Watch out Twitter and Facebook: George Zimmerman's legal team is here to connect with you.
In a highly unconventional move for a murder case, Zimmerman's defense attorney Mark O'Mara has launched a social media presence for his client. O'Mara justifies the decision by writing on GZLegalCase.com that "in this day and age social media cannot be ignored."
[More from Mashable: George Zimmerman’s Website Closes After He Raises $204,000]
The defense attorney says the social channels are a place to establish a credible source of information about the case, provide a communication channel with the law firm and give a voice to George Zimmerman. It's not intended to be a fundraising channel, unlike the previous website Zimmerman launched.
"[Social Media] is now a critical part of presidential politics, it has been part of revolutions in the Middle East, and it is going to be an unavoidable part of high-profile legal cases, just as traditional media has been and continues to be," O'Mara writes.
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"We feel it would be irresponsible to ignore the robust online conversation, and we feel equally as strong about establishing a professional, responsible, and ethical approach to new media." Mark O'Mara Law of the George Zimmerman Legal Defense Fund refused Mashable's request for comment.
The February shooting of Florida teen Trayvon Martin has had a strong social media angle from the get-go. An online petition calling for Zimmerman's prosecution, launched by Martin's parents, propelled the case into the national conversation. The campaign became the fastest-growing Change.org petition of all time.
Twitter users adopted hooded avatars and used #hoodie related hashtags in solidarity with Martin. Prominent figures -- from the NBA to U.S. Congress -- protested by dressing in hoodies, a garment that's become iconic of the teen's controversial killing.
After launching his fundraising site (which is now shuttered), Zimmerman raised more than $200,000 through PayPal donations.
Is social media the future of legal cases -- or a risky move for Zimmerman's attorney? Let us know in the comments.
This story originally published on Mashable here.
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