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Zimmerman bond hearing ends without decision

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George Zimmerman appears in court with his lawyers during his bond hearing on Friday morning. (Source: CNN) George Zimmerman appears in court with his lawyers during his bond hearing on Friday morning. (Source: CNN)

(RNN) - Testimony during a bond hearing for George Zimmerman on Friday revealed large amounts of money were transferred into and then back out of a bank account he shared with his wife.

The hearing ended without a decision by Judge Kenneth Lester Jr., who said he would have to weigh the evidence before he rendered a decision.

Lester did not indicate when that decision would come, meaning Zimmerman will remain in jail for the foreseeable future.

Adam McGill, a forensic finance specialist who traced the Zimmermans' finances, said that multiple large transfers of less than $10,000 were made from a PayPal account to an account held by the Zimmermans. Transfers were also made to the account of George Zimmerman's sister.

Later, the money was transferred back to the PayPal account and then to the legal defense fund run through defense attorney Mark O'Mara's office. The largest transfer to the legal defense fund was more than $122,000.

Prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda argued that the transfers were moved back out of the Zimmermans' account to make it appear the defendant's family didn't have any money.

He also said George and his wife Shelly spoke in code about the money transfers during taped recordings while George was in jail.

"They used code to make sure whoever was listening wasn't aware of what was going on," de la Rionda said. "He, quite frankly, was in control of the whole thing. He was manipulating his wife. Now, you don't just have him committing a crime. You have him lying to the court through his wife."

Cash deposits of $10,000 or more have to be reported to the IRS. The largest transfer to or from the couple's account was $9,990.

"Either you'd be gifting, or you'd be trying to keep under the FDIC limits," said McGill. "Hiding would be moving cash. You don't hide money by making transfers."

More than $49,000 that was moved out of the PayPal account was unaccounted for.

In a motion filed Monday, O'Mara wrote that the remaining funds were in control of an "independent trustee" and were not accessible by the Zimmermans, except for $20,000 for living expenses.

McGill said during the bond hearing the Zimmermans used about $24,000 to pay for debts and living expenses.

Zimmerman, charged with the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, has been in jail since his bond was revoked in early June because it was revealed he had more than $200,000 in assets.

Zimmerman was granted a $150,000 bond in April after Shelly testified the family had limited funds for bail.

It was later revoked after the judge was made aware of a cash stash from the PayPal account that Zimmerman had raised through a now defunct website that he did not disclose at the time and that his attorney was unaware of.

His wife was arrested on a perjury charge for allegedly misleading the court about the couple's finances.

O'Mara argued that there was a difference between his client's delaying to disclose the money and conspiring to hide it. Zimmerman made his attorney aware of the account within days of the initial bond hearing.

"He tells me about the money. I tell him it needs to be disclosed and protected, and it's done," O'Mara said. "I ask for some consideration that it is not the grand conspiracy that the state seems to suggest."

O'Mara also said the defendant does not pose a risk of harm to the community and is not a flight risk. O'Mara noted that Zimmerman remained in contact with law enforcement before his initial arrest, complied with all the requirements of his bond and surrendered himself in a timely manner after his bond was revoked.

"We never had any problems from Mr. Zimmerman while he was under our supervision," said Adam Vincent, a Seminole County probation officer. "For all intents and purposes he was a model client."

Robert Zimmerman, George's father, testified that he listened to the recording of a 911 call at the Seminole County Sheriff's Office shortly after Martin was shot. A person's screams for help were audible in the background as a woman told dispatch that two people were fighting outside her house.

"It was absolutely George's [voice]," John Zimmerman said of the person screaming.

Zimmerman faces second degree murder charges in the shooting death of Martin.

He contends he shot Martin in self defense after Martin attacked him in February. Martin was unarmed at the time.

If convicted, Zimmerman could receive a sentence of life in prison.

Copyright 2012 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.

Trayvon Martin (SIDEBAR)

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SLIDESHOW: Outrage over Trayvon Martin case Trayvon Martin, 17, was shot and killed last month by George Zimmerman, self-appointed captain of an unofficial neighborhood watch, while walking to his father's.