The case against George Zimmerman will resume in October, according to new court documents.
Judge Kenneth Lester has agreed to the defense's request to postpone the case until Wednesday, October 3, at 8:30 a.m.
Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder for shooting and killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February.
He remains free on $1 million bond. Zimmerman's current location has been kept a well-guarded secret, though he is forbidden to leave Seminole County while he awaits his eventual trial, and the Seminole County Jail is monitoring his whereabouts to make sure he stays in the county.
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Defense's statement
Tuesday, defense attorney Mark O'Mara posted the following message on his website for the Zimmerman legal case:
"The Court granted the defense team’s Motion to Continue, which postpones the Docket Sounding scheduled on Wednesday, August 8, until October 3. The purpose of a Docket Sounding is to provide the Court with an update regarding the progress of the case, and to establish a timeline for official legal proceedings, whether that be motion hearings, disposition, or trial.
We filed our Motion to Continue because there is still a great deal of information to be gathered regarding this case, and we are in the early stages of preparing our reciprocal discovery -- a process that can take a few months -- and it is simply too early in the process to set firm trial dates.
This motion is consistent with a rough timeline for defending Mr. Zimmerman that we described in a release dated June 1, a timeline that includes: Drafting discovery requests and working through potential resistance; deposing more than 50 potential witnesses and experts; and filing appropriate motions (including a potential 'stand your ground' motion).
Moreover, since our June 1 statement, a number of issues, including the revocation of Mr. Zimmerman’s bond and our Motion to Disqualify Trial Judge, have added to the complexity of the defense process.
Moving forward, we expect there will be additional motions to continue, and it is anticipated, though not certain, that this case will not be ready for trial until early next year."
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The latest update in the case comes as Trayvon Martin's mother said she is seeking money from a state fund that helps crime victims in Florida.
Sybrina Fulton has applied for victim compensation benefits, according to public records.
State officials and an attorney for Martin's parents would not immediately say how much they are seeking.
Money for the fund comes from court fees paid by offenders, as well as other sources.
Applicants can be reimbursed for lost wages, funeral expenses, medical expenses and mental health counseling.