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June 26, 2012 4:42 PM

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Christopher Serino, cop who said George Zimmerman should be charged, is transferred from investigative unit

By: Julia Dahl
Topics: Daily Blotter

George Zimmerman walks police through his fatal encounter with Trayvon Martin a day after shooting the Florida teen.

/ CBS

(CBS) SANFORD, Fla. - The Sanford Police Department investigator who informed his superiors that he believed there was enough evidence to charge George Zimmerman with manslaughter for the shooting death of Trayvon Martin is being transferred from the investigative unit to the patrol division.

Pictures: George Zimmerman charged with murder

According to the Sanford Police Department, Christopher Serino made the decision to transfer "of his own volition."

Serino's un-redacted report detailing his findings about the shooting the night of Feb. 26 was released Tuesday.

In his report, Serino, who interviewed Zimmerman in the days following the shooting, wrote that in following Martin, Zimmerman's actions were "inconsistent with those of a person who has stated he was in fear of another subject." He wrote that Zimmerman had at least two opportunities to speak to the teen and "defuse the situation." He also noted that Zimmerman "failed to identify himself" as a concerned citizen or neighborhood watch member on two occasions that night.

Serino also reported that he thought Zimmerman's head injuries were "marginally consistent with a life-threatening episode, as described by him, during which neither a deadly weapon nor deadly force were deployed by Trayvon Martin."

According to the report, Serino recommended that Zimmerman be charged with manslaughter on March 13, one day after former Sanford police chief Bill Lee held a news conference announcing there was not enough evidence to charge Zimmerman.

The state's attorney declined to press charges and it was not until a month later, after a national outcry about the case, that Zimmerman was arrested and charged with second-degree murder.

Last week, Zimmerman's attorney released video of the former neighborhood watch volunteer walking police through the shooting scene the day after he shot Martin.

Complete coverage of the Trayvon Martin case on CBS News

26 Photos

George Zimmerman faces murder charges

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by otimus June 27, 2012 10:38 AM EDT

So from all you conservatives, I am reading if you spot someone in a car and the next thing you know the person in the car has gotten out and started to follow you without identifying himself, and you the person minding your own business does not have the right to confront the suspicious person following him? Dont worry I know it is not as simple as this but the basic facts are that. I know second degree murder is not the charge I would go with but I do see a manslaughter, maybe involuntary manslaughter because there was two times where George could have acted responcable and broke off contact.

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by Jame_Gum June 27, 2012 10:39 AM EDT: You have the right to confront the person and ask,"Why are you following me?", but you do not have the right to launch a brutal assault!


by ahendryx819 June 27, 2012 5:06 PM EDT: @ Jame: how do you know Trayvon DIDN'T ask Zimmerman why he was following him? He may have, but nobody will ever know, because he isn't here to tell his side.

by ahendryx819 June 27, 2012 10:27 AM EDT

I'm not a big fan of the police, most of the time. But I do understand the frustration when they want to see someone charged, and it doesn't happen. Unfortunately, they are the ones who see the crime scene, and all of the evidence, first-hand. Knowing that whether or not the suspect IS charged is out of their hands must be frustrating. I happen to agree with Serino's report. I watched one of the videos, where Zimmerman was showing the police his "injuries" as he was being taken into custody, and they didn't seem close to "life-threatening." Furthermore, the altercation may well have been prevented, had Zimmerman identified himself. But he didn't. So he is at least partly responsible for the shooting, and I feel he should have recieved the manslaughter charge.

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by Jame_Gum June 27, 2012 10:41 AM EDT: Zimmerman's injuries were not life threatening because he was able to put down his attacker.

If George hadn't had his gun with him that night, his injuries would have been far more severe. Martin may even have killed him!


by EntityCS June 27, 2012 3:20 PM EDT: @Jame_Gum

What makes you think that Martin would have further injured or killed Zimmerman?

That is BS. I'm sorry, but it is.

Zimmerman had a loaded gun.

Martin had an iced tea and skittles. ********* it... skittles.

Martin was going home to a nice and respectable set of family members. He would not have been comfortable or nonchalant about killing a man right outside of their home.

Zimmerman, on the other hand was not going home. But he, of the two, was the only one who I believe was prepared to kill that night. I say that because he did act like he had just killed someone's dog.. and he has a stark history showing issues concerning his manhood. The drugs he was taking have dangerous side-effects.

Personally, even if I were Z and his story were true, I would be beating myself to death... I would feel horrible about people giving me hundreds of thousands of dollars. Furthermore, I would not accept... were my story true. I would go insane simply because I would understand that had I made different choices, the kid would still be alive.

I believe Martin would be showing major symptoms as well. Anger, sadness, etc., because committing such a act, to Martin, would have been a REALLY big deal - in part because it would be a REALLY big deal to the people who are responsible for him. He may have had a part of him that would want to self-prove his manhood but not by way of murder. Martin had to think of the people he would have to face immediately afterward. To Martin and his guardians, it would have been unjustifiable to kill a man that night. To Zimmerman and his wife... well.. "something" tells me a high-five might have been in order.

Zimmerman still referred to Martin as a "suspect" even after he "learned" he was tracking down and attempting to corner an innocent kid, not a suspect.

Beating down a predator, I believe, is something Martin may have thought he could get away with. But to suggest that Martin was just as ready to kill someone that night... You couldn't convince me of that in a million years. It is impossible for me to wrap my mind around something so ridiculous.

Perhaps if Martin's guardians were hit-men or life-long violent convicts, I could entertain such ludicrous assumptions. Or perhaps, if Martin had Zimmerman's skin under his nails and had multiple scrapes on his hands, and/or if a few witnesses heard Martin saying "I'm going to kill you" or something like that... Then I would believe that the outright Z supporters aren't full of BS.


by ahendryx819 June 27, 2012 5:04 PM EDT: Jame, you don't know what would have happened that night, had Zimmerman been unarmed. One thing IS certain though: he wouldn't have gone looking for a fight, followed a kid that was walking home, confronted him, OR provoked an altercation with him. But he did. Why? Because he was armed.


by Gormone June 27, 2012 8:47 AM EDT: Good morning . . . well, it appears that quite a few of the followers out there continue to run at the mouth. Why all the hostile rethoric? This officer made the correct call from the outset, give credit where due. I am a resident of the area that this homocide occurred in, I know some of the people that have been in the national news. Emotional statements over race and "good ol' boy's" are misplaced. This entire issue, once more, starts with a lack of reverence toward ownership of a leathal weapon. Ammend S.Y.G.; Reply to this comment


by jwilsonte5 June 27, 2012 7:29 AM EDT: cops are just another swing Di-k and not his JOB make that decision .. He should of been fired for running his mouth. This a murder charge and cop "does " not have authority to charge.. they can write traffic tickets yes... this is a wanta be dect. and that is why he is back on nite shift; Reply to this comment

by aintfakin June 27, 2012 12:00 AM EDT

by smittyc June 26, 2012 10:46 PM EDT
My understanding was the detective was over ruled by the prosecuting attorney who stated he would need more evidence before he would take this to court. That means he was demoted for other reasons
--------------------------------------
An unarmed teenager dies. The shooter had an inconsistent story.
The only reason this kid wasn't charged for a month was because of the good ol boy crowd around Zimmie's father the judge. I hope the police chief who had to leave finds something other to do than being a cop.

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by reality_sanity June 27, 2012 6:13 AM EDT: George has been disarmed and either in hiding or in jailed, the neighborhood is without it's watch captain and sole watch member. If things are safer than before the incident, aintfakin; then it appears even by your analysis George was the cause of the problem and not a contributor to it's solution.

Smitty since the Police Chief was FIRED it would appear the detective was RIGHT.


by reality_sanity June 27, 2012 6:18 AM EDT: Sorry aintfakin, my comments should have been directed at boo-boo.


by aintfakin June 26, 2012 11:56 PM EDT: y realsickofit June 26, 2012 10:13 PM EDT
Opinions are like a holes, everyone has one. With that said if someone knocks me down and jumps on me, I'll do my be to shoot them. If I'm on the jury he is "not guilty".
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I get real amused at these faux tough guys inserting themselves self righteously into a situation they know nothing about. Dont worry a ho. No one is going to put you on a jury; Reply to this comment

by smittyc June 26, 2012 10:46 PM EDT

My understanding was the detective was over ruled by the prosecuting attorney who stated he would need more evidence before he would take this to court. That means he was demoted for other reasons. Currently the new prosecutor says she has more evidence, but have not read anywhere what new evidence she is referring to. It will be a jury trial and quite honestly I expect Z to walk.

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by aintfakin June 26, 2012 11:54 PM EDT: bull


by reality_sanity June 27, 2012 6:19 AM EDT: The police chief was FIRED all evidence indicates the detective was RIGHT.


by ahendryx819 June 27, 2012 10:15 AM EDT: Ummmm the police chief who didn't want Zimmerman arrested was FIRED. Does that not count for anything? And besides that, the prosecution is not going to make the evidence that they have public. The trial hasn't even started yet.


by JC_Scott June 26, 2012 10:07 PM EDT: Has anyone read the arrest affidavit? He was arrested because of Trayvon's mother saying it was Trayvon yelling for help on the 911 tape, TWO weeks AFTER the shooting (and after Tracy Martin said it was NOT his son yelling for help) and "Dee Dee's" statement THREE WEEKS after the shooting where she claims George continued following, confronted and attacked Trayvon.

Without those two statements they had no reason to arrest George and witnesses, evidence and the shooting site do NOT support his mother's or "Dee Dee's" version of events.; Reply to this comment

by moretruthnow June 26, 2012 9:00 PM EDT

It appears Serino was treated unfairly for his report and his observations. No one asks to be put on the night shift. You do that because you have to. That is all it amounts to. He stood up right away and said Zimmerman should be charged with a crime and was overruled. Zimmerman's head injuries were little to none. Because most people saw Zimmerman walking into the police department looking perfectly fine including his hateful head.

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by snowbirdnomore June 26, 2012 9:40 PM EDT: His "hateful head" sounds more like prejudice than an intelligent, thought provoking comment. Is that the best you can do?
We do not know why he requested the change, anymore than we know exactly what went on between GZ and TM, so why assume he was treated unfairly? Believe me, if that were so, Al and Jesse would be all over that!