To establish that he is opposing counsel, which is a point of consideration in the issue of whether or not he may be forced to testify in the criminal case. O'Mara has appealed Nelson's order precluding him (O'Mara) from deposing Crump, and Crump thought it would be beneficial to have something on the record that tends to establish he is opposing a "not guilty" outcome in the criminal case.
From a legal point of view, I think it was a stupid move on Crump's part. Any court would accept that he is opposing counsel of a sort, just based on his statement of intention to sue Zimmerman.
From a PR point of view, well, read what people are saying about the case and about O'Mara, based on the filing. If nothing else, Crump has succeeded in creating a dense smoke screen.
Representatives of The Retreat at Twin Lakes subdivision at one point in the negotiations offered the Martin family a $1 million settlement, Shawn Vincent, a spokesman for Zimmerman’s defense team, told Reuters.
The Sentinel reported on Friday that the settlement amount was crossed out of paperwork filed at the Seminole County Courthouse. Later in the day, the document appeared to have been withdrawn from public view.
Although a cover page indicated copies of the settlement were given to Zimmerman’s lawyer and the judge presiding over the criminal trial, Vincent told Reuters that the defense team did not receive its copy.
http://news.yahoo.com/trayvon-martins-family-settles-wrongful-death-claim-report-232428707.html
Crump giveth and Crump taketh away —
That's O'Mara's fault for opening his big mouth up about HOA case and say anything about it to the media.
To me it would have been wise for Liberty Mutual/HOA to have O'Mara on retainer to advise periodically about the status of the criminal case -- but that's all.
Any advice on settlement would and should have been out of bounds, and any statements regarding the HOA case and any inside information to the media should have been out of bounds as well.
Once again his big mouth has him in trouble.