George Zimmerman gave his first interview on Fox News Channel last night in a conversation with TV host Sean Hannity.
The 28-year-old former neighborhood watchman is currently facing second-degree murder charges for killing 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Months of investigations led by Sanford police and federal investigators have uncovered transcripts of phone calls, some eyewitness accounts and details on both watchman and victim.
Early on in the interview, Zimmerman affirmed that he had no regrets about the sequence of events that took place.
“I feel that it was all God’s plan, and for me to second guess it or judge it…” said Zimmerman before trailing off.
But later on, Zimmerman goes on to readdress his thoughts on whether he would’ve done anything differently.
“I do wish that there was something, anything I could have done that would have put me in the position that I wouldn’t have to take his life,” he said. “I’m sorry that this happened. I hate to think that because of this incident, because of my actions, that it’s polarized and divided America.”
Martin’s mother and father addressed Zimmerman’s statements on Fox and Friends Thursday morning. They declared that Zimmerman’s apology was insincere and lashed out at his words, particularly at his claim that Martin’s death was part of “God’s plan”
“We must worship a different God,” said Tracy Martin, Trayvon Martin’s father, “There is no way that my God would have wanted George Zimmerman to kill my teenage son.”
Despite ongoing investigations, details as to what happened that February night are still under debate. While it is clear that Zimmerman ignored a 9-1-1 operator’s order to not take matters into his own hands and that he followed Martin before confronting him, the debate as to what followed remains heated. Zimmerman claims that Martin punched him in the nose and then proceeded to bash his head into the sidewalk. The attack prompted him to draw his gun and shoot Martin in self-defense, says Zimmerman.
But evidence has appeared that may suggest otherwise, including statements by Trayvon Martin’s girlfriend who was shown to have been on the phone with Martin at the time.
It is unclear whether Zimmerman will participate in another interview prior to his trial date. What is clear, however, is that the trial will be followed very closely and that the verdict is highly anticipated.
The entire Fox News interview can be viewed here on the news channel’s site.