George Zimmerman has filed a lawsuit against the family of Trayvon Martin on Wednesday, in addition to prosecutors and others related to the case, for $100 million.
A copy of the lawsuit obtained by Miami Herald alleges the defendants “have worked in concert to deprive Zimmerman of his constitutional and other legal rights,” citing defamation, abuse of civil process, and conspiracy.
The lawsuit accuses the Martin family of pushing a false narrative of Zimmerman using untruthful witness testimonies, alleges that the prosecutors brought false and malicious charges, and that Harper Collins – the publisher of “Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People” also pushed false evidence.
Zimmerman was acquitted in 2013 of killing Martin in 2012, who he claimed he shot in self-defense after he was attacked.
Zimmerman was a neighborhood watch volunteer and had reported Martin’s presence in a gated community as suspicious. Prosecutors had argued the killing was not justifiable, and that Zimmerman had stalked and killed the teenager who was returning home.
The lawsuit claims Zimmerman has experienced “great mental anguish” since the trial, citing numerous mental health issues and treatment.
Specifically, the case alleges that the Martin family coached Rachel Jeantel, a “fake witness,” before her testimony, in which she alleged that she was Martin’s girlfriend, “Diamond Eugene,” and had been on the phone with him prior to his death.
Zimmerman’s lawsuit, however, maintains that account is untrue, and that “Diamond Eugene” is a different person – a Miami resident who refused to testify in the case.
The case is filed in Polk County. Zimmerman’s attorney is Larry Klayman, a prominent conservative figure and founder of Judicial Watch.
“It was a complete travesty of justice which destroyed my client’s life,” Klayman told the Sun-Sentinel. “People are destroyed and smeared and they have to start fighting back.”
Benjamin Crump, defense attorney for the Martin family, told The Sun-Sentinel, “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. This tale defies all logic, and it’s time to close the door on these baseless imaginings,” Crump added.
