Facing a second-degree murder charge, former Lakeland city commissioner Michael Dunn will be allowed to leave Florida for a weekend getaway scheduled prior to fatal shooting at his Lakeland store.

BARTOW — A judge's ruling Thursday morning paves the way for former Lakeland City Commissioner Michael Dunn, who's under indictment for the fatal shooting of an alleged shoplifter at his Lakeland store, to join his wife for a weekend getaway to Savannah, Georgia, next month.



Circuit Judge Wayne Durden also approved a motion allowing Dunn, who's under house arrest pending his trial, to meet with his lawyers at their Orlando office.



Assistant State Attorney Paul Wallace opposed both motions.



Dunn, 47, was indicted Oct. 19 by a grand jury for second-degree murder in the death of Christobal Lopez, 50, during an alleged attempted shoplifting of a hatchet from Dunn's Vets Army Navy Surplus Store. Lopez was fatally shot Oct. 3 on the sidewalk at the doorway to the store at 819 N. Florida Ave.





During Thursday's brief hearing, Dunn's co-counsel, Bartow lawyer Rusty Franklin, revealed that Dunn is actively employed, but didn't indicate where he is working. He declined to comment further after the hearing.



The provisions of Dunn's pretrial release prohibit him from working at his store in Lakeland — where the fatal shooting occurred. Dunn also was forced to surrender his firearms and is barred from being around firearms, according to the conditions of his pretrial release.



Dunn's wife, Brandi, testified during the hearing that he has complied with all the conditions of his house arrest since his release from the Polk County Jail on Oct. 26.



She also said they purchased weekend accommodations in Savannah in July for Dec. 7-10, and prepaid the hotel reservations. Franklin said the trip was to celebrate their anniversary.



Wallace said he's opposed to the Savannah travel because it would take Dunn out of the state.



“We think that the conditions this court has placed on him are reasonable,” Wallace said, “and in light of the particular charges that he has, it would not be advisable for him to travel out of state.”



Wallace said he didn't see why Orlando lawyer Mark O'Mara's legal team couldn't meet with Dunn at Franklin's office in Bartow.



In his ruling, Durden said he would allow the trip because it had been arranged and paid for previously.



“However, there are to be no further arrangements made for any other travel,” he said.



In granting the motion for the legal meetings in Orlando, Durden's ruling limited those meetings to once a month.



Suzie Schottelkotte can be reached at suzie.schottelkotte@theledger.com or 863-533-9070. Follow her on Twitter @southpolkscene.