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Shooting of Trayvon Martin

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Shooting of Trayvon Martin
Date February 26, 2012 (2012-02-26)
Location The Retreat at Twin Lakes
in Sanford, Florida
Aerial view of points of interest
Coordinates 28°47′38″N 81°19′51″W / 28.7938°N 81.3308°W / 28.7938; -81.3308 (The Retreat at Twin Lakes Community in Sanford, Florida)Coordinates: 28°47′38″N 81°19′51″W / 28.7938°N 81.3308°W / 28.7938; -81.3308 (The Retreat at Twin Lakes Community in Sanford, Florida)
Participants George Zimmerman (shooter)
Deaths Trayvon Martin

The shooting of Trayvon Martin took place on February 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida. Trayvon Martin was an unarmed,[1] 17-year-old African American male who was shot and killed by George Zimmerman, a 28-year-old man of mixed ethnic descent (Latin American mother, white American father).[2][3][4][5][6][7] Martin was walking from a 7-Eleven convenience store to the home of his father's fiancé when Zimmerman, a community watch coordinator, began following Martin and called the Sanford Police Department to say he witnessed suspicious behavior.[8][9][10] Soon afterward, there was a confrontation that ended when Zimmerman fatally shot Martin. Martin received a phone call and Zimmerman made phone calls to the police during the incident, some of which were recorded.

Zimmerman described the shooting to the police who arrived on the scene as self-defense.[11][12] Responding officers handcuffed Zimmerman and took him into custody but they did not formally arrest him, saying that they did not find evidence to contradict his assertion of self-defense.[13] The lead homicide investigator was not convinced by Zimmerman's account and wanted to charge him with manslaughter, but the state attorney's office said there was insufficient evidence for a conviction.[14]

The circumstances around Martin's death received national and international attention, particularly regarding Florida's Stand Your Ground law and allegations of racial motivations and police misconduct, triggering public demands for Zimmerman's arrest.[15][16] Many people, from civil rights leaders to public officials – including Reverend Al Sharpton, President Barack Obama, Jesse Jackson, and Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi – have made public comments or released statements calling for a full investigation.[17][18][19][20]

People involved in the case

Trayvon Martin

File:Trayvon Martin on the backseat of a car.png
Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was the son of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. He was 17 years old at the time of his death. His parents had divorced in 1999; his mother is a Miami-Dade government employee and his father is a truck driver.[21] He was a high school junior in the Miami area of south Florida.[22][23] Martin lived with his mother and older brother in Miami Gardens, Florida. On the day he was killed, he was visiting his father and his father's fiancé at her townhome in The Retreat At Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida.[24]

George Zimmerman

File:George Zimmerman 3-30-12.jpg
George Zimmerman

George Michael Zimmerman[25] was born on October 5, 1983, in Virginia,[26] the son of Gladys Zimmerman, who is from Peru, and Robert Zimmerman Sr.,[2] a retired Supreme Court magistrate from the United States.[27] Zimmerman's voting record identifies him as Hispanic.[28][29] In 2009 he moved with his wife to The Retreat At Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida, where the shooting occurred.[30][31] He was employed as an insurance underwriter prior to the shooting.[32]

Zimmerman had completed a Sheriff department's introductory course in citizens' law enforcement.[33][34] At the time of the shooting, he was working toward an associate degree at Seminole State College.[35] After the shooting, his enrollment was withdrawn by the college due to safety considerations arising from the controversy.[36]

Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee said that Zimmerman had cooperated with investigators.[37] Zimmerman's attorney first made a statement about his client on March 24, 2012.[38]

Zimmerman's role in the neighborhood watch

At the time the homeowners association decided to organize a neighborhood watch, Zimmerman was the only volunteer.[37] He was then chosen as the neighborhood watch coordinator by his neighbors, according to Wendy Dorival, who organizes Neighborhood Watch for the Sanford Police Department.[39] The February 2012 homeowner association newsletter requested that crime victims "call our captain, George Zimmerman" after calling the police.[9] “He [Zimmerman] once caught a thief and an arrest was made,” said Cynthia Wibker, secretary of the homeowners association.[37]

Police had been called to The Retreat at Twin Lakes 402 times from January 1, 2011, to February 26, 2012.[37] Crimes committed at The Retreat in the year prior to Martin's death included eight burglaries, nine thefts and one other shooting.[37] The City of Sanford posted a "George Zimmerman 911 Call History" listing 46 Event Reports naming George Zimmerman as the caller between 2004 and the night of the shooting.[40][41][42] These were reported by many media sources, including the Orlando Sentinel[43] and the Miami Herald,[44] as occurring between 2011 and 2012 due to a typo on the first page of the police report.[45]

Zimmerman is licensed to carry a firearm.[37] Sanford police chief Bill Lee said that while neighborhood watch volunteers are not encouraged to carry a gun, they have a Constitutional right to do so,[37] stating, "Mr. Zimmerman was not acting outside the legal boundaries of Florida Statute by carrying his weapon when this incident occurred."[46]

Sanford Police volunteer program coordinator Wendy Dorival, told the Miami Herald that she met Zimmerman in September, 2011 at a community neighborhood watch presentation. Dorival stated that she gave a warning with respect to vigilante behavior at that meeting: “I said, ‘If it’s someone you don’t recognize, call us. We’ll figure it out,’ ” Dorival said. “‘Observe from a safe location.’ There’s even a slide about not being vigilante police. I don’t know how many more times I can repeat it.”[37]

Police

Chris Serino is a Sanford Police homicide detective and was the lead investigator for the police on the night of the shooting. On the night of the shooting, Serino stated in an affidavit that he was unconvinced by Zimmerman’s version of events.[47] Based on Serino's affidavit, police sought an arrest warrant for Zimmerman. That request was denied by the Office of the State Attorney for insufficient evidence.[47][48]

Chief Bill Lee

Bill Lee, Chief of Police at the time of the shooting, received criticism for his role in the case. The Sanford city commission, including the Mayor, passed a motion of no confidence in regards to chief Lee, and his handling of the case.[49] On March 22, 2012, Lee announced that he had temporarily stepped down from his position as chief of police, stating "my involvement in this matter is overshadowing the process."[50]

Patrol Sergeant Anthony Raimondo was also a responding officer to a controversial case in 2010. In that case, a young adult attacked a homeless man. The alleged perpetrator was the son of a local police officer. He was not arrested on scene.[51]

State Attorneys

State Attorney Norm Wolfinger
State Attorney Angela Corey

Norm Wolfinger is the State Attorney responsible for prosecutions in Brevard County and Seminole County,[52][53] where the shooting occurred. Wolfinger met with police leaders on the night of the shooting while Zimmerman was still in police custody. After the meeting, Chief Lee and Capt. Robert O'Connor decided to release Zimmerman without charges.[54]

On March 22, 2012, Florida Governor Rick Scott announced that Angela Corey would be the newly assigned State Attorney investigating the case, replacing Wolfinger.[55] Corey has stated that her office, rather than a grand jury, will decide whether to press charges against Zimmerman.[56]

Shooting

Zimmerman call to police
9-1-1 call reports yelling 'Help'
9-1-1 call; hear 'Help' and gunshot in background
9-1-1 call reports screaming and gun shot
9-1-1 call reports screaming 'Help' and gunshot
9-1-1 call reports gun shot
9-1-1 call; distraught caller
9-1-1 call

The Retreat at Twin Lakes is a private community in Sanford, Florida consisting of townhouses and condominiums. Vehicular access is by gates to the north and east, which are unguarded but electronically controlled. The development contains 263 houses built in 2004.[31] Martin left his father's fiancée's home in the gated community of Twin Lakes[24] to walk to the 7-Eleven convenience store on Rinehart Road to buy some snacks. While returning to the house, Martin was seen by Zimmerman,[57] who was in his vehicle on a personal errand.[58] (See Aerial view of points of interest.)

Zimmerman cell phone call to police

Zimmerman called the Sanford Police Department police at the non-emergency number at approximately 7:00 p.m., February 26, 2012[59] to report what he considered to be suspicious behavior by Martin, which he described as "just walking around looking about" in the rain.[60] The police dispatcher tape recorded him saying, "This guy looks like he is up to no good or he is on drugs or something." He further stated that the person he was observing had his hand in his waistband, was holding something in his other hand, and was walking around slowly in the rain looking at houses.[61] Zimmerman is also heard commenting "these assholes they always get away." [62][63] After the audio of the 911 call was released, CNN[64] and other reports alleged Zimmerman had exclaimed "fucking coons," two minutes and twenty-one seconds (2:21) into the call although the transcript of the call states "unintelligible". [65][66]

The dispatcher recommended that he not take any action, and informed him that police were on the way. Zimmerman reported that Martin had started running. The dispatcher asked him if he was following Martin and he affirmed that he was. The dispatcher informed him that this was not necessary, saying, "We don't need you to do that."[67] Zimmerman affirmed "OK" and said he would meet the police by the mailboxes. However, before hanging up he changed his mind and said “Actually, could you have him call me, and I’ll tell him where I’m at?”[68]

2:07 minutes into the police call Zimmerman says "he's running". 2:37 into the call Zimmerman tells the dispatcher, "he ran". After he can't tell the dispatcher the address of his current location, the dispatcher asks Zimmerman for his apartment number. Zimmerman tells him the numbers of his street address and then at 3:35 adds "Oh crap, I don't want to give it all out. I don't know where this kid is". Zimmerman appears to hang up at the 4:05 mark, almost two minutes after the comment that Martin was running. The recording ends at 4:11.

Martin cell phone call from girlfriend

According to phone records provided by T-Mobile,[69] Martin was speaking on a cell phone at the time of the incident. Martin's girlfriend came forward, identifying herself as the other person in that conversation; she was interviewed by an attorney, who has made a statement, and her parents have requested her anonymity. On March 28, 2012, ABCNews reported that they had obtained phone records that show she called at 7:12 PM and remained on the phone with Martin until moments before he was shot.[70] The girl said that Martin expressed concern about a strange man following him, and she advised him to run. She says she heard Martin say "What are you following me for?" followed by a man's voice responding "What are you doing here?" She said that she heard the sound of pushing and that Martin's headset suddenly went silent, leading her to believe that he had been knocked down. She attempted to call him back immediately, but was unable to reach him.[71]

Sanford Police arrival and investigation

Timothy Smith, the first officer to arrive at the scene, reported finding Zimmerman standing near Martin, who was lying face down in the grass and unresponsive.[72][73] At that time, Zimmerman stated to Smith that he had shot Martin and was still armed. Zimmerman was handcuffed and his weapon removed from him. Smith observed that Zimmerman's back was wet and covered with grass and he was bleeding from the nose and the back of his head.[72][74] Ricardo Ayala, the second officer to arrive that night observed Martin lying face down in the grass and attempted to get a response from him. At this time, Sgt. Anthony Raimondo arrived and together with Ayala began CPR. Paramedics from Sanford Fire and Rescue arrived and continued CPR, finally declaring him dead at 7:30 p.m. Other officers who had arrived by this time secured the crime scene and made contact with neighbors in the area and obtained statements from witnesses at the scene.[72] Zimmerman was treated and released by paramedics while still at the scene of the incident.[72][74] After placing Zimmerman in his police vehicle, Officer Smith heard Zimmerman say, "I was yelling for someone to help me, but no one would help me."[72][75] Zimmerman was then transported to the Sanford Police Department where he was questioned by investigators.[72] Martin's body was taken to the morgue where he was tagged as a John Doe.[76] The Washington Post reports that not until Trayvon's father, Tracy Martin, called to file a missing-person's report on Feb. 27, did police officers go to his fiancee's condo with photographs of his dead son's body. However, the police department's "Partial Report Only", completed at 3:07 a.m., Feb. 27 lists Trayvon Martin's full name, city of birth, address and phone number.[77]

Witness accounts

An eyewitness to the confrontation just prior to the shooting stated that Martin was on top of Zimmerman and punching him, while Zimmerman was yelling for help. This witness, who identified himself as "John", stated to Fox News Orlando that "the guy on the bottom, who had a red sweater on, was yelling to me, 'Help! Help!' and I told him to stop, and I was calling 911. He went on to say that when he got upstairs and looked down, Martin was lying in the grass, and the witness believed Martin to be dead.[78][79] Martin’s mother said she recognized the shouting for help was from her son. Zimmerman says he was the one calling out.[80]

A 13-year old boy walking his dog saw a man on the ground shortly before the shooting and identified him as wearing red.[81][82][83] His mother later disputed the testimony and claimed that the police pressured him into choosing what color the man was wearing, and that her son couldn't see any details in the dark. She also stated that the police waited five days before requesting to even question her son and said the police told her they didn't believe the shooting was self-defense.[84][85]

Witness Mary Cutcher and her roommate appeared on AC 360 and stated that she believes "there was no punching, no hitting going on at the time, no wrestling" just prior to the shooting, and admitted that she neither saw the shooting nor the preceding altercation.[86][87][88] Cutcher and her roommate heard the pair in their backyard and a "very young voice" whining, with no sounds of a fight. They heard a gunshot; the crying stopped immediately, and they saw Zimmerman on his knees straddling Martin on the ground.[86][88] The police say she gave an official account to them at the time of the incident that supported Zimmerman's story.[89] However, Cutcher and her roommate maintain that their account of the incident to the police did not agree with Zimmerman's, and they demanded the police retract that incorrect statement.[87]

On March 30, 2012, a new eyewitness said that it was dark and he saw two men on the ground fighting, then heard the shooting, and saw Zimmerman walk away with no blood on him.[90] Police records confirm only a single shot was fired.[91]

Sanford Police Station

After arriving at the police station, Zimmerman was turned over to the custody of investigations and placed in an interview room where he was interviewed by Investigator D.Singleton.[92][93] The gun, a black Kel-Tec PF-9, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, that was confiscated from Zimmerman at the scene, was placed into evidence.[93][94] While in custody at the police station, Zimmerman was not administered a drug or alcohol test.[95] Chris Serino, the lead homicide detective on the case, recommended charging Zimmerman with manslaughter but was informed by the state attorney's office that there wasn't enough evidence to obtain a conviction. Zimmerman was eventually released.[95][54]

Zimmerman's account of events

That night, and in later meetings, Zimmerman described in detail, and re-enacted for police, what he says took place:

He was on his way to the grocery store when he spotted Trayvon Martin walking through his neighborhood. He followed Martin, but lost track of him. He was returning to his SUV when Martin approached him from the left rear and confronted him. Martin asked him, "Do you have a problem?"[96] He replied "No", and Martin then said, "Well, you do now",[96] while Zimmerman reached for his cell phone. Martin then punched him in the face, knocking him down, and began beating his head against the ground. Zimmerman called out for help, while being beaten, before shooting Martin once in the chest at close range, in self-defense.[96][97]

In an interview with CNN, Zimmerman's brother, who was not present at the altercation, reiterated this account, adding that during the struggle Martin saw Zimmerman's firearm and attempted to disarm him while saying "you die tonight", which prompted Zimmerman to fire in self defense.[98]

Surveillance video

ABC News obtained a surveillance video of Zimmerman being escorted into the Sanford police station after the shooting. An officer is seen pausing to look at the back of Zimmerman's head, but ABC originally claimed that no abrasions or blood can be seen in the video.[99] The Daily Caller disputed this claim, and posted a still from the ABC video which it said shows what may be an injury on the back of Zimmerman's head.[100] MSNBC reported, "We were able to zoom into the back of his head and there is some sort of abrasion..."[101] Zimmerman's brother, Robert Zimmerman Jr., told CNN that medical records will prove that his brother was attacked and that his nose was broken by Martin.[102] A neighbor reportedly saw the bandages on Zimmerman less than 24 hours after the incident.[103] ABC later reported that it had "re-digitized" the video, and that this version showed "what appear to be a pair of gashes or welts on George Zimmerman's head."[104]

Aftermath

Trayvon's father Tracy Martin, family attorney Benjamin Crump and mother Sybrina Fulton, at the 'Million Hoodies' protest in Union Square, New York

Zimmerman has not been charged with any crime, because he asserted the right of self-defense, and investigators said they could find no evidence disproving that assertion.[105][12] The night of the shooting, some of the Sanford police accepted Zimmerman's account at face value,[106] but the lead homicide detective wrote in an affidavit that he did not believe the story and wanted to charge Zimmerman with manslaughter.[14] The State Attorney's office and Police Chief Lee said they did not have enough evidence to arrest Zimmerman. "In this case Mr. Zimmerman has made the statement of self-defense," Lee said. "Until we can establish probable cause to dispute that, we don't have the grounds to arrest him." In response to criticisms of the investigation, Lee responded that "We are taking a beating over this," and defended the investigation.[107] "This is all very unsettling. I'm sure if George Zimmerman had the opportunity to relive Sunday, Feb. 26, he'd probably do things differently. I'm sure Trayvon would, too."[37]

According to Tracy Martin, the father of Trayvon, when the family asked why Zimmerman had not been arrested, the police responded that he had a "squeaky-clean record" and they respected his educational background in criminal justice. Martin says that the revelation of Zimmerman's previous charge demonstrated his "propensity for violence" and that the police had lied to the family.[108] In 2005, at the age of 20, Zimmerman had been charged with "resisting officer without violence" following an incident where he had shoved an officer who was questioning a friend in a university bar for alleged underage drinking. As a "first-time non-violent defendant" he was elligible for the Pre Trial Diversion (PTD) program with the prosecutor lodging a Nolle prosequi (the charges were dropped) on condition that he enter an alcohol education program.[109] Police had run a background check on Trayvon Martin, confirming that he had no criminal record, which caused Martin to further question why Zimmerman was not arrested after shooting and killing an unarmed teenager with no criminal history.[108][110] However, Sanford City Manager, Norton Bonaparte released a statement disputing Tracy Martin's claim. Bonaparte stated that in one of the initial meetings with Martin, the father was told by an investigator that Zimmerman is the one who portrayed himself to be “squeaky clean”. He went on to say that, "We are aware of the background information regarding both individuals involved in this event." "We believe Mr. Martin may have misconstrued this information."[58] The case has sparked national outrage and protests.[71]

Recordings of eight calls to the police made on the night of the shooting were released by the Sanford police on March 17, 2012.[61][111] Early press reports incorrectly indicated that the recordings included the sound of a single shot followed by a voice pleading or begging for help, and then a second shot, after which the voice immediately stopped. Later reports indicate that gun was fired only once.[112] Zimmerman told police at the scene that he had cried out for help.[110] The statement was corroborated by an eyewitness who said that Martin was on top of Zimmerman, beating him, as Zimmerman called for help.[78] One witness, who had only heard but not seen the events, believed Martin was the one calling for help, and said that the police tried to get her to change her testimony to their assertion that it was Zimmerman calling for help.[113]

The Orlando Sentinel asked an expert in the field of forensic voice identification to analyze audio of the 911 call which captured someone screaming right before a gunshot. On March 31st, 2012 they reported that Tom Owen, forensic consultant for Owen Forensic Services LLC and chair emeritus for the American Board of Recorded Evidence, had used voice identification software to rule out Zimmerman as the screamer. In the same article they also reported that Ed Primeau,a Michigan-based audio engineer and forensics expert, had used different techniques than Owen to analyze the audio, but also came to the conclusion that the screams were from Martin, and not Zimmerman.[114] However, on April 2nd, 2012, CNN reported that standards set by the American Board of Recorded Evidence indicate "there must be at least 10 comparable words between two voice samples to reach a minimal decision criteria." They point out that the 911 call does not contain enough words for this standard to be met.[115]

According to Zimmerman's father, in the wake of the controversy, George Zimmerman received death threats and moved out of his home.[4] The New Black Panther Party has offered a $10,000 reward for the "capture" of George Zimmerman,[116] and has announced that it was hoping to raise enough money within the next week to increase the reward to one million dollars.[117] This was condemned by the city of Sanford.[116] Film director Spike Lee retweeted an erroneous address which forced a family out of their home to avoid harassment, after receiving hate mail and unwanted visits from reporters.[118][119][120] Lee would in turn be criticized for his retweet[121][122] although he would later issue an apology.[123]

Investigations and other official statements

Main article: Investigation of the death of Trayvon Martin

Multiple investigations are ongoing.

On March 20, the FBI and the Justice Department announced that they were opening investigations into the incident.[124] The state governor, Rick Scott, has asked the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to investigate the shooting.[125][126]

On March 20, 2012, State attorney Norm Wolfinger announced that a Seminole County grand jury would be convened on April 10, 2012 to investigate the death of Martin.[127][20][128] However, State attorney Angela Corey, who was assigned to the case by Governor Rick Scott, stated her office, not a grand jury, will decide whether to press charges in the shooting death of Martin. Angela Corey stated that, “I always lean towards moving forward without needing the grand jury in a case like this,” “I foresee us being able to make a decision, and move on it on our own.”[56]

Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi made a statement on March 20 regarding the case:

"I am both devastated and deeply troubled that young Trayvon Martin lost his life in a shooting. When someone loses his life at the hands of another, there cannot be any questions surrounding the circumstances of the death. ... I have spoken to FDLE Commissioner [Gerald M.] Bailey, whose agency is now involved, and I know that a complete and thorough review of the facts will be conducted. FDLE has skilled investigators of the highest caliber, and no stone will be left unturned in this investigation. While the Seminole County State Attorney's Office has the sole authority regarding a charging decision by law, I will remain vigilant in ensuring that questions are answered."[20]

President Barack Obama, speaking to reporters on March 23 after federal investigators were deployed to Sanford, said, "When I think about this boy, I think about my own kids, and I think every parent in America should be able to understand why it is absolutely imperative that we investigate every aspect of this."[18]

Allegations of racism

Supporters of Trayvon Martin rally in Union Square during a "Million Hoodie March" in Manhattan on March 21.
Photo from the "Million Hoodies March" on March 21.

Against Zimmerman

The shooting prompted allegations that Zimmerman was motivated by racism.[11][71] Critics disparaged what they perceived to be Zimmerman racially profiling Martin,[11][12][129][4] and an abridged phone call that aired on NBC's Today show incorrectly implied that Zimmerman had volunteered the race of Martin to police officers without prompt.[130]

Thousands of people attended rallies around the country to demand Zimmerman's arrest,[15] including a gathering on March 22 of civil rights leaders including Al Sharpton, Martin Luther King III, Dick Gregory, and others.[16]

Since Martin was killed while wearing a hoodie, donning a hoodie was seen as a sign of protest, and many cities across the U.S. staged "million hoodie marches" or "hundred hoodie marches". Additionally, some professional athletes, including Carmelo Anthony and the entire Miami Heat roster, tweeted photos of themselves wearing hoodies. Fox News Channel host Geraldo Rivera encouraged young people of color to stop wearing hoodies,[131] comments for which he later apologized.[132]

Defense of Zimmerman's character

In an open letter, Zimmerman's father, Robert Zimmerman, defended his son against allegations that his actions were racially motivated, stating that Zimmerman was part Hispanic, was raised in a multiracial family, and "would be the last to discriminate for any reason whatsoever", saying that the portrayal of his son as a racist "could not be further from the truth". Zimmerman's lawyer Craig Sooner stated that Zimmerman is not a racist, and that he had mentored black youths in the past.[133] Joe Oliver, a former television news reporter who is acquainted with Zimmerman,[134] noted "I'm a black male and all that I know is that George has never given me any reason whatsoever to believe he has anything against people of color."[135]

Against the Sanford police

For not arresting Zimmerman, the Sanford police have faced heavy criticism, protests, and allegations of racial bias.[11][71] Over 2 million people have demanded Zimmerman's arrest via a Change.org petition by Martin's mother.[136] The NAACP wrote U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder expressing "no confidence that, absent federal oversight, the Sanford Police Department will devote the necessary degree of care to its investigation" and requesting that personnel be detailed to Sanford to review the case without bias.[12] Lee repeatedly defended the investigation, stating that the Sanford police did not feel they had conducted a racially biased investigation and welcomed a review of their efforts.[113][129] Allegations were also made that the Sanford police were protecting Zimmerman.[110] A witness who reported that she heard Martin cry out for help and subsequently saw Zimmerman standing over Martin's body, said that police only took a brief statement from her, despite her attempts to provide more detail.[110] Lee told reporters that they could not arrest Zimmerman because no evidence contradicted his story, and that to do so would leave the police open to litigation.[129] He also said that although 911 did instruct Zimmerman not to pursue Martin, those instructions are only recommendations that do not carry the force of law.[12]

Three out of the five members of the Sanford city commission, including the Mayor, passed a motion of no confidence in regards to the police chief Bill Lee, and his handling of the case; however, the vote is advisory only. One member of the council, Mark McCarty, then asked for Lee to step down. The City Manager, Norton Bonaparte Jr., stated that he would not make a decision regarding Lee until more information from the investigation was available.[49]

On March 22, 2012, Lee announced that he had temporarily stepped down from his position as chief of police, stating "my involvement in this matter is overshadowing the process." Lee further stated that,"I do this in the hopes of restoring some semblance of calm to a city which has been in turmoil for several weeks." Lee also insisted his agency did a fair and thorough investigation and he could not lawfully arrest Zimmerman because evidence backed up his claim of self-defense. [50]

Legal issues

Self-defense laws in the United States, particularly regarding justifiable homicide, vary by state. Florida law, as of 2005, includes a "stand your ground" provision, under which a person does not have to retreat before using deadly force if he reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm, in most circumstances.[137] In many states, such laws protect people in their own homes, but Florida's version extends the no-retreat premise to vehicles and public places. In at least 17 states, including Florida, there is no duty to retreat, before using deadly force.[138][139] After the shooting, media reports had indicated that Zimmerman most likely would use the Stand Your Ground provison in Florida's self-defense law. However, Craig Sonner, attorney for George Zimmerman, on March 23, 2012, stated that the Stand Your Ground law was not applicable in this case, but that this was still a case of self-defense. According to Durell Peaden, one of the sponsors of the Florida law, the law does not say that a person has a right to confront another. "When [Zimmerman] said 'I'm following him', he lost his defense."[140] However, the same article goes on to state, "Peaden and Baxley said they didn’t know all the facts of the case, so their interpretations of what happened could change if new information arises during the investigation."[140]

On March 28, 2012, a Miami-Dade judge ruled that Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law provided self-defense protection in a case where the defendant had chased his assailant after seeing him steal a radio from the defendant's truck. The court ruled that Greyston Garcia could not be prosecuted after chasing a thief and stabbing him to death with a knife when his assailant swung a heavy bag at his head. The judge stated that Garcia "was well within his rights to pursue the victim and demand the return of his property".[141][142]

Media coverage

For the first 10 days after Martin's death, the story was only covered by the Florida media.[143] On March 8, 2012, CBS News acting on a tip it received from the network’s local bureau in Atlanta, Georgia, obtained an exclusive interview with Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton that was broadcast on CBS This Morning.[143][144] Benjamin Crump, the family's attorney, who had been retained to pursue legal action and to persuade the news media to cover the case, arranged for the interview to take place.[143]

Also on March 8, The Huffington Post and TheGrio.com, affiliated with NBC News, started to cover the case as well.[143][145][146] The next day on March 9, 2012, ABC World News featured the story on their nightly broadcast.[147] CNN first reported on the case on March 12, 2012, and by the end of that week, radio hosts and bloggers were also reporting on the story.[143][148] National coverage started to increase the week of March 12 and intensified after March 16, when tapes of 911 calls were released to the public.[143][149] Having the 911 calls which the police had previously declined to release, was an important development because it gave radio and TV reporters more material for them to report on. [143][149] An editorial by the president of IFC described how Martin became a "missing white girl" (a cause célèbre for modern media), saying that minorities were underreported in American news reporting, and "if not for several black journalists, including Trymaine Lee of the Huffington Post, Ta-Nehisi Coats of the Atlantic, Charles M. Blow of the New York Times, and Reverend Al Sharpton of MSNBC, it is doubtful anyone would know who Trayvon Martin is and was."[150]

The Project for Excellence in Journalism is reporting that media coverage of the Trayvon Martin case has become the first story in 2012 to be featured more than the presidential race. According to the Project, the varying types of media have focused on the case in different ways. An article in the Tampa Bay Times wrote that, "on Twitter, people are outraged at Zimmerman and want justice, while on cable news and talk radio people are discussing the state's laws for self-defense and gun control and on blogs the focus has been on race."[151] The article further states that the story had a bigger focus on MSNBC and less on Fox News.[151]

Accusations of media bias

NBC alters 911 recording

After playing a recording of Zimmerman's 911 call, NBC was accused of selectively editing it to make Zimmerman appear racist. On the recording played by NBC Zimmerman was heard saying, "This guy looks like he’s up to no good. He looks black." In the original 911 recording, however, Zimmerman actually said, "This guy looks like he’s up to no good. Or he’s on drugs or something. It’s raining and he’s just walking around, looking about." The 911 operator was then heard asking, "OK, and this guy - is he black, white or Hispanic?" Zimmerman answered, "He looks black."[130] The Washington Post wrote that NBC's alteration "would more readily paint Zimmerman as a racial profiler. In reality’s version, Zimmerman simply answered a question about the race of the person whom he was reporting to the police. Nothing prejudicial at all in responding to such an inquiry... it’s a falsehood with repercussions. Much of the public discussion over the past week has settled on how conflicting facts and interpretations call into question whether Zimmerman acted justifiably or criminally... To portray that exchange in a way that wrongs Zimmerman is high editorial malpractice..."[130] Sean Hannity said of this editing, "They forgot the dispatcher’s question! How could NBC, in good conscience, do that?" Brent Bozell was quoted as saying, "This isn’t bias, this isn’t distortion, this is an all-out falsehood by NBC News."[152]

Publication of outdated photographs

Associated Press reported that at the time of the shooting, Martin was older than "the baby-faced boy in the photo that has been on front pages across the country," and that Zimmerman wasn't "the beefy-looking figure in the widely published mugshot," and that these outdated photos "may have helped shape initial public perceptions of the deadly shooting."[153]

See also

References

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External links

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