[h=3]By William M. Welch, USA TODAY[/h]Updated
George Zimmerman said Wednesday that he prays daily for the parents of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager he is charged with killing, and again voiced sorrow at the youth's death.
George Zimmerman, left, and attorney Don West appear at a bond hearing in Sanford, Fla., on June 29.
In an hour-long interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, that was to be aired by the network Wednesday night, Zimmerman made his first public comments since taking the stand at his initial bond hearing after being charged with second-degree murder in Trayvon's death. Zimmerman also expressed sorrow for the death at that time.
Asked what he would tell the parents, Zimmerman told Fox News, "I would tell them that again I'm sorry."
"I am sorry that they buried their child. I can't imagine what it must feel like. And I pray for them daily," Zimmerman said, according to a clip released before the program was broadcast.
The neighborhood watch volunteer was accompanied by his lawyer, Mark O'Mara.
Zimmerman, 28, is charged with the Feb. 26 death of Trayvon, 17, who was unarmed when he was fatally shot in Sanford, Fla., about 20 miles north of Orlando. The case drew international attention and touched off a debate over racial stereotyping. Trayvon is black; Zimmerman is a white Hispanic.
Zimmerman told police he shot Trayvon in self-defense after the teen repeatedly knocked his head to the ground during a confrontation after dark in the gated community where Zimmerman lived and where Trayvon was a guest at another home.
The move by Zimmerman to go on national television while free on bail was regarded by some legal analysts as carrying high risks.
Royal Oakes, a Los Angeles attorney, called the move "a lawyer's nightmare" because everything Zimmerman says or does on camera will be scrutinized by prosecutors and potentially used against him in court.
"Here Zimmerman thinks he can turn public opinion around and convince the national psyche that he is a good guy, an innocent guy who was just trying to defend himself," Oakes said. "It's very likely to backfire. It's fraught with extreme peril."
Oakes pointed to the decision by former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky to do an on-air interview with NBC's Bob Costas in November, which produced comments that drew widespread attention to his relationship with young boys prior to Sandusky's trial and conviction of multiple molestation charges.
Oakes said Zimmerman and his attorney were trying to influence public opinion and ultimately jurors.
"There's no question, the sole purpose of going public and participating in a high-profile interview is to speak directly to his future jurors," Oakes said.
Zimmerman contends Trayvon attacked him. He has pleaded not guilty.
In April, Zimmerman called Hannity and had a conversation that Hannity said was off the record, before Florida prosecutors filed charges. Hannity said at the time that he agreed not to report what they had discussed.
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George Zimmerman said Wednesday that he prays daily for the parents of Trayvon Martin, the Florida teenager he is charged with killing, and again voiced sorrow at the youth's death.
By Joe Burbank, AP
George Zimmerman, left, and attorney Don West appear at a bond hearing in Sanford, Fla., on June 29.
George Zimmerman, left, and attorney Don West appear at a bond hearing in Sanford, Fla., on June 29.
In an hour-long interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity, that was to be aired by the network Wednesday night, Zimmerman made his first public comments since taking the stand at his initial bond hearing after being charged with second-degree murder in Trayvon's death. Zimmerman also expressed sorrow for the death at that time.
Asked what he would tell the parents, Zimmerman told Fox News, "I would tell them that again I'm sorry."
"I am sorry that they buried their child. I can't imagine what it must feel like. And I pray for them daily," Zimmerman said, according to a clip released before the program was broadcast.
The neighborhood watch volunteer was accompanied by his lawyer, Mark O'Mara.
Zimmerman, 28, is charged with the Feb. 26 death of Trayvon, 17, who was unarmed when he was fatally shot in Sanford, Fla., about 20 miles north of Orlando. The case drew international attention and touched off a debate over racial stereotyping. Trayvon is black; Zimmerman is a white Hispanic.
Zimmerman told police he shot Trayvon in self-defense after the teen repeatedly knocked his head to the ground during a confrontation after dark in the gated community where Zimmerman lived and where Trayvon was a guest at another home.
The move by Zimmerman to go on national television while free on bail was regarded by some legal analysts as carrying high risks.
Royal Oakes, a Los Angeles attorney, called the move "a lawyer's nightmare" because everything Zimmerman says or does on camera will be scrutinized by prosecutors and potentially used against him in court.
"Here Zimmerman thinks he can turn public opinion around and convince the national psyche that he is a good guy, an innocent guy who was just trying to defend himself," Oakes said. "It's very likely to backfire. It's fraught with extreme peril."
Oakes pointed to the decision by former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky to do an on-air interview with NBC's Bob Costas in November, which produced comments that drew widespread attention to his relationship with young boys prior to Sandusky's trial and conviction of multiple molestation charges.
Oakes said Zimmerman and his attorney were trying to influence public opinion and ultimately jurors.
"There's no question, the sole purpose of going public and participating in a high-profile interview is to speak directly to his future jurors," Oakes said.
Zimmerman contends Trayvon attacked him. He has pleaded not guilty.
In April, Zimmerman called Hannity and had a conversation that Hannity said was off the record, before Florida prosecutors filed charges. Hannity said at the time that he agreed not to report what they had discussed.
For more information about reprints & permissions, visit our FAQ's. To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor Brent Jones. For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to [email protected]. Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to corrections.usatoday.com.
USA TODAY is now using Facebook Comments on our stories and blog posts to provide an enhanced user experience. To post a comment, log into Facebook and then "Add" your comment. To report spam or abuse, click the "X" in the upper right corner of the comment box. To find out more, read the FAQ and Conversation Guidelines.