Trayvon’s parents to attend Zimmerman bond hearing, refuse meeting with accused
Sybrina Fulton (2nd R) and Tracy Martin (R), parents of slain teenager Trayvon Martin, attend a rally with family attorney Benjamin Crump (L) after a town hall meeting March 26, 2012.
Trayvon Martin’s parents said they would attend Friday’s bond hearing for George Zimmerman, and they might learn details of the case never before released, Reuters reported.
Zimmerman has spent almost 10 days behind bars after police charged him with second-degree murder in Martin’s death on Feb. 26.
He’s applied for release, and a judge is expected to rule on that application early Friday.
If special prosecutor Angela Corey wants to keep Zimmerman locked up, she might have to divulge details about the killing, said a former National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers president.
“The state has the burden of proof to go forward and convince the judge that proof of guilt is evident and that the presumption of guilt is great,” Jeff Weiner told Reuters.
Martin’s parents – father Tracy Martin and mother Sybrina Fulton – want to be there, WKMG Orlando reported.
Zimmerman even requested a meeting with them, but their lawyer said that would not happen.
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“The meeting is not appropriate right now,” Benjamin Crump said, according to WKMG. “We think that it’s self-serving right now to say ‘I want to apologize the day before my bond hearing.’”
Zimmerman, a Neighborhood Watch volunteer, admitted shooting the 17-year-old Martin, but claimed self-defense.
Martin was walking home alone and unarmed at the time, and Zimmerman believed he was suspicious.
The case sparked international outrage because prosecutors didn’t charge Zimmerman for six weeks.
After spend a few days in jail, it appears a judge will allow the 28-year-old Zimmerman to await trial at home, the Orlando Sentinel said.
Zimmerman has family in the area, he surrendered to police when Corey announced charges and he kept in touch with law enforcement during the investigation, Florida lawyers told the Sentinel.
“Generally, it’s a constitutional right to get out on pretrial release of some type,” lawyer David Fussell told the newspaper.
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