George Zimmerman's trial will still begin as planned in June, as Seminole County Circuit Court Debra Nelson denied his lead attorney's request for a delay, UPI.com reported.
Judge Nelson told Zimmerman's defense team that his concerns were not enough to support pushing the trial back to November, as they had hoped. Zimmerman's lead attorney Mark O'Mara asked for the trial to be pushed back so they could have more time to prepare and raise money for his defense.
"I think it's physically impossible for us to be properly prepared," O'Mara said.
Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to begin June 10.
O'Mara issued the request last week on the grounds that the prosecutor has been too slow in turning over evidence.
"I don't see any of your issues as insurmountable," Judge Nelson said.
Zimmerman, who is out on a $1 million bond, is living in hiding in central Florida pending his trial. He has pled not guilty of second-degree murder. He has maintained his claim that he shot the unarmed teen in an act of self-defense as part of Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, also known as a "shoot first" law, which was signed into law by former Governor Jeb Bush in 2005.
Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda signaled his opposition to any delay as well, accusing O'Mara of spending too much time conducting media interviews and not enough interviewing witnesses and examining evidence, Reuters reported.
Incidentally, a memorial service for Martin, who would have turned 18 on Tuesday, was held on the courthouse lawn before the hearing got under way, Reuters also reported.
