(USA Today) Tests on the gun used to kill Trayvon Martin show traces of George Zimmerman’s DNA but none that matches the teen, according to evidence released today by Florida prosecutors handling the case.
The office of State Attorney Angela Corey released that report, along with previously reported witness statements, hundreds of photos of the gated community where the shooting occurred and a 911 call made by Trayvon’s father the day after the teen’s death. The items included an interview of the 7-Eleven clerk who saw Trayvon the moments before his death.
Authorities conducted DNA tests on the slide, trigger, grip and holster of the automatic pistol Zimmerman used to kill the 17-year-old unarmed teenager in February in Sanford, Fla.
The tests by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement excluded Trayvon as a possible contributor for DNA found on the gun’s grip but were unable to determine whether his DNA was on the other parts of the weapon.
DNA on the slide showed the presence of one male individual, but it could not be matched to anyone. DNA belonging to Zimmerman was also found on the gun holster, but Martin’s could not be matched.
“There’s certainly nothing new that proves the elements of the crime,” said Randy Reep, a criminal defense attorney in Jacksonville. “We frequently see gun crimes with no DNA with people who didn’t have on a glove. It’s not a great surface for DNA, that’s been my experience.”
Whether Trayvon actually had his hand on the gun may not matter, Reep said. The crux of the case rests on whether Zimmerman can convince a jury that Trayvon was reaching for the gun, he said.
Zimmerman, 28, a Neighborhood Watch volunteer, is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting Feb. 26. He told police he shot the teen in self-defense after Trayvon repeatedly knocked his head to the ground and reached for the gun Zimmerman wore in a holster. He has pleaded not guilty. Read more…
