George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of killing Trayvon Martin in 2012, has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the teen’s family and attorney, Ben Crump.
According to the lawsuit, the only reason Zimmerman was tried for Martin’s death was because of the testimony of a fake witness. It claims that Crump, the attorney who represented the Martin family, coached Rachel Jeantel, a friend of Martin’s, to testify that she was his girlfriend and that she was on the phone just before he was fatally shot. The suit states that this was not true.
“Defendant Jeantel lied repeatedly about having a relationship with Trayvon, about being on the phone with Trayvon in the days and minutes up to his death, and lied about everything she claimed to have heard over the phone in the hours and minutes prior to Trayvon’s death,” the lawyers reportedly said in the suit. “Defendant Jeantel also lied about her identity, falsely claiming her nickname to be ‘Diamond Eugene.’ ”
Zimmerman’s lawyers also allege that Crump defamed Zimmerman in his book, Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People. They claim that the title of the book, “-creates the false implication that Plaintiff Zimmerman participated and participates in the genocide of colored people.”
The lawsuit additionally alleges that Zimmerman suffered from, “-great mental anguish, resulting in Zimmerman requiring professional treatment by psychologists for anxiety, depression, insomnia, and weight gain. Zimmerman was formally diagnosed with depression as well as PTSD and PTSS which he suffers from and remains in treatment for to this day.”
Zimmerman was a neighborhood watchman in Sanford, Fla when he fatally shot Martin on Feb. 26, 2012. He has maintained that he shot Martin in self-defense. Martin’s death sparked many protests around the country about police treatment of black people.
“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. “This plaintiff continues to display a callous disregard for everyone but himself, revictimizing individuals whose lives were shattered by his own misguided actions. He would have us believe that he is the innocent victim of a deep conspiracy, despite the complete lack of any credible evidence to support his outlandish claims.”
For information about personal injury claims, visit Cohen & Cohen.
