Bob Ward bonds out of jail pending second murder trial

After six years in prison, former Isleworth millionaire James “Bob” Ward bonded out of the Orange County Jail on Wednesday afternoon and can remain free until his second trial in the shooting death of his wife as long as he abides by his terms of release.

Ward, 69, left the jail on a $1 million bond at 2:18 p.m., a jail spokeswoman said.

In 2011, he was convicted of second-degree murder in the 2009 death of his wife, Diane Ward.

She died of a gunshot wound to the head.

Ward called 911 and repeatedly said he shot her.

“She’s dead. She’s done. I’m sorry,” he said in the call.

A judge later ruled that his conviction should be thrown out because his lawyers did not properly object to some evidence regarding his right to remain silent.

Now Ward is waiting for a second trial on the second-degree murder charge.

Last month, he was transferred from the Marion Correctional Institution, the prison where he was serving his sentence, to the Orange County Jail so that he could attend court hearings.

He cannot leave Orange County without permission from a judge, will have to check in with his bondsman once a week and cannot possess a firearm or passport, court records show.

His attorneys filed paperwork this week showing that he surrendered his passport in 2009.

In a bond hearing two weeks ago, Ward’s attorney said that the gun may have gone off while Ward was trying to get it away from his wife.

Ward’s two adult daughters, Mallory and Sarah Ward, told a judge two weeks ago that they will help him until his trial. One of them will likely move to Orange County to live with him. A trial date has not yet been set.