George Zimmerman fund-raising appeal for $1 million bond

Zimmerman, who formerly lived in Sanford, had not yet been released from jail and his arrangements after his release were unclear.

The vitriol that was directed at Zimmerman after Martin's death during a Feb. 26 confrontation in a Seminole County gated community has died down, but the intense media scrutiny of the case also will keep the spotlight on Zimmerman once he is released, with local media following him everywhere he goes.

The 44 days between the shooting and Zimmerman's arrest inspired nationwide protests, led to the departure of the Sanford, Fla. police chief and prompted a U.S. Justice Department probe.

Martin's parents and supporters claim that the unarmed teenager was targeted because he was black and that Zimmerman started the confrontation that led to the shooting. Zimmerman's father is white and his mother is Hispanic.

Prosecutors said a website Zimmerman created for his legal defense had raised $135,000 at the time of his first bond hearing. Zimmerman and his wife did not mention the money then, and Shellie Zimmerman even said the couple had limited resources because she was a student and he wasn't working.

Prosecutors argued Zimmerman and his wife talked in code during recorded jailhouse conversations about how to transfer the donations to different bank accounts. For example, George Zimmerman at one point asked how much money they had. She replied "$155." Prosecutors allege that was code for $155,000. Their reference to "Peter Pan" was code for the PayPal system through which the donations were made, prosecutors said.

Shellie Zimmerman faces arraignment at the end of the month on a perjury charge; she was freed on bond.

During a second bond hearing last week, O'Mara sparred with prosecutors over those finances and questioned why his client is in jail at all, arguing that Martin's actions led to his death. O'Mara said that his client was confused, fearful and experienced a moment of weakness when he and his wife misled the court.

The judge didn't buy it and chided Zimmerman for even misleading his attorney. O'Mara has said he didn't know how much money had been raised by the website at the time of the April hearing.

"The defendant has tried to manipulate the system when he has been presented the opportunity to do so," Lester said.

Zimmerman has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and claims the shooting was self-defense under the state's "stand your ground" law.

The law allows individuals to use deadly force provided they are doing nothing illegal and relieves them of a duty to retreat if they believe their lives are in jeopardy. The law allows defendants to make their self-defense case at a hearing presided over by a judge and without the use of a jury. If the judge deems self-defense was justified, the case can be dismissed without going to trial.

RECOMMENDED: How 5 young black men view this case

Copyright 2012 The Associated Press.

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