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Subscribe to RSSGeorge Zimmerman's defenders say there was a life-and-death struggle the night Zimmerman fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin while patrolling his gated Florida community, and a published report confirmed by police says Zimmerman told investigators he was returning to his vehicle when Martin struck him from behind. NBC's Ron Allen reports.
Updated at 9:47 p.m. ET: Thousands of people streamed through the streets of Sanford, Fla., on Monday to demand that authorities prosecute the man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin one month ago.
The protesters were on their way to a special meeting of the City Commission at the town's Civic Center that began at 5 p.m. ET, where members were to hold a hearing on the killing of Martin, who was unarmed, by George Zimmerman, 28, a self-described neighborhood watch volunteer.
The shooting of Martin, who was black, by Zimmerman, who is Hispanic, has led to similar rallies across the country. Martin's family has made multiple media appearances pushing for Zimmerman's arrest.
Tracy Martin, the young man's father, addressed the hearing Monday, accusing police of trying to "sweep another dead black male under the rug."
To loud cheers and applause, Tracy Martin said Zimmerman "needs to be arrested. He needs to be put on trial. He needs to be given a sentence by a jury of his peers."
Sybrina Fulton, Martin's mother, said her heart was broken.
“I’m not asking for anything," she said. "I know I cannot bring my baby back. But I’m sure going to make changes so that does not happen to another family.”
The speakers included Rev. Al Sharpton, host of MSNBC-TV's "PoliticsNation," Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rep. Corrine Brown, Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League.
Rep. Jackson Lee gave a legal case for the city or for the state of Florida to arrest George Zimmerman. Rev. Sharpton fierily demanded an arrest, while Rev. Jackson drew parallels between Martin’s death and that of Emmett Till, a 14-year-old black teen who was beaten and murdered in Mississippi in 1955.
As thousands of people gathered in Sanford, Fla., demanding justice for Trayvon Martin, his parents maintained he was trying to get away from George Zimmerman, despite claims that Zimmerman was acting in self-defense. NBC's Ron Allen reports.
Ben Crump, the attorney for Martin’s parents asked, “Who made the decision for whatever reason to not do a background check on George Zimmerman who had just shot and killed Trayvon Benjamin Martin? But yet saw fit to do a background check on this dead child on the ground.
Crump continued: “Number two, who was the officer who made the determination not to do a drug and alcohol analysis on George Zimmerman who had just shot an unarmed teenager with a bag of Skittles but yet found it appropriate to order drug alcohol analysis of Sabryna and Tracy’s son?”
Tracy Martin said he was anguished at "the slander of my son," referring to leaked details of Zimmerman's account of the shooting to police, which suggested that Trayvon Martin initiated the incident, and news reports revealing that the younger Martin had been suspended from his high school for possessing an empty marijuana bag.
"We consider ourselves strong black parents and we take pride in our kids," Tracy Martin said, pounding his fist in the air for emphasis. "We're not asking for an eye for an eye. We're asking for justice, justice, justice!"
Although toxicology tests on Martin's body are pending, a spokesman for his family confirmed to NBC News that Martin was suspended for 10 days from Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior High School in Miami for possession of an empty marijuana baggie.
Trayvon Martin was suspended three times from school
Shooter's account
Zimmerman's account emerged for the first time Monday in a report by The Orlando Sentinel. Quoting unidentified "law enforcement authorities," the Sentinel reported that Zimmerman told police that Trayvon Martin knocked him down with a single punch and slammed his head into the sidewalk several times before the shooting — an account that police said witnesses have corroborated.
EPA/Brian Blanco
Accompanied by their attorney, Ben Crump, right, Trayvon Martin's parents, Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin, passionately addressed the Sanford, Fla., City Commission on Monday.
Zimmerman said he was walking back to his SUV when Martin approached him from behind, according to the Sentinel's report, which Sanford police confirmed Monday afternoon.
The two exchanged words before Martin decked him with a punch to the nose and began beating him, Zimmerman told police. He said he then shot Martin in self-defense.
Witnesses said they heard someone cry out in distress, some of them telling NBC News and other news organizations that it was Martin. But police sources told the Sentinel their evidence indicated it was Zimmerman.
Dateline NBC interviews woman who saw aftermath
One witness told police he saw Martin pounding Zimmerman on the ground. This witness was certain it was Zimmerman who was crying for help, the Sentinel reported.
When police arrived less than two minutes later, Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and had a swollen lip and bloody lacerations to the back of his head, the newspaper reported. Police said Zimmerman wasn't badly injured and didn't seek treatment until the next day.
ABC News reported separately that Zimmerman told police that Martin also tried to take his gun.
In a statement, Sanford police said the Sentinel's report was "consistent with the information provided to the State Attorney's office by the police department." It did not address the ABC report.
Zimmerman's attorney, Craig Sonner, has said he could invoke Florida's "stand-your-ground" law, which provides significant leeway for people to use deadly force if they feel their lives are in danger.
Meanwhile, Angela Corey, the special prosecutor assigned to the case, told ABC News that means "the state must go forward and be able to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. ... So it makes the case in general more difficult than a normal criminal case."
The information about Martin's three suspensions from high school also appeared to complicate the case.
Crump, the family lawyer, called the disclosures an attempt to assassinate Martin's character.
"Very clearly, whatever Trayvon Martin was suspended for had absolutely no bearing on what happened on the night of February 26," he said, adding that Martin "wasn't suspended for anything violent or criminal."
"If he and his friends experimented with marijuana, it's still completely irrelevant," Crump said.
As the City Commission hearing approached, there were these other developments:
- The Smoking Gun, a website that tracks criminal cases and document filings, reported Monday afternoon that Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, filed two applications last week for trademarks on her late son's name.
Fulton is seeking marks for the phrases "I Am Trayvon" and "Justice for Trayvon," according to filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In both instances, Fulton is seeking the trademarks for use on "digital materials," namely, CDs and DVDs featuring Trayvon Martin," and other products.
- Sanford City Manager Norton Bonaparte announced that Capt. Darren Scott would serve as interim police chief during the investigation, NBC station WESH of Orlando, Fla., reported. Police Chief Bill Lee stepped aside last week as criticism over the lack of an arrest mounted across the country.
Following is the full text of the statement Monday confirming The Orlando Sentinel's report by the Sanford, Fla., Police Department:
The information in the article is consistent with the information provided to the State Attorney's office by the police department.
"We do not condone these unauthorized leaks of information," said City Manager, Norton Bonaparte, Jr. "Acting Chief Scott will be doing an internal investigation within the Sanford Police Department as this type of action compromises the integrity of the law enforcement agency which has pledged to uphold the law".
Mr. Bonaparte stated that disciplinary action including possible termination will be taken against anyone found to have leaked the information.
Roxanne Garcia, Lauren Selsky,Tom Winter and Edgar Zuniga Jr. of NBC News contributed to this report by M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
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Leave a Comment:
This is real crazy.It don't make no damn sence that this man is not in jail. This self defense @!$%# is out of context cause Trayvon did not have a weapon. Why can't we face the fact that Trayvon is dead and Zimmerman Killed him justice needs to play a big part in this. This whole thing is wrong and the police are not doing a good job at all>>
I just want to say - the size of Trayvon compared to Zimmerman...i find it hard to believe the kid "attacked"...i still believe the first story that this guy was following this kid...and if anything maybe the kid tried to fight the guy off of him...i'm not believing that this new witness comes forward and the Trayvon kid started it...where was the witness when the first story broke? Who conjured him up?
The witness is lying conspiracy! Do you know something they do not?
You're making up facts that fit your own beliefs rather than understanding the facts that actually occurred. It makes you extremely ignorant.
Well, that's an interesting disclosure. I find it odd that Martin was 17 years old, but the photo used appears to be a 13 year old kid...but I understand presenting a positive image.
Has anybody considered that maybe Trayvon felt threatened?, he was being followed by a strange big built guy. That would explain Trayvon attacking him. Still doesnt explain why a neighborhood watch rep was carrying a gun, concealed carry or not!! It all sounds vigilante!!
You bet he felt threatened. A burly mexican following him slowly in his car and getting out and cornering him...
Wow! Sounds like an unfortunate thing on all sides. Young dude with drug history & attitude goes a bit postal on an over zealous older dude. Kicks his butt and gives him a bloody nose. Older dude probably is scared and overreacts and shoots the younger dude. The old guy isn't a racist as he mentors young black men but of course the racist card gets played as that is the common thing to do in America. Whole thing gets overblown on all sides; then Mom tries to cash in on memorabilia of her dead son. Sounds to me like not a single person involved in this sordid tale is worthy of any sympathy. It's unfortunate someone died, but there is plenty of blame to go around to all parties here.
I am really sick hearing about this kid. Get over it! It is just another ploy for african americans to try and get attention and free things. The Million Hood March can only happen because a) none of them have jobs and live off the government & b) the ones who have jobs took off because they are lazy. No one knows what happened, no one ever will - sorry for the loss, it was tragic, but nothing will bring him back. Life goes on!
Where in the 911 recording did Zimmerman ever sound like he was hit? Really there are just to many holes that have been told and it does not matter if Trayvon was the biggest thug there is, if he was not doing anything but walking home talking on his phone where was his crime? This may not be a racial case but this was the murder of a human being!! Who has the right to do that? I understand nosy neighbors but apparently this man did not even know that this child lived in the neighborhood...so how good is your neighborhood watch!!!!!! Come on people Zimmerman himself admitted to chasing after the young man even when told to stop!!!!!!!if that "thug" was doing something wrong he would not have needed to be chased he would have stood and fought!!!!!sounds to me like the thug was Zimmerman!!!!
Are you serious?
What police report is concise? Tell me. I have yet to see one that reads like it happened. I think that the legal system has a higher authority to obtain accurate information from than a police report. Many are fabricated or contain fabricated statements or are manipulated by the transposer.
I'm serious - I've never seen one that tells the facts - ever for a court case. Now, I'm being honest. How many other law professionals will admit this.
Of course I'm having a difficult time believing this story is not fabricated by the press as it is - so I'm a hard sell, and certainly wouldn't take either side if it is factual. But - still - I've never seen a concise police report.
If someone's chasing you with the intent to create a potentially deadly confrontation, hitting them isn't attacking them, it's defending yourself. I like how Zimmerman has turned Mr Martin's self-defense into a reason to shoot him. Oldest story in the book, the criminal claims that he's the victim.
I smell a cover up! These little rats try to cover their asses and protect their pensions.
US Citizen-701707.....yes, you are a racist if you say "Coon." Don't you know that by now. Don't say "spade" or "black" either. They are all terms of racisim. You have to say "African American".
Now, I would like to say, that I am a "caucasian american" but that is being racist also. If an "African American" calls me a "cracker, honkey, or any other caucasian slur", then it is just joking around. NEVER, NEVER is an "African American" called a racist!
This is and will always be a major issue. "PEOPLE" can't let go. There are more people than you realize who do not hate because of color of skin. The "African American's" use racisism on a daily basis to get what they feel, they are entitled to.
If Trayvon would have been white skinned, this would not be a huge media expo and anyone who says "that's not true" is not living in reality.
Ask yourselves this: There is a National Association for Latino's, National Association for Colored People (and don't say I'm racist because I said colored people, you named you own organization!), a National Association of every color skin - EXCEPT CAUCASIAN. WHY? Because if there was one, it would be RACIST!
SICK OF BEING SICK!!!!!!!!
My favorite African-American? Charlize Theron! The term is ludicrous and divisive.
911 tapes recorded during the start of this has Zimmermand admitting to a totally differnt account of this issue he story for the police shows him in a great light but his own voice and words on 911 tapes DO NOT get a clue not many are going to staraight up admit to something they know will get them thrown in jail they will instead say self defence due to the fact that the other party is dead so its his word against noone now that the dead guy does not have a voice of his own.
Those that think that zimmerman was in the write then I hope you meet him on a dark night maybe youll take each other out
I hope that Zimmerman isn't charged. Didn't any of you read the story. Trayvon was attacking him and he preserved his life. End of story.
Obama said this is the type of son he would want, LOL
Guess "the hoodie" wasn't the real issue here. We have a gangbanger on suspension from school for a drug policy violation and looking for trouble.
Obama just lost the election over this...LOL..
Here is the bottom line. Zimmermen was advised by a POLICE dispatcher NOT to follow this kid. I don't care what you look like,what color you are or how you are dressed.You have no right to make a person feel uncormfortable/in fear for their own safety/or intimidated...JUST BECAUSE YOU THINK THEY LOOK OUT OF PLACE IN A NEIGHBORHOOD. This kid wasnt doing anything to anyone,nor was he acting in a suspicious manner. As a supervising Officer with 16 years experience in law enforcement,I can tell you that even we have to have probable cause to stop someone or approach them.There has to be a certain set of circumstances that would lead a REASONABLE person to believe that a crime had or was about to take place. It isnt as if it was 2am in a neighborhood that had experienced multiple robberies or violent crimes. I have dealt with over-zealous neighborhood watch people and I can tell you that they can be a pain in their own neighbor's hineys as well as a pain in law enforcements. With bogus or paranoid calls about every little tiny thing.unfounded issues that have no merit what so ever. They have used us to harass their neighbors or innocent people riding through or walking through neighborhoods. Im not saying ALL neighborhood watch people are that way.the neighborhood watch is an excellent program FOR LEVEL HEADED INDIVIDUALS WITH COMMON SENSE WHO CAN TELL THE DIFFERENCE IN SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY AND THEIR OWN PERSONAL AND PERHAPS BIASED REASONING.Not for vigilantes,wanna be cops or busy bodies.Also..I know in my jurisdiction you have to pass an intensive background check and not have been convicted of any felony or any violent,sexual or identity theft class crimes.(even though certain types of criminals make the best informants. Example: A drug dealer who snitches out other drug dealers to eliminate competition)
Look, when I was a kid...my friends and I walked everywhere through all kinds of neighborhoods, coming and going to convenient stores,school,ball practice...the movies. We never had issues like that and we didnt abuse other peoples property or privacy...we were just kids....kids walking.
This guy..appears to have been a lunatic. I don't give a damn what that kid did...nothing excuses his death in this story and further I feel that sanford's background investigator dropped the ball in a monumental way on this.There is no way in hell a guy like this should have been a neighborhood watch person...period.
Of course the other-side of the coin is...Who has the right to tell anyone whether they can or can't keep an eye on their own neighborhood to deter crime. Truly..anyone has that right as long as you arent harrassing people.
What do you expect from the police force? Look at our top lawman, Eric Holder, he is nothing more than a crook himself
How do all you high and mighty feel about the Black Panthers putting out a bounty, lets hear you put a good spin on that. Lets wait out the facts rather than the ones being made up, and its way obvious the facts are being made up by the "good" readers here.
this is certianly not a matter of race...what is right is right and what is wrong is wrong!...if we were all "green colored" people the facts still remain the same! this is wrong!...it is okay to get suspicious and to call the police, but when you take the law into your own hands after the law it self told you not to...then you are wwwwwrrrrrrooooonnnnggggg under any grounds!!!!!!! and just for the record as teenagers we all have di something stupid...so trayvon's mishaps in school is very petty for them to bring up...bottom line it has nothing to do with the loss of his life... a lot of people are saying that zimmerman's life is over but he is still breathing and his family and friends still get to see him!! trayvon martin is gone forever!!!!! so as a man as a human as a responsible adult...zimmerman should man up and take responsibility for his faults!!! show trayvon that he is truly sorry and only then shall justice be served!!!!!!!!!!!! r.i.p trayvon martin bless his soul...
wow is this still america? shouldnt we get all the facts before we start rioting in the streets or calling for racial justice? how did this become a race thing anyways? we should stop interjecting our conclusions on the evidence or lack there of and let justice run its course before we as a mob decide the outcome of the case. its a fact that he was a kid and he was unarmed but its also a fact that there are more murders rapes burglary and drug convictions to african americans than any other race in the country. i know that the majority of african americans are law abiding and civil citizens but when the majority of the crimes are done by african americans its easy to see how one could make asumptions about the african american kid that is acting suspiciously in a high crime area. and why is it african american or latino american anyways arent and shouldnt we all consider ourselves americans? if we as a society could drop the labels we give ourselves and just consider ourselves fellow humans then maybe we could start seeing past all the divisions between our self invented races. god put us here as humans he didnt break us down into seperate races and nationalitys, we did that ourselves.love your nieghbor like your brother treat your nieghbor like your brother and we will see how easy it is to acheive eqaulity in this world.
and so the cover up begins... this murderer will walk because he only killed a black boy. What a damn shame.
Let us not forget Florida jury's are not the brightest candles on the table. Ever hear of the Casey Anthony trial? Just saying.
So how did this get so far out of hand? Did the media, always hungry for a story, publish imflammatory comments and downright wrong information while the police and the DA, right or wrong, withheld this information until now? Considering the terrible history of lynching of blacks in Florida, particularly in nearby Lake County, it's no wonder authorities step carefully IF that's what they're doing. That being said, what was Zimmerman doing with a gun? Oh yeah, NRA and the Second Amendment. And where is that famous duo Sharpton and Jackson?
I know George Zimmerman, he did not want to be associated with hispanics, he always told everyone he was white and Jewish.
George also has a long history of domestic violence. Look it up.
He was always a kook.
The police are hiding the facts about George due to civil actions.
Trayon Martin did not deserve to die at the hands of a gun toting wanna be Barney Fife!!!!!!!!
This has to stop, yes there is racial profiling and the sooner it is acknowledged the sooner we may be able to save someone from yahoos like George Zimmerman.
I hope he pays for his CRIME!!!!!!!
You better check George's facebook oh wait, it has been erased, but unlike Trayon no one makes a big deal about George erasing his postings.
Florida has the most heinous criminals, Casey Anthony's, ignorant law enforcement and ignorant jurors than any other state in our great nation.
FACT, Had Zimmerman listen to the 911 Dispatcher. Not To Follow. Trayvon would still be alive.
Neighborhood Watch means, WATCH and REPORT TO POLICE, DO NOT APPROACH
It's very possible that Travyon though his life was in danger.
yes
That is exactly the case here. He didn't listen to them and it happened. Charge him, then deport him.
Why does the "Media" keep showing this 4 yr old picture of Trayvon, which I feel is very misleading. So the most recent picture of him, so people can see what he looked like up to date!!!!
Why is that important to you? Will that change the fact that he was murdered?
Because it will show him as a 12 year old candy eating momma's boy, or a 17 year old anti-social thug. It will speak to his state of mind. I can't believe that's the only pictures they have. In this age of social media, my nephew posts pics everyday. I don't think there are any saints on either side of this.
They forgot to mention that Zimmerman has a record for battery on a police officer. The only photo of Zimmerman that has been released to the press (the one that you see on every news report about him) is his mug shot for that arrest. Note the orange jail shirt he is wearing in that photo.