FBI Report: Zimmerman Had a 'Little Hero Complex'

Florida prosecutors released 284 pages of evidence yesterday related to the shooting of Trayvon Martin, including images of Trayvon's blood-soaked sweatshirt and other clothing, reports the New York Daily News. Investigator Christopher Serino's name came up again in the FBI report (which was based on interviews with him, Zimmerman's ex-fiancee, witnesses, and colleagues, among others). Serino told the FBI that George Zimmerman might have had a "little hero complex," but that he didn't think racism drove him to shoot Trayvon, suggesting his confronting of Trayvon was more about the young man's hoodie than the color of his skin.

Serino told the FBI he felt pressured to file charges against Zimmerman by a sergeant and two other officers, even though he didn't believe there was sufficient evidence, the Miami Herald adds. FBI interviews conducted with Zimmerman's friends and acquaintances also revealed no evidence of racism; they portrayed him as a "decent guy" who moved easily between different races, reports the New York Times. Released documents also show that Zimmerman was estranged from his parents and had an especially difficult relationship with his mother, who, according to one friend, "was known to hit him all the time." (More George Zimmerman stories.)