On February 26th, 2012, in Sanford Florida, 17-year-old Trayvon Martin an unarmed black teenager was shot and killed by neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman. Igniting a national debate on racial profiling and civil rights. Trayvon Martin was walking back from a nearby 7-Eleven before the crime was acted upon (Bay News 9 Staff). After three weeks of testimony, the six-women jury rejected the prosecution’s contention that Mr. Zimmerman had deliberately pursued Mr. Martin because he assumed the hoodie-clad teenager was a criminal and instigated the fight that led to his death. Mr. Zimmerman said he shot Mr. Martin in self-defense after the teenager knocked him to the ground, punched him and slammed his head repeatedly against the sidewalk. In finding him not guilty of murder or manslaughter the jury agreed that Mr. Zimmerman could have been justified in shooting Mr. Martin because he feared great bodily harm or death (New York Times).
Zimmerman was arrested again on November 18th, 2013 …show more content…
After learning his fate of being found not guilty in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, Zimmerman had little visible reaction. He turned shook the hand of one of his attorney’s before sitting back down, smiling only after the court was adjured. Now that Zimmerman is a free man, his defense attorney and brother fear for his safety. What about the public’s fear and safety? An aggressive, ticking time bomb of a man where the littlest things can set him off is back free on the streets. The trial may be over, but the debate about race surrounding the case still lingers on. The six jurors—all of them women—deliberated for sixteen and a half hours. Five of them white, one being a minority. “The most fundamental of civil rights—the right to life—was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Martin”, the advocacy group said in a statement (CNN
Zimmerman was arrested again on November 18th, 2013 …show more content…
After learning his fate of being found not guilty in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, Zimmerman had little visible reaction. He turned shook the hand of one of his attorney’s before sitting back down, smiling only after the court was adjured. Now that Zimmerman is a free man, his defense attorney and brother fear for his safety. What about the public’s fear and safety? An aggressive, ticking time bomb of a man where the littlest things can set him off is back free on the streets. The trial may be over, but the debate about race surrounding the case still lingers on. The six jurors—all of them women—deliberated for sixteen and a half hours. Five of them white, one being a minority. “The most fundamental of civil rights—the right to life—was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Martin”, the advocacy group said in a statement (CNN