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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:
Its part of the whole tragedy when you decide to take someone’s life, this isn’t a TV Western (its real life, yours).
It’s why people can’t just go around shooting people. You could have chosen not to use deadly force and most likely ended up with a black-eye (or a little more but No Life Lost) as the teen hit you with his candy. But you may consider yourself (even now) in the advantage (or perhaps that’s what you did consider as you squeezed the trigger) for the teens family will never recover their son. Just stop for a moment and think if the teen (Trayvon Martin) was your loved one…
Speaking of the movies:
Click> A Mystery Solved!
This short video shows the movie where George got his "lines"...........of 'You got a problem?........"No, I don't have a problem'..........'You got a problem now'
Why do people tolerate lawyers ALWAYS making thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars defending a client, and delaying the trial until YEARS later? The system adheres to laws, MADE MOSTLY BY LAWYERS in Congress, that never hurt lawyers' incomes. [They usually make a client pay a HUGE retainer up front, then OVERCHARGE.]
This is a DOUBLE STANDARD!
Solution? 1] TIME LIMITS from crime to court, and of course, 2] term limits for congressmen.
Any thoughts?
He should wait it out in Jail.....If you Don't have the Money.....Then You don't have the Money.....Do Not believe that his Poor Lawyers have not been paid a single cent? If not, Then Wait to see THEIR BILL!!!
________________________________________________________________________________
Interpretive statement: "standing one's ground" can be quite expensive. Luckily, Florida allows it. Can you imagine how much it would cost if the state didn't tacitly encourage vigilantism?
Your IQ's below 60. NO state encourages vigilantism! Zimmerman had the RIGHT to protect himself from scum. It's too bad the loud-mouthed monkeys are forcing the court system to kiss their ugly behinds.
DrmdMD: Flattery will get you nowhere. The Zimmerman issue had nothing to do with protection, and everything to do with vigilantism. Just ask those using the Florida law as rationale for his actions. Zimmerman stuck his nose into the cops' business, and thus precipitated a tragedy. To what loud-mouthed monkeys are you referring ( just to give the ugliness of your statement some unvarnished exposure) ?
Yeah, Zimmerman had every right to protect himself. I think he did a good job. If people killed criminals more often we would have less criminals on the streets. There is one big problem with our system, criminals go in and out of prison, over and over. But shoot them dead and they won't be coming back to harm society. More people should be packing heat for protection. All we see on TV news is certain types of people shooting and killing and assaulting normal folks. People need to protect themselves and don't expect the police to do it because by the time police get to your home, it is too late.
DrmdMD:
Your screen name confuses me....if you are indeed an MD, you must be fairly intelligent.
So tell me, when you do things like refer to people as "loud-mouthed monkeys" in a professional setting, do your collegues ever look at you funny?
Or do you live in Klansville, USA? Am dumbfounded if you are indeed a Doctor. Shame on you.
WOW - thanks tom - I missed this statement ( I must have blocked it):
Yep - that 's the kind of Doc I would want - NOT!!
DrmdMD:
You should stop projecting - Scum huh? Pot meet kettle. BTW, how many times do you need to show you "think" you are a doctor (dr md MD)? Puhleaze!!!
Concerned: I had to read it a couple times....that statement is far beneath the level of ANY respectable doctor.
The loud-mouthed, rude, welfare-fueled herd of scum forced the cowardly media to act as a lynch mob. They made SURE to play black against white by calling Zimmerman a WHITE hispanic. Without that label, this tragedy would have a completely different tone.
On page 17, "imgimpie" makes a couple great, insightful comments.
And I see that the "doctor" exhibits the same traits of lying and attempting to elevate his status far above that which he has actually achieved in life as does Zimmerman.
Hell no will i send any money. If he needs money for his attorney he can get it there are plenty of people out there that has to get there own money to pay there attorneys and if he can't afford this attorney well let him get a court appointed one like anyother person. He is guilty as hell and hope he is found guilty.
Unfortunately, his lawyers are bleeding him to death and they know he's guilty!
I think people need to worry more about the expense that will result in rioting and looting that will be caused when Zimmerman is found innocent!
Zimmerman's bill Will pale in comparison to what the Florida tax payers will have to pay!
Good point Halo. Last time I checked, self defense is still allowed in America. He will walk. People will die because some folks are easily led, easily fooled, and have little self control.
HALO:
I believe shooting someone who is rioting and comes on your property is acceptable under any circumstance.
Good point....l agree.
gz will NOT be found innocent-----all the evidence points to 2nd degree murder.
You three.....Halo, tom, and what....sound more like the rioting type of people. You seem to want to cause trouble.
No worries....I won't track you down just to say "I told you so"!
YAHTC
the halo types need Zimmerman to be found innocent but we know the mentality of Zimmerman and his kind and so it wont be too long before another story, if not already will surface, and the pattern will continue.
but you also know that like most, it will be interesting how HALO will act if Zimmerman is found guilty and what he will do when he is caught in that lie that shows that martin and him had a confrontation only after Zimmerman tried to restrain or block his way until the police would have shown up.
I hope halo will have that integrity to say OOH that zimmerman lied to me!! And martin REALLY REALLY REALLY didnt deserve any of this.
"Due Process" will find that Zimmerman was justified in his actions.
The bigger question is...will all the Trayvon Marten Band-waggoners have the integrity not to riot.
I will take your comments lightly as you appear to be a resident of a highly liberal state.
HUH??? And what does that have to do with the murder of an unarmed teenager walking home from the store??
this guy is being used a second time by the justice system.......attorneys become rich for a reason....the account keeping is crap.....
George has a past of not respect the justice system or law enforcement officers:
From his 2005 MySpace page:
30k a month LMAO
Household/living expenses - $61,747.54????
Oh, WAAAAAAA. I could live off that amount for 5 years!!! If I had 1,200.00 a month to live on I would be in "hog heaven".
Must be nice to be able to murder a kid for no reason and then get other people to pay for your defense.
Maybe someone could punch you in the face, break your nose, bounce your head off the concrete and then claim you have "no reason" to get mad or fight back. How fair does that sound?
WHAT????
Fighting back is one thing, shooting an unarmed individual is another.
TWO MEN IN A FIGHT.....ONE IS ARMED WITH A SEMI-AUTO PISTOL.....THE OTHER HAS HIS FISTS.
And tell me, which one should be in fear for his life?
I guess he shouldn't have stalked and assaulted Trayvon......When you chase someone, sometimes they stop and fight.....Its called flight or fight.....If your boy wouldn't have been Gungho Ride Along Wanna Be wearing his John Wayne attitude....This whole scenario would have resolved itself, probably peacefully, by the ACTUAL police.....
Tom, here's a question. Remember it was dark that night. Did Zimmerman know that his 6'3" assailant was unarmed? I believe he only knew he was getting his ass kicked and was in fear for his life. He made the right choice to respond with deadly force. I would have done the same and most likely, so would you.
Country, if you read the verbatum testimony.....George stated that Trayvon was using both hands to bang his head.......
I believe he knew he was shooting someone who had both hands on HIM when he shot him.
Besides, I defer to the court....I am not a lawyer, but I assure you that if I was able to pick that out of the transcript, I am sure the prosecution will point that out.
I think those of you who have so vested yourself in George's defense really should send him money. From what I read in and listened to in his statements, I'm glad I am not him.
My question to you, don't you think that people with a concealed carry permit should demonstrate the same caution and restraint as a policeman....which would mean maintaining enough space to see the big picture?
I have thought from Day 1 that George made decisions and chose actions which put him where he is today.
Again, let the court decide.
Sounds like Zimmerman shouldn't have stalked and murdered an unarmed child.
If I were Martin I definitely would have defended myself against some vigilante nut case with a gun stalking me.
To skrekk--- You're really confused. Go to page 17, and read what "imgimpie" says. He makes it all very clear.
the punk should have been shot.....ok maybe just a whipping
.
Trayvon was NOT a punk:
Why are so many of you annoyed about how Zimmerman is using his money? It was all donated to him, and likely, he will receive more. There are millions of people in this country that believe he didn't do anything wrong and that the whole event is tragic, but not criminal based upon the known evidence. Even if he is proven to be innocent, the man's life will likely be ruined by racists, and lazy people that won't read, no less believe the actual facts of the case.
no, its about how the money is being stolen........
Willis, please explain what you are talking about. Stolen? Please enlighten us.
Since Zimmerman has already perjured himself by lying about his finances once, what's to say he's not at it again.
I reserve judgement on George.....I defer to the court that will try him.
But I will tell anyone who sends $$.....YOUR MAMA RAISED A SUCKER AND A FOOL.
If anybody was arrested for murder. they wouldn't get special treatment( O his grandfather was a fl. judge good figure)
let the legislature who passed the stupid law pay for it actually its not about zimmerman its the law thats on trial
Does anyone else see a problem with the fact that poor people get shafted even when innocent often times simply because they dont have the money to defend themselves? The rich buy justice or injustice while even the things the poor have are taken away. A capitalist judicial system is evil. Evil. Evil. If you think it's fine, you are on the side of evil.
For those of you who have spare coinage, I have some recommendations:
RED CROSS SALVATION ARMY UNICEF FOOD BANK USO CANCER RESEARCH
I could go on......
George Zimmerman doesn't make my list of deserving charities working to improve society.
Zimmerman will walk...
as he should....
All of the evidence include gz's own statements incriminate gz.
Guilty......
What a fu(king meat sack. Bet he wishes he kept his nosey a$$ at home that night now. Idiot murderer.
Are you looking into a mirror?
No, Brian is not looking in the mirror.............Brian is aware of all the evidence that incriminate gz.
Obviously the Zimmerman's lawyer's seen a cash cow in this case especially with those donations. Out of the stupid expensive estimate they say that didn't include any payments for them?? They just ran up a bill and is publically asking for more money. LOL.... that is so funny. I'm in the wrong business. How outrageous.
A fool and his money will soon be parted. Or something like that.
I imagine this to be gz's favorite song:
Click>Kingston Trio - Greenback Dollar - YouTube
Wow, it's just hilarious reading thru the comments, the vast majority aren't even commenting on the story, rather they are busy trying to push their view of what happened and attacking anyone that differs, and this is going on both with the people for Zimmerman and the people against him. The most amusing are those posting again and again and again like it's your job to either stand up for or tear down George Zimmerman.
The way I see it the lawyers messed up when they shut donations down for a while back when the flood of money was making Zimmerman look bad. They should have just left it going and kept collecting when people were more willing to give. Now you've got a whole bunch of people feeling used and judging Zimmerman for how the money was spent.
I bet Zimmerman secretly wishes he just kept going to the grocery store rather then following this kid who was only suspicious because he was black. Had he done so he would still have a normal life. Now, win or lose, his life is going to be hell.
I am surprised that people are stupid enough to donate him money in the first place. He got himself into this mess, so let him get himself out!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This attorney O'Mara must think he can turn this job into something more high profile...this is the sort of privilege Zimmerman enjoys. His attorney is working pro bono and it's still going to cost over $1 million dollars? Reminds me of the OJ defense. Zimmerman is literally receiving the kind of defense normally reserved for the rich and famous...am I the only one bothered by this? Also, if Zimmerman as he has indicated is SO innocent, why is it taking more than an estimated $1 million dollars to muddle the state's case just enough to keep him from being convincted? The trials in which a miscarraige of justice occurs are for those on the bottom rung economically who get over-worked and understaffed public defenders to handle complicated cases. Neither society nor the justice cares about these individuals. The Zimmerman case became what it is because Florida's police dropped the ball when it happened and due to the few resources black people have open to them became a hotbed for reactionaries eager to defame the victim and root for the accused. Reactionaries with I might add more than a small case of self perceived racial grievance and hatred for a young black man. This case puts itself into a larger context based upon the murder weapon and the conduct of Zimmerman. If Zimmerman is acquitted then his type of aggressive confrontational behavior towards a young black male will be legitimized. Should this occur I'd hate to be a young black man anywhere NEAR a gated community in the South....and that's ultimately what this is all about: is it okay to confront a stranger based upon little more than your own suspicion, aggressive proclivities and packing a sidearm? Is vigilantianism without established probable cause legitimate? Lastly is it time for white America to climb down off its wall legislatively and cognitively? Those are the questions this case can at least partly answer.
There is nothing fair about having to defend yourself. It is a punishment in itself and does not come cheap. I feel for this guy. But, he should have been fair to the kid who had his whole life ahead of him. He should have presumed him innocent till proving guilty and he should not have overstepped his bounds. He should not have pulled out his gun and he should have had the ability to talk through the situations first. One kid is dead because this guy was mistaken and had preconcieved notions. Despite, i pray for his fair trial. Fairness is very important to our judicial system otherwise we are all doing the same crime this guy did; having preconcieved notions.