George Zimmerman, who was charged with Trayvon Martin’s death, has now decided to sue Martin’s family, proving that he is truly the most despicable Florida man.
Although a jury acquitted Zimmerman of all homicidal charges in 2013, he now seeks a sum of $100 million in civil damages, defamation, and conspiracy, according to an original report by the Miami Herald on Wednesday. According to court papers, everyone involved in charging Martin’s case is now responsible for damages to Zimmerman’s Floridian reputation: prosecutors, lawyers, and family members are all listed as defendants in his suit. Namely, Martin’s mother, Sabrina Fulton, is listed as lead defendant.
The lawsuit also specifically sites the publishers of “Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People” for wrongful defamation of Zimmerman’s character. Written by Benjamin Crump, who was one of Martin’s attorneys, the October-released book details Martin’s case as part of systematic racism in the U.S.
Zimmerman’s lawsuit rests on “newly discovered” evidence from another entertainment outlet: A documentary titled The Trayvon Martin Hoax, which alleges that the Martin family engineered a fake witness during Zimmerman’s trial. The director of the documentary plans to address these claims in a press conference scheduled for Thursday. But case defendants (and almost everyone on Twitter), don’t really believe Zimmerman has any footing with this lawsuit.
“I have every confidence that this unfounded and reckless lawsuit will be revealed for what it is – another failed attempt to defend the indefensible and a shameless attempt to profit off the lives and grief of others,” Crump said in a statement on Wednesday in conjunction with Martin’s family.
Zimmerman was arrested and charged for shooting an unarmed 17-year-old Martin, who was visiting his father, Tracy Martin, in a gated community in 2012. Martin was found dead shortly after Zimmerman called police that night to report him as a suspicious person. Ultimately, jurors acquitted Zimmerman of all charges on the basis of self defense. Since then, the his business ventures have included tweeting about race, attempting to sell the weapon that caused Martin’s death online, and suing the grieving family who lost their teenage son.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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