George Zimmerman FreedGeorge Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with shooting and killing Trayvon Martin in February, has been released from a Florida jail after posting bond.

Zimmerman left the John E. Polk Correctional Facility in Sanford, Florida, around midnight Sunday. He got into a white BMW and didn’t speak with the media.

His destination was unknown as Zimmerman’s attorney, Mark O’Mara, has stressed the need for secrecy regarding Zimmerman’s location.  Both he and his family have received threats.

The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office said Zimmerman had been fitted with a GPS device allowing authorities to track his location.

The release was a bit surprising as, over the weekend, his lawyer had said Zimmerman might stay behind bars until the middle of the week as his team worked to secure funds to meet the $150,000 bond set Friday.

With the 10 percent cash payment usually made to secure bond, Zimmerman’s family had to come up with $15,000 in order for him to walk.

A bond is used to guarantee future appearances in court. It can be in the form of cash, property, or in writing, such as a signature bond.

Bail, on the other hand, is cash, and can be used instead of appearing in court.

With bond, you still have to appear in court. With bail, you may not need to do so.

Prosecutors had initially asked that Zimmerman’s bond be set at at least $1 million, citing a 2005 police incident and a domestic violence injunction against Zimmerman.

Martin’s family wasn’t happy with Zimmerman’s release, according to attorney Daryl Parks.

“It’s tough for them to see their son’s killer walk free again,” he said.

Zimmerman is accused of shooting an unarmed Martin, 17, after calling police to report a suspicious person walking around his Sanford, Florida, neighborhood.

More in the video below.

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