Trayvon Martin Autopsy Shows Injuries to Knuckles

Trayvon Martin's autopsy shows injuries to his knuckles, which bolsters George Zimmerman's claim that there was a fight, a Florida television station reports.

James Joyner · · 86 comments

Trayvon Martin’s autopsy shows injuries to his knuckles, which bolsters George Zimmerman’s claim that there was a fight, a Florida television station reports.

WFTV-9 (“Autopsy results show Trayvon Martin had injuries to his knuckles“):

WFTV has confirmed that autopsy results show 17-year-old Trayvon Martin had injuries to his knuckles when he died. The information could support George Zimmerman’s claim that Martin beat him up before Zimmerman shot and killed him. […] WFTV legal analyst Bill Sheaffer said it’s better for the defense than it is for the prosecution. WFTV has learned that the medical examiner found two injuries on Martin’s body: The fatal gunshot wound and broken skin on his knuckles. When you compare Trayvon’s non-fatal injury with Zimmerman’s bloody head wounds, the autopsy evidence is better for the defense, Sheaffer said. “It goes along with Zimmerman’s story that he acted in self-defense, because he was getting beaten up by Trayvon Martin,” Sheaffer said. The injury to Martin’s knuckle also fits with Zimmerman’s story that before he shot and killed Martin, Martin had broken his nose and knocked him to the ground, slamming his head on the sidewalk. But Sheaffer said there could be another explanation for Martin’s knuckle injury. “It could be consistent with Trayvon either trying to get away or defend himself,” Sheaffer said.

For that matter, given that Martin seemingly posed zero threat to Zimmerman prior to his decision to get out of his truck and pursue him on foot with his gun drawn, Martin’s injuries could fairly be attributed to self-defense. But, given that the burden of proof is on the state, that there are no surviving witnesses other than the defendant, and a Florida law which gives enormous latitude to use deadly force if one fears for one’s safety, this would seem to make it more likely Zimmerman will be acquitted.