On video, Zimmerman reenacts shooting to police
(CBS News) For months we've been waiting to hear what George Zimmerman has to say about the killing of Trayvon Martin. Now, in great detail, he has told his story of the shooting. On Wednesday, Zimmerman's attorney released a videotape of a statement that Zimmerman gave to police.
Zimmerman is charged with murder. He was a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Fla., when in February, near his home, he noticed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. Minutes later, Martin lay dead of a gunshot wound. What happened in those minutes has ignited a national debate over race, profiling and self defense.
Zimmerman (from the video, inside a car): He was walking in the grassy area...
This video was shot by Sanford police the day after the shooting. Zimmerman rode with investigators back to the scene of the shooting and described what happened.
Zimmerman (inside a car): Like I said, it was rainy and he was just leisurely looking at the house.
He spotted Trayvon Martin in the gated community. It was just after 7 p.m. and the 17-year-old had purchased iced tea and candy at a convenience store.
Zimmerman (inside a car): I kept driving. I passed him and he kept staring at me and staring around ,looking around, to see who else was -- I don't know why he was looking around.
Police officer: Did he walk off from there or did he stop there last night?
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Zimmerman: He stopped.
Zimmerman told police he parked his car at the neighborhood's club house and then called police.
Zimmerman (from a 911 call): This guy looks like he's up to no good, or he's on drugs or something. It's raining and he's just walking around, looking about.
Zimmerman said he then lost sight of Martin. It was at a spot where the two came face to face.
Zimmerman (walking outside, gesturing): When I got to right about here, he yelled from behind me to the side of me, he said 'Yo, you got a problem,' and I turned and I said, "No, I don't have a problem, man."
Police: Where was he at?
Zimmerman (gesturing): He was about there, but he was walking toward me..Like I said, I was already past that, so I didn't see exactly where he came from, he was about where you were. I said , "No I don't have a problem and went to go grab my cell phone, but I left it in a different pocket. I looked down at my pants pocket, and he said "You got a problem now," and he was here and he punched me in the face.
At least six residents called 911 to report a fight.
Zimmerman (gesturing): I tried to sit up, and that's when he grabbed me by the head and tried to slam my head down.
Police: Were you on the cement?
Zimmerman: My body was on the grass, My head was on the cement.
From a 911 recording, the dispatcher asked a caller: "So you think he's yelling help?" The caller responded: "Yes."
Zimmerman (gesturing): That's when my jacket moved up and I had my firearm on my right side hip. The jacket moved up and and he saw -- I fell like he saw it, he looked at it and he said, "You're going to die tonight (expletive) and he reached for it. I felt his arm going down my side, and I grabbed it, and I just grabbed my firearm and I shot him one time.
Also released Wednesday were video and audio recordings of Zimmermans' interviews with investigators at police headquarters the day after the shooting. For the first time, we hear the voice of lead investigator Chris Serino. He pointed out what he saw as inconsistencies.
Serino: A lot of people don't think that your injuries are consistent with getting in a life-threatening type thing. It's a matter of perception, I understand that.
And Serino directly asked Zimmerman whether he targeted Martin because he was black.
Serino: You know you're going to come under a lot of scrutiny over this, correct? OK, the profiling aspect of the whole thing. Had this person been white, would you had felt the same way?
Zimmerman: Yes.
Again, these tapes were released not by prosecutors, but by Zimmerman's attorney. Mark O'Mara told CBS News he wanted the public to know that his client has nothing to hide. Although he acknowledges the information could reach potential jurors for a trial, he denies that was the reason for putting the information out on his website.
