Zimmerman's interview with Hannity was part of a plan to raise more defense funds because decreasing support from his wacky "fans" has resulted in a "depleted legal defense fund." Mark O'Mara, Zimmerman's ever so ethical attorney, "told Channel 9 the Hannity interview was part of a tactic to get Zimmerman supporters to donate more money, but overnight, Zimmerman only raised an additional $1,000 to $2,000." Are the days of raising $20,000 overnight gone for poor Georgie?
Maybe Zimmerman's "fans" don’t appreciate the fact that he "spent $36K in 18 days on phones, Internet, credit cards and bills" while he was in jail for things like: $6,500 on Internet and phone bills, new cell phones for $300 each and paid a year-long Verizon contract in full, installed a telephone landline for $2,500, spent $1,300 on a two-year AT&T wi-fi contract, paid off at least $7,000 in credit card bills, used $4,378 on automotive expenses, making payments on two car loans while renting another for more than $1,500, and $800 on gas. These expenditures were part of the new evidence released recently.
Zimmerman tried but failed to get Barbara Walters to interview him. Walters noted that Zimmerman "seemed desperate for money" as she rejected his "demands" for a "month's stay in a hotel."
Walters also stated that "his lawyers 'wanted him to do the interview.'" In fact, O'Mara apparently views such interviews as a money-making venture. O'Mara admits that Zimmerman demanded ABC provide "shelter and security for his wife for a month." So, is this the new fundraising gimmick: Zimmerman will do interview if media provides the in-kind donations to replace the $$$$ not coming now from his "fans?" All media must pay for Georgie's interviews in some way: Hannity paid by providing "fair" coverage of Zimmerman killing Trayvon, and "telling everyone to not rush to judgment."
Zimmerman has relaunched his former website, "theRealGeorgeZimmerman.com, seeking to connect with supporters and raise more funds." At the website, Zimmerman whines that his funds have been "devastated by the need to pay $100,000 to a bondsman" so he could get out of jail before his trial on murder charges happens next year. Things are not going well for Georgie:
The skyrocketing legal costs have gone unpaid. The defense fund is at its lowest point since its inception; in fact, with outstanding expenses yet unpaid, the fund is near depletion.”
Georgie even provides a video to thank his supporters, proclaiming:
“This is our website. It’s not my website. This is our website where you can personally communicate with me,” he said in the video.
O'Mara at least has the sense to realize that at least the timing of the Hannity interview was not good. This is what
other lawyers say:
Jeff Deen, legal analyst for WESH-Channel 2, said it was “a weird time” to have an interview that didn’t seem necessary. Doing the interview to try to raise funds for Zimmerman was “a terrible reason to do it” and compromised the case, Deen added.
WOFL legal analyst Aramis Ayala saw the interview as a gift to the prosecution. “They do have a gift with a red bow on top of it to address his credibility,” she said.
WFTV-Channel 9’s Bill Sheaffer predicted that prosecutors will be prepared to cross examine Zimmerman about statements in the interview. Sheaffer added that Zimmerman’s lack of regret may hurt the shooter the most. “One may conclude from those statements that there is no remorse on the part of Mr. Zimmerman,” Sheaffer said.
On CNN, Sunny Hostin said the interview was very unusual for someone facing second-degree murder. “There’s a lot of objective evidence that, quite frankly, contradicts a lot of the things he said to the police,” she said. ‘I never think it’s a good idea for a defendant to use a strategy giving media interviews. It’s always a bad idea.”
Prosecutors have filed the interview into evidence so that it could be used against Zimmerman at his trial. Many are outraged at his "God's plan" statement, and Zimmerman also provided
gifts of inconsistent statements, such as this exchange:
HANNITY: Is there anything you regret? Do you regret getting out of the car to follow Trayvon that night?
ZIMMERMAN: No, sir.
HANNITY: Do you regret that you had a gun that night?
ZIMMERMAN: No, sir.
HANNITY: Do you feel you wouldn’t be here for this interview if you didn’t have that gun?
ZIMMERMAN: No, sir.
HANNITY: You feel you would not be here?
ZIMMERMAN: I feel it was all God’s plan, and for me to second guess it or judge it --
This can present problems for the SYG defense O'Mara plans to use at trial because Zimmerman is saying that he would be alive today if he did not have his gun that night. Yet, Zimmerman has stated before that he had to kill Trayvon in order to save his own life. Zimmerman also does not regret getting out of his car, something which Sanford Police Detective Serino noted that the "encounter" between Zimmerman and Trayvon was avoidable if only Zimmerman had remained in his car and waited for police to arrive.
Ethically, this just sucks when a lawyer takes risks not to defend his client, but to raise money to pay for Zimmerman's living expenses as well as O'Mara's legal fees:
O'Mara has motives, too, according to Channel 9’s Daralene Jones. He is no longer doing the case pro-bono. O’Mara said on Thursday that he may ask the court to declare Zimmerman indigent if they can't raise more money.
Maybe people are finally waking up to the BS peddled by Georgie and his lawyer.
Update: Zimmerman may be making more public statements at his website that are not screened first by his attorneys:
He launched his own Internet site Wednesday night, saying his lawyer’s web page had failed in three key missions: disputing information, fund-raising and providing a voice for him.
… A flurry of bizarre turns the past two days suggest Zimmerman has begun to break away from the advice of his lawyer and take matters into his own hands. Legal experts say it’s a risky move for him to go so public, when he still faces the prospect of life in prison. Some question his attorney’s judgment in allowing him to continue that behavior.
“The client always calls the shots,” his lawyer, Mark O’Mara said Thursday. “If you’re on the streets or about to be hungry and worried for the wife you love, maybe you have to make decisions along the way.’’