Zimmerman Legal Defense Funds Going to Soon to Be Ex-Wife

George Zimmerman's wife filed for divorce Thursday evening, her lawyer confirmed, less than two months after the former Neighborhood Watch volunteer was acquitted of murder in the shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

Shellie Zimmerman, 26, was not available for comment, but her attorney confirmed their marriage was over.

"After much soul searching and recent disappointments, Shellie feels compelled to officially end her six-year marriage to George Michael Zimmerman," said attorney Kelly Sims.[...]

The couple separated Aug. 13, according to her divorce filing, and Shellie Zimmerman wants a judge to award her custody of both dogs, Oso, 2-year-old, 120-pound Rottweiler and Leroy, an 8-year-old mixed breed.

"The marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken," the pleading says.

Shellie Zimmerman is asking for an "equitable distribution" of their assets, property and debts.

She has no income but $12,729 in assets – mostly her 2009 Honda Accord – and $103,756 in debts – mostly school loans, an auto loan and credit card bills.

Since they split, he has given her $4,300 from his legal defense fund, according to the affidavit.

TMZ puts this development into context:

Some people who believed in George Zimmerman may be pissed off to learn ... a chunk of the money he raised for his legal defense is now going to support his soon-to-be ex-wife ... TMZ has learned.[...]

According to the solicitation on PayPal ... the fund is to be used "for George Zimmerman's ongoing living expenses, legal costs, and fees for this matter."

Now it gets a little more complicated.  George Zimmerman's official legal defense website says, "Currently George and Shellie are renting a secure residence at a reasonable rate.  Their day-to-day living expenses are relatively modest as they want to preserve as many funds as possible for an aggressive defense."

But here's the thing.  He won almost 2 months ago, and the site raised more than $300,000.  He may still owe money to his lawyers, but the case is over and it's a little weird the $4,300 a month is going to Shellie individually ... not the legal team.

The Zimmerman Legal Defense fund has been a source of trouble for George and Shellie since it was opened on PayPal.

On April 9, 2012 George Zimmerman launched the website therealgeorgezimmerman.com and within weeks received more than $200,000 in donations to help pay for his mounting legal fees. But during his bond hearing Zimmerman's wife testified that the couple was nearly broke.

Appearing via telephone due to fear for her life, she was asked by her husband's lawyer Mark O'Mara if they add any major financial assets and she said no. She repeated that claim under cross examination.

In a later hearing, prosecutors presented surprise evidence that included at least four jailhouse phone conversations in which George and Shellie Zimmerman were apparently discussing tiny amounts of money, but where allegedly referring to some of the $200,000 into their PayPal account.

At the time of the recordings, Zimmerman had just been recently arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the death of Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old.

The guilty plea came a day after George Zimmerman's attorneys revealed that they want the state of Florida to reimburse up to $300,000 in legal costs for their successful defense in the murder trial.

On his website, “therealgeorgezimmerman.com,” Zimmerman wrote “I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately my entire life.”

The website contained a link to PayPal. Zimmerman wrote that “Any funds provided are used only for living expenses and legal defense, in lieu of my forced inability to maintain employment.”

Shellie Zimmerman was charged with perjury in June 2012 after she lied to the court about the $135,000 accumulated from donors to her husband’s sad cause. At a bond hearing last year, Zimmerman told Judge Kenneth Lester that she and her husband had no money to help with his legal defense.

The couple’s bank accounts showed that $74,000 was transferred from Mr. Zimmerman’s account to his wife’s during the five days before the bond hearing. Another almost $50,000 was transferred to Zimmerman’s sister’s account.

Additionally, recorded jail phone calls reveal that the Zimmermans discussed the money transfers in coded language, in the days before the bond hearing. They also talked about transferring money to Zimmerman’s sister’s account and about removing money from a safety deposit box, according to an affidavit from the state attorney’s office.

Meanwhile Shellie's soon-to-be ex-husband George Zimmerman appears to be heading nowhere fast.

George Zimmerman, who was acquitted of murder charges in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, was stopped for speeding for the second time this summer.

Zimmerman was pulled over Tuesday morning in Lake Mary, Fla., and issued a $256 ticket for going 60 mph in a 45-mph zone. In July, he was pulled over in Dallas for speeding but was issued only a warning and let go. This time, he'll get 3 points on his license, unless he successfully contests the ticket or takes an online driver improvement course.

"George Zimmerman is kind of like the Loch Ness Monster — anytime you get a glimpse of him, it's making international news," said officer Zach Hudson, a spokesman for the Lake Mary Police Department, which issued Zimmerman the ticket.