George Zimmerman appears before Circuit Court Judge Kenneth R. Lester Jr. on April 20, 2012, during a bond hearing in Sanford, Florida.
Legal fees tend to add up — especially, one would imagine, in a particularly high-profile case. So sometimes, raising cash requires being a bit creative.
George Zimmerman, who faces charges of second degree murder in the Feb. 26 shooting death of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, has devised a new strategy in his on-going quest to raise funds for his defense. After it was revealed that a website established for his defense fund had collected more than $100,000 — contradicting testimony at a bond hearing regarding their finances — the former neighborhood watch volunteer found his bond revoked, and his wife Shellie Zimmerman now faces charges of perjury.
Now, Zimmerman, who is out on a new $1 million bond, and his lawyers have launched a new bid for raising funds, as outlined in an update posted Wednesday on his legal defense fund website.
Currently, the balance of the George Zimmerman Defense Fund is at its lowest, and new funds must be raised to support George’s living expenses and legal costs through the end of the Self Defense Immunity Hearing and/or trial … George will make a statement to his supporters, and he would like to send a NOTE OF THANKS to all donors who do not object to receiving one — we are, of course, maintaining the confidentiality of donors.
In other words, for those who are intererested, it does sound as if Zimmerman might be selling his autograph.
(WATCH: Video Shows George Zimmerman Reenacting Fight with Trayvon Martin)
Other strategic changes will soon be coming too. For example, the defense fund, initially formed by Zimmerman himself, will be getting a new manager, to avoid any perceptions of a conflict of interest with Zimmerman’s legal team, headed by attorney Mark O’Mara:
Although neither Mr. O’Mara nor [co-counsel Don] West have received any payment to date for their services, there has been a persistent concern amongst some Zimmerman supporters that donations meant to support George could be used instead for attorneys fees. This simply is not the case, and it has never been the case, but to underscore the point, management of the fund will be transferred to a new fund manager of Mr. Zimmerman’s choosing.
The 29-year-old is set to return to court on June 10, 2013.
MORE: The Controversial Florida Law at the Heart of the Trayvon Martin Case