Zimmerman tells cops Trayvon Martin reached for his gun as police tapes released(FL)

nypost.com ^ | 21 June, 2012 | DAVID K. LI

[marktwain]

Accused murderer George Zimmerman reenacted for cops how Trayvon Martin allegedly jumped him and reached for his gun, painting the unarmed Florida teen as the aggressor in the deadly encounter.

Zimmerman led Sanford police through every step of the infamous showdown, one day after he blew away Martin during a Feb. 26 shooting that’s landed the neighborhood watch volunteer in jail, charged with murder, according to ABC News.

The dramatic blow-by-blow was made public today by defense lawyers, in the most detailed statement yet attributed to Zimmerman.

"He said 'Yo you got a problem?'" Zimmerman mimicked Martin to cops at the scene of the crime. "And I turned around and said 'Naw I don't have a problem man.'"

Zimmerman continued: "He said 'You got a problem now' ... and he punched me in the face."

The defendant claimed Martin gained the upper hand and start pummeling him mercilessly.

"My head was on the cement and he kept slamming it and slamming it," Zimmerman said.

"It felt like my head was going to explode and I felt I was going to lose consciousness."

That's when, Zimmerman claimed, Martin spotted the volunteer's gun.

"I feel like he saw it," Zimmerman said. "He looked at it and he said 'You're going to die tonight mother f--ker and he reached for it."

It was in that kill-or-be-killed moment, Zimmerman said, that he acted in self-defense.

"And I grabbed it and I just grabbed my firearm and shot him," the defendant told cops.

[marktwain]

Someone trying to get your gun is a deadly threat.

[Diggity]

I hope Zimmerman gets off. If what he did was not self defense then nothing is.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

This is not new. He’s been saying that since day one.

[Texas Fossil]

Bump!

[cuban leaf]

I already knew about this in May.

[cuban leaf]

I already knew about this in May.

Correction: a lot of it, but definitely the title subject.

We are just getting a lot of this that we already have seen, but in a different context.

[Renderofveils]

(snip) one day after he blew away Martin (snip)

I know the Post writers aren't exactly paragons of the English language, but this is a very small step above "bustin' a cap." I suppose I should be happy that it's not written out in text-speak.

[thulldud]

I heard that GZ's pistol still had the empty casing in the chamber when the cops got it. This would indicate that the slide had not retracted during firing to eject the empty and load the next round. And why would it not have done so? Because innocent Trayvon had his fist closed over it, trying to tear it out of GZ's hand.

If this wasn't self-defense, nothing is.

[Logical me]

Looks like the punk got it wrong. I would have done the same.

[GOYAKLA]

There seems to me that there will soon be a large train wreck coming to Florida! It might be pictured by imagining a head-on, full speed, between Yellowstone and BigBoy!
http://www.steamlocomotive.com/yellowstone/

http://www.steamlocomotive.com/bigboy/?page=up
Buy lots of popcorn and beer!

[manforallseasons]

None of this is new. Even the videos, which are “new” to the general public, have been known to the police and the prosecutors since February. All of the evidence supports Mr. Zimmerman’s claim of self-defense. There has never been any evidence to support arresting him or charging him with a crime.

[In Maryland]

Oh, I think Zimmerman overreacted. Why, just becuase someone is sitting on you, beating your head into the pavement, reaching for your gun and says "You're going to die tonight mother f--ker", why would you assume they meant to inflict bodily harm? It's only because the child was black that he felt threatened.

Need I add, /sarc?

[Uncle Chip]

I heard that GZ's pistol still had the empty casing in the chamber when the cops got it. This would indicate that the slide had not retracted during firing to eject the empty and load the next round. And why would it not have done so? Because innocent Trayvon had his fist closed over it, trying to tear it out of GZ's hand.

Interesting. I wonder what fingerprints and DNA showed on that gun???

[ltc8k6]

No, the case was found in the grass and I believe it was under TM’s body.

[ltc8k6]

The PF-9 wouldn’t hold either very well, but I believe only GZ could be shown to have touched the gun.

[sheikdetailfeather]

I totally love what you said and agree with it 100 percent. I am fed up that good people are getting railroaded in this case and the police chief should never have been fired. Zimmerman acted in self defense.

[Cyber Liberty]

Someone trying to get your gun is a deadly threat.

Not when it's a yute armed with a bag of Skittles.

[wtc911]

Someone trying to get your gun is a deadly threat.

_______________________________

Being followed in car and then on foot by a stranger with a gun can just as easily be perceived as a deadly threat. You know what perception is, don't you....it is the reason this entire affair happened in the first place.

[marshall_t]

A failure to eject in a semi-automatic can also be caused by having the barrel in contact with the target. This fits the up close and personal nature of the fight.

[1malumprohibitum]

No, being followed by car and then on foot by a stranger can never be perceived as a deadly threat. There has to be more, something a reasonable person would believe indicates a deadly threat. Following doesn’t even come close.

Nice try sneaking the gun in your narrative but Zimmerman was carrying concealed and there is no evidence whatsoever that the gun was an issue prior to the scuffle. Furthermore there is plenty of evidence that the gun only became an issue after the fight exposed it.