Trayvon Martin Shooting: Autopsy results say slain teen had injuries to his knuckles

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman

/ CBS/AP

(CBS) SANFORD, Fla. - Although the trial of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer charged with murdering Trayvon Martin is still months away, the investigation into what happened the night of shooting is on-going. New details emerged on Wednesday regarding the condition of Martin's body. Wounds found on the 17-year-old's knuckles may support George Zimmerman's claim that the unarmed teenager assaulted him before he was fatally shot, CBS News reports.

Pictures: George Zimmerman faces murder charges

A responder at the crime scene told CBS News that he and others saw wounds on the knuckles of one of Martin's hands as he lay dead on this lawn. This suggests that Martin had thrown a punch.

Zimmerman told police he fired the shot at point blank range while on his back, as the 17-year-old straddled him. He also told investigators Martin did not die immediately but mumbled either "it's over" or "you got me."

State crime analysis of Martin's clothes includes gun powder residue which could indicate the distance between the men.

Meanwhile, special prosecutor Angela Corey's team collected evidence including two surveillance videos. One video was from the 7-11 where Martin bought Skittles and an ice tea while the other was from the clubhouse in the gated subdivision where Zimmerman shot him, according to CBS News.

The case also includes Zimmerman's medical report the day after the shooting, which listed a broken nose, two black eyes and a cut in the back of the head.

A source also told CBS News an unreleased police report noted Zimmerman's sweatshirt had "grass stains, and was wet on the back."

Details from Trayvon Martin's autopsy show the bullet entered the left side of his chest and shattered the ventricle, one of his heart's two large chambers, but the round did not leave his body.

The medical records were part of the evidence that prosecutors have in the second-degree murder case against Zimmerman. He has entered a plea of not guilty and claims self-defense in the shooting.

Complete coverage of the Trayvon Martin case on CBS News

26 Photos

George Zimmerman faces murder charges

View the Full Gallery »

93 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 93 Comments


by Player660 September 12, 2012 10:15 AM EDT: I believe if George Zimmerman was that afraid of tray on Martin he never should have gotten out of his car! He should have stayed in the car and stayed on the phone with 911! Trayvon Martin is an amazing person and never should have had his life ripped out this world like he was! Trayvon Martin will be so missed that nothing can make this right unless George Zimmerman admits he killed Trayvon Martin on purpose! He wasn't in danger he killed Trayvon for no reason!; Reply to this comment


by Player660 September 12, 2012 10:14 AM EDT: I believe if George Zimmerman was that afraid of tray on Martin he never should have gotten out of his car! He should have stayed in the car and stayed on the phone with 911! Trayvon Martin is an amazing person and never should have had his life ripped out this world like he was! Tray on Martin will be so missed that nothing can make this right unless George Zimmerman admits he killed Trayvon Martin on purpose! He wasn't in danger he killed Trayvon for no reason!; Reply to this comment


by GGhawk May 25, 2012 10:48 AM EDT: Here is an item, reported by the Associated Press in 2011, that has been suppressed or forgotten in the rush by the the MSM to advance the lie of Zimmermann's racism.
The son of a police officer beat a homeless black man and the Sanford police covered it up.
Zimmerman, on behalf of the black man, accused the Sanford Police of corruption at a public forum January 8 2011. Does that sound like a racist?
Count on the media to continue to keep this under wraps.; Reply to this comment


by Alex Vallas May 19, 2012 6:09 AM EDT: According to reports,the wound on Trayvon's knuckle was very small. Further, it was well known that Trayvon and Zimmermann had a fight. If Zimmermann had listened to the police and stayed in his car, nothing would have happened. The media are doing this incident great harm that could result in either the conviction of an innocent man or the release of a guilty one. They should keep the reporting to a minimum and wait for the justice system to act.; Reply to this comment


by montanatrace May 18, 2012 9:59 AM EDT: It's amazing how so many of you "know" all the facts. You have made up your minds and yet, really only know what the press has put out. CBS, CNN and others have been caught modifying the truth and that doesn't seem to matter to you or the Prez, Spike, Jesse, Al, Black Panthers, et al. To so many, it appears you are more interested in race than holding off opinions until the evidence is presented.; Reply to this comment


by Ordflyer May 17, 2012 10:12 PM EDT: WHY DID ZIMMERMAN GET OUT OF HIS CAR??? Answer: He wanted to confront and cause a conflict. Zimmerman caused this death and should go to jail...; Reply to this comment

by moretruthnow May 17, 2012 7:05 PM EDT

There was an opinion article in the newspaper today by a retired police officer. He said that Zimmerman was the antagonist from the beginning and should have been arrested that night and charged with manslaughter. Zimmerman was the person who followed the Martin and was told not to. If there was a fight it was because this creepy guy was following Martin and he defended himself. Zimmerman was a want-to-be cop who should have stayed away from Martin. He did not and everything that happened was because of Zimmerman's stupid actions. I really do not care about Zimmerman's injuries. It changes nothing since he instigated the whole incident. Because he had a gun Martin is dead.

Reply to this comment


by mykedee68 May 18, 2012 12:03 AM EDT: Bottom line here is that if Martin was white/hispanic and Zimmerman was black, this wouldn't even be a story. Fact!

by andie52 May 17, 2012 6:52 PM EDT

one cut on a finger doesn't prove a vicious attack on Zimmerman something isn't adding up

Reply to this comment


by mykedee68 May 18, 2012 12:01 AM EDT: No, but the broken nose, black eyes, and gash on the back of Zimmerman's head prove it.

by TimeToEvolve May 17, 2012 6:34 PM EDT

Weapons in the hands of frightened cowards like Zimmerman become very dangerous. In fact, frightened people are easily led which explains almost the entire Republicon Party problem that America has.

Reply to this comment


by moretruthnow May 17, 2012 7:10 PM EDT: You're darn right I believe in global warming and so do most people with the intelligence to see what is going on in the world today. You are proving with your comment that you are a very low information mut for any right wing stupidity. Yes I do care about protecting the air, water and land from further pollution and ruin. President Obama is a genious compared to mental midgets like you. Your foolish name says it all about you.


by TimeToEvolve May 17, 2012 4:55 PM EDT: Army Vet you are missing the point you were trying to make. Because you are writing stories about what happened when you don't know. So you start off completely wrong and then proceed to mess it up further from there. Zimmerman was a victim of a tragic and unnecessary law that was forced on the people of Florida by the real enemies of America the giant corporations (in this case gun corporations and their paid lap dogs the NRA).; Reply to this comment