George Zimmerman to Get His Gun Back
Zimmerman's lawyer suggests he will be filing his own lawsuits.
SANFORD, Fla. July 14, 2013— -- George Zimmerman will get his gun back now that he has been cleared of murder and his lawyer said today that Zimmerman needs the weapon "even more" than before.
Zimmerman's lawyer Mark O'Mara also practically dared the family of Trayvon Martin to file a widely expected civil suit against him, but said that Zimmerman might be filing lawsuits of his own.
O'Mara, in an exclusive interview with ABC News, suggested that Zimmerman has no regrets about carrying a gun on Feb. 26, 2012, the night he killed Martin, a teenager.
Watch ABC News' Exclusive Interview With George Zimmerman's Lawyer on World News Tonight at 6:30 PM
Prosecutors in their closing argument had said that Zimmerman getting out of his car with a loaded gun to follow the teenager led to Martin's shooting. He was acquitted Saturday night of murder in Martin's death in a case that has sparked widespread outrage among supporters of the Martin family.
The lawyer said Zimmerman, 29, will be entitled to get his Kel Tec 9 pistol back.
"Yes, he does," O'Mara said. "The concealed weapons permit is another matter because that's a decision by another state agency and they will make that decision."
The George Zimmerman Case in Pictures
He said that Zimmerman intends to rearm himself. When asked if he would carry a gun, O'Mara said, 'Yes. [There's] even more reason now, isn't there? There are a lot of people out there who actually hate him, though they shouldn't."
The former neighborhood watch captain wears a protective vest when he goes out in public, although he didn't wear it to court, O'Mara said.
Zimmerman does not believe that having a gun caused Martin's death, his lawyer said.
"I think that he feels truly in his heart that if he did not have that weapon that night he might not be here.... [He] would have continued to get beat even though he was screaming for help."
Zimmerman is expected to have other court battles, some that he might initiate.
"I think there are going to be a number of civil suits. I would be very surprised if any of those civil suits are filed against George Zimmerman and we welcome them," O'Mara said.
He indicated that Zimmerman may file suits against others, however.
"There are a number of events that happened during this case and the way certain people handled it that we may need to hold responsible. We'll see," O'Mara said.
Zimmerman's lawyer suggested that his client might want to move to another part of the country.
"If I was him I would go somewhere else," O'Mara said.
He said Zimmerman will be unable to find a job.
"I don't think he can work. I don't think anyone can hire him... George is a pariah," his lawyer said.