George Zimmerman charged in case of alleged domestic abuse

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Tuesday, November 19, 2013

George Zimmerman when he was arrested in 2012.
Image: Seminole County Sheriff's Office.

George Zimmerman, the Florida man previously acquitted in the high-profile murder trial for the shooting of teenager Trayvon Martin, was arrested yesterday following an alleged domestic dispute. Police were called to Zimmerman's house after his girlfriend claimed Zimmerman pointed a shotgun at her.

George Zimmerman's girlfriend Samantha Scheibe told the 911 [emergency telephone number] dispatcher: "He's in my house, breaking all my shit because I asked him to leave. He's got a freaking gun breaking all my stuff right now."

Zimmerman also phoned 911 during the incident and told the dispatcher: "My girlfriend has... for lack of a better word, gone crazy on me". He went on to claim in the call that he did not point a gun at Scheibe: "I never pulled a firearm. I never displayed it. When I was packing it I'm sure she saw it. I keep it next to the bed". "When she changed, she just started smashing stuff. Taking stuff that belonged to me. Throwing it outside. Throwing it out of her room. Throwing it all over the house. She broke a glass table", claimed Zimmerman.

Zimmerman is charged with aggravated assault, a felony charge, as well as charges of battery, domestic violence and criminal mischief.

Earlier this year, Zimmerman was found not guilty in the high-profile murder case of Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman shot Martin on February 26, 2012 while Martin was walking through a gated community after visiting a convenience store but Zimmerman's lawyers successfully argued Zimmerman had acted in self defence. The case raised concerns over "stand your ground" laws, United States gun culture, and the role of race and racial profiling as a factor in the events.


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