Court to hear motion as Zimmerman attempts to remove ankle monitor

ORLANDO -- The counsel for George Zimmerman, accused of the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, 17, on Feb. 26, filed eight new motions on Friday in Seminole County Court in an attempt to allow the removal of his ankle monitor.

In addition, Zimmerman’s attorney Mark O’Mara is attempting to lift the restrictions preventing Zimmerman from speaking to witnesses that include personal friends, according to the motions.

The request comes hot off of Zimmerman’s allegations against NBC Universal in which he claims the newsmaker employed wrongfully racist spins against him.

That defamation suit was filed on Thursday and Zimmerman will seek damages, according to court documents.

According to the suit levied against the network, “NBC saw the death of Trayvon Martin not as a tragedy but as an opportunity to increase ratings.

“Because of NBC’s deceptive and exploitative manipulations, the public wrongly believes that Zimmerman ‘used a racial epithet’ while describing Martin during the call to the dispatcher,” continues the suit.

Zimmerman is accused of shooting and killing Martin in the February incident in Sanford that has since made national headlines. Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder. He was released after posting his $1 million bond in July, according to public 
documents.

He has since been required to wear a GPS enabled tracking ankle bracelet and has had his location monitored by the police, amidst fears for Zimmerman’s safety and the threat of vigilantism. He has also been required to stay in Seminole County since being fitting with the monitor.

"I think nobody would deny the fact that if George Zimmerman were walking down the street today, he would be at risk. That is a reality," said O’Mara in an April interview with press.

While Zimmerman’s safety was a concern for his attorneys, emotions ran hot for others involved in the case.

Martin’s family attorney Ben Crump held the opposing opinion following the related bond hearing in April, according to a CBS report.

"Why is everybody protecting George Zimmerman?" he said.

The hearing on Friday’s motions is scheduled for Tuesday, Dec. 11, while Zimmerman’s murder trial is set to commence in June.