Zimmerman atty: Don't judge by "piecemeal" evidence

(CBS News) The defense lawyer for George Zimmerman warned against judging his client just on the partial evidence released so far in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, saying that "looking at it piecemeal is what has caused some of the problems in the past with the case."

Appearing Friday on "CBS This Morning," attorney Mark O'Mara said the evidence released this week marks the beginning of his work on the case, helping focus him and his team on completing depositions and planning on appropriate pretrial motions, but also that part of the discovery evidence is still to be released.

In the evidence file, details of the fatal February 26 confrontation spill into public view for the first time: Crime scene photos show the immediate aftermath, including Zimmerman's facial injuries - a broken nose, two black eyes, gashes in the back of his head. But Mark Strassmann reports, according to officers, Zimmerman refused three times to go to the hospital.

Paramedics found Martin lying on his stomach, the can of iced tea, still cold, in his sweatshirt pocket. They flipped over his body and attempted CPR for six minutes.

Martin's autopsy showed he was shot through the heart. Gunpowder burns around his chest wound, called "stippling," suggest Zimmerman shot him no more than 18 inches away. The gun shot's trajectory was horizontal.

Diagrams also note Martin was hurt in the fight: blood on his head, a bruise around his eye, scarring on both hands.

When asked by Charlie Rose how yesterday's release of information - some possibly supportive of his client, some possibly not - might affect his case, O'Mara said, "It's sort of important that we all - not only my team but everybody - wait until all the evidence is out.

"I'd rather not comment on partial evidence. Let's deal with it all once we have it, and deal with it in the courtroom," he said.

When asked if he agreed with a police report's statement that the shooting was avoidable, had Zimmerman followed instructions to not pursue Martin - O'Mara replied, "They're entitled to their opinion."

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O'Mara said the biggest challenge he faces in representing Zimmerman is doing it properly in a courtroom.

"There has been a groundswell of emotions on this case - some for Mr. Zimmerman, some against him. All of those opinions are incomplete or partial because I don't even know all the evidence. So I have my greatest concern is that, this case seemingly has already been tried in the media and the public with completely incomplete information, and I'm worried that people will have their minds made up and that they'll react with incomplete information."

When asked to describe the mental state of his client, O'Mara replied, "He is anxious to get the process moving, frustrated by the fact that he's basically living in hiding. But his spirits are good."

To watch the complete interview with Mark O'Mara click on the video player above.