Zimmerman claims he killed Martin in self-defence after the unarmed youth
attacked him and repeatedly slammed his head into the sidewalk during a
confrontation in a gated community in the central Florida city of Sanford.
The encounter began when Zimmerman called police to report what he called “a
real suspicious guy” walking through his neighbourhood and then got out
of his car and followed Martin, against the advice of a police operator.
In an affidavit submitted in court, two investigators assigned to the case by
a Florida special prosecutor reported that Zimmerman “disregarded the
police dispatcher” who instructed him not to follow Martin.
Zimmerman said after he got out of his car he never went further than 100 feet
(30 meters) from it. He said he wanted to find out his location to pass
along a more accurate address to police.
“I hadn’t given them a correct address,” he said.
Martin’s killing drew national attention after police and prosecutors
originally declined to arrest and charge Zimmerman, citing the “Stand
Your Ground” self-defence law and his claim that he used deadly force
because he believed his life was being threatened.
Asked if he had a message for Martin’s parents, Zimmerman said he was praying
for them every day.
“I am sorry that they buried their child. I can’t imagine what it must
feel like,” he said.
In April, he also apologised to the parents during a court appearance.
“I do wish there was something, anything, I could have done that
wouldn’t have put me in the position where I had to take his life,” he
added.
“I hate to think that because of this incident, because of my actions,
it polarised and divided America,” Zimmerman said.
Source: agencies
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