(NECN/NBC News; Jay Gray) - The next phase in the high-profile and highly controversial Trayvon Martin murder case comes later Friday when the man who shot the unarmed teenager, community watch volunteer George Zimmerman, asks a judge for the second time to allow him to post bond and leave jail.
Twenty-six days after returning to jail, George Zimmerman and his legal team will ask Judge Kenneth Lester for a second chance to post bond and walk free.
"Jail isn't supposed to be punishment before trial, only to make sure you come back, and he's proven that time and time and again," said Defense Attorney Mark O’Mara.
But it's why he had to come back that's been the latest issue in this controversial case. With jail house phone calls between Zimmerman and his wife, Shellie, as evidence, prosecutors say the couple talked in code about donations to an internet account. Despite telling Judge Lester they were broke, the couple actually had access to at least $130,000.
Shellie Zimmerman was arrested on a charge of providing false information, and, after reviewing the evidence, Lester revoked Zimmerman's original, $150,000 bond.
Much has happened in this case while Zimmerman has been back behind bars; both sides have released discovery evidence, audio and video interviews, including a reenactment of the fatal night by Zimmerman.
O'Mara hopes his client can help him review evidence.
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"We have 100 hours of documents and video. I want him available to me so I can interact with him."
Later Friday morning, Judge Lester will decide if that interaction will come outside of jail and how much it might cost.
