Police: Trayvon Martin beat man before being shot

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | March 26, 2012

[Zakeet]

With a single punch, Trayvon Martin decked George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who eventually shot to death the unarmed 17-year-old, then climbed on top of Zimmerman and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times, leaving him bloody and battered, according to an account released Monday by authorities.

That is the account Zimmerman gave police, and much of it has been corroborated by witnesses, authorities say.

Zimmerman has not spoken publicly about what happened, but that night, Feb. 26, and in later meetings he described and re-enacted for police what he says happened.

Police disclosed to the Orlando Sentinel that there is about a one-minute gap, after Zimmerman called police and before he fatally shot Martin, during which police say they're not sure what happened.

In Zimmerman's version of events, he had stopped following Martin and had turned around and was walking back to his SUV when Martin approached him from behind. The two exchanged words, then Martin punched him in the nose, sending him to the ground, and began beating him.

Then, Zimmerman says, he began yelling for help.

Several witnesses heard those cries, and there has been a dispute about from whom they came: Zimmerman or Martin. Lawyers for Martin's family say it was Martin, but police say their evidence indicates it was Zimmerman. One witness was unequivocal that it was Zimmerman who was crying for help.

[Snip]

New background information on Martin emerged Monday. He had been suspended from Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School three times, most recently for possession of an empty bag with marijuana residue and a "marijuana pipe," according to a school's report obtained by the Miami Herald.

[dr_lew]

... they’re going to have a real difficult time with this.

There's nowhere to go with it. The police, and the town government, are like a boulder in their path. They haven't budged an inch, and with the records they have made public, there is no way for them to cave in, that I can see.

The only possibility that I can see is a wrongful death suit, but this would also be unpropitious, if I understand correctly that it would open up more latitude for the defense to impugn the character of the deceased.

[Kickass Conservative]

Anyone got any Baby pictures of Charles Manson? I'm sure he was his Mother's little Angel at some point in his life.
Never mind, wrong color.

Obama and his Minions are inciting a Race War and the Nation watches American Idol while convicting the White Hispanic guy of cold blooded murder.

I can only imagine how things will turn out when the Monthly Government Checks stop showing up.

[TigersEye]

Was the lamb hurt in the brawl?

[Lmo56]

ABC News said that there was a scramble for the gun and that’s when Zimmerman shot Martin.

I had heard in a report [but cannot confirm the accuracy of it] that Martin basically cold-cocked Zimmerman and then jumped on him when he was on the ground.

During the scuffle, the gun on Zimmerman became visible. That is when the struggle for the gun took place, and during it, the gun was discharged ...

[Theoria]

Ya got a link? I don’t think that report is public nor is forensics done with the investigation.

[RightFighter]

I’m going to say publicly that I apologize to Dead Corpse and anyone else I called out on this. I believe I was wrong and they were right. I am sitting back and watching this info come out now, and seeing that this is all about re-electing Barack Obama and nothing about Trayvon Martin.

[MacMattico]

According to the NY Times (I don't have the link) he's White Hispanic.

Now technically that's true, he is half Caucasian and half Hispanic. But we don't call Obama white black. You're only white Hispanic when the Times wants a shooter to be a white guy. He looks Hispanic, just as Obama looks black.

[ChocChipCookie]

What has happened here is that Obama’s “army” is trying to foment racial unrest unlike we’ve never seen before, to convince the unconvinced that the only way to bring peace is to re-elect The One.

[Slings and Arrows]

Why let facts get in the way of a good lynch mob?

[jmacusa]

You are 100% correct. Have you noticed with the exception of MSNBC no one calls him “Reverend’’ anymore?

[ChocChipCookie]

It will be interesting to learn how close the gun was to Martin when it was fired.

[El Cid]

What race is Zimmerman?

Human.
Descendant of Adam. Just like Mr. Martin.

[Zakeet]

Who is tawana?

Tawana Brawley was one of Rev. Al's greatest triumphs. It took him the ranks of an obscure amateur New York City preacher into a professional major league race baiter.

With the support of the Rev., Tawana claimed that six white men, including several cops, raped her. After hearing evidence, a grand jury concluded that Brawley had not been the victim of a forcible sexual assault and that she herself may have created the appearance of an attack. The New York prosecutor whom Brawley had accused as one of her alleged assailants successfully sued Brawley and Rev. Al for defamation.

[TigersEye]

White hispanic. It’s a heretofore never heard of race that liberals just made up and, as it turns out, is not one of the privileged races.

[raj bhatia]

The Chronicle is my local paper and the section that is most interesting is the comments section. The folks are to the right of FR on issues like illegal immigration, govt spending, crime and race relations. Its on social issues and wars abroad do they take a hard left stand. It is a very interesting dynamic.

[Eagles6]

Antarctic-Australian I think. (Hey, if they can make up stuff why can’t I? After all I ‘m as much of a reverend as jesse and al).

[Cementjungle]

Expect a lot more of this sort of thing between now and November. No stone will be left unturned in their efforts to divide us.

[Eagles6]

Yeah and unfortunately a lot of people are going to get hurt , whether by ignorance or malice, and the instigators, obama, jackson, axel rod and such will remain unscathed.

[funfan]

I know I shouldn't but that image is too darn funny :) And he does actually look like Obama’s son if he had one

[DNA.2012]

So they found a way to label him White so as to classify him with The Racial Super-villains of the Universe.