Trayvon Martin Case: New Photograph Shows George Zimmerman's Bloodied Head

A new photograph released by ABC News shows a bloodied George Zimmerman with injuries on the back of his head. The photo, which was reportedly taken three minutes after Zimmerman shot Trayvon Martin, could serve as possible evidence supporting the neighborhood watch volunteer's claim of his violent confrontation with the teen.

The image shows blood trickling down Zimmerman's head from two cuts, and a possible contusion on the crown of his head. It was released right before Zimmerman's attorneys attended a bail hearing, at which a judge set Zimmerman's bond at $150,000. The neighborhood watch volunteer, 28, was being held on second-degree murder charges for shooting 17-year-old Martin on Feb. 26. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison. The judge said he would not be released today, pending deliberations about the terms of his release.

Editor's Note: Some viewers with a higher sensitivity may find this photo graphic.

According to law enforcement authorities, Zimmerman, who maintains he shot the teen in self-defense, told local police that Martin punched him in the face, climbed on top of him and slammed his head into the sidewalk. When the local police arrived at the scene, they found Zimmerman with a bloody nose, swollen lip and lacerations on the back of his head. Although paramedics gave him first aid, he said he did not need to go to the hospital and sought medical treatment the next day.

In a statement to ABC News, Martin family attorney, Benjamin Crump, said he is skeptical.

"How bad could it have been if they didn't take him to the hospital [and] didn't stitch him up? The special prosecutor has seen all the evidence and still believes George Zimmerman murdered Trayvon Martin."

But Zimmerman's attorney, Mark O'Mara, said it's time for his client to get out of jail.

"He wants to get back with his family," he said. "He wants to be able to help me, he knows that that's very significant."

According to his attorney, if released, Zimmerman has a number of potential safe houses prepared.

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Comments

[Tiggers friend]

07:57 PM on 03/26/2013

Do a google search of Zimmerman back of head injuries. Click on images, scroll down until you see the image on a phone. There's a 9 on the bottom of the pic Click that image, then click on visit page. It will lead you to a blog at blogspot. Scroll down until you find the article with that image. There are two comments there. Read the comments, it will tell you this is a Zimmerman supporter. Then go back to the site & click on source under the image. It will lead you to another page & there is a link under the image. Click on that link & it will lead you to wftv.com with that same image.
They should explain where they got the image from & who doctored that image. Because you can see a clear line across the top of where the blood starts flowing down which means something (probably another image) was there. And if that's true that means a graphic artist was messing with this image.

[elky]

11:13 PM on 07/12/2012

What took so long to finally show the truth???

[Jim Speed]

10:00 AM on 12/04/2012

The police REFUSED to release these photos.. YES.. these are POLICE Photo's. Zimmermans law team had to get a JUDGE to ORDER the police to release them. WHY? Because the police KNEW that these would WRECK ANY HOPES of a Zimmerman conviction. All these clowns on forums are saying they are doctored pictures.. NOPE.. Its over.

[billbailey]

02:19 PM on 06/13/2012

3 minutes after shooting he is taking a picture of Zimmerman's head? Any other pictures? He is able to see gunpowder residue on the victim's sweatshirt in the dark?

[Lkdub7]

03:45 PM on 06/01/2012

It's a MF shame why they still playing game with a life...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1vbUdrQFMQ&feature=plcp

[colamonkey]

09:24 AM on 05/19/2012

I especially love all the Zimmerman defenders saying "Gottcha! Trump card!"

Newsflash: bloody photograph doesn't matter. Why? Trayvon had every right to defend himself under Stand Your Ground. Some strange man with a gun was following him. If I was walking by myself and some dude was following me, I would most definetly have felt threatened. Who knows exactly what I would have done? I know that I would do anything to stay alive.

[Ilya Arkadiev]

11:30 AM on 12/04/2012

First of all Travyon did not know that he had a gun because Zimmerman did not have it exposed since he got Concealed Carry Permit. Second of all, if you are reasonable human being, if you saw someone approaching you with a gun, you would of probably made steps back and tried to reason with him and asked why did he have a gun pulled on you. Making any wrong move against someone who is obviously armed with deadly weapon is 90% of time is wrong move unless you are Ninja McGuyver Batman.

[G8tor]

09:15 AM on 04/12/2013

100 percent of the time...

[Suzy 24]

07:38 PM on 05/18/2012

Why do they call George Zimmerman white ? Whites are the new minority.

[frank1es]

04:05 PM on 06/03/2012

Same reason they call Obama black.

[Sick of it White Person]

09:19 PM on 05/16/2012

If Trayvon had had any common sense he would have called 911 if he felt threatened. He would have done ANYTHING but act like the wanna be gangsta he protrayed himself as. Instead, he attacked a man who shot him for it...case closed. This is not and has never been about race...it is about stupidity.

[shelvern]

04:36 PM on 07/10/2012

Talking about stupidity; a man coming after you with a gun and you think he should have called 911? The time that it takes to give information to the 911 operator he would be dead. To you this is the way to handle people who act gangsta?

[G8tor]

09:16 AM on 04/12/2013

Running away is alwasy a good option.

[White Raven]

08:52 AM on 05/05/2012

Photo looks authentic to me. Based on this and the interview with one of the neighbors who was a witness to part of the fight, I'm starting to think Zimmerman might have told the truth.

[colamonkey]

09:08 AM on 05/19/2012

Doesn't matter. What would you do if you were being chased down by some strange person with a gun? Trayvon had the right to defend himself. He stood his ground, NOT Zimmerman.

[White Raven]

10:03 AM on 05/19/2012

You really don't want to ask me a rhetorical question like that. The answer is that I would've talked to him like a man instead of (apparently) jumping on him and trying to pound his head into the pavement. Of course my reply assumes a lot of thing are true which neither of us know, but then your question does too.

[frank1es]

04:06 PM on 06/03/2012

I don't think I would attack someone who had a gun pointed at me.

[Ahm Just Sayin]

11:36 AM on 06/30/2012

Looks soooooooooooooooooooooooooo fake.
Especially that even line on the bottom.
Sanford made photo no doubt.

[KelCeeEee]

10:15 AM on 05/04/2012

Well, his acquittal will be coming in three...two...

[Rob1911a1]

10:07 PM on 05/18/2012

I should hope so, since he is innocent of any wrongdoing.

[Ahm Just Sayin]

11:36 AM on 06/30/2012

Well, you certainly are innocent of having no brains!

[Rob1911a1]

05:49 PM on 06/30/2012

He was (per witness on 9/11) on the ground being badly beaten. According to Martin's parents, he was 6'3", which, if true, means he had a huge natural advantage. He also was kicked out of school for dope, had a gold grill (thug behavior), his pack has dope dust and a screwdriver (B&E tool, for those in law enforcemnt). His autopsy showed dope in his body, i.e., he was high at the time. Now, even if Zimmerman did talk to him, that in NO WAY justify a physical assault of the sort that happened, and, again, it was witnessed by the third person 9/11 caller. The physical damage on Zimmerman, as documented by the police, completely supports Zimmerman's need to defend himself. Indeed, there were no charges brought initially because it was a clear cut case of self defense. The witch hunt produced a special prosecutor to persecute, not prosecute. Try: Learning the facts, learning to reason, and researching the laws regarding justifiable self defense before you critcize someone who is more intelligent and better informed than you.

[Kickaha Ness]

04:53 AM on 05/03/2012

Actually this question is huge!!!!!

DOES GEORGE ZIMMERMAN HAVE A BLUETOOTH IN HIS EAR?

This would totally debunk the theory that TM was smashing his head into the ground. I really want to see a person spin that one.

[unitron]

02:43 PM on 05/03/2012

In that picture his left ear is quite visible and very "un-dark" in color, but his right ear appears to be obscured by something dark in color, but I would think a bluetooth earpiece wouldn't be large enough to keep all of the ear from showing.

[KelCeeEee]

10:16 AM on 05/04/2012

You can smash someone's head into the ground without disturbing a bluetooth. Not trying to defend the man, but I don't think that would be anything that would cause raised eyebrows.

[Kickaha Ness]

04:51 AM on 05/03/2012

Does George Zimmerman have a bluetooth in his ear?

[OkieIntellectual]

05:43 AM on 05/01/2012

Why do all the photos of Martin continue to portray him as some innocent 12-year-old? Even the headline banner here is obviously photoshopped to make Martin's appearance seem more childlike and innocent.

[meanjoker]

04:48 AM on 05/03/2012

Why does Zimmerman keep revising his story? It's anyone's guess

[Bill Davis1]

09:42 PM on 05/06/2012

Yeah you can see some photoshopping, which is kinda ironic too that they post that picture in the headline and have the same unaltered picture below it for another story.

[Marine Corps Sniper]

10:47 AM on 05/08/2012

Marine Corps Sniper said:
We can all throw away our Microsoft photo enhancement programs now. That includes the FBI, CIA, Police Agencies, Liverpool, and the KGB. We now have YOU to analyze and interpret questionable photos. How fortunate we are, you dolt!
Semper Fi!

[VIXIN]

09:30 PM on 05/15/2012

LOLOLOL

YOU claim to see THIS photoshopping...but not the photoshopping claimed on Os BC???

[Sherry Brazell]

11:41 AM on 04/30/2012

the phtographer of this picture also claimed to have noticed gun powder residue on the hoodie of the victim (trayvon)... I'm no forensic specialist,so id like to know if it's possible for the naked eye to notice such residue? Also, how was he able to get that close to the body while the police were on the scene?

[dvdbrrtt62]

05:16 PM on 04/30/2012

Yes it is possible for GSR to be seen by the naked eye. It would most likely appear similar to a typical fluid type stain, except a gray or charcoal in color and not wet. No the person does not to be inches away to see it, really depends on the lighting. Additionally the person could have thought he was seeing GSR and it is blood that soaked the clothing.

[Sherry Brazell]

06:52 PM on 04/30/2012

"depending on the lighting" :it was dark, and you would agree that he would have needed to be in close proximity (maybe a foot to two or less,which again would be strange and questionable as to why he would have been allowed that close to the body) of the body to see such a substance right? Also, police were more than likely performing cpr on tray, which would have required them to hoover over his body and, therefore, immensly limiting any view that he made have had of the hoodie. so again how would he have seen such a subtance with limited light (remember it was dark) and also with the police over trayvon's body?

[Letty Concepcion]

11:44 PM on 05/01/2012

Funny he could see that because in the police report the officer said they found him face down on top of his hands. He a Zimmerman must have xray vision. Zimmerman to see a street sign thru buildings and the other guy to see gunpowder residue on his hoodie. wouldnt the residue be in the chest area? Im sure this is the same "witness" called "john" which is really Jeremy from the 911 call that came inside when you hear the shot.

[Nebtastic]

05:19 PM on 05/16/2012

Or maybe the first thing the responding officer did was turn the body over to check for vitals. Critical thinking must be hard for you!

[pnllsprkf]

04:10 PM on 04/29/2012

I see the BACK OF SOMEONES HEAD --how do we know when where or who it belongs to--the shirt in the picture doesn't match his other arrest pictures

[meanjoker]

04:52 AM on 05/03/2012

funny how brand new photos keep trickling out to the news.

[Nebtastic]

05:21 PM on 05/16/2012

You're joking right? Compare the red jacket in this photo to the red jacket Zimmerman is shown to be wearing on arrival to the police station. Seriously. How damn difficult is it for the commenters on this thread to actually THINK. Smdh.

[Yvette67]

02:57 PM on 04/29/2012

To put things in perspective:
The scalp can bleed quite profusely, even with a superficial scratch - it has happened to me. How do we know it is not Trayvon Martin's blood - we see blood. Where is there evidence of an open wound?
I suspect the prosecution and defense will be questioning the police vigorously about the picture and ask for the other supporting evidence.

[dvdbrrtt62]

05:31 PM on 04/29/2012

HP cropped the picture. http://gothamist.com/2012/04/20/new_photo_shows_george_zimmermans_h.php
In the other picture there is a vertical cut, on the right side of the head maybe 3/8 inch long or so. I could not easily see a second cut but no reason to think there is not one.

[Sherry Brazell]

02:11 PM on 04/30/2012

dvd i've viewed and "DID" see something that "APPEAERED" to be a vertical gash. however, i must ask; why does the gash itself apear to be free of blood. Again i do see what apepars to be a gash and streaming blood, but i don't see blood inside of the gash. is that not odd?

[Marine Corps Sniper]

07:45 PM on 04/30/2012

Marine Sniper said:
Yes, I suspect also. ....... How lame and stupid!

Semper Fi!