Judge in George Zimmerman case discloses tie to CNN legal analyst

A Florida judge in the George Zimmerman case said in a surprise hearing on Friday that her husband has ties to a CNN legal analyst and commentator.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that Judge Jessica Recksiedler disclosed that her husband works for the law firm of Mark NeJame, a prominent Orlando attorney, in the five-minute hearing Friday afternoon. NeJame has been hired to sound off on the Zimmerman case for CNN. It's unclear if either attorney will ask Recksiedler to step aside because of the connection.

NeJame said on CNN Friday that Recksiedler wants to avoid "the appearance of impropriety" with this disclosure. NeJame said he referred Zimmerman to his current lawyer.

Zimmerman has spent two nights in jail on charges of second-degree murder, and will ask for bond in a hearing on April 20. He's charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting of unarmed black teenager Trayvon Martin. Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense.

Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the charges against Zimmerman.

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