Mark O'Mara, the attorney who defended George Zimmerman to a not-guilty verdict, is now representing Terry Freeman, the Deltona firefighter charged with raping at least 7 women.
A representative with O'Mara's law firm confirmed Wednesday that he is representing Freeman, who's been accused of rape by at least 13 women, according to the Volusia County Sheriff's Office.
As of Wednesday, Freeman has been formally charged in seven of the cases. Detectives said they are working to verify that they can prosecute the others, along with any future cases.
Freeman made a first appearance Wednesday in front of a judge at the Volusia County Branch Jail for his latest charge. When the judge asked if he had an attorney, Freeman responded, "I have hired an attorney: Mark O'Mara."
"We take the charges very seriously, and we will conduct his defense with respect for all parties involved," O'Mara's office said in a statement confirming his hiring. "I would only ask that we avoid a rush to judgment and wait until all facts are known."
Deputies said more women have come forward accusing Freeman of rape after seeing reports of his arrest and increasing charges on the news.
Freeman, 32, has been locked up without bond since Dec. 31. The Deltona Fire Department has placed him on administrative leave, a standard practice for first responders and law enforcement involved in a criminal case.
O'Mara was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1982. He represented George Zimmerman during his second-degree murder trial in 2013 for the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Sanford. Zimmerman was acquitted in July.