George Zimmerman’s not-guilty plea on a second-degree murder charge in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin was accepted Tuesday afternoon at his Sanford, Fla., court arraignment, which the defendant did not attend.
Judge Kenneth R. Lester set a date for a so-called docket sounding 8:30 a.m., Aug. 8. That’s when a trial date will be set unless Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, asks for a continuance.
Zimmerman remains free after posting $150,000 bond.
O’Mara, who also did not attend Tuesday’s arraignment, earlier filed a written plea of not guilty and waived Zimmerman’s appearance at the arraignment. Assistant State Attorney Bernie de la Rionda also did not appear in court Tuesday.
Lester addressed Zimmerman’s case moments after taking the bench.
It was the first order of business on a busy day in Lester’s court as 170 defendants were answering charges Tuesday afternoon.
Zimmerman, 28, has said he was acting in self-defense in the Feb. 26 shooting of Martin, 17, in a Sanford gated community.
Authorities didn’t charge Zimmerman in the shooting of the Miami Gardens teen for more than six weeks, sparking national protests led by Martin’s parents and civil rights groups.
Zimmerman is at an undisclosed location but is being monitored by authorities with a GPS device. He has surrendered his passport and must observe a 7 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew under the terms of his release.
