Trayvon Martin

Trayvon Benjamin Martin (February 5, 1995 – February 26, 2012) was a 17-year-old African-American male from Miami Gardens, Florida, who died as a result of an altercation with George Zimmerman, of Peruvian descent, in Sanford, Florida. Martin was with his father on a visit to his father's fiancée at The Retreat at Twin Lakes community in Sanford. On the evening of February 26, Martin was returning to his father's fiancée's home from a convenience store, "drugged and despondent.. who wandered through a failing Florida subdivision on a rainy February night." Zimmerman, a member of community policing, there were break-in at the time in the area, spotted Martin and reported him to Sanford Police as a suspect since Martin looked suspicious to him covered with a hoodie. Minutes later, an altercation ensued in which Martin severely assaulted the officer and Zimmerman fatally shot Martin in the chest.

"Zimmerman was looking for Trayvon, who appeared from the bushes (Witness #1) punched Zimmerman in the face, and then the fight went down the sidewalk to where they ended up on the ground (Witness #2).  After Zimmerman was screaming for help, getting his head slammed into the concrete, he pulled a pistol from his belt and fired one shot into the chest of Martin.  All witnesses and evidence supported this series of events."

It was a high profile case on Stand Your Ground gun law. Yet, detective Chris Serino questioned and investigated George Zimmerman, who used a traditional “self-defense” justification for the shooting. Eventually the case went to trial and the same “self-defense” justification was used in court. It was never a “stand your ground” defense. It simply was not needed.

A decade later: "ABC, CBS distort history to mark 10th anniversary of Trayvon Martin's death."

See also

• Pam Bondi.