Pathologist supports Zimmerman's description of attack

SANFORD, Fla. — Evidence supports George Zimmerman's claim that

Trayvon Martin was on top of him when Zimmerman fired the shot that

claimed Trayvon's life, a forensic pathologist testified Tuesday at

Zimmerman's murder trial.



"The medical evidence is consistent with Mr. Zimmerman's statement,"

said Vincent Di Maio, an expert witness for the defense. The

pathologist also found that Trayvon lived no more than three minutes

after the shooting and probably was conscious for at least 10 to15

seconds.



Di Maio also testified that Zimmerman's head injuries could have been

caused by coming into contact with concrete and that such injuries can

be very dangerous. That testimony supported Zimmerman's claim that

Trayvon was slamming his head into a sidewalk.



Zimmerman, 29, is charged with second-degree murder in the February

2012 shooting. The neighborhood watch volunteer says he acted in

self-defense when he shot and killed Trayvon, 17, minutes after

calling police to report that he was following a suspicious person in

the gated community.



Speculation that Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, profiled, followed and

murdered the black teen sparked racial controversy and protests around

the country last year. Zimmerman, who faces life in prison if

convicted, has maintained that race did not factor into his actions.



Before the jury entered the courtroom Tuesday, Judge Debra Nelson held

a hearing to determine whether jurors will see a computer animation

created by a defense witness. She issued no ruling.



Mark O'Mara says the animation presents the fact that Trayvon Martin

was shot at a 90-degree angle and supports the way the defense

believes the shooting happened.



"We know animations are very admissible and often used," O'Mara said.



Daniel Schumaker, who created the animation, testified that he has

worked on scores of criminal cases, often creating animated crime

scene reconstructions using photographs, measurements and motion

capture suits.



Schumaker got involved in the Zimmerman case in April 2012 after a

meeting with defense attorneys. Soon after, he visited the community

where the shooting occurred, looked at crime scene photos and used

police measurements from that night, he testified. He also got witness

statements, 911 calls and diagrams drawn by residents who saw parts of

the struggle before the shooting.



"I believe I had everything I needed to create the scene," Schumaker said.

Assistant State Attorney Richard Mantei argued that the animation does

not "represent a complete or accurate record of the evidence." Mantei

wrote in court papers that the state thinks the animation is

"speculative and irrelevant." It also doesn't accurately depict the

lighting on the night of the shooting, "deliberately fails to show or

even symbolize the murder weapon," and relies on Zimmerman's version

of events for the positioning of bodies during the struggle, Mantei

said.



The state prosecutor argued the animation, if admitted, would be

"prejudicial and confusing to the jury."



The defense also could present witnesses to discuss the level of

marijuana found in Trayvon's system at the time of his death. Nelson

ruled Monday that the jury will learn about a toxicology report. State

attorneys had tried to keep the information out of trial, arguing that

the amount of marijuana was minimal and would prejudice the jury.



However, Zimmerman's attorneys succeeded in arguing that the report

was important and would give the jury insight into the night of the

shooting.



Shiping Bao, the medical examiner who did the autopsy of Trayvon, said

he believes the marijuana may have had some effect on the teen. He

initially thought the amount of drugs didn't have an impact but later

changed his opinion and now believes the drugs had an effect. Now,

Bao, who testified for the state last week, may be called to testify

for the defense.