Even if Martin first hit Zimmerman it is not a slam dunk case of self-defense. Martin weighed 140 pounds, while Zimmerman weighed over 250 pounds. In order to use deadly force against Martin Zimmermann would have to believe that his own life was in danger from an unarmed boy nearly his half his size. One is not entitled do shoot someone else merely because the other person hit them. Specifically, in order to claim self-defense Zimmerman would have had to reasonably fear for his life at the moment he pulled the trigger. If Martin first hit Zimmerman, and then Zimmerman gained the advantage and was on top of Martin when he shot him this likely would not be a case of self-defense. Multiple witnesses from the scene say that it was Martin, not Zimmerman, who was crying for help moments before the shots were fired.
The crime scene, and specifically the position of both Zimmerman and Martin at the time the shots were fired, would be crucial in determining the validity of Zimmerman’s self-defense claim. At this point those facts are unknown. Some witnesses have testified that Zimmerman was on top at the time of the shooting, and that Martin was found face down after being shot. If these facts are true, it is hard to imagine how Martin posed a serious threat to Zimmerman in this position.
The facts, the lies, and the unknowns in the Trayvon Martin case - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com: