Lead detective in the murder trial of Trayvon Martin hires defense lawyer Jose Baez
/The lead detective in the George Zimmerman murder trial is not taking any chances. Chris Serino, the former Sanford police major-crimes investigator, has hired famed lawyer Jose Baez to represent him, according to The Miami Herald.
Serino became a central figure in the case when evidence showed he had filed an arrest affidavit a few weeks after the shooting of Trayvon Martin, even though his chief felt there was not enough evidence to charge Zimmerman.
The former Sanford police major-crimes investigator, became a controversial figure when evidence revealed he had quietly filed an arrest affidavit a few weeks after the shooting death of Miami Gardens teenager Trayvon Martin, even as his chief publicly said there wasn’t enough evidence to make a case. In an FBI report, Serino told agents he was pressured to file charges by African-American colleagues in the department.
While Serino did not speak to The Miami Herald, a spokesman for Baez confirmed he had been hired to look out for his interests in the case and stated he is not planning to file a lawsuit.
“He wants his own counsel — he’s intimidated. It might not be a friendly deposition,” said Baez spokesman Michael Wright to The Miami Herald.
Baez is famous nationwide for representing Casey Anthony, a Florida mother charged with killing her child in 2008 after her disappearance, and who was later acquitted.
Fifteen-year department veteran Serino is scheduled, like many others, to give his sworn testimony to prosecutors and Zimmerman’s defense team.
Tape-recorded interviews show Serino was skeptical of Zimmerman from the start and even grilled him with inconsistencies in his story days later.
