| MiamiHerald.com | - |
One
week after a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty in the death of
unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, people began to gather for nationwide
rallies to press for federal civil rights charges against the former
neighborhood watch leader.
TRAYVON MARTIN CASE
Thousands gather at Trayvon Martin ‘vigils’ held in 100 cities, including Miami
People gather for "Justice for Trayvon" vigil in Miami.
Emily Michot
By Miami Herald Staff and Wire Services
One week after a jury found George Zimmerman not guilty in the
death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin, about 200 people marched through
Miami’s downtown streets as part of noontime rally to press for federal
civil rights charges against the former neighborhood watch leader.
The Miami demonstration was one of about 100 planned rallies and vigils nationwide. The “Justice for Trayvon” rallies, organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, are being held outside federal buildings in cities, large and small, from New York and Los Angeles to Wichita, Kan., and Birmingham, Ala.
The Florida case has become a flashpoint in separate but converging national debates over self-defense laws, guns, and race relations. Zimmerman, who successfully claimed self-defense, identifies as Hispanic. Martin was black.
Tracy Martin, Trayvon’s father, appeared at a noontime vigil at the Miami federal courthouse, 400 N. Miami Ave., where about 200 people were marching through the city’s downtown streets. In speaking to the crowd, which had gathered as early as 10 a.m., he was wearing a Miami Marlins baseball cap and a tee-shirt emblazoned with a photo of his slain son son wearing a hoodie.
Other Florida vigils are scheduled to take place in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Fort Pierce.
The rallies across the country are scheduled for noon local times,.
On Saturday morning on a plaza in downtown Manhattan, Sharpton spoke to supporters, telling them he said he wants a rollback of stand-your-ground self-defense laws.
"We are trying to change laws so that this never, ever happens again," Sharpton said.
Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, also spoke to the New York crowd. "Today it was my son. Tomorrow it might be yours," she said.
Martin’s brother, Jahvaris Fulton, also was to attend the New York event.
Sharpton and other supporters want the Justice Department to pursue federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman.
This week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the department would investigate whether Zimmerman could be charged under those federal civil rights laws, which would require evidence that he harbored racial animosity against Martin. Most legal experts say that would be a difficult charge to bring.
Holder also said the shooting demonstrates the need to re-examine stand-your-ground laws nationwide.
Sharpton’s National Action Network will broadcast videos of vigils around the country on its website throughout the day.
Trayvon was killed Feb. 26, 2012, while walking home with an iced tea and a bag of Skittles from a local convenience store in Sanford, Fla.
Zimmerman called a non-emergency police number to report Trayvon as “suspicious.” A violent struggle followed on rain-slicked grass and a concrete walkway. During the confrontation, Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon at point-blank range.
Zimmerman, charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter, successfully pleaded self-defense.
A Seminole County jury, following days of deliberations, found Zimmerman not guilty of any charges.
On Friday, President Barack Obama, in starkly personal terms, talked about his experience as a black man in America and called on the country to do some “soul searching” about race in the aftermath of Trayvon’s shooting death and Zimmerman’s not-guilty verdict.
The Miami demonstration was one of about 100 planned rallies and vigils nationwide. The “Justice for Trayvon” rallies, organized by the Rev. Al Sharpton’s National Action Network, are being held outside federal buildings in cities, large and small, from New York and Los Angeles to Wichita, Kan., and Birmingham, Ala.
The Florida case has become a flashpoint in separate but converging national debates over self-defense laws, guns, and race relations. Zimmerman, who successfully claimed self-defense, identifies as Hispanic. Martin was black.
Tracy Martin, Trayvon’s father, appeared at a noontime vigil at the Miami federal courthouse, 400 N. Miami Ave., where about 200 people were marching through the city’s downtown streets. In speaking to the crowd, which had gathered as early as 10 a.m., he was wearing a Miami Marlins baseball cap and a tee-shirt emblazoned with a photo of his slain son son wearing a hoodie.
Other Florida vigils are scheduled to take place in Tallahassee, Gainesville, Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Fort Myers and Fort Pierce.
The rallies across the country are scheduled for noon local times,.
On Saturday morning on a plaza in downtown Manhattan, Sharpton spoke to supporters, telling them he said he wants a rollback of stand-your-ground self-defense laws.
"We are trying to change laws so that this never, ever happens again," Sharpton said.
Martin’s mother, Sybrina Fulton, also spoke to the New York crowd. "Today it was my son. Tomorrow it might be yours," she said.
Martin’s brother, Jahvaris Fulton, also was to attend the New York event.
Sharpton and other supporters want the Justice Department to pursue federal civil rights charges against Zimmerman.
This week, Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the department would investigate whether Zimmerman could be charged under those federal civil rights laws, which would require evidence that he harbored racial animosity against Martin. Most legal experts say that would be a difficult charge to bring.
Holder also said the shooting demonstrates the need to re-examine stand-your-ground laws nationwide.
Sharpton’s National Action Network will broadcast videos of vigils around the country on its website throughout the day.
Trayvon was killed Feb. 26, 2012, while walking home with an iced tea and a bag of Skittles from a local convenience store in Sanford, Fla.
Zimmerman called a non-emergency police number to report Trayvon as “suspicious.” A violent struggle followed on rain-slicked grass and a concrete walkway. During the confrontation, Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon at point-blank range.
Zimmerman, charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter, successfully pleaded self-defense.
A Seminole County jury, following days of deliberations, found Zimmerman not guilty of any charges.
On Friday, President Barack Obama, in starkly personal terms, talked about his experience as a black man in America and called on the country to do some “soul searching” about race in the aftermath of Trayvon’s shooting death and Zimmerman’s not-guilty verdict.
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