George Zimmerman, the Neighborhood Watch volunteer who killed Trayvon Martin, plans to ask the state of Florida to cover $200,000 to $300,000 of his legal expenses, his attorney told the Orlando Sentinel Monday evening.
Because Zimmerman was acquitted, state law requires Florida to pay all his legal costs, minus the biggest one: the fee that goes to his lawyers.
via O’Mara: George Zimmerman will ask state to cover $200K-$300K of his legal bills – Orlando Sentinel.
Ready to hear the howling? That is another reason why we should always have ear protection close by. It is hissy-fit season!
Is there a address so we can donate?
Care of his lawyer I presume….
And why shouldn’t the state pay his legal expenses? That wasn’t a criminal case, it was legislative harassment. The people responsible deserve to be punished.
God bless George Zimmerman but as a proud Tea Party American I sure don’t want my tax payer money paying off the legal bills of those who are found innocent in the State of Florida. If the State pays off Zimmerman what is there to prevent every Tom, Dick and Harry from asking for the exact same thing. And what about the guy who sits in jail for 20 years and then DNA clears him? How much does HE get from our pockets?
I thought this was a Tea Party blog made up of true conservatives? What, you all go weak when it’s one of our own?
Um, dude. It’s Florida law and it’s Florida state funds. They have a fund set up just for this.
And, yeah, when people are found to have been wrongfully convicted, they end up with massive settlements. As they should.
+1, This president is to keep the .gov from harassing law abiding citizens by engaging in frivolous lawsuits and trumped-up charges.
We’ve had a few people harassed by Massachusetts may-issue gun laws. The people challenged the police denial so they can keep their guns. They win, and generally are out tens of thousands, for a crime that was never committed, and an offence that should have never happened.
Laws like this keep the state from leveling charges like were done against Zimmerman, where they had no case, but there was a political desire to have him charged.
Oh, and Zimmerman isn’t a Tea Party type. He’s a Democrat who supported Obama.
Obamacare is a law and is “set up,” too, and I’m not for that. Are you? Or are you for smaller government and less spending only when it’s convenient or benefiting you or your politics. You’re not unlike most in the Republican Party today.
The issue isn’t what side of the aisle Zimmerman hails from although it’s just like a damn Lib to reach out to the government for money. What I can’t figure out is why people here are supporting his sucking from the govt. teat. Is everyone here really ready to compromise their principles just so we can laugh at how upset the other side gets? Seriously, grow some, y’all.
Are you for real?
He’s not “sucking from the government teat” — he’s being compensated for expenses he would never have had, if the government hadn’t chosen to prosecute an innocent man.
You’re so over-the-top I suspect you’re a Moby, but in case you aren’t: are YOU in favor of the government being able to permanently impoverish anyone they choose by cooking up a false charge?
You do understand the concept of reparations?
Lets review: Sandford PD does the initial investigation and finds no conflicting testimony or evidence that the shootinng was a Justifiable Self-defense. The first D.A. consulted agrees with the Sandford PD finding. Race Card is played and to soothe the political machinery, a new set of Prosecutors are brought to the case and the DOJ also sticks its nose (even though it finds nothing). Initial prosecutor assigned to the new push resigns from office rather than taking the case to court. Then Angela Corey presents and Affidavit of Cause to a judge that even the most liberal of judicial minds calls it perjury. In the meantime and thanks to the political BS, the media transforms George Zimmerman into a racist monster set out to chase and kill a baby crawling from the 7-11 after buying milk and cookies with his paper route money. GZ’s reputation is forever marred by this media assault and credible threats are seen and heard anywehere he turns.
Then we go to trial and even when the witnesses prosecution and the evidence clearly shows that this trial should have not been brought and it is nothing more than political chicanery, the judge does not have the ovaries to dismiss it. Jury comes back with a not-guilty verdict proving that the prosecution never had a case against Zimmerman.
So he deserves to have his costs paid by the State since it was the State the one that screwed him over. It was an unnecessary prosecution. The only thing I feel the reparations needs is that the part of the money (half) money should come out of the pockets of the idiots that brought it. Still, GZ will never rescue his good name or will ever be 100% safe because of what some political hacks, hungry for fame and glory did to him.
I still don’t think he needs to pay his lawyer’s fees. The defensive team most certainly earned their paychecks, but I agree that GZ would never have even met them had it not been for the political BS behind the kangaroo-court. Therefore….the procecutors (including the judge) should pay the lawyer fees for the defendant.
“The only thing I feel the reparations needs is that the part of the money (half) money should come out of the pockets of the idiots that brought it.”
Good point. Send Al Sharpton a bill.
Part of the intention of this law is to dissuade the state from going ahead with frivolous prosecutions.
If you don’t like your taxes going to pay for the court fees of people exonerated, don’t blame Zimmerman, blame the prosecutors and politicians who appoint them for going to trial with a weak case.
“what is there to prevent every Tom, Dick and Harry from asking for the exact same thing.”
Zimmerman was sued BY THE STATE. Wrongfully.
If I bring a wrongful lawsuit against you and you win, who should pay your legal fees?
The idea that the state can sue anybody and not get slapped down if they lose, just because costs would come out of taxpayer pockets, is not Conservative or Libertarian. The concept of getting away without consequences for your stupidity is as Liberal as it gets, and the idea of a state which can act with impunity is downright Totalitarian.
Now if only it would come out of Angela Corey’s salary instead of directly out of the taxpayers’ pockets.