Photo: The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

FILE - In this Oct. 19, 2012 file photo, George Zimmerman watches during his hearing at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford, Fla. Zimmerman sued NBC on Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, claiming he was defamed when the network edited his 911 call to police after the shooting of Trayvon Martin to make it sound like he was racist. (AP Photo/Orlando Sentinel, Stephen M. Dowell, Pool, File)

George Zimmerman sued NBC on Thursday, claiming he was defamed when the network edited his emergency services call to police after the shooting of Trayvon Martin to make it sound like he was racist.

The former neighbourhood watch volunteer filed the lawsuit seeking an undisclosed amount of money in Seminole County, outside Orlando. Also named in the complaint were three reporters covering the story for NBC or an NBC-owned television station.

The complaint said the airing of the edited call has inflicted emotional distress on Zimmerman, making him fear for his life and causing him to suffer nausea, insomnia and anxiety.

The lawsuit claims NBC edited his phone call to a dispatcher in February. In the call, Zimmerman describes following Martin in the gated community where he lived, just moments before he fatally shot the 17-year-old teen during a confrontation.

"NBC saw the death of Trayvon Martin not as a tragedy but as an opportunity to increase ratings, and so set about to create a myth that George Zimmerman was a racist and predatory villain," the lawsuit claims.

NBC spokeswoman Kathy Kelly-Brown said the network strongly disagreed with the accusations made in the complaint.

"There was no intent to portray Mr. Zimmerman unfairly," she said. "We intend to vigorously defend our position in court."

Three employees of the network or its Miami affiliate lost their jobs because of the changes.

Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder but has pleaded not guilty, claiming self-defence under Florida's "stand your ground law."