Zimmerman’s Bail Bond Agents to Testify at Bond Hearing

Mark O’Mara, attorney for George Zimmerman, filed a pleading today stating he would call two witnesses from All Star Magic Bail Bonds at the June 29 hearing for bond.

I assume they will testify of the difficulty the family had in coming up with the $15,000. bond premium, as evidence that George and Shellie Zimmerman didn’t think of the money raised by the website as their money, but money earmarked for legal fees, living expenses while waiting for trial and creditors. O’Mara has said in the past that the Zimmerman’s didn’t fully appreciate that the money belonged to them.

O’Mara has said he explained to Zimmerman why his belief was wrong, and he now understands.

Shorter version: Zimmerman wasn’t lying, just mistaken, and had no intent to deceive the court.

Will he get another bond? Absolutely, in my view. First, he’s legally entitled to it. Second, he will have spent 29 days in jail for his mistake — that’s a steep enough penalty. The judge is not concerned Zimmerman is a flight risk. He may not even raise the bond amount since the money is no longer under Zimmerman’s control, but the control of a independent third party trustee.

Bail is not intended to be punishment. It’s intended to assure the person’s appearance at trial. Zimmerman, having ceded control of the raised funds to a trustee, is in no better financial condition today than when he was arrested on April 11.

O’Mara said at the June 1 hearing he still owed the bondsman $10,000. of the $15,000. premium on the first bond. Since the premium is the bondsman’s fee for making the bond, he might give George a break on a new bond, but I doubt he’ll forego his fee entirely. Local bondspersons use national insurance companies to underwrite the bonds, they don’t put their own money at risk. The national company has to get paid too, and it’s unlikely in my opinion, they would view Zimmerman as different than any other client.

Could the judge reinstate the old bond now that it’s been discharged and turned in? I’m not sure, but I think not, since that would again involve the national insurance company that underwrote the bond and their contract probably says their obligations end when the bond is discharged.

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