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Zimmerman tells cops Trayvon Martin reached for his gun as police tapes released(FL)
nypost.com ^ | 21 June, 2012 | DAVID K. LI

Posted on 06/21/2012 10:36:43 AM PDT by 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.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: banglist; fl; martin; trayvonmartin; zimmerman
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To: SeaHawkFan; marktwain
It was a huge mistake for Zimmerman to do this video. Can’t believe his attorney would allow him to do it.

Wrong.

Everything he said and exhibited on the video was consistent with his previous statements. BTW, he didn't "Do" the video. He was asked by LE to accompany him to the scene as a reenactment of the events to the best of his recollection.

In addition, this is routine in a case like this, where they take the victim back to the scene and video him depicting the area and what occurred at the scene.

Only someone with something to hide would not cooperate.

This happens all the time in cases like this, for good reason.

61 posted on 06/23/2012 10:35:54 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: dragnet2

It also gives the prosecution a road map on how to attack his testimony. He should have saved it for the trial.

This was stupid on his part.


62 posted on 06/23/2012 10:45:51 AM PDT by SeaHawkFan
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To: SeaHawkFan
It also gives the prosecution a road map on how to attack his testimony. He should have saved it for the trial.

You don't know what your talking about. This is routine in cases like this. If you are the victim and have nothing to hide, why would you not cooperate by going back to the scene to show investigators what occurred?

What they *would* use against him in court, is if he refused to cooperate by simply showing what occurred at the scene. Which BTW seems consistent with his previous statements.

63 posted on 06/23/2012 10:53:05 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: SeaHawkFan
He should have saved it for the trial.

BTW, if he didn't cooperate with law enforcement regarding the scene reenactment, how could he possibly, "Save it" for the trial?

64 posted on 06/23/2012 11:03:59 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: SeaHawkFan
One more thing. From my perspective, in the video showing the victim cooperating with LE, Zim appeared very credible, believable and legitimate as he clearly seemed to support his earlier statements regarding the event.

One thing noted in the video, was the victim did not seem to be attempting to embellish his version of events, but calmly told them what occurred in what appeared to be a very credible manner.

65 posted on 06/23/2012 11:16:19 AM PDT by dragnet2 (Diversion and evasion are tools of deceit)
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To: SeaHawkFan
It also gives the prosecution a road map on how to attack his testimony.

But with the video out there and since it is consistent with his written statement, he now doesn't have to take the witness stand at all and the prosecution won't have a testimony to attack.

66 posted on 06/23/2012 11:43:41 AM PDT by Uncle Chip
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To: Uncle Chip

If he doesn’t take the stand, he cannot introduce it at trial. The prosecution can, but they won’t unless it benefits the prosecution. If so, he may be forced to take the stand.

The prosecution would not have asked him to do this if they had a strong case. There is no way this can help Zimmerman, but it could have hurt him.


67 posted on 06/23/2012 3:37:57 PM PDT by SeaHawkFan
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