Claiming George Zimmerman and his lawyer owe $27,000 for security services, a company they hired last summer is suing them in Florida state court.
It’s the latest in a case that has captured the nation’s attention and spawned civil suits in addition to the charges against Zimmerman for second-degree murder in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. He is awaiting trial in June in Seminole County, Fla., where he is in hiding but still being tracked on GPS by the state.
Constant Security
In a complaint filed Dec. 21, Associated Investigative Services (AIS) says Zimmerman, his wife, and defense attorney Mark O’Mara hired the company in late June to protect the family as Zimmerman was being released from jail, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
Zimmerman has reportedly been targeted with death threats, and the New Black Panther Party has offered $10,000 for his capture.
AIS said it provided a security detail for Zimmerman’s second bond hearing on June 29, after which the arrangement evolved into “nearly constant” watch on Zimmerman’s family and included escorting his father to the airport and personally guarding other members of his family, says the Sentinel.
Independent Trustee Managing Money
But after Zimmerman got in trouble with the former judge in his case for being untruthful about his financial situation, O’Mara brought in an independent trustee to manage the money generated by Zimmerman’s fundraising efforts, according to CNN.
AIS was then kicked to the curb, the company alleges, leaving an unpaid balance of $27,000, says the Sentinel. The reason, alleges AIS, is that the defense was “clamping down” on the “very low” defense fund. A new security team charges only $700 per week, where as AIS was charging $7,000 per week.
O’Mara told the Sentinel that he and the Zimmermans were surprised by the suit, as they’d already paid AIS over $40,000.
A spokesperson for O’Mara confirms with Lawyers.com that that was the case and says O’Mara will have more to say about the new case next week.
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