George Zimmerman did not seek medical treatment until the next day, even after he allegedly had his nose broken and his head “slammed” into the sidewalk several times (or, as his lawyer claims, simply fell down and hit the back of his head).
A broken nose is not “great bodily harm”. I’ve had my nose broken playing sports, and aside from the gusher of a nose-bleed, the injury causes redness, a lot of swelling, sometimes an obvious displacement of the nose, and even if not at the time of injury, a person with a broken nose usually develops two spectacular black eyes over the next three days. Boxers get broken noses regularly, and kids get them from baseballs, a misplaced elbow on the basketball court, falling off bikes. If, in fact, Zimmerman’s nose was broken, I expect that there will be medical documentation and probably pictures showing this injury in all its black-and-blue glory.
Scalp Wounds Are Notoriously Bloody
Scalp Wounds Are Notoriously Bloody
The other injury mentioned is a cut to the back of Zimmerman’s head, which his attorney described as “needing stitches”. They also claim that no stitches were used, because Zimmerman waited a day before seeking medical attention. This implies medical records that would document both the injuries and the fact that the wound could not be stitched.
But let’s think a little about a cut to the scalp. Scalp wounds are notorious for bleeding profusely, because the scalp has a rich blood supply and the blood vessels in the scalp don’t constrict. Between that cut to the scalp and the busted nose, there should have been a lot of blood on Zimmerman, and with a cut that needed 11-12 stitches it would likely be difficult to stop the bleeding without medical attention.
On March 28, ABC aired surveillance film from Sanford P.D. showing George Zimmerman on the night of the killing. There is no blood on Zimmerman’s clothing, his nose is not swollen, red, or mashed sideways, and there’s no blood on the back of his head. If Trayvon Martin had been on top of Zimmerman when the gun was fired, Treyvon’s blood should be on Zimmerman, but there’s no evidence of any blood in these video shots.
The initial police report states that an officer on the scene observed that “[Zimmerman's] back appeared to be wet and was covered in grass, as if he had been laying on his back on the ground. Zimmerman was also bleeding from the nose and back of his head.” No grass, wet, or blood appears in the videos from the police station.
