(Newser)
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After the encounter that left Trayvon Martin dead, George Zimmerman had a "closed fracture" of his nose, two black eyes, and lacerations to the back of his head, according to a report compiled by his family doctor and obtained by ABC. The report notes that Zimmerman—who appeared unbloodied in a police video—declined hospitalization the night of the shooting, but went to his family physician the next day and sought clearance to return to work.
The report notes that before the shooting, Zimmerman had been prescribed Adderall and Temazepam, medications that can cause side effects including agitation in a minority of patients. The doctor noted that it was "imperative" that Zimmerman be evaluated by a psychologist. Zimmerman is facing a second-degree murder charge, to which hate crime charges may be added, but the medical report may add weight to his claim that he acted in self-defense after Martin pounded his head on the pavement. And WFTV reports that Martin's autopsy revealed broken skin on his knuckles; the station's legal analyst says that could play well for the defense, as it could bolster Zimmerman's claim that Martin beat him up.
