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Trayvon Martin death: Zimmerman wife on perjury charge | Trayvon Martin death: Zimmerman wife on perjury charge |
(40 minutes later) | |
Shellie Zimmerman, the wife of the man who shot teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida, has been charged with perjury. | Shellie Zimmerman, the wife of the man who shot teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida, has been charged with perjury. |
She knowingly made false statements about the couple's finances during an April bail hearing, said an order issued by assistant state attorney John Guy. | She knowingly made false statements about the couple's finances during an April bail hearing, said an order issued by assistant state attorney John Guy. |
Her husband, George, was later released on $150,000 (£96,000) bail. | |
Mr Zimmerman is now back in jail, charged with the second-degree murder of unarmed black teenager Mr Martin. | |
He claims he shot the 17-year-old in self-defence. | |
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Mr Zimmerman was freed in late April on payment of 10% of the bail amount. | |
But the bail was revoked in early June after prosecutors argued that he had lied about their finances - and particularly about proceeds raised from a campaign website - to get a lower bail. | |
At the time, the judge said Mr Zimmerman had a responsibility to prevent his wife, who testified at one hearing, and his lawyer from making statements they did not know were false. | |
But Mrs Zimmerman has now been charged with knowingly making false statements during the April hearing. | |
Mr Zimmerman's lawyers have referred to the episode as a "mistake". He will face another bail hearing on 29 June. | |
The Trayvon Martin case has stoked racial tension in the United States, correspondents say. | |
Florida police did not arrest Mr Zimmerman for six weeks after the shooting. Under the state's controversial "stand your ground" law the use of lethal force is allowed if a person feels seriously under threat. |
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