Zimmerman bail hearing ends without a ruling

A Florida judge reserved judgment on whether to once again grant George Zimmerman bail on a charge that he shot and killed unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.

Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester adjourned an almost three-hour hearing without issuing a ruling on whether to grant Zimmerman, 28, bail on a charge of seconddegree murder in the case that touched off racially charged demonstrations across the country.

It was Lester who revoked Zimmerman’s $150,000 bond this month after prosecutors complained that he and his wife had misled the court about their ability to pay for a bail bond. Zimmerman, who has been in jail since surrendering June 3, was returned to the Seminole County Jail. Lester gave no indication on when he would rule on the bail request.

The prosecution argued that Zimmerman should continue to be jailed, while defense attorney Mark O’Mara urged Lester to again grant the $150,000 bond.

Zimmerman has acknowledged shooting Martin on Feb. 26 during a confrontation at a gated community in Sanford, Fla., where Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch volunteer. Martin’s relatives have argued that Zimmerman profiled the 17-year-old because he was black. Zimmerman, who is white and Latino, has argued that he shot Martin in self-defense as the two fought.

Zimmerman had created a website to solicit funds to pay for his defense. The money is now under the control of an administrator.