Zimmerman's Attorney Releases Bloody Photo
ORLANDO (CBSMiami) – Another controversy has been raised in the George Zimmerman murder case after attorneys for the former neighborhood watch commander showed a photo, taken by the Sanford Police Department, of Zimmerman bloodied in the face the night he killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
The digital photo shows a bloody-nosed Zimmerman with a scratch on his forehead as he sat in the backseat of a police car.
Zimmerman's supporters say the photo backs up his claim of self defense. He said Martin attacked him as they encountered each other in a Sanford subdivision, forcing the shot that killed Martin.
Martin had been staying at the home of his father's fiancé in a gated community of The Retreat at Twin Lakes in Sanford that weekend.
While watching a game, the teen decided to walk to a convenience store. On his way back to the townhome, Martin was spotted by Zimmerman, the leader of the community's neighborhood watch.
Zimmerman followed and confronted Martin, despite being warned by a police dispatcher that officers had been called and that he did not need to approach the teen.
Martin and Zimmerman reportedly fought and Zimmerman shot the unarmed teen. Zimmerman claimed that he acted out of self-defense and is pleading not guilty based on Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law.
The black and white photocopy of the image was disclosed during discovery of the second-degree murder trial. Afullcolorcopy was later located and shared on the internet.
The date for Zimmerman's trail is set for June 10, 2013. A status hearing is set for December 10.
