George Zimmerman Out of Jail on $1 Million Bond
SANFORD, Fla. July 6, 2012— -- George Zimmerman walked out of jail on $1 million bond today to await his trial on charges of killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
Dressed in a gray suit covering a bullet-proof vest, Zimmerman walked out of Seminole County Correctional Facility just before 3 p.m., flanked by a body guard and an unknown man.
His attorneys said he will go back into hiding and was spirited away to a safe house at a secret location, though he must remain in Seminole County until the trial. He will also be electronically monitored, as well as barred from opening a bank account, obtaining a passport or going to the airport.
He made no comment to reporters as he climbed into a waiting SUV.
Zimmerman, who is accused of second degree murder in the shooting death of the unarmed teen, used money donated by supporters to pay a portion of the bond. His parents also put up their house as collateral to free their son, Zimmerman's attorney said.
"He's very happy to be out," said Don West, one of Zimmerman's attorneys. "Certainly it's been a sobering experience being in that kind of environment."
Florida Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester raised Zimmerman's bond Thursday from $150,000 to $1 million after prosecutors proved that Zimmerman had misled the court about how much money he had raised from supporters and stashed in bank accounts. Lester wrote that it was reasonable to assume that since Zimmerman had more than $130,000 in cash and a second passport, he might try to flee the U.S. to avoid prosecution.
Zimmerman, 28, was charged in April with killing of the teen in February. He was quickly released on $150,000 bail, and began raising money for his legal defense fund through a website.
He was ordered to surrender himself to jail in June after the court learned of his true finances.
Zimmerman has maintained that he shot at Martin in self-defense after the teenager attacked him.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
