Attorneys drop Zimmerman as client - admits to never meeting with him

SANFORD, Fla. (April 10, 2012) — The lawyers for George Zimmerman have lost contact with him, and may also have lost control of their client. They also admitted they never met with Zimmerman as he is no longer in Florida.

Defense attorneys Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig said at a news conference outside the Seminole County Courthhouse in Sanford, Fla., that since Zimmerman has not returned phone calls or contacted them by any other means in the last two days, they said that ethically they cannot represent a client who does not keep in contact with them.

Sooner and Uhrig believe that Zimmerman is going it alone, and was surpised to learn that Zimmerman tried to deal directly with Special prosecutor Angela Corey, spoke to Fox's Sean Hanerty, and set up his own Web site.

Zimmerman also updated his Web site Tuesday, at 1:30 p.m. (local time), saying: "I am attempting to respond to each and everyone of my supporters personally. The support has been overwhelming in volume and strength. I thank you all and ask that you permit me the time to respond to each one of you personally. Once again thank you. Sincerely, George Zimmerman."

Zimmerman is choosing who to talk with, but it is not with his attorneys, Uhrig told reporters, adding that until today, all communications with his attorneys have been either by phone or with text messages.

Uhrig said that they have not been able to meet with Zimmerman because he is no longer in Florida. Sonner said he believes that Zimmerman is still in the United States. It is believed that Zimmerman has relatives in Washington state, Sonner said.

Although Uhrig said they do not know where Zimmerman is, he said, "We have a pretty good idea where he (Zimmerman) is," adding that "Zimmerman is not answering the phone."

When asked if charges are filed against Zimmerman, Sonner and Uhrig said they believe Zimmerman will not run and will turn himself in. According to the AllVoices reporter, is seems like Sonner and Uhrig may be using the press conference to reach out to their client, and to get him to call, and that they can no longer represent him until they speak with him.

According to authorities, Zimmerman said he shot and killed Trayvon Martin, 17, allegedly in self-defense on Feb. 26, while performing community patrol duties.

After the Sanford police chief said that they will not be charging Zimmerman, civil rights leaders, including Al Sharpton and the Rev. Jesse Jackson came to Sanford, and created a situation where many of the blacks in the community protested, demanding that Zimmerman be taken into custody. Local newspapers reported higher than normal racial tensions building up in Sanford, Fla.

In addition, the New Black Panther Party put up a $10,000 bounty for the capture of Zimmerman. Authorities and even the family of Trayvon do not want anyone capturing Zimmerman, saying that they want the law to do their job.

Teyvon's family said they did not approve of any bounty on Zimmerman, as the New Black Panther Party set up the bounty without contacting the family first.

The attorneys, working pro-bono until charges, if any, are filed against Zimmerman, said that they were also surpised that Zimmerman's father set up a Web site. The attorneys said they did help Zimmerman's father hook up the Paypal so he gets the money, because George did not show up.

"Him setting up his own web site is fine," Sonner said. "I wish he would have told me.”

Sonner and Uhrig told reporters that they are worried about his safety.

They expressed concerns that Zimmerman is alone, cannot go to the store, and is in hiding as there still is a $10,000 bounty on him. Also, the national attention this case is getting may be affecting him, saying they fear Zimmerman may be suffering from Post Tramatic Syndrome Disorder.

Urhrig, one of Zimmerman's attorneys, and a former prosecutor himself, reiterated that Zimmerman not speak to anyone until they can get a handle on the situation, asking that he give them a call.