Teen’s killer seeks new judge

MIAMI – The Florida man charged with second-degree murder in the killing of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin asked for a new judge in the case on Friday, accusing the judge \ assigned to the case of bias.

Lawyers for George Zimmerman filed a motion requesting that Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester withdraw from the trial.

In the filing, Zimmerman alleged that Lester had made “gratuitous” and “disparaging remarks” about him during a July 5 bond hearing and offered “a personal opinion” in the case.

“In doing so, the court has created a reasonable fear in Mr. Zimmerman that this court is biased against him and because of this prejudice he cannot receive a fair and impartial trial or hearing by this court,” the motion said.

It is the second time Zimmerman and his legal team have requested a new judge.

In April, they asked the judge presiding at the time to step aside because of a possible conflict of interest after revelations that the judge’s husband had been contacted by Zimmerman’s family as part of their search for a defence attorney.

The request was granted and Lester was appointed at that time to serve as judge in the case.

Last week, Zimmerman was released from a Florida jail on $1 million bail.

He claims self-defence in the Feb. 26 shooting death of 17-year-old Martin in a gated community in the Central Florida city of Sanford.

Martin’s killing drew national attention because police initially declined to arrest Zimmerman, citing Florida’s Stand Your Ground self-defence law and his assertion that he used deadly force because he feared his life was in danger.