SANFORD, Fla. -- George Zimmerman has yet to be released from jail, after being granted bond for a second time. Today, a judge granted him bond. But this time, it's $1 million, a far cry from the $150,000 his attorney asked for.
The now infamous neighborhood watchman, who says he killed Trayvon Martin in self defense, waited almost a week after his last bond hearing to find out if he would be released from jail.
In Judge Kenneth Lester's order, released today, he said he reviewed the evidence and took heavily into account the lies prosecutors say Zimmerman and his wife, Shellie, told the court at his first bond hearing in April.
The judge believed the couple lied to hide more than $130,000 they had raised through an online defense fund. The judge also learned about a second passport of George's, hidden in a safe deposit box. He believes George may have been making plans to flee the country. Taking that into account, he raised his bond.
Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, has set up another online defense fund for his client. And last week, he said he's relying on Zimmerman's supporters to get him out of jail again. He said, "I'm presuming that the same people who have shown support already will continue to and maybe even accelerate it, because it's going to take a lot of money to get him out on bond. And it's gonna take a lot of money to put up a good defense for him."
O'Mara says that defense fund now has about $200,000 in it, more than enough to cover the 10 percent, or $100,000, he needs to be released from jail.
Conditions of his release include electronic monitoring. He cannot leave the county without permission. And he cannot talk to his family.
The same lie about the family's finances landed Zimmerman's wife, Shellie, in jail too. She faces felony perjury charges. She has also bonded out of jail, and will be back in court next month.
