Warning Graphic Photo: Image Of George Zimmerman’s Bloodied Head May Be New Evidence In Trayvon Martin Case
A new, graphic photo of George Zimmerman's bloodied head may prove to be valuable new evidence in the Trayvon Martin shooting case. The photo, which was obtained exclusively by ABC News, was taken three minutes after Zimmerman shot and killed 17-year-old Martin in the Sanford, Fla., development of the Retreat at Twin Lakes on Feb. 26.
The new photo is a shot of the back of George Zimmerman's head, with blood dripping down the back of his head and down to his neck from two small cuts. A possible contusion is visible as well, on the crown of his head. ABC News cited the image as giving possible credence to [Zimmerman's] claim that Martin had bashed his head against the concrete as he fought for his life. The police report stated that Zimmerman's head was wet and that he was bleeding from both his head and nose.
Zimmerman was treated at the scene of the shooting by paramedics and was not admitted to a hospital.
ABC News reported that investigators have seen the photo.
How bad could it have been if they didn't take him to the hospital [and] didn't stitch him up, Martin family attorney Benjamin Crump said in a statement to ABC News in response to the bloodied photo of George Zimmerman's head. The special prosecutor has seen all the evidence and still believes George Zimmerman murdered Trayvon Martin.
Up until now, the only imagery to surface from the night of the Trayvon Martin shooting was a surveillance video released in early-April. The enhanced video footage shows Zimmerman approximately 30 minutes after shooting Martin, exiting the back of a police cruiser with his hands cuffed behind his back. This video appeared to show no sign of a broken nose or head contusion.
Dr. Vidor Friedman, president of the Florida College of Emergency Physicians, told ABC News: If somebody had been beating his head against concrete I'd think we'd see more obvious scrapes. All of the ridges in his nose are clearly defined. You would expect significant swelling in the hour or two after a break. There appears to be none. It doesn't look like his nose was broken or badly broken. Adding that he would expect to see bandages on Zimmerman's head if there was, in face, a head injury.
However, the new photo of George Zimmerman's bloodied head may corroborate his story that Trayvon Martin attacked him on the night of the Feb. 26 shooting.
On Friday, George Zimmerman's attorney and the prosecutors will attended the shooter's bail hearing today, which could result in his being released from jail. He is currently being held on a second-degree murder charge.
Zimmerman's father, Robert, said that Trayvon Martin beat his son before his son shot him in the stomach.
Trayvon Martin walked up to him and said, 'Do you have a f------ problem?' Robert Zimmerman claimed his son told him. George said, 'No, I don't have a problem,' and started to reach for his cell phone. At that point he was punched in the nose, his nose was broken and he was knocked to the concrete.
According to Robert Zimmerman, Martin then got on top of his son and struck him repeatedly. They reportedly rolled onto the grass, Martin saw Zimmerman's gun tucked into his waistband and said something threatening like You're going to die tonight, Robert claimed.
A police report by Officer Timothy Smith stated: I could observe his back appeared to be wet and was covered in grass, as if he had been laying on his back on the ground. Zimmerman was also bleeding from the nose and back of his head.
Richard Kurtz, a Miami funeral director, conducted an examination on Trayvon Martin's body on March 31 and said that the teenager's body showed no sign of a violent brawl as was reported by Zimmerman.
Richard Kurtz, a Florida funeral director, said that he examined Trayvon Martin's body only to find the gunshot wound and no cuts, scratches or bruises. The results of this examination seem to contradict the leaked police report that stated Martin was the initial aggressor, according to the New York Daily News. With a single punch, the Orlando Sentinel reported Monday, citing police sources. Trayvon Martin decked the Neighborhood Watch volunteer ... climbed on top of [him] and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, leaving him bloody and battered.
We could see no physical signs like there had been a scuffle [or] there had been a fight, Kurtz told CBS News. The hands - I didn't see any knuckles, bruises or what have you, and that is something we would have covered up if it would have been there.
Matrin looked perfectly normal to me when he came in and the story just does not make sense that he was in this type of scuffle or fight in anything that we could see, Kurtz added.
If Zimmerman did shoot Trayvon Martin in self-defense his he could be protected by Florida's controversial Stand Your Ground law.
Right now, Zimmerman's attorney Mark O'Mara's main objective is to get his client out of jail.
He needs to get out. He should not be in jail, O'Mara said. I want him out because I need him out. He wants to get out. His family wants it out. It should happen.
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