ORLANDO, FL – Defense attorneys have deposed Chris Serino, lead investigator in the George Zimmerman second-degree murder case, according to court paperwork released today.

It’s not clear what he said, but Serino is likely to be an important witness at Zimmerman’s trial.

The former investigator publicly said the Sanford Police Department never had enough evidence to charge Zimmerman with a crime while quietly filing paperwork with the State Attorney’s Office, saying he believed there was enough to charge him with manslaughter.

[…] Several months ago, Serino hired his own attorney, Jose Baez, who successfully defended Casey Anthony, who was charged with murdering her 2-year-old daughter.

Attorneys with no ties to the Zimmerman case described that as a smart move and a way for Serino to protect himself.

Baez was not immediately available for comment today.

Several months ago he provided attorneys in the case with several versions of Serino’s final police report. They showed that on the day he filed it with the State Attorney’s Office, March 13, Serino and others in the police department changed the report at least four times, reducing the recommended charge from second-degree murder to manslaughter.

Serino was deposed Wednesday, according to court paperwork. Also deposed that day were three investigators with the Sanford State Attorney’s Office who worked on the case before Zimmerman’s arrest.

Three other Sanford police officers were deposed on Thursday, according to court paperwork. One, Sanford police Investigator William Erwin, told attorneys that when Serino played a recording of a 911 call the night of the shooting on which someone can be heard crying for help in the background, Trayvon’s father said the voice was not his son’s.

Tracy Martin now disputes that.  (continue reading)