Trayvon Martin, a 17-year-old high school student, was shot and killed on Feb 26 by George Zimmerman, a supposedly self-proclaimed neighborhood watch captain. Zimmerman claimed that the shooting was an action of self-defense and the authorities took his word for it.
Zimmerman was not detained or thoroughly questioned after his shooting of Martin. The police did not even conduct a background check or a drug/alcohol test. Zimmerman was allowed to leave freely with his gun right after having just killed someone.
The blind trust of the authorities is an outrageous display of injustice and extreme laziness, to say the least. Worse, the police action could simply be an exhibit of a careless disregard for a human life. The situation in its entirety is a horrifying display of what effect hate, paranoia and callous laws can have on any society.
There is ample evidence to support this assertion. During one of his 911 calls, Zimmerman was asked by a police dispatcher if he was following Martin. When Zimmerman indicated that he was, the officer told him that he should not do that and Zimmerman agreed on the tape. But Zimmerman disobeyed an order from police and continued to pursue the teen, resulting in what is reported as a “scuffle”.
Another 911 tape recorded a woman explaining to the dispatchers what was happening. She reported hearing screams, adding, “It sounds like someone is yelling for help…” Shortly after that, gunshots were heard, and she said, “It sounds like someone is getting shot.”
In his 911 tape, Zimmerman is heard referring to Martin and black people in general with a derogatory name. That, combined with the evidence that Martin had only Skittles and an iced tea on his person, has the nation outraged. This teenager had no weapon and did not commit any crimes, nor did It seem that he had Intentions of committing any crime.
It was Zimmerman who pursued Martin. It was Zimmerman who confronted the teen. It was Zimmerman who shot him. How then is this a situation of self-defense? If Zimmerman initiated the confrontation, Martin had no way of knowing what was going to happen. He was innocent and the fact that the police allowed his alleged killer to walk away from the scene is appalling.
The justice system is supposed to be an institution that people can trust to offer equal protection under the law. If this Injustice stands, our society is doomed. The police department admits that in going over the tapes, they missed the “possibly racist” remark that could indicate that this might have been a hate crime.
According to ABC News, the investigation also brings to light the questionable conduct of the police and accusations that at least one witness account “corrected”. These allegations alongside the missed racist remark further the assumption that the Sanford police department is either covering a hate crime or are themselves racist. How else can one explain that the police did not even bring Zimmerman in for questioning, or drug testing, or for simple background checks?
The severity of this matter necessitated immediate action, but there is a law which offers Zimmerman the excuse he needs. The “Stand Your Ground” law encourages violent behavior through the advocacy of violent self-defense in the event of “reasonable belief of a threat”. In this case, it becomes a matter of Zimmerman’s word over that of Martin’s family or even the dispatch tapes.
There is also a section of the law that states, “In some cases, a person may use deadly force in public areas without a duty to retreat.” So, without having to run away first and be pursued, a person may use deadly force if they feel threatened. This concept is extreme and encourages violence and unnecessary loss of life. As passed, the Stand Your Ground law serves as immunity from legal action or criminal suits.
ABC News quoted Angela Corey, the lead prosecutor and veteran State Attorney as saying that the law would make this case would be more difficult to pursue.
“The stand-your-ground law is one portion of justifiable use of deadly force,” Corey said. “And what that means is that 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.”
This advocates for vigilantism in the truest sense of the word. It encourages would-be Rambos. It emboldens the Zimmermans of this world to take it upon himself to be judge and jury and executioner. The law leaves too much discretion in the hands of private citizens and could lead to the kind of racially motivated killings like this one.
Zimmerman stood his ground to “protect” his community against someone who was not a threat. He let his own predisposition and beliefs to cloud his judgment and he crossed the line separating concern and overreaction. Zimmerman should have left his concerns to a trained police officer instead of instigating a confrontation that left an unarmed teen dead.
The Trayvon Martin case is the Rodney King case of our generation. It is our turn to choose what defines us – reasonable laws, compassion, tolerance, and fairness in our judicial system. We are all Trayvon Martin until justice is served.