EverythingJax

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — When George Zimmerman tries to convince a judge or jury that he shot Trayvon Martin in self-defense, the evidence he'll be able to call on appears to be a mixed bag.

More than 200 pages of photos and eyewitness accounts released by prosecutors Thursday show Zimmerman and Martin were in a loud and bloody fight in the moments leading up to the shooting and that Zimmerman appeared to be getting the worst of it, with wounds both to his face and the back of his head.

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A man who police say had been drinking at the Florida Theatre and a nearby bar ended up driving himself to jail Thursday morning.

Peter Thomas Makela, 35, of Gainesville was heading west on East Bay Street about 3 a.m. when he lost control of his Toyota truck and smashed into a parked car, a light pole and a "left lane must turn left" street sign, according to the report from the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office.

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By: Matt Dixon (matt.dixon@jacksonville.com, @Mdixon55)  

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Two critical defense motions in a sexual battery case against Cristian Fernandez remain secret this morning despite a judge's ruling earlier this week granting the media quicker access to key motions she'd delayed from being made public.

The Times-Union and its news partner, First Coast News, are challenging the delay in releasing the documents being kept secret. A court hearing on the matter is set for 9 a.m.

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Court records show a Miami college student intends to plead guilty to making threatening posts against President Barack Obama on Facebook.

Jimmy Buffett tells gambling regulators that opening his new Margaritaville Casino and Resort will be exciting, but creating jobs along his native Mississippi Gulf Coast has been a rewarding experience, too.

FOG 68°F

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7 MPH

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29.94 in.

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If you want a sensational lawn without the sweat, Consumer Reports found you can have it without spending a bundle. They spent weeks in South Florida testing over one hundred different kinds of mowers.

The much-anticipated evidence in the case against George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watchman who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, is shedding new light on what happened that night in February. Inside: Evidence photos, documents |

The driver of a Nissan Altima fled and left his passenger dying in the car after striking a light pole and smashing into an abandoned house on Olevia Street Thursday night.

The suspect then jumped into a Ford F-150 that was following the car and took off, according to Jacksonville Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Melissa Bujeda.

The passenger was unresponsive when rescue crews arrived and had to be cut out of the car. 

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