On Monday, George Zimmerman’s legal team released a new graphic photograph reportedly taken the night he shot and killed Florida teen Trayvon Martin following a confrontation.
Zimmerman, 29, is seen in the Feb. 26 police photo with a swollen, broken nose and blood dripping down his face. While a black-and-white photocopy of the picture was released in May, this high-resolution, clearer image was not released to Zimmerman’s defense team until Oct. 29.
Mark O’Mara, Zimmerman’s attorney, expressed his frustration at the delay to FoxNews.com.
“We kept asking for a digital copy and then we had to file a motion [in court] to have it submitted. It just seems like it’s been pulling teeth for discovery in this case.”
The photo is consistent with the police report from the night of the incident and gives possible credence to Zimmerman’s claim that he shot Martin, 17, in self-defense. Zimmerman, who was a neighborhood watch volunteer, claims Martin punched him to the ground and repeatedly bashed his head against the concrete until he fatally shot the teenager in the chest.
“Does it really show what happened that night to George? Yes,” O’Mara said.
This is not the first photo that has had a delayed release. In April, ABC News published an exclusive photo that showed the bloodied back of Zimmerman’s head.
Zimmerman’s trial is set to begin on Jun. 10, 2013. He has pleaded not guilty to the second-degree murder charge.