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Judge postpones showing animation in Zimmerman trial

SANFORD, Fla. — The defense in the George Zimmerman trial could rest its case Wednesday.

Judge Debra Nelson put off a decision to permit the jury to see a contentiously debated animation recreating what happened the night of Trayvon Martin's death.

Tuesday brought more testimony in the George Zimmerman case.

Court went long, ending after 8 p.m.

Attorneys discussed an animation for hours as court spilled into the late night without the jury.

Attorneys verbally sparred over an animation that shows Trayvon Martin, dressed in a hoodie, clocking Zimmerman in the face.

Defense attorney Mark O'Mara wants the jury to see it.

"And we have now, I think, presented an enormous amount of evidence to support that animation is accurate," O'Mara said.

State prosecutor Richard Mantei disagrees.

"They ought to know this is not being testified how this happened. And nobody should represent it or should they be confused by how it is," Mantei said.

"State doesn't want it in. One picture is worth a thousand words. They're fighting to keep it out," said Bill Sheaffer, WFTV legal analyst.

Seminole County Judge Debra Nelson listened intently for more than three hours, but put off a decision.

"I will reserve ruling on this and let you know at 8 in the morning," Nelson said Tuesday night.

A forensics expert testified earlier Tuesday that Martin leaned over Zimmerman just before he was shot through the heart in 2012.

Vincent Di Maio told the jury he examined Martin's autopsy results, toxicology report and photographs.

He said it all squares with Zimmerman's account of the incident. He also said Zimmerman's injuries were consistent with being beaten.

"He's obviously been punched in the nose. And he's been hit in the forehead," Di Maio, the forensics expert, said.