On Wednesday, an appeals court in Florida ruled that George Zimmerman can be granted a new judge for his murder case. Zimmerman shot unarmed Trayvon Martin in what he says was a case of self defense. The lawyer for Zimmerman filed a motion asking the court to overturn the ruling by Judge Kenneth Lester that he refused to resign from the case.
“We direct the trial judge to enter an order of disqualification,” the state’s Fifth District Court of Appeal said in the written opinion.
There was a panel of three judges working the case, with one of them dissenting in the ruling. Zimmerman has pled not-guilty to second-degree murder of Martin, which took place on February 26. Martin was returning home from a grocery store when Zimmerman called 911 to say that Martin looked suspicious.
Zimmerman has maintained that he shot Martin in self defense after Martin repeatedly slammed his head into the ground. The lawyer for Zimmerman, Mark O’Mara, said that Lester was bias when raising Zimmerman’s bond to $1 million from $150,000.
As of the ruling from the appeals court, Zimmerman is living in a safe house somewhere in Seminole County, Florida. He has posted his bond and is still waiting for his trial.