DOCUMENT: Florida, Crime

Zimmerman Prosecutors In Huge Screw-Up

Photo of dead Trayvon, college docs released

George Zimmerman

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Zimmerman Mistake

AUGUST 9--In an embarrassing screw-up, Florida prosecutors today accidentally distributed a post-mortem photo of Trayvon Martin as well as copies of George Zimmerman’s college records, material that Florida law considers confidential and exempt from disclosure.

The documents were inadvertently included in supplemental discovery records distributed this morning by prosecutor Angela Corey’s office. The material was sent to a variety of media outlets, including TSG, that have paid fees to receive discovery provided by the government to Zimmerman’s lawyer.

The photocopied picture of Martin was one of three taken by an unnamed witness. The photo mistakenly released by Corey is a black and white copy of an image depicting the teenager lying face down on a lawn.

After distributing the picture, a Corey aide sent an e-mail to reporters noting that a “photo depicting the killing of a person” was “confidential and exempt” pursuant to state law.

Zimmerman’s Seminole State College of Florida records--61 pages in total--include his original application to the community college and his class transcripts. The documents detailed Zimmerman’s poor grades, which landed him on academic probation last year.

Zimmerman, who was studying for an associate degree in criminal justice, did not graduate last year due to a failed class. Following the February 26 shooting of the unarmed Martin, Zimmerman “was issued administrative withdrawals” for three classes in the Spring 2012 term “with no fees charged against his account.” (3 page)