The Trayvon Martin Case

Trayvon Benjamin Martin was a 17 year old African American from Miami Gardens, Florida. He was badly shot by George Zimmerman; a neighborhood watch volunteer in Sanford, Florida. Zimmerman called 911 to report that there was “suspicious person” walking through the neighborhood. He was told to not do anything, but he did anyway. As he approached Martin, he attacked him and shot him straight to the heart. According to CNN, “Zimmerman acknowledges that he shot Martin, claiming it was in self-defense.” (“Trayvon Martin Shooting Fast Facts”). When the case was taken to court George Zimmerman was found not guilty even after he

On the night of his death, February 26, 2012, Trayvon Martin was in Sanford, Florida on a visit to his father's fiancee and her son at The Retreat at Twin Lakes. As Zimmerman noticed him he called the police non-emergency number to report a suspicious person in community, describing Martin as a very suspicious guy reporting that he had his hand in waistband and was walking around looking at homes. Also, Zimmerman is quoted saying that “he is just walking around looking about in the rain”, and “This guy looks like he is up to no good or he is on drugs or something”(Wikipedia). Although the way he described him led to think of what view Zimmerman had of innocent, unarmed Trayvon who seemed like any other teenager walking about on the way

Just for wearing a hoodie, carrying an Arizona Tea and for being black he was shot and killed. In the book “Deadly Injustice: Travyon Martin, Race, and the Criminal Justice System“ the authors go on to discuss what happened that night and in the trial that preceded. It also helped me deliberate with how certain deaths are portrayed online. This being one of the biggest cases to hit the news and was brought to almost everyone in the United States attention, even the President at the time made a statement about what had happened to this young man. Social media spreaded this article like a wildfire and soon everyone knew what had happened that night in Florida. One of the main reasons why it was difficult to convict Zimmerman of this crime was because of the “Stand your ground” law After this the tension between black males and police officers rose to an even higher extent. African Americans often feel as if they are treated by police unfairly and with situations like this happening it help supported how they felt. Additionally with cases like in Ferguson and what happened in Lousivelle when four innocent teens were accused of robbing a woman with a weapon where they were later found not guilty of the

Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin were no strangers to run-ins with law enforcement. When the Martin case broke we were flooded with school pictures of a very young boy, only to find out that young Trayvon was anything but innocent. Ignorance of both George Zimmerman and Trayvon Martin aside, Obama was quick to express where his support was.

February 26, 2015, Treyvon Martin is shot and killed by George Zimmerman. One year later a jury would find Zimmerman not guilty of murder, sparking outrage and putting the spotlight on the suspicions borne by African Americans.

officers was on their way and told Zimmerman not to follow the allegedly suspicious person, but

On the evening of February 26, Trayvon Martin went to a local neighborhood corner store and bought some candy and a juice. As Trayvon returned from the store, he walked through a neighborhood that had been known to have several robberies that year. Zimmerman, a member of the community watch, saw him and called the Police to report him. Zimmerman then followed Martin but was told not to do so on foot by the police. Moments later, there was an altercation between the two individuals in which Martin was shot in the chest. Zimmerman, who was injured in the altercation, was not charged at the time of the shooting by the Sanford Police, who said that there was no evidence to refute his claim of self-defense and that Florida's stand your ground law prohibited law-enforcement officials from arresting or charging him. Zimmerman was eventually charged and tried in Martin's death and a jury acquitted Zimmerman of second-degree murder and of manslaughter in July

March 19: The Justice Department announces that it has launched an investigation into Martin's death. Florida Gov. Rick Scott asks state officials to assist in the investigation.

Trayvon Martin was shot by George Zimmerman. He was walking down the street with his friends then a policeman pulled up and started looking at them strange. So his friends took off running and Trayvon tried to run but he had shot him once. Well I think it was racism because George Z. was white and Trayvon M. was black and he shot him for no reason because he wasn’t doing nothing wrong. And I think it was racism because Trayvon M. wasn’t messing or picking with George Z. so he didn’t have the right to shoot

With no witness that night it was Zimmerman’s word against Trayvon's family. Because of his unfortunate death, he was unable to testify and tell his side of the story. Many found the verdict to be unfair and unjust which resulted in many riots and social unrest. The Trayvon Martin Foundation was established in March 2012, with the goal of increasing awareness about the effect of violence on families while scrutinizing racial and gender crime

Trayvon Martin was a typical seventeen year old high school student who lived in Miami Gardens, Florida with his mother Sybrina Fulton. On the night of Feburary

On 02/26/12 in the state of Florida, a black teenage male was walking in a white gated community at night wearing a hoodie, he was perceived to be a thug up to no good. He was racially profiled, followed and confronted by a white neighborhood watch coordinator. The teen was fatally shot to death. This teen was named Trayvon Martin. Trayvon was walking back to his father’s house, whom he had been visiting from the store when he was confronted by George Zimmerman. An altercation pursued and the unarmed teen was killed. If Zimmerman had followed the directive of the police department that night and not follow or confront Trayvon, he would not have died that night. George Zimmerman was not initially arrested after the death of Trayvon, because of a Florida law called “Stand Your Ground”. Zimmerman stated that he feared for his life. My question has always been how did he fear for his life, when he was in his truck armed with a gun and following

Trayvon Martin was shot for less in “Stand Your Ground” states. On February 26, 2012, Martin went to a local store to purchase a bag of skittle and an Arizona Iced Tea. He was wearing a hoodie with the hood up. After Martin walked out of the store, he was heading to his father’s fiancés house. While walking, a man named George Zimmerman (a neighborhood watch volunteer) saw him walking and felt “unsafe.” He called the police to report a “suspicious man” and told them he was going to follow him. Moments after he hung up with the police he shot and killed Martin, a kid of only 17 years old. (“Top 12 Crime Stories of

In my opinion this whole case was based on racial Profiling and racism. Trayvon Martin was just an innocent teenager and just like other teens he wanted to get a snack from a convenient store. George Zimmerman had no right to do what he did. He personally attacked Trayvon Martin because of his race. He saw an African American teenager with his hoodie and headphones and automatically thought that the person looked suspicious. I believe if this was a white American individual George Zimmerman would have not followed the persona and then attacked. I also very ignorant on Zimmerman’s part that he got out of his vehicle when the police dispatchers told him to stay. That just shows you who how violent and racist of a person that George Zimmerman is. As a officer Zimmerman did show leadership and did not protect his citizens and instead he did the opposite Trayvon Martin did nothing to harm him and he just went after him. After this case occurred police brutality around African Americans increased and continue to this day.

With increasing tensions between society and police officers, numerous shootings have broken out across the country such as the shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager in Sansford, Florida who was shot and fatally wounded by George Zimmerman, a regular who resides in the area, who was later “acquitted of second-degree murder”. (Cranston)The shooting of Michael Brown, unlike the events in Florida, caused major unrest in Ferguson. The following chaotic night following the shooting resulted in