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
community watch
coordinator. Martin was walking from a convenience store to the home of
his father's fiancée when Zimmerman, while contacting the Sanford
Police Department to report Martin's allegedly suspicious behavior,
began following Martin.
[2][3][4] Soon afterward, they engaged in a confrontation that ended with George Zimmerman fatally shooting Trayvon Martin.
Zimmerman told police who arrived on the scene that the shooting was
self-defense.
[5][6]
Responding officers handcuffed Zimmerman and took him into custody but
they did not formally arrest him, saying they did not find evidence to
contradict his assertion of self-defense.
[7] The lead homicide investigator reportedly said he did not believe it was self-defense
[8] and he wanted to charge Zimmerman with
manslaughter, but the state attorney's office said there was insufficient evidence for a conviction.
[9][10]
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.
[11][12] A number of high-profile citizens have made public comments or released statements calling for a full investigation, including
Reverend Al Sharpton,
[13] President Barack Obama,
[14] Jesse Jackson,
[15] and
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi.
[16]
People involved in the case
Trayvon Martin
Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was
the son of Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin. He had turned 17 years old
three weeks before his death. His parents had divorced in 1999.
[17] He was a high school junior in the
Miami area of south Florida.
[18][19] Martin lived with his mother and older brother in
Miami Gardens, Florida.
On the day he was shot, he was visiting his father and his father's
fiancée at her townhome in The Retreat At Twin Lakes in Sanford,
Florida.
[20]
George Zimmerman
George Michael Zimmerman
[21] was born on October 5, 1983, in Virginia,
[22] the son of
American Robert Zimmerman Sr. and
Peruvian Gladys Zimmerman.
[23][24] Zimmerman's voting record identifies him as
Hispanic.
[25][26] In 2009, he moved with his wife to The Retreat At Twin Lakes in Sanford, Florida, where the shooting occurred.
[27][28] He was employed as an insurance underwriter prior to the shooting.
[29]
Zimmerman had completed a Sheriff department's introductory course in citizens' law enforcement.
[30][31] At the time of the shooting, he was working toward an associate degree at
Seminole State College.
[32] After the shooting, his enrollment was withdrawn by the college due to safety considerations arising from the controversy.
[33]
Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee said that Zimmerman had cooperated with investigators.
[34] Zimmerman's attorney first made a statement about his client on March 24, 2012.
[35]
Zimmerman's role in the neighborhood watch
At the time the homeowners association decided to organize a neighborhood watch, Zimmerman was the only volunteer
[34] and was then chosen as the neighborhood watch coordinator by his neighbors, according to Wendy Dorival,
Neighborhood Watch organizer for the Sanford Police Department.
[36] The February 2012
homeowner association newsletter requested that crime victims "call our captain, George Zimmerman" after calling the police.
[3] “He [Zimmerman] once caught a thief and an arrest was made,” said Cynthia Wibker, secretary of the homeowners association.
[34]
Police had been called to The Retreat at Twin Lakes 402 times from January 1, 2011, to February 26, 2012.
[34] Crimes committed at The Retreat in the year prior to Martin's death included eight burglaries, nine thefts and one shooting.
[34]
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.
[37][38][39] The calls from Zimmerman have since been reported by numerous media sources, including the
Orlando Sentinel[40] and the
Miami Herald,
[41] as occurring between 2011 and 2012 due to a typo on the first page of the police report.
[42]
Zimmerman was a criminal justice student and also licensed to carry a firearm.
[34]
Sanford police chief Bill Lee stated that neighborhood watch volunteers
are not encouraged to carry a gun but have a Constitutional right to do
so.
[34]
Lee further stated, "Mr. Zimmerman was not acting outside the legal
boundaries of Florida Statute by carrying his weapon when this incident
occurred."
[43]
Sanford Police volunteer program coordinator Wendy Dorival told the
Miami Herald she met Zimmerman in September, 2011 at a community
neighborhood watch presentation. Dorival stated she gave a warning in
regard 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.”
[34]
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.
[44]
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.
[44][45]
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.
[46] 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."
[47]
State Attorneys
Norm Wolfinger is the
State Attorney responsible for prosecutions in
Brevard County and
Seminole County,
[48][49] where the shooting occurred. Wolfinger was the State Attorney initially responsible for the case.
On March 22, 2012, Florida Governor
Rick Scott announced that State Attorney
Angela Corey would be investigating the case instead of Wolfinger.
[50] Corey has stated that her office, rather than a grand jury, will decide whether to press charges against Zimmerman.
[51]
Shooting
The shooting occurred at The Retreat at Twin Lakes, which is a private
gated community of 263 townhouses in Sanford, Florida.
[28] Martin was staying there at his father's fiancée's townhouse
[20] when he left to walk to a convenience store where he bought a can of
Arizona Iced Tea and a bag of
Skittles.
[52][53] While walking back, Martin was seen in the gated community by Zimmerman,
[54] who was in his vehicle on a personal errand.
[55] Martin was shot 70 yards from where he was staying.
[56] (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
[57]
to report what he considered to be suspicious behavior by Martin, which
he described as "just walking around looking about" in the rain.
[58] 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.
[59] On the recording of the call, Zimmerman is heard commenting "these assholes they always get away."
[60][61] After the audio of the call was released, CNN
[62] and other reports alleged Zimmerman had exclaimed "fucking
coon," two minutes and twenty-one seconds (2:21) into the call although the transcript of the call states "unintelligible".
[63][64] Other reviewers offered alternate interpretations of what was said.
[citation needed]
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."
[65]
Zimmerman affirmed "OK" and said he would meet the police by the
mailboxes. However, before hanging up he said “Actually, could you have
him call me, and I’ll tell him where I’m at?”
[66]
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 company records,
[67]
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, ABC News 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.
[68]
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.
[69]
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.
[70][71]
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.
[70][72]
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.
[70] Zimmerman was treated and released by paramedics while still at the scene of the incident.
[70][72]
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."
[70][73] Zimmerman was then transported to the Sanford Police Department where he was questioned by investigators.
[70]
Martin's body was taken to the
morgue where he was tagged as a
John Doe.
[74] 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
fiancée'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.
[75]
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.
[76][77] Martin’s mother said she recognized the shouting for help was from her son. Zimmerman says he was the one calling out.
[78]
A 13-year old boy walking his dog saw a man on the ground shortly before the shooting and identified him as wearing red.
[79][80][81]
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.
[82][83]
A neighbor who heard some of the incident, Mary Cutcher, appeared with her roommate 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.
[84][85][86]
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.
[84][86] The police say she gave an official account to them at the time of the incident that supported Zimmerman's story.
[87]
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.
[85]
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.
[88] Police records confirm only a single shot was fired.
[89]
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.
[90][91] The gun, a black
Kel-Tec PF-9, 9mm
semi-automatic pistol, that was confiscated from Zimmerman at the scene, was placed into evidence.
[91][92] While in custody at the police station, Zimmerman was not administered a drug or alcohol test.
[93]
The lead homicide investigator on the case, Chris Serino, recommended charging Zimmerman with
manslaughter.
Serino filed an affidavit the night of the incident, saying he was
unconvinced by Zimmerman's account, but was informed by State Attorney
Wolfinger's office that there wasn't enough evidence to obtain a
conviction.
[9] Zimmerman was eventually released without charges.
[93].
TheGrio.com reported that Wolfinger met with police leaders on the
night of the shooting while Zimmerman was still in police custody,
[94] but Wolfinger denied it.
[95]
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 store to do some errands 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]
Phone recordings
Recordings of eight calls to the police made on the night of the shooting were released by the Sanford police on March 17, 2012.
[59][105]
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.
[106] Zimmerman told police at the scene that he had cried out for help.
[107]
The statement was corroborated by an eyewitness who said that Martin
was on top of Zimmerman, beating him, as Zimmerman called for help.
[76]
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.
[108]
Two experts on forensic voice analysis, contacted by the
Orlando Sentinel, concluded independently that the screams in the background of the 911 recordings were not from Zimmerman.
[109]
However, there was some dispute as to the reliability and ultimately
the admissibility in court of voiceprint analysis in this setting.
[110][111]
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.
[112][6] The night of the shooting, some of the Sanford police accepted Zimmerman's account at face value,
[113]
but the lead homicide detective wrote in an affidavit that he did not
believe the story and wanted to charge Zimmerman with manslaughter.
[9]
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.
[114]
"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."
[34]
According to Zimmerman's father, in the wake of the controversy,
George Zimmerman received death threats and moved out of his home.
[115] 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 they received hate mail and unwanted visits
from reporters.
[118][119][120] Lee was criticized for his retweet
[121][122] and he later issued an apology.
[123]
Investigations and other official statements
Multiple investigations are ongoing.
On March 20, 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][16][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.”
[51]
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."[16]
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," and, "If I had a son, he
would look like Trayvon."
[14]
The FBI has opened a parallel investigation into if Martin's civil
rights were violated, and is interviewing witnesses, and looking into
Zimmerman's background.
[129]
Allegations of racial profiling
Supporters of Trayvon Martin rally in Union Square during a "Million Hoodie March" in Manhattan on March 21.
Against Zimmerman
The shooting prompted allegations that Zimmerman was motivated by
racism.
[5][69] Critics disparaged what they perceived to be Zimmerman
racially profiling Martin,
[5][6][130][115]
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.
[131]
Thousands of people attended rallies around the country to demand Zimmerman's arrest,
[11] including a gathering on March 22 of civil rights leaders including
Al Sharpton,
Martin Luther King III,
Dick Gregory, and others.
[12]
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,
[132] comments for which he later apologized.
[133]
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 half
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.
[134] Joe Oliver, a former television news reporter who is acquainted with Zimmerman,
[135]
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."
[136]
In a letter to the NAACP, an anonymous individual claiming to be one of Zimmerman's relatives brought up the case of
Sherman Ware
a black homeless man who was punched by the son of a police officer in
Sanford. The letter states that Zimmerman distributed flyers protesting
the attack, and helped to organize a city hall meeting regarding the
incident.
[137]
Against the Sanford police
For not arresting Zimmerman, the Sanford police have faced heavy criticism, protests, and allegations of racial bias.
[5][69] Over 2.2 million people have demanded Zimmerman's arrest via a
Change.org petition by Martin's mother.
[138] 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.
[6]
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.
[108][130] Allegations were also made that the Sanford police were protecting Zimmerman.
[107]
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.
[107]
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.
[130]
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.
[6]
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.
[46]
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.
[47]
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.
[139]
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.
[140][141]
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."
[142]
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."
[142]
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".
[143][144]
Media coverage
For the first 10 days after Martin's death, the story was only covered by the
Florida media.
[145] 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.
[145][146]
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.
[145]
Also on March 8,
The Huffington Post,
The Young Turks, and TheGrio.com, affiliated with
NBC News, started to cover the case as well.
[145][147][148][149] The next day on March 9, 2012,
ABC World News featured the story on their nightly broadcast.
[150] 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.
[145][151] 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.
[145][152]
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.
[145][152] 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 Coates 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."
[153]
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."
[154] The article further states that the story had a bigger focus on MSNBC and less on Fox News.
[154]
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."
[131]
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..."
[131] Sean Hannity said of this editing, "They forgot the dispatcher’s question! How could NBC, in good conscience, do that?", to which
Brent Bozell responded, "This isn’t bias, this isn’t distortion, this is an all-out falsehood by NBC News."
[155] NBC admitted that "there was an error made in the production process" and apologized.
[156]
NBC released a statement saying "During our investigation it became
evident that there was an error made in the production process that we
deeply regret. We will be taking the necessary steps to prevent this
from happening in the future and apologize to our viewers"
[157]
NBC declined to provide any information regarding who was involved, or
how the issue occured, or to detail what actions were taken as a result.
[158]
Several journalists have said the statement was not enough, and called
for NBC's parent company Comcast to do additional investigations, and
for information regarding how the issue occurred to be released.
[159][160][161]
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."
[162]
In the initial photographs, Trayvon appeared 13 and Zimmerman appeared
much younger and more broad than the most recent published images.
[163]
