George Zimmerman Can't Afford $1 Million Bond, Remains in Jail
George Zimmerman remains behind bars despite being granted bond by a Florida judge on Thursday because the 28-year-old is unable to come up with the money needed for his release.
Seminole County Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. granted Zimmerman bond for a second time but instead of setting bail at $150,000, as Lester did in April before revoking the bond for lying, Zimmerman's bond was set at $1 million, which his team say he cannot afford.
"Mr. Zimmerman will have to pay a bail bond company $100,000 (10% of the bond amount) and have collateral worth $1,000,000," Zimmerman's representatives wrote on their website.
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"George Zimmerman and his family do not have anywhere near $1,000,000 for collateral so even if we pay the $100,000 fee, the bail bond company will have to agree to work with us on how the collateral would be posted," the statement went on.
Zimmerman is currently being held at Seminole County jail where the self-appointed neighborhood watch captain awaits trial for the shooting death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin.
Martin's family maintain that their son was stalked and subsequently killed by Zimmerman while the 17-year-old walked home from a convenience store, and prosecutors have charged him with second-degree murder.
Zimmerman's attorney Mark O'Mara claims that his client was attacked by Martin, who he admitted to following even after being told not to by law enforcement, and that Zimmerman killed Martin in self defense.
Lester revoked Zimmerman's bond in June after learning that he and his wife Shellie Zimmerman had lied to the court about their finances. They claimed to be poor despite receiving at least $130,000 in online donations.
Lester explained his decision to impose a substantially higher bond amount for Zimmerman, who he deems to be a flight risk, during Thursday's court appearance.
"Under any definition, the defendant has flaunted the system. The defendant has tried to manipulate the system when he has been presented the opportunity to do so," Lester wrote in a court order obtained by the Orlando Sentinel.
"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," he wrote.
Zimmerman will remain behind bars as his attorneys appeal for more bond donations. Shellie Zimmerman has since been charged with perjury for her involvement in lying before the court, and she is currently out of jail on $1,000 bond. Her arraignment is set for July 31.
