Well, even if he was on the ground getting his ass kicked, that does not resolve the use of deadly force issue - at least I don’t think it does.
If he was the original aggressor (which is at least possible), and if getting his ass kicked was the predictable outcome of his assault, he is not going to get off with self-defense.
do the 911 tapes prove up who started the fight?
“if getting his ass kicked was the predictable outcome of his assault, he is not going to get off with self-defense.”
As you implied, just because you attack a person doesn’t then give them the right to use lethal force...that also goes for the kid. If Zimmer thought the kid was using excessive force that was life threatening he then did have cause to use lethal force.