It must be noted that, when attempting to interpret George's actions regarding the funds, that he did disclose the existence of the funds five days after the bond hearing, during his first conversation with the defense about the fund. When the defense team learned of the funds, we disclosed this to the court and to the State Attorney's Office, and the money was transferred to the Legal Defense Fund which is now independently managed.
Ah, so apparently the scumbag prosecutors WERE TOLD ABOUT THE AMOUNT apparently as SOON as George Zimmerman found out and told his attorney.
This whole persecution of a man exercising his second amendment rights is a friggin' JOKE.
If Zim had guessed WRONG about the amount of money in the fund at the bond hearing, he would've been attacked by the clowns persecuting him, too.
The Obama/Sharpton Lynch mob is trying to ruin this guy's life.
The lynch mob AND THE JUDGE caused this little problem. It’s not like the website was “private”.
Since the donations were to a legal defense fund, wouldn’t it have been wrong to use them to post bail?
One would think after the example of Mr.Zimmerman’s
return and cooperation that the bond could be reduced.
It will get interesting once the judge gets into the accusation that Zim turned in the Passport that he claimed to have lost, while continuing to posess his active passport - (or so it’s been reported).
Orville Redenbacher is a tasty choice!
~”The Obama/Sharpton Lynch mob is trying to ruin this guy’s life.”~
http://www.change.org/petitions/msnbc-fire-al-sharpton
Zimmerman Lawyer’s Press Interview About Client’s Jail Return.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pF0Z8Pd4NAs&feature=colike
That and the private security they certainly must have had to hire is going to eat up $200k in no time without even considering legal fees.
I think Zimmerman’s probably getting railroading with the charges against him, but I think what you highlighted is simply that Zimmerman told his attorney about the fund five days after the bail hearing—and the attorney immediately told the court about it.
Zimmerman, if I understand correctly, is the one who set up the site that took in the donations, so he knew about it all along and that is why he’s in trouble about it now.
I would have thought the money contributed to his defense fund was strictly for legal fees (i.e. his defense). It wasn’t his money to spend as he saw fit. Wouldn’t it seem an improper breach of faith with contributors to use this money to secure his release from custody? Might that be why he didn’t mention it as an asset?
Florida Statutes
CHAPTER 496
SOLICITATION OF FUNDS
496.413 Contributions solicited for or accepted on behalf of a named individual.—
(1) Contributions solicited for, or accepted by or on behalf of, a named individual must be deposited in a trust account opened by a trustee named in a properly established trust document or must be deposited in a depository established in accordance with s. 69.031. The circuit court has jurisdiction over the contributed funds placed in such depository accounts.
(2) Disbursements of contributions may be properly made from a trust account only upon written verification from the trustee that the disbursement is in furtherance of the purpose for which the funds were solicited, with documentation reflecting the identity of the proposed payee and the justification for the proposed payment. Disbursements of contributed funds from a depository account may be made only as allowed by the court. When a trust account is to be closed and a balance remains in that account in excess of the amount needed for the benefit of the named individual, such excess funds may be transferred to another trust account for the benefit of another named individual who is in the same or similar circumstances.
(3) Any person or organization that violates the provisions of subsection (1) or subsection (2) is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084. History.—ss. 12, 26, ch. 91-208; ss. 15, 19, ch. 94-287.
IMO the bond should be reassessed based on his amended financial situation and when paid, he should be rereleased.
however If there are any lawyers out there who have seen this situation in theiur line of work I would like to hear what is typically done in this situation.
The FBI knew everything about Zimmerman at the time of the last hearing. There was nothing new. This whole re-arrest was simply timed to cause a distraction from the bad jobs numbers, the European situation and the Wisconsin recall. The Obama administration needed something for people to talk about over the week-end.
Don’t you kind of get the idea that prosecution is going to “nickle and dime” the judge unto death with stuff?
Seriously. Shelly Zimmerman was asked about this under oath. She said she did not know the exact amount but Robert Zimmerman Jr. did as he had control of the money. Why didn’t they just ask him? Everyone else knew about the website and paypal account. Crump was all snarky about it. IIRC his original 2 attorneys knew about it.
Read Kafka, baby!
If they can’t convict him on the 2nd degree and a crime against the society, they’ll find a way to nail Zim on a crime against the Holy System.
The System must be protected!