A neighbourhood watch volunteer who shot dead an unarmed black teenager is suing the dead boy's family.

George Zimmerman killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida in February 2012 and was subsequently trialled and acquitted of homocide charges the following year.

Trayvon, who lived in Miami, was shot as he walked back to the house of his father's fiancée in a gated community in Salford.

He was carrying a soft drink and sweets he had bought at a local convenience store when Zimmerman called police saying Trayvon, who was wearing a hoodie, looked "suspicious".

Zimmerman said the pair ended up in a fight and he shot the teenager in self defence.

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The 36-year-old is now suing Travyon's family and Florida prosecutors for $100million claiming they used false evidence against him during his trial.

The lawsuit filed on Wednesday in Polk County Circuit Court is seeking civil damages for defamation, abuse of civil process and conspiracy.

Zimmerman is claiming the prosecution's key witness Rachel Jeantel is an imposter who was coached by the family and their lawyers.

The lawsuit names Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon's mum, as the lead defendant and Ben Crump, the family's lawyer, as the second.

Zimmermam accuses Mr Crump of defamation and attempting to "deprive him of his constitutional and other legal rights".

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He is also suing publisher Harper Collins claiming he defamed in Mr Crump's book, Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People'.

Zimmerman claims that the Sanford Police Department thoroughly investigated and closed the case as self-defence the following month. 

The lawsuit says the investigation was reopened after Mr Crump came forward with a recording of 'Diamond Eugene', who he said was Travyon's 16-year-old girlfriend who was on the phone with him minutes before he was shot dead.

It continues that two days after 18-year-old Rachael, Diamond's half sister, provided false statements to incriminate Zimmerman "based on coaching from others".

Zimmerman claims Travyon's phone records prove he was not on the phone to Diamond and that she "lied repeatedly".

The lawsuit also claims that Diamond was Travyon's real girlfriend and was not on the phone to him but she asked Rachael to pretend to be her so that she didn't have to testify.  

Zimmerman is being represented by high-profile conservative legal crusader Larry Klayman.

Mr Klayman says that several defendants named in the lawsuit knew about the switch and that "the fraud was perpetuated on the court'.

He said: "It was a complete travesty of justice which destroyed my client's life.

"People are destroyed and smeared and they have to start fighting back."

Klayman said the claims in the new lawsuit are based on evidence from a book and documentary called The Trayvon Hoax: Unmasking the Witness Fraud that Divided America by film director Joel Gilbert.

The film was scheduled to debut at a cinema on Thursday but following a press conference about the lawsuit the movie theatre cancelled it.

Klayman is looking for a new picture house to screen the documentary.

Mr Crump issued a statement on behalf of himself and Trayvon's grieving family.

He said: "This plaintiff continues to display a callous disregard for everyone but himself, revictimising individuals whose lives were shattered by his own misguided actions.

"He would have us believe that he is the innocent victim of a deep conspiracy, despite the complete lack of any credible evidence to support his outlandish claims.

"This tale defies all logic, and it's time to close the door on these baseless imaginings."

Travyon's tragic death shook the US and launched the Black Lives Matter Movement after Zimmerman was acquitted in court.

The then president Barack Obama said: "If I had a son, he'd look like Trayvon."

Sybrina Fulton is a US advocate for social justice and reducing gun violence and she is currently for a seat on the Miami-Dade County Commission.

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