Judge sets George Zimmerman's bail at $1 million. Release from jail assured

George Zimmerman after his arrest (Gary Green/Pool) After several days spent pondering evidence from a bizarre, nearly three-hour-long hearing that almost amounted to a "mini-trial" last Friday morning, Florida Circuit Court Judge Kenneth Lester Jr. has granted indicted slayer George Zimmerman release from the Seminole County Jail if he can come up with bail of a million dollars. The prosecution had sought to have him held without bail after he lied about his financial circumstances.

It was not immediately clear how long it would take the 28-year-old Zimmerman to arrange his release.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara said Friday that Zimmerman's legal defense fund had a balance of $211,000, more than enough to cover the 10-percent non-refundable portion charged by most bonding companies.

Zimmerman has been charged with second-degree murder in the Feb. 26 slaying of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old Miami Gardens boy who was living out a week's school suspension at his father's girlfriend's apartment in Sanford, a central Florida city of 54,000. The case became a matter of nationwide fury and international headlines after police failed to arrest'and the Seminole County prosecutor failed to charge'Zimmerman. All the attention has put the spotlight on self-defense laws, racial profiling and criminal-justice in general.

(Continue reading below the fold)

9:19 AM PT: Here is where you can read Judge Lester's order.