Florida shooter in court, May 29 arraignment set

The Florida man charged with murder in the fatal shooting of an unarmed black teen made a first court appearance Thursday, marking a new phase in a case that sparked nationwide protests. Looking alert and with closely shaven hair and beard, George Zimmerman walked into court in handcuffs wearing a short-sleeved gray prison jumpsuit, one day after a special prosecutor announced the second degree murder charge. It was Zimmerman's first public appearance since he fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in late February while the teenager was walking through a gated community in the Florida town of Sanford. The killing has triggered a nationwide debate about racism and criminal justice in the United States, and led to protests in various US cities attended by thousands of people. Judge Mark Herr at Thursday's hearing set a May 29 date for Zimmerman's arraignment when he will be formally read the charges and will be allowed to request bail. Speaking just once at the hearing that lasted just a few minutes, Zimmerman answered simply "yes, sir" when Herr asked him if he was making his first appearance in the case and if he was represented by lawyer Mark O'Mara. Until Wednesday, Zimmerman -- whose father is white and whose mother is Peruvian -- had been allowed to remain free, after police opted not to arrest him, saying they believed his story that he shot the youth in self-defense. On Wednesday, after a weeks-long probe, prosecutors said Zimmerman would be charged with second-degree murder, a crime defined as a killing that is not premeditated. A conviction carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. "I can tell you, we did not come to this decision lightly," Florida state attorney Angela Corey told a press conference. O'Mara told AFP on Thursday that he did not seek bond for his client because to do so would have required him to divulge evidence which he plans to use to prove his client's innocence. "We want the case to calm down before we get into that," he said, adding, "we hope to have him released on bond over the next couple of weeks." Martin's family expressed joy and relief that the man who shot their son dead now will face trial. "We simply wanted an arrest -- nothing more, nothing less -- and we got it, and I say thank you," the teen's mother Sybrina Fulton told reporters in Washington after Corey announced the charges. In a separate statement, she thanked "the millions of people around the world" who signed a petition calling for justice in the case that gathered more than 2.5 million signatures. Zimmerman stands accused of fatally shooting Martin as the teen -- wearing a hooded sweatshirt on the rainy night -- was headed to a relative's home after buying candy at a convenience store. Zimmerman described the teen as "real suspicious" but was advised not to challenge him, according to police transcripts. Martin's family and supporters say the teenager may have been the victim of racial profiling. But Zimmerman's supporters say Martin attacked first, breaking Zimmerman's nose before knocking him to the ground and repeatedly slamming his head against the sidewalk. A controversial Florida law allows the use of deadly force when a person senses a reasonable fear of death or serious injury. The scene at the Seminole County courthouse where Zimmerman appeared was relatively calm Thursday, compared to the weeks of protests and rallies that have become a regular feature of life in the central Florida town. Just a few onlookers wearing "Justice for Trayvon" t-shirts were present, among them Barbara Biggs, who said she had come to show support for the youth's parents. "I hope the arrest gives peace to the family," she said.