George Zimmerman needs money to pay for his legal defense and wants to delay his trial because he says prosecutors have been slow to turn over evidence. Attorneys for the ex-neighborhood watch volunteer charged with shooting Trayvon Martin to death on Wednesday asked for more time to prepare his case. At the same time, his lead attorney, Mark O’Mara, renewed his request for donations to Zimmerman’s legal defense, which he said could cost up to $1 million. “The state has virtually unlimited resources to prosecute George,” he said, whereas George “relies on the generosity of individuals who believe he is innocent.” Spokesman Shawn Vincent said attorneys want his second-degree murder trial to be moved from June to November. Zimmerman pleaded not guilty . A hearing in which Zimmerman will argue he was acting in self-defense is scheduled for April. The judge has said that hearing will be at least 45 days before the trial. O’Mara said prosecutors had been slow to turn over evidence. As an example, he said someone from State Attorney’s Office had removed Martin’s cell phone from an evidence locker to have it sent to California for analysis. He is upset, however, that the state has refused to give him any information about the agency and the type of tests being run on the deceased’s phone. He also said prosecutors are stonewalling his questions for a chief investigative agent and hved refused to forward them other information on Martin and a witness. O’Mara also asked the public to donate more money for his defense, saying on the web site that Zimmerman’s defense fund has raised more than $314,000. Of that amount, $95,000 was spent on bail, almost $62,000 was spent on Zimmerman’s living expenses during the past eight months and $56,100 on security. The living expenses were the result of Zimmerman having to stay at extended-stay hotels; bail conditions were changed to restrict him to Seminole County, Fla.
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George Zimmerman Seeks Delay of Trial, is Broke
