Although ultimately unable to secure a conviction against George Zimmerman, Florida prosecutors successfully convinced his wife to plead guilty to perjury charges relating to her husband's murder trial.
Shellie Zimmerman, who once dreamed of becoming a nurse, agreed to plead guilty Wednesday to a misdemeanor charge carrying a sentence of one year of probation and 100 hours of community service, according to reports. The deal also requires her to apologize to the judge.
Originally charged with a third-degree felony, Zimmerman could have spent five years in jail if convicted, the Orlando Sentinel reports. She initially pleaded not guilty to the charge, according to the Associated Press.
The compromise brokered this week at the Seminole County criminal courthouse in Sanford, Fla., stems from allegations that Zimmerman lied about her family's finances during a bond hearing for her husband last year, according to the Bay News 9. The court case had been put on hold during George Zimmerman's trial, which ultimately led to his acquittal in the death of Trayvon Martin.
According to the AP, prosecutor records showed Shellie Zimmerman transferred several large chunks of money from her husband's account into hers before the hearing..
George Zimmerman has been keeping something of a low profile in recent days, but his lawyers announced plans this week to ask the state of Florida to reimburse him for at least $200,000 in court costs.