FLORIDA.- Bond of George Zimmerman, who is being charged with second degree murder for shooting 17-year-old Travyon Martin while on duty as a watchman in a guarded community, is set at $1 million by a Florida judge. Zimmerman has been released from jail, but it is still not clear whether he will post bond.
In May, judge Kenneth Lester revoked Zimmerman's bond after prosecutors proved that Zimmerman and his wife, Shellie, had misled the court and lied about their finances. Zimmerman's bond had been set to $ 150,000 bond after him and his wife testified to having limited financial capabilities.
It was discovered that Zimmerman had possession of over $130, 000, which he had accommodated from his website, therealgeorgezimmerman.com, set up to help him with his legal expense. Shortly after that prosecutors released five phone calls, which confirms Zimmerman's wife Shellie knowingly mislead the court. She was charged with perjury for lying to a judge about her husband's finances. The 25-year old was released on bond, but if convicted could face up to five years in prison and a fine of $5,000.
Last month, proved a little better for Zimmerman, whose lawyer, Mark O'Mara s released audio tapes in which Zimmerman told the police that he was attacked by Martin and thought he would be killed. In one of them, Zimmerman was heard saying that Martin "jumped out from the bushes and starting punching my face knocking me down. I started screaming for help. I couldn't see. I couldn't breathe...He grabbed my head and started hitting it into the sidewalk," he said. "When he started doing that, I slid into the grass to try to get out from under him. ... I'm still yelling for help."
Zimmerman, 25, has always maintained that the shooting occurred as an act of self-defense. Zimmerman was on duty as volunteer watchman when he shot 17 year old Travyon Martin. He is being charged with the second degree murder in February of this year.
