Zimmerman to be arraigned May 29

Zimmerman to be arraigned May 29

SANFORD, Fla. (AP)

George Zimmerman made his first appearance in court Thursday in the case of the shooting death of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.

Wearing a blue jumpsuit, Zimmerman stood quietly as the judge read instruction’s to his lawyer, Mark O’Mara. Zimmerman did not speak.

An arraignment date of May 29 was set. At a press conference following the court appearance, O’Mara said bond will be set “in the next few weeks.” Zimmerman is expected to enter a not guilty plea. O’Mara also said they still have to figure out a place for Zimmerman “to go safely” if he is released ahead of trial, which they are still working on.

Prosecutors face steep hurdles to win a second-degree murder conviction against Zimmerman, experts say.

Zimmerman was charged after a public campaign to make an arrest in the shooting that galvanized the nation for weeks. Now the prosecutor and her team will have to prove Zimmerman intentionally went after Martin instead of shooting him in self-defense, to refute arguments that a Florida law empowered him to use deadly force.