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.
Yeah, he is sorry NOW. He wasn't so sorry a couple of weeks ago!!
Let me ask all those pro-Zimmerman folks here a simple question. If you were out walking your dog, realized you were being followed by a car whose armed driver suddenly jumped out and began to accost you, would you not fight back? Of course you would. And guess what? The law would be on YOUR side, not on your attackers.
Stand Your Ground allows you to defend your own home with deadly force, but doesn't protect you if you see someone you think is a stranger in your neighbors home, break into that home against police orders and shoot the guy who turns out to be the house sitter your neighbors hired while on vacation.
Martin was not breaking any laws and was walking back to his own house. Per his phone calls, he was terrified that he was being followed. His efforts to speed up and get away just made this stranger - who might have been a kidnapper for all this child knew - leave the car and chase after him on foot. So Martin stood his ground, as the law allows, and fought back.
His efforts do not extend the right of Stand Your Ground to Zimmerman because Zimmerman was not standing his own ground. Zimmerman's ground was his car, which he left against police orders. He was an attacker of a child. And he deserved any bruises he got. He also deserves a nice, long jail sentence for the shooting.
Yes. Because the man accosted me. But to make that relevant here, you would have to prove that it was Zimmerman was the first to physically lay a punch. Evidence supports his claim that Martin was the aggressor, despite the incidents leading up to the physicality of the situation.
Michele, you're analogy is just....wrong. "....armed driver suddenly jumped out and began to accost you". Where did you get that?
And "..break into that home against police orders and shoot the guy who turns out to be the house sitter your neighbors hired while on vacation." Are you saying that Zimmerman broke into Martin's house and shot him?
You're making things up....that have nothing to do with this case! What's wrong with you?
hell no i wouldn't attack, i'd run away... and I'm black
Michele, if I was on PCP and walking around screaming and throwing my hands in the air, I'd expect someone to tackle me or call the police. The law is not on your side if you are on PCP.
If this "child" was so innocent why did it take so long for his parents to notice he had not returned home with his skittles? Could it be he took off all the time so they didn't question why he did not return with his skittles and tea? I know one thing my child would never lay dead with a john doe tag on him for as long as Trayvon did!!! and my child is not always innocent!!
PEOPLE-SELF DEFENSE....ZIMMERMAN ACTED IN SELF DEFENSE......ZIMMERMAN USED DEADLY FORCE AFTER HE TOOK THE BEATING FROM MARTIN......IF ZIMMERMAN HAD NO INJURIES ?? IT WOULD BE HARD FOR HIM TO PROVE SELF DEFENSE.....POLICE TOOK PICTURES OF HIS INJURIES......SELF DEFENSE.
Jose, you dont get to chase someone, frighten them and get your butt beat and THEN claim self defense. That boy is the ONLY one who could claim self defense if the claims that have come out so far is true. Stop starting the process with the MIDDLE of the story. Start at the beginning and then tell the story.
Wow, O'Mara is pretty good. Going after Gilbreath for the way the affidavit was written. And the bloody picture this morning. The prosecution is in trouble. Over shot the charge I say.
So he claims that he thought he was older, but he clearly says on the 911 call that he looked to be in his "late teens".
Great catch. Could it be he's doing revisions to make it seem Trayvon was more threatening as grown man instead of a teenager.
If Zimmerman "didn't know" if Martin was armed, how could he have a reasonable basis to believe that his life was in danger? Seems like it's not possible to reasonably believe your life was in danger if you don't see a weapon in the other person's possession.
AJR
ummmmm, i believe getting your head slammed into concrete would give you reasonable believe that your life was in danger....dum dum.
jukishi.... i
getting your head beat in is NOT the result of self defense, its what happens when chase someone with a gun and making them feel threatened. Therefore getting your head bashed is self defense for the person who did the bashing, not the agressor who had to shoot because he was losing his fight.
jukishi.... getting your head beat in is NOT the result of self defense, its what happens when chase someone with a gun and making them feel threatened. Therefore getting your head bashed is self defense for the person who did the bashing, not the agressor who had to shoot because he was losing his fight.
FREE ZIMMERMAN!!!
FREE ZIMMERMAN!!!
FREE ZIMMERMAN!!!
FREE ZIMMERMAN!!!
FREE ZIMMERMAN!!!
thanks for doing society a favor zimmiester. trayvon was a thug who was already stealing from people and was casing houses the night he attacked you. best of luck and i hope you sue the pants off of the media who edited 911 tapes to make you look guilty.
What a tragic of the whole account! The killing is unnecessarily, Zimmerman made a misjudgment in his brutal action. He should have stepped out earlier and apologized to Martin's parents, the whole drama would have be totally different.
The law "Stand on your ground" should be demolished, it's so vulnerable to innocent.
WHY WAS THIS GUY GIVEN AN OPTION TO GET OUT OF JAIL??? LET HIM SIT!!!!
If his lawyer is any good at all, he advised his client to not apologize or speak to the to Martins.
apologize for what? their son nearly killed Zimmerman. I'd do the same thing and smoked that violent n ggr!!!
Learn English. Christ.
@marcus White "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." Almost killed? You sure?
The stand your ground law was designed by the right wing ultra-conservatives, who have not tolerance for anyone who looks or thinks different than themselves. These people have psycho-social disease and need to be exposed and kept back from being in any type of authority figure in this country. This is the only way that this country can put an end to these bitter and resentful members of our society.
first of all yes Zimmerman called 911 but he did not follow the law; 2nd of all he murdered someone; 3rd of all his daddy is a Judge; 4th of all it was not self defense; 5th of all he will get off with involuntary manslaughter; this is all wrong so very dirty and I will never ever patronize any thing within the state of Florida never ever ever ever
Praying for no bond...
Threat? Is he not the one who poses a threat to society?
Since when is HE the victim?
Bond is just in this case. The charge of 2nd degree murder charge was not.
AJR you dont think someone can stomp on your head and kill you..... You dont need a weapon to make someone think there in danger
Who do you think was the aggressor?
The boy with a bag of candy...
Or the man with the 9mm?
Who initiated contact?
Think!
.
Charge should Murder I
man he got a gps? no fair!
This case is such a waste of tax payer money. he is going to walk and martin will look like the thug at the end who deserved to get shot for starting a fight.
All true. So what's the problem except for the waste of taxpayer dollars?
Were you there? Heowcan you call him a Thug.. This is what is wrong with America! This would of NEVER HAPPENED if Zimmerman would of listened to the police who told him not to follow him.. Now lets get the facts from actually who started this!
So Brian, are you one of the witnesses? LOL!!! Apparently you were there the night this happen....I really feel sorry for people like you....Ignorant and closed mind.
Free Zimmenman Lets start a fundraiser for the zimmerman foundation FFFFRRREEEEEEEE ZIMM
Ignorant. On what bases shoud he be "free"? Because he is "sorry" and he didn't know Martin was just 17? Give me a freakin' break!!! So, it would have been "okay" if he was 28 years old, still minding his business, heading home from the store and being confronted by a "hot head" wanna be cop? I wonder if you would shouting "Free Zimmerman" if it was your child, nephew, grandson, etc.???? Think before posting!
Judge letting him have bond has just said the State has not made a good case.