The Trayvon Martin Thread

16 Jul 2008

This story is infuriating and ridiculous... I think it deserves its own thread for updates and such.

Here is the most recent update that I found:

[url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/13/trayvon-martin-sanford-state-attorney_n_1343223.html?ref=black-voices]Trayvon Martin Case Sent To State Attorney's Office...[/url]

[quote]Police have turned over the investigation into last month's killing of Trayvon Martin, 17, to the Seminole County State Attorney’s Office.

The state will now determine if George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain from Sanford, Fla., will be charged in his death.

According to the Sanford Police Department, Zimmerman admitted that he shot Martin Feb. 26, as the teenager walked from a convenience store back to the gated community where his father lived. Zimmerman, the captain of the neighborhood watch, was patrolling and called 911 to report a suspicious person, police said. He was told to stand down and wait for police, according to officials but instead, Zimmerman followed the teenager, got into a physical altercation and ended up shooting him.

Zimmerman claimed the shooting was self-defense, and police said they have little evidence to refute his claims. Next, the state attorney will determine if Zimmerman’s burden of self-defense has been reached.

“State Attorney Norm Wolfinger recognizes that Trayvon Martin and his family, interested persons, and the public-at-large are entitled to no less than a thorough, deliberate and just review of the information provided, along with any other evidence that may or may not be developed in the course of the review process,” a statement released from the State Attorney’s Offices Tuesday evening said. “We intend to honor that commitment.”

The shift from local to state officials comes amid suspicion about the department's investigating techniques, according to reports. The case outraged many residents of Sanford, which is about 20 miles north of Orlando, particularly those in the African American community who have suggested a history of strained relations between the police department and blacks.

Today, questions about police conduct during the investigation surfaced. ABC News reported that that police led one witness' testimony to support Zimmerman’s self-defense claims.[/quote]

14 Nov 2002

Update: [url=http://www.wftv.com/news/news/witness-sanford-police-blew-us-teen-slaying/nLSqk/]Witness: Sanford Police "Blew Us Off" in Teen Slaying[/url]

08 Mar 2005

Seriously, this guy has to have connections in the department. There are some serious shenanigans going on here.

14 Nov 2002

[url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/os-trayvon-martin-beth-kassab-031512-20120314,0,4335449.column]Trayvon Martin Would be Alive if Neighborhood Watch Rules Followed[/url]

17 Jan 2002

[quote="DamnYouAll"]Seriously, this guy has to have connections in the department. There are some serious shenanigans going on here.[/quote]

[color=darkred]He's probably one of those "ride along" suckup wannabes. They are rampant in the northern suburbs, Playa.
[/color]

ETA: Which would, in fact, make his ass even MORE guilty.

16 Jan 2002

This made me so angry!

Rev. Jamal Bryant gave a rousing talk at Sanford's Allen Chapel AME
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/seminole/os-trayvon-martin-shooting-death-rally-20120314,0,4575845.story

[quote]Trayvon Martin: 'We are gathered here today to demand justice' in teen's fatal shooting
Rev. Jamal Bryant gave a rousing talk at Sanford's Allen Chapel AME

By Bianca Prieto, Orlando Sentinel

11:53 PM EDT, March 14, 2012
Advertisement

SANFORD — James Davis gripped the hands of the people on either side of him, closed his eyes and prayed for justice in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin.

The lifelong Sanford resident was one of nearly 400 people, including many influential local civil-rights leaders and pastors, who packed the Allen Chapel AME Church to call for an arrest in the slaying of the unarmed black teen by a white crime-watch volunteer last month.

"What occurred here is tragic and horrific," said Davis, 64. "Every American citizen should be outraged."

Davis, like many others, thinks Trayvon was confronted — and ultimately shot to death — because he was black. The shooter, George Zimmerman, claimed he acted in self-defense and has not been arrested or charged. Sanford police say they don't have enough evidence to make an arrest.

But more than two weeks after the Feb.26 incident, controversy continues to mount around the shooting and the Police Department's handling of the case.

At noon Wednesday, people packed the pews to hear rallying cries from local leaders and the Rev. Jamal Bryant, a prominent Baltimore evangelist who traveled to Central Florida at the request of a pastor here.

"We come together today in the name of justice," said Allen Chapel AME Pastor Valerie Henry. "We stand as [Trayvon's] voice."

The crowd cheered, clapped and shouted amen as leaders from the NAACP, Urban League and the Sanford City Commission pledged to fight for justice.

"I will stand, even if I stand alone," said Commissioner Velma Williams, adding that she has asked for police Chief Bill Lee Jr. to "step aside" — a request greeted with applause from the crowd.

About an hour into the rally, Bryant addressed the group. The charismatic preacher spoke softly at first but grew increasingly boisterous until he was shouting. As Bryant's calls became more urgent, people jumped to their feet, threw their hands in the air and cheered.

"We call for an immediate arrest. We want him behind bars," Bryant said, referring to Zimmerman. "Because you have arrested a lot of black men without probable cause."

People seemed energized by Bryant's talk.

"If there is no justice...," Bryant said.

"There is no peace," the crowd shouted back in response.

Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett addressed the crowd briefly, noting that his two young sons go to school near the church where the rally was held.

"Today when I drove over here, I thought to myself, 'What if…,'" he said, but didn't complete the thought.

Triplett pledged a full review of the investigation, even if he has to pay for it himself. His comments were often interrupted by questions and demands from the crowd, but those people were quickly shushed by others.

Trayvon, a 17-year-old from Miami, was visiting family in the Retreat at Twin Lakes gated community when he crossed paths with Zimmerman.

The teen was returning from a nearby 7-Eleven with a bag of Skittles in his pocket when he was confronted by Zimmerman, who had already called the cops to report a "suspicious person" in the neighborhood.

During an altercation, Zimmerman shot Trayvon. That is not in dispute. The crime-watch volunteer claimed he acted in self-defense, and police have said some evidence supports that claim, though they would not release details.

At least one eyewitness, who said Trayvon was shot behind her home, told a WFTV-Channel9 television reporter that the shooting "could not have been self-defense." Zimmerman was nonchalant after the shooting, Mary Cutcher told the news station. Police only took a brief statement from her, she said.

The Sanford Police Department on Tuesday turned the case over to the State Attorney's Office, saying it had completed its investigation. Prosecutors must now decide whether to charge 28-year-old Zimmerman with a crime.

They will likely take several weeks to review the evidence and may do more investigating.

At the church rally Wednesday, Bryant called on people — locally and across the nation — to join him March26 at 4p.m. for a rally and demonstration during the Sanford City Council meeting. Trayvon's mother is expected to attend.

"This is a wake-up call for the state of Florida," Bryant said, "and for any racist who has a gun and thinks it's a license to kill our children."

Those words resonated with Davis, the longtime Sanford resident.

He was raised here and raised his two boys here. He defends Sanford fiercely. This racially motivated shooting, in his eyes, was the exception and not the rule.

But it scares him.

He's afraid for his own 8-year-old grandson who often visits from Chicago. He worries about what could happen if this killing has no repercussion or justice.

"It'd kill me if my grandson came to visit me in an airplane," Davis said with tears in his eyes, "and I had to send him home in a casket."[/quote]

17 Sep 2002

WOW! An eyewitness says it wasn't self defense and this bastard is still not in jail!!! Mad

17 Jan 2002

[quote="DamnYouAll"]Seriously, this guy has to have connections in the department. There are some serious shenanigans going on here.[/quote]

Or he's sucking somebody's d**k. Confused

04 Mar 2002

Reason #3476 that I refuse to live in a majority white community, fake McMansion neighborhoods or white gated communities. Not with my sons and not for myself either.

04 Sep 2006

Michael Baisden is on my last nerve with his spotlight-stealing grandstanding. Apparently, HE is going to be interviewed tomorrow on CNN about this case.

Now, to give him his due, I'm glad that someone is being so publicly vocal about this case. But I really don't like that guy.

17 Jan 2002

Others have been vocal about this case. HLN does stories on it all the time and have had the family lawyer on several times.

17 Jan 2002

On Soledad O'Brien's show, they had Trayvon's mother and father, and the lawyer on their this morning.

14 Nov 2002

[url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/15/2696446/trayvon-martin-case.html]Witnesses in Trayvon Martin death heard cries before shot[/url]

In this article, Zimmerman's father busts out the infamous "my son couldn't be racist, some of his best friends are Black" defense.

17 Jan 2002

[quote="bb74"][url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/15/2696446/trayvon-martin-case.html]Witnesses in Trayvon Martin death heard cries before shot[/url]

In this article, Zimmerman's father busts out the infamous "my son couldn't be racist, some of his best friends are Black" defense.[/quote]

I feel like throwing up.

17 Jan 2002

[quote="QTPie"][quote="bb74"][url=http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/03/15/2696446/trayvon-martin-case.html]Witnesses in Trayvon Martin death heard cries before shot[/url]

In this article, Zimmerman's father busts out the infamous "my son couldn't be racist, some of his best friends are Black" defense.[/quote]

I feel like throwing up.[/quote]

right, this whole thing is disgusting. he murdered that young man. Mad

16 Jan 2002

Black people are true minorities down there. There are completely outnumbered.

17 Jan 2002

Petition set up by Trayvon Martin's family

http://www.change.org/petitions/prosecute-the-killer-of-17-year-old-trayvon-martin

14 Nov 2002

[url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/militia-group-arrest-fla-watch-leader-15931351]Militia Group Will Attempt Citizen's Arrest on Zimmerman[/url]

The authorities need to get a handle on what's going on down there before it gets heated. People aren't trying to wait for weeks & months for the AG's office to make up their mind on an arrest. Had Trayvon's & Zimmerman's roles been reversed, Trayvon would be in custody from the second police arrived and we all know it.

14 Nov 2002

[url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-trayvon-martin-shooting-911-call-20120316,0,5950789.story]Sanford Police to Release 911 Calls in Trayvon Martin Shooting[/url]

Last edited by bb74 on Tue Mar 20, 2012 1:14 am; edited 1 time in total

17 Sep 2002

[quote="bb74"][url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/breakingnews/os-trayvon-martin-shooting-911-call-20120316,0,5950789.story]Sanford Police to Release 911 Calls in Trayvon Martin Shooting[/quote][/quote]

Sounds like murder to me. especially when the dispatcher said we don't need you to do that and then he said these (black boys is that what he was implying) guys always get away. Sounds like murder and again why is he NOT in jail. Mad