Martin lawyer won't give deposition

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SANFORD, Fla., Feb. 22 (UPI) -- A judge in the George Zimmerman murder case in Sanford, Fla., ruled against a defense request to depose Benjamin Crump, lawyer of Trayvon Martin's parents.

The deposition of Crump was the focus of Friday's hearing. In October, Circuit Judge Debra Nelson ordered Crump to answer a limited number of questions about an interview he recorded with one of the state's witnesses, a woman who spoke to Martin by telephone moments before he was shot.

Crump argued he was protected by attorney-client privilege and not required to offer information, the Orlando (Fla.) Sentinel reported Friday.

Nelson, however, on Friday supported Crump's contention, although Zimmerman's attorney, Don West, said in court that Crump "made himself a witness, someone with relevant information in this case, by virtue of his participation" in the interview with the woman.

Zimmerman, 29, a neighborhood watch volunteer, killed Martin, 17, on Feb. 26, 2012, and is charged with second-degree murder. He wasn't in court Friday.