LF: EXCLUSIVE: Robert Zimmerman interview (19 minute VIDEO)

LAKE MARY, Fla. (WOFL FOX 35) - For the first time since that fateful night on February 26, the father of a neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed an unarmed teenager sat down for a television interview.

Robert Zimmerman, father of George Zimmerman, said he decided it was time to speak out for his son, against the advice of others. He shared with us what George said happened on the night that 17-year-old Trayvon Martin died.

Complete coverage of Trayvon Martin shooting

"It's my understanding that Trayvon Martin got on top of him and just started beating him," the 64-year-old Robert Zimmerman said.

He said he felt his son has been portrayed in the wrong way. He also said he and his family have received death threats and asked that we not show his face on camera.

Because there has been a lot of break-ins in the area, Robert said George thought it suspicious that someone would not be walking on the street or the sidewalk on a rainy night -- that Martin would be walking between the town homes. He said after making those observations, his son decided to call the police.

"He called the non-emergency number first, and they asked him where he was, because he was at the rear of the town houses and there was no street sign," said Robert.

Even though a dispatcher told George Zimmerman not to follow Martin, his father said his son continued his pursuit to locate an address to give to police.

"He lost sight of the individual, he continued to walk down the same sidewalk to the next street, so he could get an address for the police," he said.

"He went to the next street, realized where he was and was walking to his vehicle. It's my understanding, at that point, Trayvon Martin walked up to him and asked him, 'Do you have a [expletive] problem?' George said, 'No, I don't have a problem,' and started to reach for his cell phone... at that point, he (Martin) was punching him in the nose, his nose was broken and he was knocked to the concrete."

Robert said Trayvon, "continued to beat George, and at some point, George pulled his pistol and did what he did."

When asked about the screams for help which were heard on a 911 call, Robert replied, "All of our family, everyone who knows George, knows absolutely that is George screaming. There's no doubt in anyone's mind."

As for accounts from Trayvon Martin's girlfriend, who claimed she was on the phone with Martin right before the altercation, he said, "I don't believe that happened. I don't believe she was on the phone with him, and I find it very strange with the publicity involved... that all of a sudden, after three weeks, someone would remember that they were on the phone."

Zimmerman said he had faith in the FBI and others investigating the case and that the truth will come out.

Robert Zimmerman, a former magistrate judge and Vietnam War veteran, said he has never had to deal with anything of this magnitude.

"Unimaginable," he said. "Tough was being in Vietnam and other things. This is way beyond anything I can imagine."

He believes his son will be cleared of any wrongdoing, but has a message to all the critics out there.

"I'm sorry for the hate going around from the attorneys, from everyone involved. They're just making up things no true about George."

They're keeping him under wraps until Romney announces him as his VP running mate at the GOP convention.

Obama's watch stopped on 24 May 2008, but he's been too busy smoking crack to notice.

Poor Ron Paul...think he will even get a prime time slot at the 'knuckle-dragger' convention?

Never swear "allegiance" to anything other than the 'right to change your mind'!

When you have asshole niggers like Spike Lee and Dykes Like Roseanne Barr trying to get him and his family killed. You would be hiding too. Oh did I mention Spike Lee is a nigger?

Say Travon the attacker was successful at getting Zimmermans gun. Would that have been murder?

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

If Martin had just minded his own business instead of confronting the neighborhood watch guy. He would still be here today.

The neighborhood watch guy was doing exactly what you are supposed to do on neighborhood watch. Call the police if you see something suspicious. It is a tragic accident. Zimmerman is innocent.

According to the guy who wrote the Stand Your Ground law, Zimmerman lost protection under the law when he decided to follow his victim.

(CBS/AP) SANFORD, Fla. - The authors of Florida's controversial "stand your ground" self-defense law say George Zimmerman should probably be arrested for shooting Trayvon Martin, reports the Miami Herald.

"He has no protection under my law," former Sen. Durell Peaden told the newspaper.

It is the fact that Zimmerman ignored the 911 operator's advice not to follow Martin that former Sen. Peaden says disqualifies him from claiming self-defense under the law.

"The guy lost his defense right then," Peaden told the Miami Herald. "When he said 'I'm following him,' he lost his defense."

Rep. Dennis Baxley, Peaden's co-sponsor in the Florida House, agrees with his former colleague, telling the newspaper that the law does not license neighborhood watch or others who feel "like they have the authority to pursue and confront people. That is aggravating an incident right there."

If Zimmerman hadn't been carrying a gun do you think he would have ignored the 911 dispatcher's direction and followed Martin?

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

He was attacked. He had the right to defend himself. He was doing his job on neighborhood watch. He called the police like he was supposed to. Martin didn't like being followed. Well it isn't against the law to follow someone. Martin congronted Zimmerman and attacked him. He was justified in defending himself as Martin was trying to take his gun (that he legally had) and kill him with it.

It is tragic. Martin may not have been the worse kid. But when he attacked Zimmerman he sealed his fate. Sad yes. A crime no.

First off he didn't have to obey 911. Secondly he said it was dark out and didn't know where Martin went. It doesn't seem to me that he was following the suspicous looking black guy after the call. But that is when he was confronted by Martin and forced do defend himself.

Early in this story I was starting to take Martins side. Then the facts came out and I now take Zimmermans side. A registered democrat.

Oh please tell me that you're just trying to stir up a little internet excitement and don't really believe that.

The neighborhood watch guy was doing exactly what you are supposed to do on neighborhood watch. Call the police if you see something suspicious. It is a tragic accident. Zimmerman is innocent.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

What I said is a fact. If Martin wouldn't have foolishly attacked Martin. He would be alive. Zimmerman wasn't going to hunt him down. Martin was shot at close range. Zimmerman sounds like a good guy that was looking out for his neighborhood.

The way this is going it is going to Kill Obama with many hispanics. Not the plan that the usurper had when he called Martin his "son".

Now what did zimmerman do that went a step further? What did he do that was illegal?

Nothing. Everyone has a right to defend themselves. Just because someone is following you. Does that give you the right to kick their ass? Also something I have heard. There is a special law that protects people on the Neighborhood watch from harassment. It appears from what I read Travon broke the law.

If I were being followed in the dark, I would consider the behavior of the guy following me to be suspicious and threatening.

Then the facts came out and I now take Zimmermans side. A registered democrat.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

He was following Martin in the dark; it probably felt like he was hunting the kid down to the kid.

Or maybe packing heat and patrolling the neighborhood made him feel special and important.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

Yes, he's an insurance investigator or something like that. The staff is buying guns and taking tactical training for when he returns, and the new black panther racists show up. They're not going to let one of their employees be kidnapped and/or murdered.

Obama's watch stopped on 24 May 2008, but he's been too busy smoking crack to notice.

Will it kill Obama's chances with white people who think Zimmerman is white too?

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

I believe it was Nightline last night that visually traced the route. Trayvon was killed just seventy feet from his house.

Since we are allowed to wildly speculate on all kinds of outrageous scenarios on this forum, I wonder if Zimmerman wouldn have attempted a home invasion to get him?

Almost every country in the Middle East is awash in oil, and we have to side with the one that has nothing but joos. Goddamn, that was good thinkin'. Esso posted on 2012-01-13 7:37:56 ET

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

That is reasonable. But it still sounds to me like he started the fight. If he started the fight then Zimmerman is innocent. If Zimmerman attacked him first then Zimmerman is guilty. It is as simple as that.

The man who wrote the law said what Zimmerman did, following the kid was "instigating". He provoked an attack.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

Watching strangers and reporting them to 911 in your neighborhood is what a neighborhood watch is all about, it's not stalking.

He never approached Martin, there was no fight until Martin came up behind Zimmerman, you're logic does not compute.

("Every fetus that DOESN'T go on welfare in 18 years because he/she was aborted yesterday... brings a smile to my face today" ~ GrandIsland - LibertyPost)

The people who wrote the constitution didn't say Healthcare was interstate commerce. It is a new idea for you to consider original intent. If you followed through with the constitution you would have to give up being a leftard and adopt my philosophy.

Yes, you're correct, the lobbyist for the NRA, Marion Hammer, had a hand in it too. She thinks people should be able to bring their guns to work.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

Unless the owner of the property has a sign out prohibiting it, then it is your right. No one is forcing you to carry.

I don't want to pack a gun, and I don't want to be around people who do; particularly liberal hating conservative with an impulse control deficit.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

I should stay home so you can play like you're Matt Dillon? Time to grow up and learn to use your words, Stone.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

It really isn't any of your business. Your feelings don't have any bearing on peoples rights. Congress is prohibited from making a law restricting this right in any shape form or fashion.

People should only use them appropriately and not go around harassing people. No one should shoot you.

http://www.infobarrel.com/Cheap_Kevlar_Vests_for_Sale_-_Buy_the_Best_in_Bullet_Proof_Vest_Body_Armor

I'll bet if she were at work (yeah, right), at say, a factory in her city, and a gunman burst in and started shooting workers, what do you want to bet this dumb ass bimbo would wish someone had brought a gun to work?

Ya'll hang in there honey, the po po, he be on his way to save ya, maybe... ooops, too late for that dude who was standing next to ya though....! LMAO...

("Every fetus that DOESN'T go on welfare in 18 years because he/she was aborted yesterday... brings a smile to my face today" ~ GrandIsland - LibertyPost)

You need to move to a more authoritarian country where God given inalienable rights are denied to the serfs. China or Saudi Arabia should be your cup of tea.

Maybe you can get a job as boss at the shoe factory that makes Barack Obama Reboks, as boss over the slave labor children. They don't have a deficit and you get to beat anyone who even thinks about a gun.

Obama's watch stopped on 24 May 2008, but he's been too busy smoking crack to notice.

Sounds to me like you need to get rid of those who are running California, and put some "sane" ones in their place.... even if you have to import them from another state.....

Someone who will write and enforce proper laws, and stop all of the handouts that attract undesirables... and send those same undesirables back to all the other countries they originally came from..... If they want better lives why not make them fix the problems in their own countries instead of letting them come here and help the Leftard politicians screw up ours!!!!

You guys did it to yourself so you don't really have any reason to complain, if you lose your state, oh well!!!

"If you voted for Obama in 2008 to prove you're not a racist, you'll need to vote for someone else in 2012 to prove you're not an idiot."

Where's your co-worker's gun, in his car, his locker? I'm sure your gunman will be happy to wait while the worker fetches his gun.

I would have more to fear from a fellow employee that was armed and had just been fired than from some one off the street.

I've learned something from actually being threatened, with a gun and once with a tool that consisted of a triangular piece of steel, sharpened on all three sides, and welded to a steel rod at a right angle. What I learned was that a threat is not an attack, and that one would have to be able to get at one's gun for it to be effective.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady

Perhaps you should move to Afghanistan, or that libretarian paradise, Somalia, where government collects no taxes and the coast guard is a volunteer profit center.

Anyone claiming to be an expert is selling something. I brandish my ignorance like a crucifix at vampires. Aaron Bady