[h=3]By ARIAN CAMPO-FLORES[/h]
George Zimmerman, the neighborhood-watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin, was granted a new bond of $1 million Thursday. Arian Campo-Flores has details on The News Hub. Photo: AP.
A Florida judge on Thursday granted bond a second time to George Zimmerman, the neighborhood-watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of an unarmed teenager, but set it at $1 million and expressed concern that Mr. Zimmerman was a flight risk.
Last month, Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. revoked Mr. Zimmerman's previous bond of $150,000 and ordered him back to jail after learning that the defendant and his wife had misrepresented their finances at a bond hearing in April.
Mr. Zimmerman, 28 years old, killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin at a townhouse complex in Sanford, Fla., in February. He said he was attacked by the teenager and acted in self-defense. Prosecutors, however, say Mr. Zimmerman was the aggressor.
At a hearing in June, assistant state attorney Bernie de la Rionda presented evidence showing that although the Zimmermans claimed they were indigent at the April bond hearing, Mr. Zimmerman already had received about $135,000 in donations through a website he set up. Among the evidence: bank records showing money transfers between the couple's bank accounts and recorded jailhouse phone conversations in which Mr. Zimmerman directed his wife to move the funds.
Mr. de la Rionda argued that Mr. Zimmerman had intentionally deceived the judge. Mr. Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said his client had acted out of fear and confusion and that the money transfers weren't aimed at misleading the court.
In his order granting a second bond, Judge Lester made clear he didn't buy Mr. O'Mara's explanation. Mr. Zimmerman "has tried to manipulate the system when he has been presented the opportunity to do so," the judge wrote.The judge added new conditions this time around, though. While Mr. Zimmerman previously was permitted to reside out of state, he must now remain in Seminole County, Fla.
Judge Lester said he was troubled by Mr. Zimmerman's failure initially to disclose that he had a valid passport in a safe deposit box and to wait until after the April bond hearing to surrender it. "It is entirely reasonable for this Court to find that, but for the requirement that he be placed on electronic monitoring, the Defendant and his wife would have fled the United States with at least $130,000 of other people's money," the judge wrote.
Still, Judge Lester said prosecutors had failed to convince him that Mr. Zimmerman could continue to be held without bond.
Given that defendants must typically come up with 10% of the bail amount to secure their release, Mr. Zimmerman will likely have to pay $100,000—a large chunk of the more than $200,000 his defense fund has raised in donations. The fund is now under the control of an independent administrator.
Write to Arian Campo-Flores at [email protected]
George Zimmerman, the neighborhood-watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin, was granted a new bond of $1 million Thursday. Arian Campo-Flores has details on The News Hub. Photo: AP.
A Florida judge on Thursday granted bond a second time to George Zimmerman, the neighborhood-watch volunteer charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of an unarmed teenager, but set it at $1 million and expressed concern that Mr. Zimmerman was a flight risk.
Last month, Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. revoked Mr. Zimmerman's previous bond of $150,000 and ordered him back to jail after learning that the defendant and his wife had misrepresented their finances at a bond hearing in April.
Mr. Zimmerman, 28 years old, killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin at a townhouse complex in Sanford, Fla., in February. He said he was attacked by the teenager and acted in self-defense. Prosecutors, however, say Mr. Zimmerman was the aggressor.
At a hearing in June, assistant state attorney Bernie de la Rionda presented evidence showing that although the Zimmermans claimed they were indigent at the April bond hearing, Mr. Zimmerman already had received about $135,000 in donations through a website he set up. Among the evidence: bank records showing money transfers between the couple's bank accounts and recorded jailhouse phone conversations in which Mr. Zimmerman directed his wife to move the funds.
Mr. de la Rionda argued that Mr. Zimmerman had intentionally deceived the judge. Mr. Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said his client had acted out of fear and confusion and that the money transfers weren't aimed at misleading the court.
In his order granting a second bond, Judge Lester made clear he didn't buy Mr. O'Mara's explanation. Mr. Zimmerman "has tried to manipulate the system when he has been presented the opportunity to do so," the judge wrote.The judge added new conditions this time around, though. While Mr. Zimmerman previously was permitted to reside out of state, he must now remain in Seminole County, Fla.
Judge Lester said he was troubled by Mr. Zimmerman's failure initially to disclose that he had a valid passport in a safe deposit box and to wait until after the April bond hearing to surrender it. "It is entirely reasonable for this Court to find that, but for the requirement that he be placed on electronic monitoring, the Defendant and his wife would have fled the United States with at least $130,000 of other people's money," the judge wrote.
Still, Judge Lester said prosecutors had failed to convince him that Mr. Zimmerman could continue to be held without bond.
Given that defendants must typically come up with 10% of the bail amount to secure their release, Mr. Zimmerman will likely have to pay $100,000—a large chunk of the more than $200,000 his defense fund has raised in donations. The fund is now under the control of an independent administrator.
Write to Arian Campo-Flores at [email protected]