E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Joe Burbank / Pool via Orlando Sentinel/AP
George Zimmerman, left, sits with defense counsel at the Seminole County courthouse Tuesday in Sanford, Fla., on Dec. 11, 2012.
George Zimmerman is running out of money to pay for his legal defense, his lawyers say on a website set up to solicit donations.
Zimmerman, a former neighborhood watch volunteer, is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, on Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford, Fla. He has pleaded not guilty.
On Wednesday, Mark O’Mara’s firm, which runs the website GZDefenseFund.com, tweeted that there was an update to the site. In the update, the lawyers say they are preparing for a hearing on Zimmerman’s self-defense claim, possibly in April, but need money in order to pay legal expenses.
“The State has virtually unlimited resources to prosecute George,” the site reads. “To finance his defense, however, George relies on the generosity of individuals who believe he is innocent.”
“As we prepare for an (sic) Self-Defense Immunity Hearing or a trial, the cold fact is that we must raise more money,” the website reads. “Our goal is to raise $30,000 per month. This represents the minimum we calculate we need to conduct the defense George deserves, and this figure does not include any attorney's fees.”
The lawyers say on the website that as of a month ago more than $300,000 has been raised to pay for Zimmerman’s defense, but also say that when O’Mara first took the case last year, many legal analysts predicted the defense would cost more than $1 million. The attorneys say neither O’Mara nor his co-counsel Mark West has been paid for their services.
This is how the, $314,099.07 raised by the defense fund has been spent, according to the site:
- Bail bond - $95,000
- Household/living expenses - $61,747.54
- Security - $56,100.00
- Law firm support and infrastructure - $40,647.64
- Case-related expenses - $35,588.07
- PayPal and fund management fees - $7,924.22
- Other expenses - $3,201.04
The site solicits donations via PayPal, credit card or check. The O’Mara Law Group in Orlando is the site’s registered owner. Zimmerman set up a website of his own to solicit money on April 8, 2012, but stopped taking donations when O’Mara launched gzdefensefund.com on April 23, 2012.
The Zimmerman case ignited an emotional debate over race and gun rights in the weeks after Martin's death. Local police initially did not charge Zimmerman, fueling protests, and Zimmerman was later charged by special state prosecutor Angela Corey following an investigation.
Zimmerman, who is of white and Hispanic descent, has pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. He says he shot Martin in self-defense after Martin attacked him. He is free on bail.
“It’s not unusual in high-profile cases for there to be a defense fund,” Derek Byrd, president of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers told NBC News. “In the the old days people would go knocking on neighbors’ doors or ask friends. Today, with social media – Twitter, Facebook, websites – you can see where people would use them to reach a bigger audience.”
Byrd agreed with O’Mara that prosecutors can tap more resources for their case. He said defense attorneys have large expenses to hire experts, transcribe depositions and other related expenses.
E-mails sent to O'Mara's law firm were not returned, and repeated attempts to call his office phone met with a busy signal. E-mails and phone messages sent to prosecutor Corey were also unanswered.
Leave a Comment:
Household/living expenses - $61,747.54
Seem a little high, don't ya think?
Come on SUCKERS,send that MURDERING COWARD more money so he and his wife can buy things some of you SUCKERS cant afford to buy!!
UUMMM, ever hear of one being responsible for their own actions. Yes, he had the right to carry that gun BUT he had no right confronting the victim especially after he was told NOT to. Quit dragging this out and get him into court to face his peers and he won't have so many expenses. If he is concerned about his own well being then there is a place where he can get three hots and a cot until the trial is over and beings they lied about their income, I doubt they can get a public defender. NOW they must also face the consequences of those decisions.
Donate...hold on while I grab my credit card...NOT!! You think we want to pay your old debts, security, monthly expenses, your wife's shopping expense, and your daily deliveries from Pizza Hut?? Yeah right, how many other defendents have sat back and expected free handouts from the public? Seriously, your lawyer thinks he can post an update and the public funds will start pouring in, at the tune of $30,000 per month! You really are out of touch with anything but Zimmerman. Classic narcissistic behavior.
It looks like he's eating well. Let's see all you right wingers pony up now and put up some cash to help porky out. Come on. Now's your chance to show the world you're real pals in the pinch.
How much can we put you down for?
Yup, send mo money!
Ole georgie keeps on trying...
suckers
“Our goal is to raise $30,000 per month. This represents the minimum we calculate we need to conduct the defense George deserves, and this figure does not include any attorney's fees.”
Seriously?
Seriously Blues Woman...but they DO charge 90K a month for copying and filing fees.
Well, boo fukin' hoo.
Gee, not many other people expect the public to pay for their defense. There would be lawyers all over Florida willing to take this case on at a reduced rate just for the publicity it garners. I do believe that Big Z will eventually be acquitted of these charges - simply because of the pictures of his injuries taken immediately after the incident. However, that doesn't mean that we should be expected to pay for an extraordinary defense.
Injuries dont count if you chase the guy down. Thats what the police are for. If someone bust into my house, I chase them out and continue chasing them and then shoot them, I would be charged with murder. Just like george here is and should be
W18…… being the caring, compassionate person that she is…..was truly shaken by hearing Trayvon’s desperate cries for help followed by gunfire. She said she was never going to be able to forget those cries.
From her 911 call:
click> You Ask Me Why I'm In This?
Click>> Sir Isaac and Witness 18 For The Prosecution
Send him to Debtors Prison until the trial, then send him to SUPERMAX.
Why should he be any different that the rest of use, his lawyers have burned through $400,000 and we should pay for his legal fees!!! and living expenses, this does not pass the smell test
You are being asked to donate to GZ's defense.
You (taxpayers) are being made to pay for the defense of TM's actions.
What actions would those be, kpm? Walking home from the store with a can of iced tea and a bag of candy?
Don't see how the tax payers are paying for the action of a dead boy _— there isn't any action I would think unless a ghost of the dead person appeared
Ambushing, attacking and trying to kill GZ.
Figment of your and George's imagination.
Household/living expenses - $61,747.54 <-- Ok really? nearly $62K in living expenses? My household/living expense amount is FAR LESS than that, and thats taking into account my mortgage, food, cable, phone, gas and electric. The guy could like, GET A FREIKING JOB where he is hiding out. McDonalds is always hiring. There is no excuse his living expenses are that high. Maybe he needs to ditch HBO, Showtime, and the Playboy channels. Also maybe he should consider getting a prepaid cell phone(only $15/month for one brand with unlimited texts). I mean really, begging people to support his extravagant life style? Thats ridiculous.
Oh and Security fee's? Excuse me? Really? No one but the lawyers and judge knows where he is, so there is no need for him to have more than maybe 1 bodyguard at all time. Again seems a tad high for the prices.
This guy is hilarious, there is no excuse for them to have blown $300K already, and needing $30K a month? How much money have his lawyers put into the fund? They are millionaires already, so why don't they cut him a check for $100K or so every other month?
Put the bitch back in jail and burn him asap.
And you know for a fact that he is guilty. What happened to innocent until proven guilty
"Innocent until proven guilty" is a legal right granted to all. It means a jury must assume a defendant is innocent, and can only find the defendant guilty if the prosecution proves "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the defendant is guilty of the crimes he is charged with.
Now, people on a comment board, who have read news reports, can assume whatever they want. Guilt, innocence, it's fair game.
mis, and opinions are like azz holes, everyone has one
So Joe - why are you here?
Right!
Right! Because we are not the friggin jury. But let's see how 'ole joe-284, etc, feels about that:
That's joe-28's opinion on it.
To see that his "azz hole" is seen and duly noted, while at the same time complaining that everyone else is showing theirs.
Well...at least he's alive to sing about it.
The NRA is not a right wing organization as many people believe. It is the nations largest civil rights organization.
Let the case be tried by the lawyers ,judge and jury . Not by internet theorists and Al Sharpton.
GS50401 - I really wish there was an ignorant redneck @!$%# place, instead of ignore, no value, inflamatory or advertising because I'd definitely be marking you as one. When the NRA becomes a civil rights organization, pigs will fly. And they'll have a special target painted on everyting you own and yourself to take a healthy crap.
And if we could flag all the people who never pay any attention to the COH, there would be far fewer drones from either party on this vine.
GS-- Any one that has one bit of common sense knows what the NRA is its nothing but the arms manufacturers lobby group that brainswash their members who can't think for themselves. Thats nothing civil about the NRA !!
Seriously?? You have got to be kidding!!! I definitely am in the wrong career field. Also, I thought if you "cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided for you" through the court - do the words public defender sound familiar?
Just think of this before you donate. If you donate to his bs "fund", you as a tax payer are also paying for the state to prosecute. Double whammy on you. Those expenses are just that bs.
We don't know the details of what happened. If Zim followed him until there was a confrontation then Zim is guilty because of the stand your ground law. Trayvon did not have to give the benefit of the doubt. If Zim followed him until he lost him and was returning to his car and Trayvon came after him then Zim will get off. The problem is did anyone see it?
Denis
Nobody saw it, thats why GZ will get off because of reasonable doubt.
Nothing and I mean NOTHING is funnier than a lawyer panhandling for their client.
I hope he is in prison soon. Zimmerambo...dbag
Maybe Wayne LaPierre can send him a few bucks...or the KKK...or the Republican Party....or Teddy Nugent?
golfer, or maybe some of your gay freinds
joe-2849984:
Nope; that's best left up to Zimmie's gay friends; BTW: sowhere's your check, Joe? Zimmie hasn't recieved it yet. You better because his other gay friend Shawn Hannety sure won't.
Oh poor Zimmurderman blew all the money that thousands of idiots contributied to his defence.
Tough shyte arsehole.
Good--when he is guilty, all the "donators" go to jail with him of course, since they obviously are trying to pay everybody off!
Oh well.....if he would have stayed in jail....think of all the money he would have saved!
He did nothing wrong... why sit in jail?? He was attacked by a punk and defended himself.... Go george!
Uh, we are discussing the Zimmerman case. Obviously, you have it confused with some other case.
Why sit in jail? That is what people accused of a crime that have no money do.
DOCJT and Jo-An-4354969:
Wasn't someone asking, "Where's Olga?"
Ladies; I would recognize that child-like, irrational and sorrowful whine anyplace. That's Olga.
I bet a whole dollar it is.
LOL...yes, where is she??
There are so many choices here, it's hard to know which one she is...better to lose a "whole dollar" on THAT bet, than donate to GZ's defense! That's for certain!
George is just letting his ego destroy his character. His psyche continues to tell him that there should be no remorse for what he did and that he did nothing wrong. I understand this whole innocent until to proven guilty, but asking for donations is praying on the public. How many other people, suspected of murder, has lawyers that appeal to the public to donate for some extravagant legal defense fund? None, except him.