By Ashley Hayes, CNN
(CNN) – Just hours after fatally shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, George Zimmerman told police investigators the shooting followed a life-and-death struggle in which the teen told him, "You're going to die tonight."
Read the written statement from Zimmerman to police about what happened (PDF)
The audio of the February 26 interviews, made public late Wednesday, is part of discovery items released by Zimmerman's defense team. The recordings represent the first time Zimmerman is heard giving his account in his own words.
Also released were audio and video showing the techniques used by the police department in the investigation: interviews conducted in the days after the shooting, a video of a voice stress test administered to Zimmerman by police and his videotaped re-enactment of the incident for authorities.
Zimmerman, 28, is charged with second-degree murder in Martin's February 26 shooting death. Zimmerman has said he shot Martin in self-defense, but Martin's family and civil rights activists across the country said Zimmerman, who is white and Hispanic, racially profiled Martin and ignored a 911 dispatcher's advice not to follow him.
What defines you? Maybe it’s the shade of your skin, the place you grew up, the accent in your words, the make up of your family, the gender you were born with, the intimate relationships you chose to have or your generation? As the American identity changes we will be there to report it. In America is a venue for creative and timely sharing of news that explores who we are. Reach us at inamerica@cnn.com.
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Z is nothing more than a pathalogical liar. He will say ANYTHING to shift the blame off of himself, onto others.
Boy,I'm seeing some people here reacting racially stupid because they haven't a clue what really went down,it can't be further from the truth,everything he's aired on these videos is totally a complete opposite of what is written down in statements from Zimmerman and police officials at the time of this incident.He must of been coached well before filming this.Everything I've heard and red,and I'm from Florida mind you so I get all the info I can stomach and its much different than he said from before,his initial alibis don't match up to this video,I assure ya!!This goes to show how people are so easy to sway,just because of color ,race,ethnicity,we as a country have not matured, after reading these comments,I can attest to that.!!!
TM lost control of his anger and assaulted another man like an animal and got put down as one. No one ever has the right to assault another person. A single punch to the head can be lethal.
There are many cases of people dying from the resulting concusion from a single punch to the head. A man has the right to defend himself from assault.
This just goes to show all this stuff with Jj and Asharpton calling Zimmerman a racist and cold blooded killer is bull. Martin was the aggressor and got what he deserved
A teenage boy walking home, minding his own business deserved to die??? This is why I have to leave this country. The US will be racist for at least another 100 years smh
Agreed, jj & as are 2 of the biggest racists in the nation.
Agreed, look at his head wounds. Be wad jumped. Tm, and his ilk are a menace