Zimmerman lawyers leave Fla. shooting case

SANFORD, Fla. -- Two attorneys for the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot Trayvon Martin, 17, to death said yesterday they have withdrawn as his counsel because they haven't heard from him in days and he is taking actions without consulting them.

Attorneys Craig Sonner and Hal Uhrig said at a news conference they haven't heard from George Zimmerman since Sunday. They said that, against their advice, Zimmerman contacted the special prosecutor who will decide if he should face charges. A spokeswoman for Angela Corey's office didn't immediately respond to an email and two phone calls.

Zimmerman says he shot Martin in self-defense after following him in a gated community Feb. 26. He said he was returning to his truck when the teen attacked him. He shot the unarmed black teen to death.

Sonner said the legal team had talked to Zimmerman almost every day the last couple of months.

"As of the last couple days he has not returned phone calls, text messages or emails," Sonner said. "He's gone on his own. I'm not sure what he's doing or who he's talking to."

The lack of an arrest has led to protests across the nation and spurred a debate about race and the laws of self-defense. Zimmerman's father is white, his mother Hispanic.

Sonner, the first attorney Zimmerman contacted, said he agreed to take the case on a pro bono basis, but he has never talked to Zimmerman face-to-face. He said the 28-year-old has gone into hiding but he believes he's still in the United States.

Both attorneys said they'd be willing to represent him again if he asks.