail and bonded out that day.
However, Zimmerman has now elected to drop the Public Defender’s Office and hire a south Florida private criminal defense attorney, Jayne Weintraub, to represent him, said his former public defender, Jeff Dowdy.
Meanwhile, in a new motion, Zimmerman asks for the return of several items seized by police which he says are “not related to the [domestic violence] charges in any way and are not considered evidence” in the case.
Those items: an Apple iPhone, a Blackberry cell phone, a small hand-held flashlight and a pocket knife. The motion was filed by a colleague of Dowdy’s, apparently before Zimmerman switched to the private lawyer.
Dowdy also entered a written not-guilty plea on Zimmerman’s behalf, and waived his appearance at an arraignment scheduled for January. Zimmerman faces aggravated assault with a weapon and two other charges.
Zimmerman, 30, was arrested a week ago, accused of pointing a shotgun at his girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, smashing a glass table, forcing her from her home and barricading himself inside during a domestic dispute.
It’s unclear how Zimmerman will afford private representation. In indigence paperwork last week, Zimmerman claimed to have $144, and owe $2.5 million in debt. Weintraub didn’t return a call seeking comment.
Weintraub has appeared on the cable networks HLN and CNN as a legal commentator, including commentary on Zimmerman’s high-profile murder case in the 2012 killing of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford.
Zimmerman said he fired on the unarmed Miami Gardens teen in self-defense. The case sparked widespread protest when Zimmerman wasn’t initially arrested, and again after his jury’s not guilty verdict in July.
jeweiner@tribune.com or 407-420-5171
Jayne Weintraub - she’ll defend anyone so that is not a good sign.
April 20th, 2012
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