Zimmerman attorney seeks new hearing

George Zimmerman's attorney acknowledged Monday that his client made a "mistake" in failing to reveal he had raised over $100,000 through a website at his April bail hearing in the Trayvon Martin shooting case.

"We feel the failure to disclose these funds was caused by fear, mistrust, and confusion," attorney Mark O'Mara posted on the defense team's official website.

"The gravity of this mistake has been distinctly illustrated, and Mr. Zimmerman understands that this mistake has undermined his credibility, which he will have to work to repair."

Zimmerman, 28, returned to jail Sunday after Seminole Circuit Judge Kenneth Lester revoked his bond Friday and gave him 48 hours to turn himself in.

At the Friday hearing, Florida prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda put forth evidence that Zimmerman's wife, Shelly, knew her husband had $135,000 available to him in donations collected via PayPal for a defense fund despite testifying that they were of extremely limited financial means.

O'Mara said that he would file a request Monday for a second bond hearing that will emphasize his client's otherwise forthright cooperation during the investigation into Martin's shooting death.

The filing will note Zimmerman has given several voluntary statements to police, stayed in contact with law enforcement while in hiding before he was charged, surrendered to authorities twice and fully complied with his previous bond conditions in arguing he should be given a second chance to be released on bail, O'Mara said.

The 28-year-old defendant was charged with second-degree murder in April after he shot and killed the unarmed Martin in a gated community in Sanford, Fla., on Feb. 26.

A volunteer neighborhood watchman, Zimmerman claims the shooting was in self-defense. But a six-week delay in Zimmerman's arrest inspired protests nationwide, with many claiming the killing of Martin, an unarmed black teenager, was racially motivated.

Zimmerman's defense fund ultimately raised $204,000 before it was shut down in favor of the independently managed Legal Defense Fund, O'Mara said Monday.

Of the original $204,000, $150,000 has been transferred to the Legal Defense Fund, $30,000 was used by Zimmerman to transition from his life in Sanford to one in hiding at an undisclosed location, and $20,000 was kept liquid to provide for several months of living expenses.

Since the creation of the Legal Defense Fund on May 3, Zimmerman has received over $37,000 in donations, according to O'Mara.

None of the money has been used to pay for legal expenses.

SOURCE LINK: http://gzlegalcase.com