George Zimmerman’s wife, Shellie, was booked into the John E. Polk Correctional Facility Tuesday on one count of perjury.
Deputies arrested Shellie Zimmerman, 25, where she was living around 3:30 p.m. and bonded out less than an hour later.
The bond was set at $1,000.
Earlier this month, prosecutors accused Shellie of lying to the court during a bond hearing for her husband in April. Shellie testified by phone about how much money they had, which turned out to be much more than originally claimed.
Prosecutor: Were you aware of the website that Mr. Zimmerman or somebody on his behalf created?
Shellie: I’m aware of the website.
Prosecutor: How much money is in that website right now? How much money as a result of that website was–
Shellie: Currently, I do not know
According to the probable cause affidavit, investigators looked into the financial records of George, Shellie, and George’s sister.
Investigators said the records showed that Shellie transferred more than $74,000 from George’s account to hers.
It was in recorded phone calls between George and Shellie, while he was in jail, that officials heard them discuss their finances and the transferring of money, investigators said.
George Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara said in a statement that Shellie would have to find independent counsel as it would be a conflict of interest for his law firm to represent her.
———————————————
The timeline of events involving Shellie and George and how they handled the money, according to the investigation:
- 4/15 3:29 p.m. – George and Shellie discuss their finances and transferring money in a recorded jail phone call.
- 4/16 2:26 p.m. – George and Shellie discuss transferring money in a recorded jail phone call
- 4/16 2:32 p.m. – George and Shellie discuss paying the bond in a recorded jail phone call
- 4/16 – Credit union records show Shellie had two withdrawals from her account at $9,000 each
- 4/16-17 – Credit union records show more than $47,000 was transferred from George Zimmerman’s account to his sister’s
- 4/19 9:36 a.m. – George and Shellie discuss taking money from a safety deposit box
- 4/16-4/19 – Credit union records show Shellie made four different transfers of $9,990, two transfers of $9,999, and two transfers of $7,500 to George Zimmerman’s account
- 4/20 – Shellie Zimmerman testified at the bond hearing of George.
- 4/23 – George Zimmerman bonds out of the Seminole County Jail shortly after midnight
- 4/24 – Shellie Zimmerman transferred $85,500 from her account to George’s
———————————————
How will this affect the George Zimmerman’s case?
Criminal defense attorney Joy Ragan said his wife’s arrest could hurt George Zimmerman at his trial.
“I think they’ll offer her probation but insist she be a convicted felon so that her credibility would be in question if she were to become a witness,” said Ragan.
Ragan suspects Shellie’s defense will try to stall her case until after her husband’s is over, but that’s not the only issue she’ll face moving forward.
“If you’re a convicted felon, you’re going to have problems with the nursing board and any other job you would apply for,” siad Ragan.
The special prosecutor’s office declined to comment on anything other than releasing the probable cause affidavit.
Shellie is not scheduled to appear in court until July 31.
The maximum on his perjury charge is five year in prison.