MIAMI — In the height of the national outrage over the shooting of Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman hid out for more than a month in nearby Lake Mary at the home of a federal law-enforcement agent — a former Seminole County Sheriff deputy who was pressured to quit after he was duped by a con artist and violated department policy.

He was the friend who taught Zimmerman how to shoot and whose wife presided over Zimmerman’s wedding. As lesser acquaintances granted interview after interview, Mark Osterman never showed his face even as he offered shelter to a friend in need who at one point was one of the most controversial people in America.

In the summary of the friend’s interview with the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement released Thursday by the Duval County state attorney, the name and occupation is blacked out. But one document in the 300 pages identifies him as a U.S. air marshal, and the interview he gave provides enough detail about the relationship to confirm his identity.

He told authorities that his wife presided over Zimmerman’s wedding. Zimmerman’s wedding certificate lists Sondra Osterman as the person who presided over the ceremony. Sondra Osterman’s Facebook profile shows she is married to Mark, who says he travels for a living and works for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Among his Facebook likes: “Support George Zimmerman.”

Reached Friday morning by The Miami Herald, he declined to be interviewed. “No thanks,” he said, before hanging up.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security could not immediately confirm his employment.

Osterman, 44, met Zimmerman around 2006, through his wife, Sondra, who worked with Zimmerman at a mortgage-services company. They later worked together at a different company, Digital Risk.

In his interview with the FBI and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Osterman said he visited Zimmerman’s house about 50 times. The two men went shooting together about once a month, he said.

“He described Zimmerman as a person of strong character, but not very street wise,” the report states.

The record shows Osterman went to the crime scene the night Martin was killed and also accompanied Zimmerman to his police interrogations and interview with Sanford detectives.

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Zimmerman asks for new judge • ORLANDO, FLA. — The ex-neighborhood watch volunteer charged with killing Trayvon Martin is again asking for a new judge.

George Zimmerman filed a motion Friday asking that Circuit Judge Ken Lester be disqualified from the case.

Zimmerman says Lester’s comments in a bond order led him to think Lester is prejudiced against him. The judge said in the order that Zimmerman and his wife misled him about their finances.

Zimmerman also says he can’t get a fair trial with Lester presiding over the case.

Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder. He has pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defense. The Associated Press

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