All Articles Tagged "Benjamin Crump"

Trayvon Martin Update: Zimmerman’s Bail Set at $150,000, Parents Refuse to Meet With Him

April 20th, 2012 - By Brande Victorian
Share to Twitter Email This

Source: Deseretnews.com

Yesterday, Trayvon Martin’s parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, refused to meet with George Zimmerman privately as the neighborhood watchman arrested for killing their son had requested. At a press conference in Tampa, FL, the parent’s lawyer, Benjamin Crump said that the night before the shooter could possibly be granted bond, was “not the time” for Zimmerman to speak with them and he doesn’t expect that conversation to happen in the foreseeable future:

“Some crimes on their face are non-bondable offense. Second-degree murder is one of them,” Crump said. “We didn’t just demand an arrest to have George Zimmerman give the police his fingerprints and his mug shot.”

There’s no telling how the family feels now after a hearing this morning granted Zimmerman a $150,000 bail in connection with his second-degree murder charge. According to The New York Times:

“Judge Kenneth R. Lester Jr., said that Mr. Zimmerman could have no contact with Mr. Martin’s family and no access to alcohol or firearms and that his movements would be monitored electronically. Judge Lester also set a curfew that would require Mr. Zimmerman to remain at home from 7 p.m. until 6 a.m. and require him to check in with the authorities every three days”

Zimmerman will not be released from jail until the proper security measures are put in place since the shooter has received death threats and his family members testified that they would assume responsibility for his whereabouts when he is released from jail. Trayvon’s parents didn’t show much emotion in court and left shortly before the hearing ended. Zimmerman apparently didn’t have much reaction to the news either and he offered this apology to Trayvon’s parents early in the hearing:

“I wanted to say I am sorry for the loss of your son. I did not know how old he was. I thought he was a little bit younger than I am. I did not know if he was armed or not.”

Whether Trayvon was 17 or 27 doesn’t justify the killing.

What do you think about Zimmerman’s bail?

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

More on Madame Noire!