George Zimmerman's lawyers quit, say they lost track of him

George Zimmerman’s lawyers quit, say they lost track of him

Attorneys Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig say they are still willing to represent Zimmerman if he explains his sudden lack of communication.

In an unexpected turn, George Zimmerman’s attorneys announced they are stepping down from the case, not long after he launched a website asking for donations to pay for his legal fees.

In a press conference held in Sanford, Florida this afternoon, two of Zimmerman’s attorneys said they’ve been unable to contact him for several days and will no longer represent him. According to attorneys Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig, Zimmerman has not responded to texts, calls, or emails from them since Sunday.

“On Sunday, we lost track of George,” Sonner said to reporters.

Sonner and Uhrig said they believe he is safe, but he may be struggling with post-traumatic stress disorder and is not in “complete control of what is going on.” Uhrig would not comment on Zimmerman’s whereabouts but said he believes he is in hiding somewhere in the United States, and later implied that he is no longer in Florida.

“There’s a bounty out there on his head, whether it’s believed to be a real bounty or not, it’s out there,” Uhrig said.

The attorneys also made it clear that they are still willing to represent Zimmerman if he approaches them and reasonably explains his absence as a result of the mounting pressure surrounding the case. Both attorneys proclaimed that they still believe Zimmerman shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in self-defense.

“We hope for the best for George Zimmerman and we hope for the best for the Martin family as well,” Uhrig said.

The attorneys also addressed the website Zimmerman recently launched to solicit donations toward his legal fees and living expenses. According to the lawyers, Zimmerman decided to launch the site without notifying his lawyers, even though his legal team was planning to create a website on his behalf.

Zimmerman as not been charged, but his former legal team said it believes a decision by the special prosecutor assigned to the case is forthcoming.

“We believe most of the information they need to make a decision is now in their possession,” Uhrig said.