A Florida judge set bail Friday morning at $150,000 for the release of George Zimmerman, who apologized on the stand to Trayvon Martin’s parents for the loss of their child.
“I wanted to say I am sorry for the loss of your son,” Zimmerman said.
Zimmerman, who was wearing a suit and had chains that wrapped around his waist and connected to handcuffs, said that at the time of the shooting he did not know how old Martin was or whether he was armed. He also said he previously had asked police and his attorneys to tell Martin’s family that he was sorry.
His comments were the most robust to date about the incident, which set off a wave of protests and an examination of race relations in the country. Zimmerman, whose father is white and mother is Hispanic, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Martin, who was black.
Following the hearing, Natalie Jackson, an attorney for the Martin family, said Zimmerman’s apology was “insulting to the family.”
“This is the most unmeaningful apology we’ve ever seen in our entire lives,” Jackson said, according to an Orlando Sentinel reporter.
Judge Kenneth R. Lester, Jr. said Zimmerman would not be released immediately and that he would be monitored electronically via GPS. The terms of the bond include a curfew and no alcohol or guns. Also, Zimmerman must be in touch with authorities every three days. The judge wouldn’t rule on whether Zimmerman would be allowed to leave the state.
Zimmerman’s attorney had asked for a $15,000 bond, citing his client’s family’s modest financial holdings. The prosecution said Zimmerman should not be granted a bond, but if he is, it should be for $1 million.
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