A Prince William County, Va., police lieutenant was called to the stand Wednesday to testify about George Zimmerman's rejected application to the department.
Zimmerman is facing a second-degree murder charge for the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin.
The trial resumed Wednesday after Judge Debra Nelson ruled that the jury could hear about Zimmerman's previous attempt to join the Prince William County Police Department, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Prince William County Police Lt. Scott Kearns was only on the stand for a short amount of time but testified that Zimmerman did indeed apply to the force years ago.
He said Zimmerman stated on his application that he spoke Spanish, but they never verified that he was fluent. Kearns also testified that Zimmerman had bad credit, and that's why his application was ultimately rejected. The prosecutor pointed out that Zimmerman's financial situation would've made him vulnerable to criminals.
The judge's ruling will also allow the jury hear about other elements of Zimmerman's past, including an application to ride-along with the Sanford Police Department and coursework on criminal law and procedure.
According to the the Orlando Sentinel, Zimmerman's lead attorney Mark O’Mara argued the admission of Zimmerman's college classes and job application were irrelevant, calling them a “fishing expedition” by the prosecution. However, the prosecution says the new evidence shows Zimmerman's "intense interest in law enforcement."
