George Zimmerman is jailed, accused of pointing shotgun at his girlfriend
Only months after he was acquitted of second-degree murder in a controversial case over the shooting of an unarmed black teenager in Sanford, Fla., last year, George Zimmerman is facing new criminal charges.
This time, the former neighborhood watch volunteer is accused of pointing a shotgun at his girlfriend during a domestic incident Monday in a house in Seminole County, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Zimmerman, 30, is being held in the county jail on charges of felony aggravated assault and two apparent misdemeanors, domestic violence battery and criminal mischief. He is accused by his girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, 27, of breaking a table and pushing her out of the home, as well as pointing the shotgun at her, the newspaper says. Zimmerman reportedly used furniture to prevent the door of the house from being opened, but did not resist arrest.
Chief Deputy Dennis Lemma of the county sheriff’s department said there was no weapon in sight when officers responded within a few minutes of Scheibe’s 12:30 p.m. call to authorities. Scheibe was concerned about having a firearm pointed at her but was not physically injured, Lemma said. Authorities will ask, just as they would in other domestic violence cases, that Zimmerman be required to wear a monitor to track his whereabouts if he is released on bail.
“When we arrived, the victim indicated that she and George Zimmerman were having a verbal dispute and at that time she alleged that he had broken a table and pointed a long-barrel shotgun at her,” said Lemma at a press conference.
Scheibe called 911 on her cellphone, at which point, Lemma said, Zimmerman pushed her out the door and barricaded it, ABC News reports. Scheibe gave a key to sheriff’s officers, who used it to get inside and arrest Zimmerman.
Zimmerman’s former defense attorney Mark O’Mara declined to comment, saying that he is no longer representing Zimmerman. The defendant himself presumably was not available for comment.
CNN and TMZ also have stories.
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “New Judge Will Oversee 2nd-Degree Murder Case Against Zimmerman Over Trayvon Martin Slaying”
ABAJournal.com: “Could George Zimmerman face federal prosecution? Justice Department is examining the case”
