After George Zimmerman took the stand during his bond hearing and told Trayvon Martin's parents that he was sorry for the loss of their son, a Florida judge Friday set Zimmerman's bond at $150,000.
The judge set a number of conditions, including GPS monitoring. The judge said Zimmerman wouldn't have the opportunity to be released Friday, because his attorney and state authorities needed to hammer out the monitoring and other logistics.
Friday's bond hearing also included testimony from one of the state's main investigators in the case, with Zimmerman attorney Mark O'Mara challenging the state's assertions. Under questioning, the investigator said the state didn't have evidence to contradict Zimmerman's account that Martin started the fight that led to the shooting, but he did say evidence did call into question other parts of Zimmerman's account.
Zimmerman, 28, was charged on April 11 with second-degree murder in the February death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, after the case sparked a heated, national debate over racial profiling and saw thousands of protesters demand Zimmerman's arrest. Martin's family contends Zimmerman racially profiled their son, who was black, and was walking back from a convenience store in Sanford, Florida.
Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer who is Hispanic, maintains he acted in self-defense. His family says he did not profile Martin. (Timeline of case)
The following is a running account of the bond hearing:
[Updated at 12:14 p.m. ET] The state's attorney in today's bond hearing, reacting to reporters' questions about O'Mara's assault on the prosecution's case, said that not all evidence has been publicly revealed.
"We did not put our entire case on today. Let's leave it at that," he told reporters outside the courthouse.
[Updated at 11:55 a.m. ET] Mark NeJame, an Orlando lawyer and CNN legal analyst, said O'Mara's move to put Zimmerman on the stand during the bond hearing "was a calculated risk to humanize George Zimmerman."
"We've heard a lot of negative things for weeks now, and we've now heard a living breathing person" make an apology, NeJame said.
[Updated at 11:15 a.m. ET] The hearing is over. Zimmerman stood up and shook hands with his attorney, Mark O'Mara, before sitting down again to wait to be taken from the courtroom.
[Updated at 11:10 a.m. ET] The judge has set a bond of $150,000, with conditions.
The conditions include:
- GPS monitoring
- Zimmerman would have to contact authorities every three days
- No contact with the victim's family
- No possession of firearms
- No use of controlled substances, other than those prescribed by a physician.
As for O'Mara's request that Zimmerman be allowed to reside away from Florida, the judge said O'Mara and the state should get together and determine whether that can be accomplished.
Because O'Mara and the state need to meet about the arrangements for monitoring, Zimmerman will not have an opportunity to be freed today. the judge said.
[Updated at 11:07 a.m. ET] The state's attorney is now making a case against leniency when it comes to the bond decision, and has asked for no bond, or a bond of $1 million.
The state's attorney argued that Zimmerman is a danger to the public, citing not only the second-degree murder charge, but a previous charge of battery against a law enforcement officer, which was discussed at length earlier in the hearing.
[Updated at 11:02 a.m. ET] The hearing is now turning back to the issue of bond. O'Mara is asking the judge for:
- $15,000 bond.
- The ability of Zimmerman to leave the state
- Secrecy over Zimmerman's whereabouts
O'Mara, speaking to Zimmerman's ability to pay bond, noted that Zimmerman cannot work in public because of the case's publicity, and that his wife is not working because she is in school.
[Updated at 10:58 a.m. ET] The prosecuting attorney is now questioning Zimmerman. He asked whether Zimmerman had ever said he was sorry when he spoke to police. Zimmerman responded that he had told one of the investigators that "I felt sorry for the family."
The prosecutor told Zimmerman that if that's true, it must have been recorded. He asked Zimmerman if he was sure, and Zimmerman said he was "fairly certain."
[Updated at 10:55 a.m. ET] "I wanted to say I am sorry for the loss of your son," Zimmerman said on the stand, apparently addressing Martin's parents, who are in the room. (Watch video of apology)
Zimmerman also said he thought Martin was older, and that he "didn't know if (Martin) was armed or not."
[Updated at 10:54 a.m. ET] Zimmerman is about the address the court. His attorney has called him to the stand.
[Updated at 10:53 a.m. ET] The prosecuting attorney, after saying "I didn't know we were going to be trying the case today," is back to ask questions of state attorney's investigator Dale Gilbreath, after O'Mara asked questions challenging the state's assertions.
The prosecutor asked Gilbreath whether there was any evidence indicating that Zimmerman's account that Martin bashed his head against a sidewalk wasn't true. Gilbreath said yes.
[Updated at 10:47 a.m. ET] O'Mara is back to questioning state attorney's investigator Dale Gilbreath, one of the investigators in the case.
O'Mara asked whether Gilbreath knows who started the fight between Zimmerman and Martin, or had any evidence as to who started the fight. Gilbreath said no.
O'Mara asked whether Gilbreath had any evidence contradicting Zimmerman's statement to Sanford police on the night of the incident that Zimmerman: 1) turned toward his car after losing sight of Martin; and 2) that Martin started the fight that led to the shooting. Gilbreath said no.
[Updated at 10:36 a.m. ET] A prosecuting attorney is now questioning state attorney's investigator Dale Gilbreath, after Zimmerman's attorney took issue with wording in a probable cause affidavit that Gilbreath had signed. Gilbreath is one of the investigators in the Martin shooting case.
Like O'Mara, the prosecuting attorney is asking Gilbreath about the affidavit, and about evidence that Gilbreath collected. The general thrust of the questioning is designed to bolster the affidavit's credibility, after O'Mara questioned word choices in the affidavit.
Gilbreath testified he has reviewed other evidence documents other than what has been discussed in the hearing. The prosecutor asked Gilbreath whether Martin had a right to be in the neighborhood - Gilbreath said yes. Gilbreath also was asked if there was no evidence that Martin was committing any crime, and again Gilbreath said yes.
[Updated at 10:28 a.m. ET] O'Mara still is questioning state attorney's investigator Dale Gilbreath about the way that the probable cause affidavit - which supported the second-degree murder charge - was written.
O'Mara is now taking issue with a line that says Zimmerman "disregarded" a police dispatcher. On the tape that has been released to the public, Zimmerman indicated that he was following Martin, and the dispatcher said that authorities didn't need Zimmerman to do that.
O'Mara, through his questioning of Gilbreath, is basically suggesting that "disregarded" was the wrong word, because Zimmerman did not hang up with the dispatcher, and therefore did not disregard him.
O'Mara also is taking issue with the affidavit saying that Zimmerman "confronted" Martin. O'Mara is contending that Gilbreath has offered no evidence that Zimmerman confronted Martin, and that other, less antagonistic words, should have been used since Gilbreath had no evidence that Zimmerman confronted him. Such words, O'Mara said, would be "came up to," or "spoke with."
[Updated at 10:19 a.m. ET] O'Mara, while questioning state attorney's investigator Dale Gilbreath, is now taking issue with other language choices in the probable cause affidavit.
O'Mara has noted that the only two quotes in the affidavit from Zimmerman - taken from a police call that Zimmerman made to notify police that he had seen a suspicious person - are of Zimmerman using expletives. O'Mara asked why - out of everything Zimmerman said - only those two quotes were included in the affidavit.
Gilbreath responded that he didn't type the affidavit. O'Mara pointed out that Gilbreath swore to it, and Gilbreath agreed that he had.
[Updated at 10:14 a.m. ET] O'Mara, while questioning state attorney's investigator Dale Gilbreath, has taken issue with the word "profiled" in the probable cause affidavit supporting the second-degree murder charge.
The affidavit, which Gilbreath had signed, says that Zimmerman profiled Martin. O'Mara asked why the affidavit says profiled, rather than "noticed" or "saw." Gilbreath said he couldn't remember who wrote the word, saying it was a collaborative document.
[Updated at 10:09 a.m. ET] O'Mara has called Dale Gilbreath, an investigator with the state attorney's office, to the stand. Gilbreath is one of the investigators in the Martin shooting case.
Gilbreath has indicated that he didn't expect to testify today.
[Updated at 10:05 a.m. ET] O'Mara asked Zimmerman's mother whether she has come to know her son as someone who comes to the defense of people. She said yes.
She said he has stood up for children and homeless people in and around his community. She also testified that he had been a mentor for two African American children.
[Updated at 10:04 a.m. ET] O'Mara asked Zimmerman's mother about Zimmerman's previous charge of battery against a law enforcement officer. She said that Zimmerman was involved in an altercation with a plainclothes ATF agent because he was coming to the defense of a friend, who was being roughed up. The officer didn't identify himself as a law enforcement officer, she said.
[Updated at 10:02 a.m. ET] Zimmerman's mother, like his father and wife earlier this morning, said that if Zimmerman is released on bond, his location and the places where he would be allowed to go should be kept secret, because he and the family have received threats.
[Updated at 9:53 a.m. ET] O'Mara has now called Zimmerman's mother to the phone.
[Updated at 9:51 a.m. ET] Now being questioned by O'Mara, Zimmerman's father testified about Zimmerman's appearance after the February 26 shooting. The father said Zimmerman's face was swollen "quite a bit," had a protective cover over his nose, and had two vertical gashes on the back of his head.
According to an Orlando Sentinel story later confirmed by Sanford police, Zimmerman told authorities that after he called 911 about a suspicious person (later identified as Martin), and after he briefly lost track of Martin, the teen approached him. After the two exchange words, Zimmerman said, he reached for his cell phone, and then Martin punched him in the nose. Zimmerman said Martin pinned him to the ground and began slamming his head into the sidewalk.
[Updated at 9:47 a.m. ET] The prosecution is asking Zimmerman's father about Zimmerman's previous charge of battery against a law enforcement officer, basically having the father acknowledge that he knows Zimmerman faced that charge. Like the exchange that the prosecution had with Zimmerman's wife a few minutes ago, they went over the fact that Zimmerman took anger management classes as a result of that charge, which was reduced from a felony to a misdemeanor.
[Updated at 9:41 a.m. ET] O'Mara is asking Zimmerman's father about his financial ability to help post bond. The father, who said he was retired, said he and his wife have some savings, but very little. He said he had a mortgaged home, and that he was willing to secure the home as part of a bond arrangement.
[Updated at 9:39 a.m. ET] O'Mara is now questioning Zimmerman's father, Robert Zimmerman Sr., who, like Zimmerman's wife, is testifying by phone. A notary public has sworn Robert Zimmerman in.
[Updated at 9:36 a.m. ET] O'Mara questioned Zimmerman's wife about the previous allegations against Zimmerman - including a charge of battery on a law enforcement officer and an altercation with a woman - that the prosecuting attorney brought up. Through questioning, Zimmerman's wife testified that the battery charge was reduced to a misdemeanor through a pretrial diversion program in which he took anger management classes, and that she believes he completed those classes. She also testified that in the altercation with the woman, Zimmerman was not arrested, and that the woman attacked Zimmerman and drew blood, and that as a result, Zimmerman got an injunction against that woman.
[Updated at 9:30 a.m. ET] The prosecuting attorney summed up the previous allegations - including the charge of battery on a law enforcement officer - and then asked Zimmerman's wife whether she still believes Zimmerman isn't a danger to the community. "Absolutely he is not a violent person,” nor is he a threat to the community, she responded.
[Updated at 9:24 a.m. ET] The prosecution is now questioning Zimmerman's wife about her assertion that Zimmerman poses no danger to the community. The prosecuting attorney is pointing out that Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder, and that Zimmerman is accused of a violent act.
The prosecuting attorney also is asking Zimmerman's wife about his previous brushes with the law, including a charge of battery of a law enforcement officer. He also brought up a woman's previous allegations that the woman and Zimmerman were in an altercation - Zimmerman's wife answered that she is aware that Zimmerman needed to defend himself from an attack by the woman, that the woman drew blood, and that Zimmerman filed for a protective order because of the incident. The prosecutor is asking her whether she is aware of those charges and allegations in the past, and she said she is.
[Updated at 9:20 a.m. ET] Zimmerman's wife said she fears for Zimmeran's safety and the safety of their family, and that is part of the reason why she is testifying by phone.
Asked if she believes Zimmerman is a danger to society, she said no. She said she has "no concerns whatsoever" about him.
[Updated at 9:18 a.m. ET] O'Mara is asking Zimmerman's wife about the family's financial ability to post bond. O'Mara is saying that Zimmerman is indigent; Zimmerman's wife said that she has talked to other family members about scraping up everything they could in anticipation of posting bond.
[Updated at 9:15 a.m. ET] With Zimmerman's wife on speakerphone, O'Mara has begun asking her questions. Asked if she would do everything in her power to ensure that Zimmerman - should he be granted bail - return to court when he is required to do so, she said yes. And she said she would contact the court if she lost contact with him.
[Updated at 9:11 a.m. ET] The court has called Zimmerman's wife on the phone. A notary public is with Mrs. Zimmerman and is swearing her in.
[Updated at 9:08 a.m. ET] Lester has begun the proceeding. After the attorneys identified themselves to the judge, O'Mara kicked off the bond request and told the judge that witnesses are available by phone. The court is calling those witnesses now. As we noted earlier, Zimmerman's family has offered to give testimony by phone.
[Updated at 9:04 a.m. ET] Zimmerman, wearing a dark gray suit, white shirt and light gray tie, has entered the courtroom and has seated himself next to O'Mara.
[Updated at 9:00 a.m. ET] Martin's parents are, indeed, in the courtroom, and they've taken their seats. O'Mara, Zimmerman's attorney, also is standing the courtroom, waiting for the proceeding to begin.
[Updated at 8:59 a.m. ET] Check out this piece on why evidence in the case may come up in the bond hearing. The prosecutor, Corey, has the burden of showing why bond should not be set or that it should be high. The burden is referred to as "proof of guilt is evident or presumption of guilt is great." Corey would have to convince Lester that a jury would convict Zimmerman.
[Updated at 8:55 a.m. ET] The bond hearing is expected to begin in minutes. Martin's parents are expected to be at the hearing, and this would be the first time that they and Zimmerman are in the same room, CNN's Martin Savidge tells us from the site.
O'Mara filed a motion that asks the court to allow Zimmerman's family members to provide testimony at the bond hearing by telephone. The state attorney's office did not object.
Unless they have proof his life is in imminent danger, I say bond him out and save the taxpayers a few bucks sheltering him.
If the same percentage of white males were in prison as black males, we would have 35 million white males in prison and we would spend 1.2 trillion a year incarcerating them (1/3 of the current federal budget). Are you seeing what the real problem in this country is?
To all the martin supporters, there is not conspiracy, it is what it is. You do not have the right to attack someone, period.
So if you were minding your own business, being stalked by some guy with a gun you have no right to defend yourself?
Zimmerman had to go to anger management this is not good by a long ship the guy has issues.
The NEW BLACK PANTHER SISSIES are more of a threat than ZIMMERMAN is. BTW Martin ATTACKED Zimmerman. Zimmerman was in fear of his life so he DEFENDED himself. Martin defenders QUIT RACE BAITING.
If some stranger was following you or your child around and tried detaining you, you would not fight back?
@ k And you don't have the right to kill unarmed teenagers period.
The real problem? Yes, blacks are imprisoned more due to the color of their skin compared to the white skinned people.
You are correct! You cant physically attack someone and expect to get away with it. THAT is why we wanted Mr Z arrested and tried! He is NOT law enforrcement! HE followed and attacked Trayvon Martin and finally he is getting HIS day in court! You are 100% CORRECT! BRAVO!
Nor do you have the right to stalk someone without probable cause! I'm sorry being black doesn't give ANY other race probable cause.
Thats another fact!
This lawyer is asking the dumbest questions. get to the damn point. We know you get paid by the hour so stop wasting everyones time.
You clearly have no idea the painstaking methodology that fact finding requires. Zimmerman should be treated like anyone else charged with this crime and his history. That's what the proceeding requires.
So lets say a bully goes to school and starts messing with some kid. The kid fights back and starts kicking his butt. He has the right to shoot him right? I mean, hes getting his butt kicked!
... then take the butt whooping like a bully! Just like the bully expects the vic to take the butt whooping! Unless for some reason the bully thinks the vic is "beneath" him in some way and is just supposed to take it! FOH!!
I dont know, having your head beat into concrete might lead you to believe you are going to die. Travon was a big azz man, not some little boy like he's portrayed in the C N N pictures. I am guessing that like me, you don't know the whole story.
As a matter of fact, a male student here set another male student on fire because he was bullying the other student. Since other students knew that the aggressive student was bullying the other and no one did anything, the student snapped and had enough and set his tormentor on fire. He had to go to counseling, but no jail time. So, I guess yes.
Absolutely. And if he assaults a policeman again and possibly kills him, think of the additional savings of not paying that cop's salary and pension. He is in Florida after all so he has every right to carry a weapon again, right?
Saw the photo's doesnt mean he wasnt the aggressor, just means he was getting his ass kicked. I'm sure the prosecutor has seen these photos and funny the EMT's didnt find it life threatning enough to take him to the hospital as they do most life threatning head injuries!
So you are upset that Travon didnt beat him closer to death? Your concern is not about a loss of life, but you seem concerned about the racial aspect of this story. That is why your opinion holds no value
Who said the injuries were life-threatening?
I bet all the tea in China that Zimmerman is going to walk. The state is going to realize it wrote its law poorly and they will throw out the case. It's going to tick a lot of people off, but that's just the way it goes. I'm sure it will also make a lot of people happy.
I am not sure he will get off scott free. He doesn't seem to have the best of lawyers.
i hates the martin family. hates them. soon they have a book deal then they jump on oprahs couch. shame on those colord folks for using ther son to make money. they no better than sharpton an that woman chaser jesse jackson.
lol lol lol lol lol...you prove so many points about ignorance that I won't go any further...***silence***
Iam sorry? Sorry that your world is so sad that you feel the need to hate people you don't even know. I will pray for you you need it. SAD!!!!
Well, hopefully one day you'll or someone in your family will be walking around a neighborhood minding your/their own business, not bothering anyone then you/they will get Zimmermaned! I mean it will be your/their fault,right? You/they shouldnt have been born a certiain race or should have known that your/their race combined w/the clothes you/they were wearing automatically means that you/they are a criminal(s). then folks like you will hate your family for trying to get some justice and not taking the law into their own hands (like Zimmerman did)!
Let him out. Nothing wrong with playing whack-a-monkey anyway.
You are a sick, sick person. Your dumb butt will be judged and don't forget what goes around comes around! You should be whacked just for existing
You must bewith the chrisatian taliban?
Sure, no threat... As long as you are not 'the wrong type'.
Of course is not a violent person! Why would anyone think somebody is a violent person for shooting an unarmed teenager who was minding his own business?
So travon's buisiness is disrespecting authority and beating the hell out of people... Business was good
to ABC, that night Trayvon's business was buying some candy and then walking home. Mr Z no more know of Trayvon's disiplinary issues than Trayvon knew about Mr Z's history of assaulting police officers, charges of domestic abuse and anger management issues (by the way, in tx, if you've been required to go to anger management classes, that's mental instability and you can NOT purchase/carry ANY gun)!. if you consider the whole event and not just part of it, Mr Z started the chain of events that led to the confrontation, meaning HE was the aggressor.some people think that because a witness saw Martin on top ot Mr Z that that made Marting the agressor. apparently those people have only had fights were NOBODY MOVED AROUND! that being said, i believe that Z will get off ONLY because he killed a black boy. i can guarantee you that if he had killed a rich white boy here in my state of TX, he would be looking at the death penalty. we protect our whites but we blacks have to protect ourselves! BLACK PEOPLE, ESPECAILLY BLACK MALES NEED TO LEARN AND UNDERSTAND THESE LAW then LEARN HOW TO USE THEM AS WELL. WE NEED TO GET ARMED! OBVIOUSLY NO ONE IS GOING TO PROTECT OUR FAMILIES SO WE HAVE TO DO IT OURSELVES!
You are not "free" on bond. The government requires you to report to and pay a parole officer, you have travel restrictions and are subject to random drug tests including alcohol. But it makes money for the government and for the bail bondsman.
You dont get a "parole officer" until you have been paroled meaning that you have been released from prison.
A murde person should not get out of jail.sale.
This is really a difficult sublect for anyone to comment on. Too many things were done wrong in this case. Granted, Mr. Zimmerman may very well have killed Trayvon in self defense, but also, it was a situation that he put himself into.
This a prime example of cause and effect. If Mr. Zimmerman had followed the instructions of the 911 dispatcher and not followed Travon Martin that night, the confrontation would not have occured and the young man would still be alive.
This ^ Finally someone who said something intelligent and I agree with.
Bobcat, exactly. Authors of the law have already stated the law was not written to protect people who deliberately placed themselves in harms way so they can shoot someone and cry self defense. This is what Zimmerman did.
GOD BLESS you for your intelligent comment. You are 100% correct! If one CREATES the situation that leads to the confrontation that leads to the shooting then one CANNOT be defending themselves! hopefully logic will prevail!
African American misconception #1: Zim ignored dispatchers request not to pursue. #2: Zim attacked Martin first. #3:Zim is white. #4:It is perfectly ok for the Black Panther Party to lynch a non-African American for reasons based on speculation. #4:Being white automatically makes you a r@cist. #5:Having an opinion other than the herd makes you incompetent and a fraud. #6 – #1000 at a later time. Read the reports and statements before reverting to childish name calling an attempts at humiliation.
No, just a threat to kids packing Skittles.