Thread: Prosecutor to reveal new information in Trayvon Martin probe

Apr 10, 2012

Prosecutor to reveal new information in Trayvon Martin probe

By Michael Winter, USA TODAY Updated 1h 21m ago

The Florida special prosecutor investigating the killing of Trayvon Martin has announced that she will release new information in the next 72 hours.

Update at 8:16 p.m. ET: The special prosecutor, Florida State Attorney Angela Corey, has alerted the media that she "is preparing to release new information" about her investigation within the next 72 hours. Reporters will be alerted three hours before the news conference, which is to be held in either Sanford or Jacksonville.

Corey's office says in its news release that media access will be limited "because of safety concerns."

Original post and updates: Two attorneys who had been speaking in public for George Zimmerman, the man who claimed he killed Trayvon Martin in self-defense, said at a news conference in Sanford, Fla., that they are withdrawing as his counsel because he has stopped communicating with them and had contacted the special prosecutor today without their knowledge.

Attorneys Hal Uhrig and Craig Sonner said Zimmerman, who has not been charged, had also contacted Fox News' Sean Hannity without their knowledge.

The attorneys said they have not met Zimmerman but had been in daily contact with him until Sunday, when he stopped returning their calls and messages.

Zimmerman called the office of Special Prosecutor Angela Corey, who is investigating the Feb. 26 shooting death of Trayvon. Uhrig said he and Sonner were "a bit astonished" when Corey's office told them Zimmerman had called. Prosecutors declined to speak with him without counsel.

The attorneys said that Zimmerman has gone into hiding and that they do not know where he is. They described him as being "largely alone ... emotionally alone" and under great stress.

The attorneys said they believe the available evidence shows Zimmerman acted in self-defense.

Update at 5:24 p.m. ET: The news conference outside the Seminole County Courthouse has ended.

Before concluding, attorney Hal Uhrig reiterated that he and Craig Sonner could not ethically continue to represent Zimmerman because he had contacted prosecutors without their knowledge and against their advice, but that they were open to resuming as his counsel if he wanted.

George Zimmerman in a recent but undated photo. He claims he killed Trayvon Martin in self-defense Feb. 26 in Sanford, Fla., and has not been charged.
CAPTIONBy Orlando Sentinel via APUpdate at 5:17 p.m. ET: The lawyers say Zimmerman had characterized them as "legal advisers," not his attorneys. "I'm not sure what the distinction is, but in his mind there's a distinction," Uhrig said.

Update at 5:14 p.m. ET: Earlier, the lawyers said Zimmerman had contacted Sean Hannity of Fox News, off the record, and would not tell them what he said.

They said they lost contact with him Sunday and he has stopped returning their calls.

Update at 5:06 p.m. ET: Addressing the question of, "Is George Zimmerman a racist?", Uhrig cites Zimmerman's mixed heritage -- his mother is Peruvian -- and his having friends of other races.

"He's not a member of the Aryan Nation," he says. "He's a neighborhood-watch guy."

Update at 5:04 p.m. ET: Sonner and Uhrig both reiterate that they believe that the evidence shows Zimmerman "was acting in self-defense that night."

Update at 4:55 p.m. ET: Attorney Craig Sonner says he doesn't believe Zimmerman will flee the country. He and Hal Uhrig say they have not met Zimmerman and had communicated him daily by texts, phone calls and e-mail. They say he is in the United States but do not know where he is.

Update at 4:43 p.m. ET: The lawyers said they did not know about the website Zimmerman set up to collect donations to pay his legal bills but that they believe it is legitimate.

Update at 4:52 p.m. ET: Zimmerman called the special prosecutor today.

Update at 4:49 p.m. ET: Zimmerman "not doing well emotionally, probably suffering from post-traumatic stress," and "may have lost a lot of weight," attorney Hal Uhrig says.

Update at 4:45 p.m. ET: Zimmerman, who has been in hiding, reportedly told state prosecutors the lawyers no longer represented him.

Uhrig said he and his co-counsel will no longer represent him until it's clear he wants them as counsel.

Lawyers "had a good working relationship until the past couple of days," when Zimmerman stopped communicating with them and went into hiding, attorney Craig Sonner said.

Update at 4:43 p.m. ET: Zimmerman contacted the special prosecutor without notifying his lawyers, Uhrig says, but prosecutors told them they would not speak with him.

Update at 4:38 p.m. ET: George Zimmerman will not appear at the news conference, which has begun, says Hal Uhrig, one of two lawyers who are speaking.

Original post: An attorney for George Zimmerman has scheduled a press conference this afternoon regarding his client's killing of Trayvon Martin, according to news reports.

CNN reported that Zimmerman may appear and make his first public comments about the Feb. 26 shooting of the 17-year-old Martin in Sanford, Fla.

CNN says the news conference by Hal Uhrig, at the Seminole County courthouse was to begin at 4:30 p.m. ET, while the Orlando Sentinel said in a story posted at 4:14 p.m. that it would occur "in the next hour."

Prosecutor to reveal new information in Trayvon Martin probe

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