A court allowed George Zimmerman to use a public defender in his alleged stalking case after he filed documents saying he’s $2.5 million in debt and has zero income.
Zimmerman is accused of repeatedly threatening and harassing Dennis Warren between December 16 and December 25 of last year, the sheriff’s office said.
Warren is a private investigator who was hired by a production company that was working on a documentary about Martin’s life, according to CNN affiliate WKMG.
The findings of that investigation were delivered to the sheriff’s office on March 14, and a summons and a notice of information was issued for Zimmerman. He was personally served on May 3, and his arraignment is scheduled for May 30, according to the press release.
This is just the latest in a lengthy list of legal issues for Zimmerman. He was a neighborhood watch captain in Sanford, Florida, in February 2012 when he shot and killed Martin, an unarmed black 17-year-old.
In 911 calls that night, Zimmerman told a dispatcher about a “real suspicious guy” walking in the neighborhood. The dispatcher asked Zimmerman if he was following the person, and he responded “yes.”
“OK. We don’t need you to do that,” the dispatcher responded. Zimmerman continued to follow him, leading to the fatal shooting.
Zimmerman said he acted in self-defense when he shot Martin. After a public outcry, he was charged with second-degree murder. A jury found him not guilty in July 2013.
Two years after his acquittal, he was arrested on suspicion of aggravated assault and domestic violence with a weapon. Prosecutors decided not to file charges in the case after the alleged victim backed off her claims.
In yet another incident, he attempted to auction off the gun that he purportedly used to kill Martin, sparking outrage.