Florida will be asked to cover Zimmerman's legal expenses

ORLANDO, Fla., Aug. 27 (UPI) -- George Zimmerman will ask the state of Florida to cover his legal costs to win an acquittal in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, his lawyer said.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said he would soon prepare a motion asking Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson to authorize payments for the $200,000 to $300,000 it cost to defend Zimmerman, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

State law requires Florida to pay Zimmerman's legal bills because he was acquitted of second-degree homicide charges by a six-member Seminole County jury in July.

The money will come from the state agency that pays the non-lawyer legal expenses of indigent defendants.

O'Mara said he is in the process of adding up the numbers but estimated the request would total $200,000 to $300,000.

Martin, an unarmed black high school student, was shot to death in Sanford, Fla. Feb. 26, 2012.

Moments before the shooting, neighborhood watch volunteer Zimmerman had called police describing the teen as suspicious.