Mark O'Mara Explains Why the Family Rescued by George Zimmerman Inexplicably Canceled Its Press Conference

The family that George Zimmerman helped save from a car wreck last week backed out of a news conference to thank him publicly because they feared "blowback" from the mere association with him, Zimmerman's attorney said.

Dana and Mark Gerstle, shown with their two kids, canceled a news conference to thank George Zimmerman for helping save them because they feared "blowback." (Photo: Facebook via the Daily Mail)

Mark and Dana Gerstle had planned to speak out Wednesday about how Zimmerman helped rescue them and their two children after their SUV flipped off the road last week, just days after a jury acquitted Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

"In any way connecting yourself with George Zimmerman is right now very toxic, so though they wanted to thank him publicly, they could not for the possibility of blowback against them," defense attorney Mark O'Mara told CNN.

O'Mara said Zimmerman was leaving the scene after helping the family with another bystander when law enforcement arrived and recognized him. Despite police reports documenting Zimmerman's presence, theories have sprung up that the accident was somehow staged to rehabilitate Zimmerman's image.

"The same people who refuse to accept the jury's verdict, just want to be angry, just want to hate George Zimmerman, are still going to," O'Mara said. "Even if we had a videotape of the accident, they would still say it was made up. So you can't really respond to people who just don't want to listen to the truth."

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