Video shows Zimmerman’s account of fatal fight

Thursday, June 21, 2012

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — George Zimmerman appears believable when he re-enacts for police what he says led to the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, but some of his statements are questionable, lawyers who reviewed the footage said Thursday.

Even a detective who interrogated the neighborhood watch leader pointed out inconsistencies in his story, particularly Zimmerman’s claim that Martin punched him and slammed his head onto the ground when the teenager had no prior history of violence.

The video and audio tapes released by Zimmerman’s attorney give Zimmerman’s most detailed account yet of what led to the Feb. 26 shooting, but it still leaves unanswered whether the shooting was justified.

The evidence was released almost a week before Zimmerman’s second bond hearing on a second-degree murder charge, and on the heels of unflattering telephone calls capturing Zimmerman and his wife talking in code about using money collected for a defense fund to pay credit cards.

In one of the audio recordings, detective Chris Sereno asked Zimmerman whether he was profiling the black teen, a claim Martin’s parents have made.

“You know you are going to come under a lot of scrutiny for this,” Sereno said. “Had this person been white, would you have felt the same way?”

“Yes,” said Zimmerman, who has a white father and Hispanic mother.

Zimmerman claims he shot the unarmed 17-year-old Martin in self-defense, under Florida’s “stand your ground” law.

Martin’s parents have said Zimmerman was the aggressor. They said Martin was walking back from a convenience store through the gated community in Sanford when Zimmerman spotted Martin and started following him.

In the video, Zimmerman said he grabbed his gun from a holster on his waist before Martin could get it, and shot Martin once in the chest as they fought on the ground outside the townhomes. After firing, Zimmerman said he thought he missed.

“He sat up and said, ‘You got me. You got me, or something like that,”’ Zimmerman said.

Zimmerman said Martin had been on top of him, slamming his head against the ground and smothering his mouth and nose with his hand and arm. The tape shows two butterfly bandages on the back of Zimmerman’s head and another on his nose. There are red marks on the front of his head.

“It felt like my head was going to explode,” he said.

Criminal defense lawyers who reviewed the video for The Associated Press and have no connection to the case said there were some parts that didn’t add up.

Zimmerman claimed Martin confronted him after the neighborhood watch leader had given up searching for him and was walking back to his truck. But there doesn’t appear to be a place to hide in the area where Zimmerman says Martin suddenly appeared, Orlando defense attorney David Hill pointed out.

Zimmerman’s injuries also don’t appear to be consistent with the severity of the attack he described, Hill said.

Attorney Blaine McChesney said he found parts of Zimmerman’s re-enactment difficult to envision, such as his account of how he was able to reach for his gun with Martin on top of him. Zimmerman said he got on top of Martin after the shooting to restrain him.

“I also find it strange that Zimmerman would have attempted to use both his arms to hold Martin facedown, re-holstering his firearm, given those circumstances,” McChesney said. “Once out from under Martin’s alleged attack, it would have been more logical to hold Martin at gunpoint from a few feet away until police arrived.”

Despite the inconsistencies, Zimmerman in the video comes across as “straight-forward,” said Hill, who adds that the watch volunteer doesn’t come across as the zealous “cop-wannabe” Martin’s parents have portrayed.

“I didn’t see him being too slick on the details,” Hill said.

In Sereno’s interview, he told Zimmerman three days after the shooting that Martin was a “good kid, mild-mannered kid.”

Sereno told Zimmerman that Martin, an athlete with an interest in aeronautics, was “a kid with a future, a kid with folks that care.” The detective said Martin only had a bag of Skittles and an iced tea on him when he died.

“Not a goon,” Sereno said.

He asked Zimmerman to explain why he doesn’t have bruises on his body or broken ribs. The two dozen punches Zimmerman claims he took are “not quiet consistent with your injuries,” Sereno said.

The detective also questioned how Zimmerman could claim he was yelling for help when he also said Martin was smothering him. Sereno pointed out that Zimmerman has offered two explanations for getting out of his car: to look at street signs to give the dispatcher directions and to follow Martin.

For reasons that are still unclear, Zimmerman kept up his pursuit even though a dispatcher told him it wasn't needed.

Martin’s parents’ attorney Ben Crump couldn’t immediately be reached for comment. But Crump said on his Twitter feed, “Everyone should review Zimmerman’s objectively written statement in comparison to the 911 tapes which were previously released.”

Crump did not elaborate.

Zimmerman’s second bond hearing will be June 29. His $150,000 bond was revoked earlier this month after prosecutors said Zimmerman and his wife, Shellie, misled the court about how much money they had available for bail. Shellie Zimmerman was charged last week with making a false statement.

More like this story

wow 11 months ago

George followed the kid...it doesn't matter that he changed his mind or lost sight Travon. Did he tell Travon that everything was all cool or it was all a mistake? NO......therefore Travon may have circled around and poounced on George. Travon was pursued by a a man he did not know, a man who had intiated a confronctation and caused Travon to fear for his safety....therefore dispite all the wishfull thinking George Zimmeman does not get to decide that Travon is no longer in danger...UNLESS HE (ZIMMERMAN) CONVINCINGLY CONVEYS THAT FACT TO THE PERSON BEING THREATENED...and that ladies and gentelmen of jury is young Mr. Travon Martin. It doesn't matter that he (Travon) smoked weed, it doesn't matter that he got suspended a week earlier. Travon Martin WAS/IS the victim. George Zimmerman recklessly casued the death of this young man, by intiaiting a confrontation with a innocent, unarmed teenager who Zimmerman incorrectly thought was involved in criminal behavior. The threat level of the intial confrontation was elevated when Zimmerman knowingly brought his 9mm sidearm....therefore Travon was correct in assuming Zimmerman was there to hurt him. IF ZIMMERMAN hand not intiated this action or brought along his 9mm ...there is a very good chance that Travon Martin would not be dead, he would instead be celebrating this summer with his schoolmates. Member's of the jury...do your duty and return a verdict of guilty. This will send a mesasge to all other wanna be, irresposible gun owner's who think they have the right to walk the streets with their guns and feel they can use them without worry of being held accountable for the results of that use.

sickandtired 11 months ago

I'm sorry wow that you feel the criminals are the only people that should be aloud to carry firearms. Majority of all states have a carry law. Like it or not they have the right to carry. They carry for a reason-because of people like you. Even if GZ had followed TM. He stopped and started heading back to his car. Why didn't TM run for his life?instead he turned around, hid and waited for the supposed threat(GZ) to walk away and then jumped him. TM must have really been worried for his life to wait for him to come back so he could jump him. IF a 17 year old boy doesn't realize that people other than boys in the hood might carry a gun he was stupid for thanking it.

wow 11 months ago

Your opinion is noted...however you're wrong, becasue I don't believe citizens should not be able to leaglly CCW. What I don't agree with is that a grown man can follow a kid, making the kid scared, who then acts irrationally and the adult ends up shooting the kid and the adult isn't held accountable for the results. That's the "TM" situation in less than 60 words or less. I also don't believe anyone outside of the Military or Law Enforcement should be allowed to own fully Automatic Weapons, Sniper Rifles, M-16's AR's or any military style weapon...hunting, sport shooting, nothing that makes sense calls for a private citizen to own that type of weapon. Also "Sickandtired"...criminals...well TM wasn't a criminal, he was an innocent kid who got shot by a person who up until that incident wasn't convicted, but hopefullyu will be...which will make George Zimmerman the crimminal...because HE recklessly casused the death of an innocent teenager.

John 11 months ago

It is interesting that my previous post has disappeared, perhaps someone complained.

The fact is NOBODY here KNOWS what happened. It APPEARS that NOBODY here is an attorney, nor does it APPEAR that anyone here KNOWS FL law concerning the use of deadly force.

MORUS and others previously found they do not know the law nearly as well as they thought they did. As a result, they ended up with egg on their face.

I heartily suggest that everyone wait until the dust settles and see what the authorities, the law, and the courts (iff necessary) have to say about this specific event. A large dose of crow may be served if a bunch of folks come one here and convict or declare innocent (although innocent until PROVEN guilty is always good to remember), Zimmerman.

wow 11 months ago

TM would not have ran away and or came back if he was not FIRSTconfronted by Zimmerman. So therefore Travon DID NOT initiate the incident. Travon also did not bring a gun to the encounte,r Zimmerman did. So therefore Zimmerman not only initiated the incident, he escalated the level of force without even being threatened....by your own words Travon ran away...since we are all in agreement on that fact. Why was it neccessasry for George Zimmeman to bring a gun along with him.....we do know he did that. Since that is also a fact, then he....Zimmerman raised the level of force, before Travon had a chance to turn around and or do anything.

Let's say Travon did beat George Zimmerna........look at it like this. George Zimmerman followed Travon. Travon got sacred because he didn't know who was following him or why...after all, the only thing Travon had done was stop at the store and purchase a bag of Skittles and a can of Ice Tea. After that he was suddenly followed by some unknown man...Based on George Zimmerman's own words and that of POOOLeece, the area they were in was known for crimes...So is it not rational to assume...when George began following, then chaising Travon....the young man got scared that he was gonna be Jacked. so he went into servival mode. He got Zimmerman close and then pounced....that's basic instinct, not intiating a fight. If Zimmerman had not started this"Travon looks suspiscious mess." , he Zimmerman would not have followed, got into a fight or killed Travon. What's so hard to understand? Zimmerman started the chain of events which lead to the unneccessary and avoidable death of an innocent teenager and for that he Zimmerman needs to be found guilty and punished. If he isn't then the next crime victim who defends themself is going to be in trouble for doing nothing more than being a victim trying to defend themself.

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