Tracy Martin, who called his son Trayvon his best friend in life, took the stand as a defense witness and relayed that, just moments after the lead investigator in the shooting, Chris Serino, told the court that Martin admitted the screams he heard on the 911 audio were not his son’s, Martin told defense attorney Mark O’Mara this was not true.
“I didn’t tell him that it wasn’t Trayvon.”
Martin says that he did tell Serino that he couldn’t tell if the screams were Trayvon’s, but he never said “no” outright.
Martin said that it took the extremely excruciating process of listening to the tape over 20 times before he concluded that the screams belonged to his son. He justified that it took so long because he was listening to the voice of the human being he was closest to in the world was gone, instantly inducing shock and overwhelming heartbreak.
“I was listening to my son’s last cry for help. I was listening to his life being taken. I was coming to grips with Trayvon was here no more. It was tough,” he said.
In a heartbreaking moment during cross examination, Martin talked about life without Trayvon.
“It’s very difficult to believe Trayvon is not living. As I said over and over, that’s my best friend in life and to have him gone is tragic.”
Before the father took the stand, the jury heard two Sanford, Fla., police officers say that Tracy Martin said it was not his son’s voice.
“I believe my words were, ‘Is that your son’s voice in the background?'” said investigator Chris Serino.
“What was his response?” asked Zimmerman’s lawyer Mark O’Mara.
“It was more of a verbal and non-verbal. He looked away and under his breath said, ‘No,'” responded Serino.
The saving grace for the prosecution may be the fact that George Zimmerman also told investigators that the screams for help didn’t sound like his voice either.
Listen to Tracy Martin’s testimony below.
