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10:05 p.m. EDT, Tue September 22, 2015

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla.

After hours of testimony, a judge decided that a man accused of shooting at George Zimmerman on a busy Lake Mary Road will go to trial.

Matthew Apperson is accused of attempted murder and aggravated assault after admitting to shooting at Zimmerman along Lake Mary Boulevard in May.

Tuesday's hearing was to determine whether there was enough evidence to move forward with a trial.

While on the stand, Zimmerman brought up Trayvon Martin without using the teenagers name by describing the first incident between Zimmerman and Apperson. The hearing was held in the same courtroom in which Zimmerman was acquitted for killing Martin.

PDF: Attempted murder charges document

PDF: Matthew Apperson's arrest report (Warning: Graphic language)

Photos: Zimmerman wounded in shooting

Raw: Apperson hearing on GPS monitor

During testimony, Zimmerman said he was in fear for his life at the hands of Apperson and described how Martins death may have led to a murder attempt against him.

"He said, 'Do you remember me you fat mother (expletive)?'" Zimmerman said. "He had a short pause and then he said, 'You owe me your life. The only reason I didn't press charges is because I wanted to kill you myself.'"

Zimmerman told the court that on May 11, he was traveling on Lake Mary Boulevard toward U.S. 17/92 when Apperson pulled up behind him and started flashing his lights and honking his horn.

Zimmerman said he did a U-turn back toward Interstate 4 to get away from Apperson, but the suspect followed.

"I saw Mr. Apperson and I saw the barrel of a gun," Zimmerman said.

Evidence photos were shown in court that showed Zimmerman's view from inside his truck after a shot was fired. Zimmerman said he did not know at the time that his wounds were from shattered glass instead of a bullet.

I saw blood on my eyelash and on my shorts, he said.

It was the second time he and Apperson have been involved in a road rage incident along the same stretch of road. The previous incident was over a year ago.

Zimmerman said Apperson flagged him down in September 2014 for what he thought was a warning about low air in his back tire.

"I said, 'Thank you, I already know,' and he said, 'You already know you're wrong for killing that little black boy?'" said Zimmerman.

In July, a judge granted a motion on a separate charge to revoke Apperson's bond.

Police investigators contend Apperson had a fixation on Zimmerman, and that Apperson had recently been admitted to a mental institution.

Zimmerman said Apperson got behind his truck, yelled and then fired a gun.

Apperson is charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault. He could spend a decade in prison if convicted.

See the article here:
George Zimmerman expected to testify against man who shot ...

George Zimmerman is in a Florida prison cell awaiting his first appearance before a judge Tuesday near the same courthouse where he was acquitted this summer of murdering Trayvon Martin.

Zimmerman, 30, was arrested today after a "domestic disturbance" with his girlfriend. He now faces a felony charge of aggravated assault and the lesser charges of battery domestic violence and criminal mischief.

Zimmerman's girlfriend, who the Seminole County Sheriff's Office identified as Samantha Scheibe, told a 911 dispatcher that the incident began when the former neighborhood watch captain grew upset during an argument and brandished a weapon at her.

"He's in my house, breaking all my s--- because I asked him to leave," Scheibe told the dispatcher. "He's got a freaking gun breaking all my stuff right now."

Scheibe said Zimmerman then pushed her out the home that they have shared ever since Zimmerman became estranged with his wife and locked her out. Authorities said when they arrived Scheibe gave them keys to the home, and that they had to push through obstacles by the door to get in.

"When we arrived, the victim indicated that she and George Zimmerman were having a verbal dispute and at that time she alleged that he had broken a table and pointed a long-barrel shotgun at her," Seminole County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Dennis Lemma said at a news conference.

However, Zimmerman tells a different tale. He told police in a separate 911 call that she instigated the incident.

"My girlfriend has ... for lack of a better word, gone crazy on me," said Zimmerman while police knocked on the door trying to speak with him.

"The police is already there and so why are you calling? What happened?" the dispatcher asked.

Zimmerman replied, "I just want everyone to know the truth."

In Zimmerman's 911 call he says his "pregnant" girlfriend instigated the altercation and that no guns were used. Police later noted that his girlfriend was not pregnant.

"I never pulled a firearm. I never displayed it. When I was packing it I'm sure she saw it. I keep it next to the bed," Zimmerman said.

He said he agreed to leave the house to diffuse a tense conversation, and at first she agreed but then became upset.

"When she changed, she just started smashing stuff. Taking stuff that belonged to me. Throwing it outside. Throwing it out of her room. Throwing it all over the house. She broke a glass table," said Zimmerman.

Zimmerman appeared hesitant to speak with officers who were trying to get in the home.

Dispatcher: Is she still outside with the officers now? Zimmerman: I don't know ma'am. I'm inside. Dispatcher: You're inside? And you're still not willing to go out and speak with the officers? Zimmerman: I can talk to one of the officers. But I don't want to go outside.

Zimmerman asked to speak with an officer on the phone. He was unarmed when police got to him and "rather passive," Lemma said. He offered no resistance and was taken into custody. He is being held without bond and if a judge decides to let him go free, authorities have requested that he once again be outfitted with an electronic monitoring device.

Late Monday night police were seen removing what looked like evidence from the home.

A spokesman for lawyer Mark O'Mara, who represented Zimmerman in the murder trial, noted that O'Mara "is not representing George Zimmerman in today's matter or any new matters, and as such it is not appropriate for him to make any comments."

Monday's incident is Zimmerman's latest run in with the law since his acquittal in Martin's death.

In September, he was released after being arrested without charges after his wife called 911 to say Zimmerman punched his father-in-law in the nose and threatened to shoot him and his wife.

Zimmerman claimed that he was acting in a "defensive manner" during the incident, according to police, who later added that they never found a gun on Zimmerman.

He has also been pulled over for speeding, once in July and once in September. During the July incident, he alerted the officer that he had a gun in his glove compartment.

On July 18, the Seminole County Sheriff's Office said Zimmerman was one of two men who came to the aid of a family who became trapped inside their Ford Explorer after it rolled over on the side of the highway.

By the time police arrived, two people -- including Zimmerman -- helped the family get out of the overturned car, according to the sheriff's office.

Zimmerman became a controversial figure when he shot and killed unarmed black teen Trayvon Martin. He was acquitted of second-degree murder in July.

Zimmerman conceded he shot and killed Martin in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26, 2012, but maintained he fired in self-defense. His acquittal caused widespread anger.

Though Zimmerman's defense did not invoke the "stand your ground" law, the case sparked a national debate about race and "stand your ground" laws, which exist in at least 22 states. Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, testified on Capitol Hill in October that "stand your ground" laws must be reviewed and amended.

Zimmerman has a concealed carry permit in Florida that was re-instated after the trial, making him legally entitled to transport and possess a weapon in most states.

Continued here:
George Zimmerman Charged With Aggravated ... - ABC News

George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who admits he shot unarmed Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, was charged with murder today and has been taken into custody.

The charge of second degree murder was announced by Florida special prosecutor Angela Corey at a news conference this evening.

If convicted of the charges Zimmerman could face a maximum sentence of life in prison.

"We have to have a reasonable certainty of conviction before filing charges," the prosecutor said. A bond hearing will be held Thursday when Zimmerman can apply for bail, she said.

Zimmerman arrived at the Seminole County Jail in a motorcade of black SUVs, armed agents with automatic weapons guarding him at about 8:24 p.m. He is currently being held with no bond status. The next step in the process is first appearance, which is to be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday. At this time, the judge may address his bond status.

Zimmerman went into the jail wearing what appeared to be a windbreaker or jacket over his head.

He will undergo a medical screening process and then county officials will evaluate whether or not he will go into general population.

Mark O'Mara, Zimmerman's new lawyer, said this evening that he intended to seek his release at Thursday's hearing and said that he spoke briefly with Zimmerman.

"He's troubled by the fact that the state decided to charge him," O'Mara said.

The lawyer also said Zimmerman is scared.

"I think anyone who is charged with second degree murder would be scared. Yes, he's frightened," O'Mara said.

Zimmerman, 28, a white Hispanic neighborhood watch captain, shot and killed Martin, who was 17 and black, on Feb. 26 after following the teenager for several minutes.

Corey opened her news conference by saying that she had spoken with Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, when she took over the case last month and "we told those sweet parents" that they would get answers.

She also worried that the "overwhelming amount of publicity in this case" could complicate efforts to get an impartial jury, adding that there was "so much information on this case that was released that shouldn't have been released."

Martin's parents said at a news conference this evening that were grateful that Zimmerman has been arrested.

"We simply wanted an arrest," Sybrina Fulton said. "We got it and we say thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus."

Tracy Martin said, however, "This is just the beginning. We have a long way to go.. and we will march and march and march until the right thing is done."

O'Mara said that the case has become emotionally charged and that his client "is concerned about getting a fair trial. We need to calm this down and it needs to be tried in a courtroom."

He also said he is worried about Zimmerman's safety.

"If he was walking down the street right now he would be at risk," O'Mara said. "I'm hoping we can keep him safe."

He added, "He is a client who has a lot of hatred focused on him."

The charges are certain to provoke controversy in Sanford, Fla., where the shooting took place, and across the country.

Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett held a news conference this evening to ask for "continued calm in the city of Sanford, surrounding areas and across the nation."

Earlier this week, Tripllett said his city has become a "kindling box" due to the high emotions surrounding the case, and that he would "plan for the worst and hope for the best."

He also said that he had faith in the Sanford police department although it had declined to arrest Zimmerman after the shooting.

The case gained national prominence with rallies across the country demanding that Zimmerman be arrested and charged with murder. Zimmerman and his supporters say that the shooting had nothing to do with race and that he shot Martin in self-defense.

The U.S. Justice Department is also carrying out an investigation into the shooting.

Attorney General Eric Holder indicate today that the feds will have a higher bar to establish that the shooting was a hate crime.

"For a federal hate crime we have to prove the highest standard in the law it is something that was reckless, that was negligent ... We have to show that there was a specific intent to do the crime with the requisite state of mind," Holder said.

The city of Sanford has been getting increasingly tense as the decision neared. Six shots were fired into an empty police cruiser earlier this week in the neighborhood where Martin was killed.

The New Black Panther Party offered a $10,000 bounty for Zimmerman and his lawyers said Zimmerman had received death threats.

The New Socialist Movement, a white supremacy group, said they were going to patrol Sanford to protect whites, and racists comments about the shooting have sprung up on social media sites.

Debate over the shooting became so widespread that even President Obama commented, saying if he had a son he would have looked like Trayvon Martin.

On his website, Zimmerman released a statement about the shooting this week, calling the incident a "life-altering event."

"As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately my entire life," he wrote.

In a written statement to police on the night of the shooting, Zimmerman said that he'd called 911 to report a suspicious man and that as he returned to his car, Martin attacked him. Zimmerman said that Martin punched him in the nose and knocked him down, slammed his head on the ground and tried to take his gun.

The police report noted that Zimmerman was bleeding from the back of the head and nose. His lawyer said later that Zimmerman suffered a broken nose.

After Zimmerman received medical attention, it was decided that he was in good enough condition to travel in a police cruiser to the Sanford police station for questioning. He was not arrested.

See the original post:
George Zimmerman Charged With Murder in Trayvon Martin ...

in the wake of the on-air shooting in Virginia, George Zimmerman went on a racist tirade via his Twitter account.

Zimmerman posted a series of tweets on Wednesday, aimed at alleged shooter Vester Flanagan and calling into question his sexual orientation. During his rant, Zimmerman also called President Obama an Ignorant Baboon.

[T]he # of people who die from gun-related incidents around this country dwarfs any deaths that happen through terrorism, Ignorant Baboon, he tweeted

Not surprisingly many on the social media site did not take kindly to the posts.

Im sorry Im a day late for your slapping, someone tweeted at Zimmerman with a meme labeled Its slap-an-idiot Wednesday.

To which he responded, We all know how it ended for the last moron that hit me. Give it a whirl cupcake.

This isnt the first time Zimmerman has teased the public about getting away with killing Trayvon Martin. On Friday he referred to himself teflon and has mocked those who say karma will strike him for his action.

Read more from the original source:
George Zimmerman brags about killing Trayvon Martin | theGrio

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So despicable. Two young journalists died on Aug. 26, when they were slain live on the air during a news report in Virginia. For reasons unbeknownst to, like, everyone, awful humanGeorge Zimmermanhas weighed in with his two cents, writing about whyPresident Barack Obama is a racist in light of the attacks. Sensitive as usual, George. Check outhis egregious tweet for a good LOL.

Pansy Vester lee Flanagan George wrote on Twitter on Aug. 26. Too much of a daisy to deal w/racism. Murders 2 whites. Hate crime, 100%. Racist Obama says nothing condemning.

We know, we know. So much stupidity to unload in a single tweet. Alas, we must soldier through it.

First of all, lets startwith the obvious that Georges Twitter icon is a picture of the confederate flag, the universal symbol of a person whos got their finger on the pulse of the direction of this country (severe sarcasm, obviously).

For those who may not recall, George was caught up in his own racially implicit incident back in 2012, when the former neighborhood watchcoordinator shot and killed an unarmed black teenager,Trayvon Martin. George was charged with murder, however, he was ultimately acquitted. Regardless, many, many (many) Americans believe Mr. Zimmerman is guilty of cold-blooded murder so maybe he should choose his words more carefully when deciding who to call out as a racist on Twitter.

Anyways, George also spewed a ton more ignorant garbage on his Twitter which you can peruse at your own risk, but for now well leave you with just the original tweet which you can check out below.

Do you think Zimmerman is a hypocrite for calling President Obama a racist?

Casey Mink

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George Zimmerman: Barack Obama Is Racist? See His ...