Today in a Sanford, Florida courtroom, George Zimmerman officially waived his right to an immunity hearing before his June 10 trial, reports ABC.
Zimmerman, who’s charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of unarmed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February 2012, answered yes to a series of questions about giving up his right.
As a result, Zimmerman’s fate will not be decided by a judge, but will be determined by a jury of his peers. If he had chosen to have an immunity hearing, a judge could have determined Zimmerman’s culpability under Florida’s controversial “Stand Your Ground” law.
However, a hearing could take place once all the evidence is presented at the time of trial.
Other matters handled by Judge Deborah Nelson include the undisclosed details of the Martin family’s settlement with Zimmerman’s neighborhood homeowner’s association. Judge Nelson decided that copies of the settlement would be made available to both sides, but an edited version will be made available to the public.
She also ordered the state of Florida to provide any unreleased cell phone records from both parties, reports the Orlando Sentinel. She also asked the state to release any “cleaned up” 911 audio to the other side in addition to allowing five more witnesses to the defenses’ line up.