Florida prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda had some angry words on Tuesday for the man charged with second-degree murder in the killing of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.
In a nine-page motion filed in the 18th Judicial Circuit Court in Florida, the prosecutor told defendant George Zimmerman to quit complaining about the judge in the case and learn how to deal with a few unfavorable rulings.
“His claim that the court has done anything to engender a reasonable fear of undue prejudice is absurd on its face,” de la Rionda wrote.
Last week, Zimmerman said he had “lost faith” in the court and asked Judge Kenneth Lester, Jr., to step aside after the judge called him a liar and manipulator in one of his rulings.
But de la Rionda said Zimmerman has gotten better treatment than most people charged with serious crimes. He pointed out that Zimmerman has been set free on bail twice, allowed to leave Florida while awaiting trial and allowed to have his family members testify on his behalf by phone rather than forcing them to come to court.
One or two unfavorable rulings, de la Rionda wrote, “is not sufficient to warrant disqualification.”
Nick R. Martin
Nick Martin is an associate editor at TPM in New York City. He came to the site in 2011 as a reporter for TPMMuckraker. Previously, he worked in Arizona, first as a staff reporter for a local newspaper and later as a freelance journalist. He also ran the news blog Heat City. Contact him: nick [at] talkingpointsmemo.com
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