This is old news by now, but the passing of time has only made it even more outrageous. A white vigilante named George Zimmerman has shot and killed an unarmed black teenager, and hasn’t even been arrested.
Zimmerman, 28, claims he shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin last month in self-defence during a confrontation in a gated community in Sanford, Florida.
Zimmerman spotted Martin as he was patrolling his neighbourhood on a rainy evening last month and called the police emergency dispatcher to report a suspicious person. Against the advice of the emergency dispatcher, Zimmerman then followed Martin, who was walking home from a convenience store with a bag of Skittles sweets in his pocket.
via guardian.co.uk.
As the Guardian reports, this has now led to an investigation by the US Justice Department, joined by the FBI and the US attorney’s office. But he still has not been arrested. If you happen to be passing by the Action Request form for the Sanford police department, you might want to ask why not.
Via Greg Laden’s blog on this :
Sent ‘request action’ all the way from South Australia via the world wide web :
***
Please arrest the suspected murderer of Trayvon Martin, Mr George Zimmerman who it seems is now well known globally for shooting dead an unarmed, unthreatening, innocent teenager based solely on the colour of his skin.
Seriously, your reputation – already badly tarnished – depends on this.
***
They auto–e-form thanked me for my request. Wonder how many they’ll be getting?
Shared this on facebook too.
Vale Trayvon Martin – apparently a really great kid who should still be with us all today. My condolences to his family and friends.
PS. I shouldn’t be doing this.
Because I really shouldn’t *have* to.
What does it say about the Sanford Police that George Zimmerman isn’t in custody and charged with Trayvon Martin’s murder already?
What does it say that this sort of activism is needed at all under the circumstances of Martin’s murder?
My guess:
Zimmerman probably has friends in high places. No charges will be laid – or maybe an assault charge (with a non-custodial penalty).
I read in the news recently that they took their very first sensible step and are presenting charges to a Grand Jury.
Also, his GF was on the phone with him before the shot and confirms that the kid was trying to get away. She confirmed that Zimmerman confront him, and that they got into a scuffle at that point. She suspects Trayvon was shoved, because the ear piece fell away from him and then the signal was lost.
This whole thing is FUBAR.
NPR talked about this this afternoon. Someone asserted that if the situation was exactly the same but the races reversed, then the black shooter would be in custody and held without bail.
That seems indisputable to me.
Regardless of race, I don’t understand how someone can shoot an unarmed person and not even have to defend his actions. But then, having lived in the South, if I had to guess the races of the unarmed victim and the uncharged shooter, I’d guess right every time. How messed up is that?
Oh, thank Ceiling Cat for the Feds! Here’s hoping they arrest, charge, and prosecute every last cop that even breathed wrong on this case.
(Now there’s something I never thought I’d say. Type. Whatever.)
What is wrong with Florida? I can;t think of a more insane place.
Petition!