Accused Murderer George Zimmerman apologizes to Trayvon Martin family

Accused Florida murderer George Zimmerman will be allowed to go free on bond after a dramatic two-hour hearing, where he took the stand and apologized for gunning down Trayvon Martin, an unarmed 17-year-old.

"I wanted to say I am sorry for the loss of your son," a stoic Zimmerman said from the witness stand. "I did not know how old he was. I thought he was a little bit younger than I am and I did not know if he was armed or not."

The judge ordered Zimmerman to remain in jail for one more day, but he could be released while awaiting trial if his family posts a $150,000 bond. Prosecutors who charged the now infamous neighborhood watchman with second-degree murder lost their argument that the bond be $1 million.

Once released, Zimmerman may even be able to leave Florida if officers responsible for his whereabouts can establish electronic monitoring. Other conditions of his release include no contact with Trayvon's family and no possession of a firearm.

Zimmerman's parents, who testified by phone because they fear for their safety, told the court their son would not be a flight risk nor a threat to the community if released.

"I've never known him to be violent at all unless he was provoked and then he would tu the other cheek," his father, Robert Zimmerman, told defense attoey Mark O'Mara.

But that's not the Zimmerman Florida prosecutors have portrayed. They allege that the 28-year-old insurance underwriter confronted the black teen as he was walking through his gated neighborhood in Sanford, Fla., a bedroom community outside of Orlando. Zimmerman, a volunteer watchman with a license to carry a gun, says Martin attacked him and he shot the teen in self defense.

Zimmerman was not arrested for 44 days, and the debate over the handling of the case sparked an uproar about race and justice in the United States.