George Zimmerman’s defense team asked that the Florida judge overseeing his case, Seminole Circuit Judge Jessica Recksiedler, be removed after she revealed her husband works with a CNN legal analyst, CNN is reporting. Mark O’Mara, who is working on Zimmerman’s defense, asked that Recksiedler not preside over any of the second-degree murder proceedings involving his client, Seminole County Court spokeswoman Michelle Kennedy confirmed.
Recksiedler has said she’ll consider disqualifying herself from the trial after she discovered her husband is a law partner of Mark NeJame, an attorney who Zimmerman approached about representing him. NeJame, now ALSO a CNN contributor, has since widely commented on the Travyon Martin murder in the media.
NeJame confirmed to CNN that Zimmerman contacted his office on March 13, asking him to represent him. The attorney declined, saying that big national cases can “take a lot out of you.” NeJame offered Zimmerman the names of five other lawyers, led by O’Mara, who could represent him instead.
O’Mara told CNN that the defense requested a new judge because the association between NeJame and the Recksiedlers can become more problematic, given the scrutiny the case is receiving. O’Mara added that he was confident the request to take Recksiedler off the case would succeed.
Written by: Karen Benardello
