ABC News has been given a photograph that might make the difference between life in prison and a walk. For weeks, we have been discussing the case and the application of the Stand Your Ground law. As discussed earlier, I think the case was over-charged and I remain doubtful of a conviction. This picture will likely be the single most important piece of evidence in the case. It shows Zimmerman with significant blood on the back of his head — an image that supports accounts from the scene and will be used to corroborate Zimmerman’s account of a struggle with Trayvon Martin where he feared serious bodily injury. [UPDATE: Zimmerman granted bond].
Unlike the photos of Zimmerman at the police station, this photo was taken a few minutes after the fight. Zimmerman’s shaved head could prove Godsend for Zimmerman. Had he had longer hair, the injury would have not appeared so stark.
The photo shows both cuts and a contusion — injuries that would normally be defined as serious bodily injury by many courts in torts cases where head injuries are treated as inherently potentially serious. The original police report said that he was bleeding from the nose and head and that his clothes looked like he had been in a fight. Zimmerman claims that it was Martin who jumped him, punched him, and pounded his head on to the concrete sidewalk.
The prosecutors can still argue that they do not contest the fight but that Zimmerman started it. However, with this photo, the charge of second-degree murder appears even more excessive and undermines Special Prosecutor Angela Corey’s claim that she was not affected by the political pressure to charge Zimmerman. I can understand a manslaughter charge, even with the photo, but no reasonable prosecutor would consider the second-degree murder charge as based on this evidence. Corey clearly must have seen this photo and the reports before her charging of Zimmerman.
The photo should also assist Zimmerman in his efforts to get bail.
Zimmerman, 28, is still being held on charges of second-degree murder of Martin, 17. In my view, a denial of bail would be an abuse and unwarranted given the fact that Zimmerman cooperated at the scene and voluntarily turned himself in.
Source: ABC
Otteray Scribe – That’s all fine and dandy, but in his picture he has it partially hidden under clothes (not hidden enough). Fine if you own guns and did at that age, it is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to legally purchase a gun. I’m just pointing out that maybe this “angel” wasn’t so angelic.
Elaine – How about you stop making me out to be some racist prick when I have done nothing racially motivated and said nothing racial. I don’t carry a gun to feel safe, I carry a gun to protect myself, my wife, and my family IF something were ever to happen. This little bullshit of “white brothers,” you can take that all of that and shove it right up your ass.
Matt, I have an album full of pictures of me with guns of various types at that age. In fact, I still have the .410 shotgun I got from my father when I was 14. He got it from his father when he was 14 himself. I had my daughter target shooting with a pistol when she was in junior high. She is now a sworn law enforcement officer. Your point?
mespo,
Poor Matt and his “legally armed” white brothers. They be scared of “suspicious-looking” teenagers. Poor lot. They’ve got to pack heat to feel safe. Such is life for some.
Me? I carry a purse that I could hide a baby hippo in. That’s the only weapon I need.
Mespo – You really are a dumbass. Murder is the only crime?
Total crime annually 24, 801.
annual crimes per 1,000 residents – 83.52
Now you want to label me a racist? Why? Because I actually open my eyes rather than have my entire head shoved up my own ass? I actually see the media for what it really is? It just so happens that Trayvon is black and this whole incident made national, sorry, world news. I’m simply asking, why didn’t the others that were black on white crimes? Aren’t they just as important? Not to mention a white elderly man who was beaten by multiple black teens in Columbus while he was walking home. They yelled, “this is for Trayvon” and nearly beat him to death. Did you hear that story you dumb bitch? Open your fucking eyes!
Gene – You’re so called “beloved angel” was posing in a picture with a gun and that’s ok? Under the age of 21 (which is an illegal age to own a handgun) but he’s got one? Why? He was “such a sweet little boy.”
Gene H:
Stop it Gene. I’m getting sick from laughing.
Matt, I didn’t call you a wife beater. I said that if you were following me, those would have been my thoughts, and the reasons for my unprovoked attack upon you. AND you took the bait!
Proving once again that when I make a good enough circular argument, somebody will jump into my circle.
Damn, I’m still a rug-cutter!
Now, folks, I just saw a news report clip from Florida. Here’s the origin of that picture. It did not come from the EMTs or the Police that night; no official source at all and there is probably no proof that it was taken that NIGHT. It appears to be the result of some previously unidentified (and therefore previously not interviewed by police?) “witness” on the scene whose story is that he heard Zimmerman calling for help AFTER shooting Martin, and he came by, and Zimmerman asked him to call his WIFE for him. (So now Zimmerman can’t call his own wife?) When the witness apparently asked what to say, Zimmerman reportedly responded, “Man, just tell her I shot somebody.” So the witness, rather than get all scared and freaked out like I would have been, or any other self-respecting American coward would have been, either DID call the wife AND took a picture of Zimmerman’s wounded head (huh?) OR did NOT call the wife BUT took a picture of Zimmerman’s wounded head. So, origin is: somebody with a cell phone that takes pictures. OH, and they say that they can figure out that it was taken on the scene “moments after” Zimmerman shot Martin.
So, we’re calling wifey rather than 911?
And…we’re taking pictures rather than turning over the kid to see if he is still breathing?
And we KNOW the picture came from that night but the photographer did not hang around to be interviewed by the police?
Is there something wrong with this picture?
Like, could maybe the picture have been taken the following night at the same approximate time of day? Or something? Jeez, I dunno, I wasn’t there. But it would seem better practice, in my humble opinion, for either:
(a) Police to take their own pictures;
(b) Hospital to properly record medical condition and treatment;
(c) pictures to be turned over to the investigating officers who need them; and
(d) Forensics to be done on the spot rather than speculated about later.
NOW, look at the picture. Do YOU see two little puncture type wounds? Is that what I’m seeing? Hmmm.
As far as I can tell, there MAY be evidence that between the time that the original call to police dispatcher was placed by Zimmerman and NOW, Zimmerman bled from somewhere for some reason. Somebody MAY have taken a picture of that blood. There probably is no way to determine more than that, on what I have read so far.
By the way, a friend of mine is an actor and she has worked with lots of Broadway fight choreographers. (I have never met them; they work on tech rehearsal days and I have never been there then.) But any one of them, together with a good make-up artist, could produce a picture at LEAST as good as the one on this blog, any night of the week, and after the show, we could all go out and party unless we were home mourning that someone had been senselessly killed.
Matt,
Your insults to my intelligence hurt my fragile feminine sense of self-confidence. Oh, please, stop! I think I’m getting the vapors. Must get me to a fainting couch forthwith.
Gene:
I’ve got a picture of me at age 16 in front of my grandfather’s moose head trophy he got in Canada. It’s plain as day. You can envision the rest.
Amazing how little questioning it took for old Matt to show his true colors.
Maybe I should reconsider that policy though.
It sure would make running to the corner store a conversation starter.
“Is that a giant rat in your pants or are you just glad to see me?”
“Why, yes it is. Thank you for noticing.”
Whitey says what?
Oh, I’m sorry. Did I say that out loud?
BTW, I have a picture of me with Mickey Mouse plain as day, but I don’t carry him in my waistband when I’m going to get tea and Skittles.
Matt:
Uh, numbnuts I’m reading YOUR SITE. It said there were 68 murders. i estimated 65. Can you read?
Elaine M:
“Are you implying that Trayvon Martin was a thug or a gangbanger?”
**********************
No, Elaine he’s implying he’s black. And as he so graciously shared with us, “they” get all the breaks from the media:
Matt said: How about the case of the white kid who was chased onto his front porch by 2 black kids who then proceeded to douse him in gasoline and light him on fire while yelling at him, “This is what you deserve white boy.” Was that plastered all over the world news? How about the story of the white couple who was carjacked in Tennessee? You know, the one where the 5 black people made the girlfriend watch while they cut off the boyfriends penis, molested him, dragged him out to the train tracks, doused him in gasoline, lit him on fire and then shot him execution style.
Nope, never any white on black hate crimes — like is alleged in Tulsa. There defendant Jake English reminded us that “some of his best friends are black.” Matt missed those stories apparently in the ‘natti media.
Poor, poor put upon Matt and his white brothers in Cincinnati.
I was right about Matt all along: paranoid, macho, and decidedly “race conscious.”
Elaine – Sorry, myspace, one particular image should alert you. Him, in the bathroom posing for a picture with a gun plain as day laying on the counter.
Elaine – I’m not saying “legally purchased” weapons, I’m saying legally carrying. Two different things.
I’m not trying to win an arguement by saying you are ignorant, I’m stating fact.
Yes, I do think he was a gangbanger. 3 suspensions from school recently. 1.) What was believed to be stolen jewelry 2.) In possesion of “burglary tools” 3.) Possession of a bag with weed residue
Also, have you read any of his posts to facebook or twitter? Do some research
Mespo – I have no idea what you are reading but you might want to take a look at this page for more updated statistics.
http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/oh/cincinnati/crime/
anon:
” I have been busy driving the schoolbus and so can’t spend all day online like you guys, but last I saw, you idiots were condoning mass overcharging of Zimmerman.”
*********************
Yeesh, I thought it was you!
Matt,
You can insult me all you want. It’s not a persausive way to win an argument. In fact, it’s a pretty poor tactic.
LEGALLY armed citizens shoot and/or kill people with their guns. George Zimmerman did. Jared Lee Loughner, the man who shot Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, had legally purchased a semi-automatic pistol.
*****
You wrote: Gotta watchout for the gangbangers and thugs that the media wants to portray as “little boys.”
Are you implying that Trayvon Martin was a thug or a gangbanger?
Elaine – The knife was folded in his pocket.
Ooops make that seven thousandths of a percentage chance.