Sunday 14 July 2013

America erupts as jury finds George Zimmerman innocent of the murder and manslaughter of unarmed boy with a bag of sweets (Trayvon Martin Bs George Zimmerman)


  • Jury took just over 16 hours to come to not guilty verdict
  • Zimmerman was accused of second degree murder
  • He shot and killed teenager Trayvon in February 2012
  • Twitter users calls neighborhood watch volunteer 'dead man walking'
  • Case was not about race or right to bear arms, prosecutor says
  • Zimmerman said to be worried about reaction to verdict
  • Angry protests outside courthouse as case ends
  • 'I thought he was guilty' prosecutor Rionda says
  • Immunity will be sought if attempt to sue Zimmerman is made
A man has been found not guilty of murdering a teenager in a case that has gripped and divided America.
George Zimmerman, 29, was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter in the shooting death of 17 year old Trayvon Benjamin Martin. 
A jury of six women took more than 16 hours and 20 minutes to come to come to their unanimous decision that the death was justifiable.
Zimmerman, who was a neighbourhood watch volunteer, was charged with second-degree murder for fatally shooting Martin on February 26, 2012.
The court was told that he had followed the unarmed youngster through a park because he looked like he was 'up to no good.'
Zimmerman, a volunteer neighbourhood watchman, claims he shot Martin in self-defence, and that the teen punched him repeatedly before deciding to use lethal force.
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Relief: George Zimmerman breaks into a smile of relief a few moments after being cleared of all charges
Relief: George Zimmerman breaks into a smile of relief a few moments after being cleared of all charges
Not guilty: George Zimmerman listens as the judge records the not guilty verdict in his murder trial
Not guilty: George Zimmerman listens as the judge records the not guilty verdict in his murder trial
Weeping: George Zimmerman's wife cries as the verdict was read out
Weeping: George Zimmerman's wife cries as the verdict was read out
The shooting of Martin, who is African-American, by Zimmerman, who is not, has fuelled new debates about racial profiling, gun-control, and self-defence laws.
As the judge announced that Zimmerman had no other business with the court just after 10pm on EST on Saturday his mother, who was sat in the court, smiled for the first time during the trial.
Trayvon's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, were not in court to hear the verdict. Their reaction was said to be reserved but they expressed their disappointment.
A tweet CNN claimed came from his father said: 'I know my baby proud of fight we along with all of you put up for him'.
 
As the verdict drew near, police and city leaders in the Orlando suburb of Sanford and other parts of the U.S. said they were taking precautions against the possibility of mass protests or unrest.
'There is no party in this case who wants to see any violence,' Seminole County Sheriff Don Eslinger said immediately after jurors began deliberating. 'We have an expectation upon this announcement that our community will continue to act peacefully.'
Crowds outside the courthouse were outspoken about their disappointment at the verdict, yelling 'The system has failed us', and hundreds took to Twitter to voice their discontentment with the justice system and jury.
Moments after the verdict was read out, people reacting on Twitter had described Zimmerman as 'a dead man walking'.
His defence attorneys said the verdict had not sunk in for him yet, and that Zimmerman was worried about the reaction.
Zimmerman is said to have been in hiding and wears a bullet proof vest when outside, according to the New York Times.
Defence attorney Mark O Mara said: '[Zimmerman] has to be cautious and protective of his safety because there is a fringe element who have said on Twitter and elsewhere they want revenge.'
He added that after everyone left the room at the end of the trial, Zimmerman thanked his defence teams and then became emotional as he realised the trial was done.
Relief: George Zimmerman's family celebrate as the jury clear him of all charges
Relief: George Zimmerman's family celebrate as the jury clear him of all charges
Freed: The defence team shake George Zimmerman's hand after he is found not guilty
Freed: The defence team shake George Zimmerman's hand after he is found not guilty
Grief: Trayvon's parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin were not in court for the verdict
Grief: Trayvon's parents Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin were not in court for the verdict
'I'm not sure how you can feel after 16 months of trauma. It's probably going to settle on him tonight when he is with his family and realizes he doesn't have to come back to court,' Mr O Mara said.
Robert Zimmerman Jr said his brother was 'going to be looking around his shoulder for the rest of his life'. 
'Now the jury has spoken, and we are exonerated as a family,' he told CNN. 'And more importantly, George is exonerated.'
Benjamin Crump, the attorney for the Martin family, acknowledged the disappointment of Trayvon's  supporters, as he ranked the teenager alongside civil rights heroes Medgar Evers and Emmett Till in the history of the fight for equal justice.
But he urged them not to resort to violence. 'For Trayvon to rest in peace, we must all be peaceful,' he said.
It took the jury five weeks to see more than 200 pieces of evidence and hear 56 witnesses in a trial that has gripped the nation, the jury heard two very different accounts of what happened on that fateful rainy night of February 26, 2012.
 
They had been given the chance to convict Zimmerman of manslaughter but did not do so, despite asking for a clarification of the charge earlier in the evening.
After the verdict, prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda said he was disappointed but respected the jury's decision. 
'We respect the verdict but I'm disappointed. This is only the second murder case I lost. I thought he was guilty,' he told a press conference.
Emotional: Trayvon's parents Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton on day 20 of the trial into their son's shooting
Emotional: Trayvon's parents Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton on day 20 of the trial into their son's shooting
Victim: Zimmerman is accused of murdering the unarmed black teenager after following him with a gun and provoking him into a fight
Victim: Trayvon Martin was shot and killed on February 26, 2012, as he was walking back from the 7/11 with a packet of Skittles and a can of juice
GZ Pressure: George Zimmerman wipes perspiration from his face after arriving in the courtroom for his trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford, Florida July 12, 2013
Tense: Assistant state attorney John Guy, left, responds to defense attorney Don West, right, after another angry exchange of words over evidence
Tense: Assistant state attorney John Guy, left, responds to defense attorney Don West, right, after another angry exchange of words over evidence
Opposite sides: Defense counsel Mark O'Mara, left, talks to prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda, right. Both men gave the closing arguments in Zimmerman's trial
Opposite sides: Defense counsel Mark O'Mara, left, talks to prosecutor Bernie de la Rionda, right. Both men gave the closing arguments in Zimmerman's trial
Florida State Attorney Angela Corey added that they had wanted to 'get all the facts before the jury because we felt everyone had the right to know everything'.
'To the living we owe respect, to the dead the truth. We believe we have brought out the truth.'
She added: 'This case has never been about race or the right to bear arms. But there is no doubt Trayvon was profiled to be a criminal.'
Ms Corey added after the verdict that she believed second-degree murder was the appropriate charge because Zimmerman's mindset 'fit the bill of second-degree murder'.
'We charged what we believed we could prove,' Ms Corey said.
Ultimately, it was the defence team who won. They praised the jury, who Mr O Mara said 'listened, took notes [and were] as engaged as everyone in the process'.
'We are ecstatic with the results. George Zimmerman was not guilty of anything except protecting himself in self defence,' he added after the verdict. 
He said that they would seek immunity if someone decided to try to sue Zimmerman.
Shock: A Florida woman cries as she hears the not guilty verdict verdict outside the court house
Shock: A Florida woman cries as she hears the not guilty verdict verdict outside the court house
Defense: Don West and Mike O Mara praise the jury for being so engaged with the case
Defense: Don West and Mike O Mara praise the jury for being so engaged with the case
Joy: Gladys Zimmerman, centre, smiles broadly as she learns that her son has been acquitted
Joy: Gladys Zimmerman, centre, smiles broadly as she learns that her son has been acquitted
Don West, who was criticised for his opening Knock Knock joke and photos of him on Twitter eating ice cream with his daughters during a break early on in the trial said he would not respond to his critics or talk about the alleged threats made against his family.
'This trial is about George ZImmerman, not about ice creams,' he said. 'I still think the joke was funny but I wish I'd told it better.'
Mr O Mara said: 'Nothing can bring back Trayvon Martin. Whenever a young life is lost it is a tragedy' adding that he extended his sympathy to the teenager's family.
He added however: 'None of [the evidence] shows George Zimmerman as an aggressor.'
The prosecution had started the case with a powerful and graphic opening statement and it was in this vein they proceeded with their case.
Footage: CCTV footage shows Trayvon buying Skittles and a soda at a 7/11
Footage: CCTV footage shows Trayvon buying Skittles and a soda at a 7/11
Evidence: A shirt worn by Zimmerman on the night of the shooting was used as evidence in the trial
Evidence: A shirt worn by Zimmerman on the night of the shooting was used as evidence in the trial
Zimmerman
Zimmerman
Injuries: Photos of cuts to the back of Zimmerman's head and his face were included in the evidence 
Fatal mark: A bullet hole can be seen in the front of the hooded top Trayvon was wearing on the night he died
Fatal mark: A bullet hole can be seen in the front of the hooded top Trayvon was wearing on the night he died
Crime scene: Trayvon was shot outside with Florida complex
Crime scene: Trayvon was shot outside with Florida complex
Zimmerman wasn't arrested for 44 days after the February 26, 2012, shooting as police in Sanford insisted that Florida's Stand Your Ground law on self-defence prohibited them from bringing charges. Florida gives people wide latitude to use deadly force if they fear death or bodily harm.
Trayvon's parents, along with civil rights leaders such as the Rev Jesse Jackson and Rev Al Sharpton, argued that Zimmerman, whose father is white and whose mother is Hispanic, had racially profiled their son. 
They also accused investigators of dragging their feet because Trayvon was a black teenager.
Before a special prosecutor assigned to the case ordered Zimmerman's arrest, thousands of protesters gathered in Sanford, Miami, New York and elsewhere. President Obama also added to the case, saying that if he had a son, 'he'd look like Trayvon'.
The Rev Al Sharpton continued to campaign after the verdict, saying: 'The acquittal of George Zimmerman is a slap in the face to the American people but it is only the first round in the pursuit of justice.'
According to AP, he added: 'We intend to ask the Department of Justice to move forward as they did in the Rodney King case and we will closely monitor the civil case against Mr. Zimmerman. I will convene an emergency call with preachers tonight to discuss next steps and I intend to head to Florida in the next few days.'
Ruling: Judge Debra Nelson hands the verdict to the court clerk
Ruling: Judge Debra Nelson hands the verdict to the court clerk
Response: State attorney Angela Corey and assistant state attorney Bernie de la Rionda give their view on the verdict
Response: State attorney Angela Corey and assistant state attorney Bernie de la Rionda give their view on the verdict
Reenactment: The jury had been shown a video of Zimmerman explaining his version of events
Reenactment: The jury had been shown a video of Zimmerman explaining his version of events
Despair: Supporters of Trayvon Martin say the verdict is a slap in the face for the American people
Despair: Supporters of Trayvon Martin say the verdict is a slap in the face for the American people
The race element could become the legacy of the trial. Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed responded to the verdict by saying: 'The death of Trayvon Martin shows that we must all work harder to shed the dangerous stereotypes that can have devastating consequences for individuals, families and our society.'
Celebrities from Will.i.am to Miley Cyrus also took to Twitter to announce their shock at the verdict.
Will.i.am tweeted: 'What’s wrong with the world mama!!! #whereIStheLOVE #zimmermanVSamerica.'
Sophia Bush added: 'The wind is more than knocked out of me… My heart aches for this boy’s family. Justice System? I don’t think so,' and Miley Cyrus tweeted to say the verdict made her 'feel sick'.
Others, including Wyclef Jean and Mandy Moore extended their sympathies to Trayvon's family and friends. 
A tweet from Jesse Williams however, read: 'Verdict emblematic of a culture rooted in bloodthirsty cowardice.'
Public feeling: Crowds gather in Union Square, New York, to wait for the verdict in the trial
Public feeling: Crowds gather in Union Square, New York, to wait for the verdict in the trial
On guard: Los Angeles police gather at the edge of a rally that began as Zimmerman was cleared of all charges
On guard: Los Angeles police gather at the edge of a rally that began as Zimmerman was cleared of all charges
Rally: Protesters in Los Angeles gather to show their response to the Zimmerman trial on Saturday night
Rally: Protesters in Los Angeles gather to show their response to the Zimmerman trial on Saturday night
The first words in the trial, from state attorney John Guy, had been: 'F***ing punks, these a**holes always get away,' words that were repeated to the jury several times in the three weeks of testimony. 
Words, they said, that proved Zimmerman acted with ill will, spite and hatred when he followed Trayvon as he was walking home from a 7/11 and, after a scuffle, shot him through the heart.
They portrayed Zimmerman as a 'vigilante', a 'wannabe cop', a man filled with hatred and frustration after a spate of burglaries in the community he felt he was responsible for protecting.
On Friday, the prosecution appealed to the emotions and the hearts of the all-women jury and in a powerful rebuttal, John Guy said: 'Trayvon Martin was a son, a brother and a friend and the last thing he did on this Earth was to try to get home.
'George Zimmerman didn't shoot the teen because he had to, he shot him because he wanted to,' repeating words he used in his opening statement.
Drama: Judge Debra Nelson locks horns again with defence attorney Don West as she asks George Zimmerman if he wants to testify
Drama: Judge Debra Nelson repeatedly locked horns with defence attorney Don West throughout the final days of the trial
Mother: Gladys Zimmerman said the screams on the 911 call belonged to her son George
Evidence: Gladys Zimmerman said the screams on the 911 call belonged to her son George
Mother: Sybrina Fulton took to the stand earlier when she unequivocally stated after hearing the 911 call from February 26: 'I heard my son screaming'Mother: Sybrina Fulton took to the stand earlier when she unequivocally stated after hearing the 911 call from February 26: 'I heard my son screaming'
In contrast, the defence took a more methodical, conversational and almost calm approach in their delivery. Mr West included his 'Knock Knock' joke in his opening statement, though it failed to have the desired effect.
They called only 18 witnesses to the state's 38 and dedicated a lot of time trying to hammer home to the jury that Zimmerman feared for his life and was merely defending himself from a vicious MMA-style beating at the hands of Trayvon.
Mr O'Mara pointed out again and again in his closing argument the state did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that murder in the second-degree occurred. 
'Pure and unadulterated innocence', he said. 'In fact, George Zimmerman committed no crime at all.
'My client is not guilty of anything but protecting his own life,' he told the jury.
Distress: A mother who was listening to the end of the trial with her children weeps at the jury's decision
Distress: A mother who was listening to the end of the trial with her children weeps at the jury's decision
Reaction: Some people took to Twitter to show their disapproval of the verdict
Reaction: Some people took to Twitter to show their disapproval of the verdict
Zimmerman acquital
Zimmerman acquital
Central to the case and played numerous times by both legal teams over the last three weeks was the 911 call from a resident of the Retreat at Twin Lakes community.
Terrified and piercing screams for help can be heard in the background before a shot rings out, silencing them instantly.
The prosecution's last witness was Sybrina Fulton, a mother who lost her only son. She took the stand and said unequivocally the cries for help belonged to her son.
On the same day, the defence called their first witness Gladys Zimmerman, and she - just like Sybrina - told the court it was her son George calling for help.
Next up was Zimmerman's uncle, retired sheriff Jorge Meza, who acted as a powerful witness to the defence, revealing he was not played the 911 call but only heard it on TV and knew instinctively who it was.
'That voice just came and hit me. Not only did I hear the scream but I felt it. I know it was my Georgie, I felt it,' he said while fighting back tears.
The defence also called witness after witness - neighbours, colleagues and friends of Zimmerman - who also unwaveringly testified that it was the neighbourhood watch volunteer shouting for help. 
Hostile: Witness Rachel Jeantel, right, continues her testimony to defense attorney Don West on day four of George Zimmerman's trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford
Hostile: Witness Rachel Jeantel, right, continues her testimony to defense attorney Don West on day four of George Zimmerman's trial in Seminole circuit court in Sanford
Under cross examination from Bernie de la Rionda, Tracy Martin said of the recording: 'I was listening to my son's last cry for help. I was listening to his life being ended by somebody else'
Under cross examination from Bernie de la Rionda, Tracy Martin said of the recording: 'I was listening to my son's last cry for help. I was listening to his life being ended by somebody else'
Dr Vincent di Maio
Defence witness: Dr Vincent di Maio, a forensic pathologist and gunshot wound expert, describes George Zimmerman's injuries which he said were consistent with his head being banged against concrete
Another point of contention was - who attacked who at the gated community? Who was the aggressor and who was the victim? Whose life was in danger that night? 
The state said Zimmerman had been training at an MMA gym three times a week over the past year. 
This would match the description of neighbour John Good, who said the person on top, the aggressor, was straddling the person on the bottom, the victim, in a 'pound and ground' move. 
Rachel Jeantel, Trayvon's friend, who was on the phone to the teen right before he was shot, told the court her friend was frightened because a man was following him. She told him to go home. 
The last thing she heard Trayvon say was: 'Why are you following me?' before the phone went dead. She also claimed it was Zimmerman who approached Trayvon saying, 'What are you doing around here?'
The defence highlighted the physical differences between the 17-year-old and the then 28-year-old. That at around 6ft, Trayvon towered over Zimmerman, who was 5ft 8in and considered to be 'soft' and borderline obese at 200lb.
They said Travyon was not a scared young boy who feared for his life, but a strapping young man who pounced on Zimmerman and started beating him.
Possibly one of the best witnesses to take the stand in the whole trial was a forensic pathologist who was an expert in gunshot wounds.
Dr Vincent di Maio told the jury that the way the powder marks were formed around the bullet wound showed the gun would have been two-to-four inches away from the teenager's body when the shot was fired, indicating he was leaning forward at the time.
'The physical evidence is consistent with George Zimmerman's account that Mr Martin was over him,' he said.
He later testified that Zimmerman's head injuries could have been caused by coming into contact with concrete, even if there were no serious injuries to show this.


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2362856/America-erupts-jury-finds-George-Zimmerman-innocent-murder-manslaughter-unarmed-boy-bag-sweets.html#ixzz2Z39puGGh
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R.I.P. Trayvon Martin.
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  • Sammi Ferhaoui likes this.
  • Tolani Salami so painful, but then its all about race!
  • Tolu Pilgrim Olarewaju It's sad it had to come to this. I honestly thought justice would prevail. 

    My question is:
    "What if it was George Zimmerman who had gone to buy skittles and Trayvon Martin began following him? What if George had called his wife to say someone was following him and he was afraid, what should he do? i.e. what if the tables were turned? And if worst came to worst, did Trayvon not even have the right to defend himself as well?" 

    And then the transcript records are just so clear: Its just a big shame really- clear injustice. 

    George Zimmerman was clearly told "Not to Follow Trayvon." He only followed him because - He was "black" and so he had "suspicions". Are we now saying its alright to follow "black" kids around and shoot them if they are suspected of anything? The poor boy only went out to buy skittles(sweets) for God's sake and he had the receipts - He actually paid for it and was heading back home. 

    http://www.documentcloud.org/documents/326700-full-transcript-zimmerman.html
  • Tolu Pilgrim Olarewaju "Self-defense from what? Skittles and iced tea, ridiculous."




    'He was begging for his life': Family's anger as police finally play 911 calls made by neighborhood watch captain who shot black teen 

    • Trayvon Martin,17, was shot dead by George Zimmerman, 28, last month, who claims the killing was self defense and has not been charged 
    • Police finally gave into mounting pressure on Friday and released eight 911 calls
    • The teen's family say the calls show Zimmerman was the 'aggressor' not Trayvon
    The police have finally released the 911 calls made in relation to the killing of an unarmed black teenager who was shot by a white neighborhood watch captain.  
    George Zimmerman, 28, had called 911 to report a suspicious man and can be heard pursuing Trayvon Martin, 17, on foot against the dispatcher's advice causing the teen to run away. 
    Moments later the police are bombarded with calls from terrified neighbors as a voice in the background can be heard desperately screaming for help before the sound of two gun shots. 
    When police arrived at Florida's Retreat at Twin Lakes Townhomes they found Trayvon, who had been returning from a store with candy for his younger brother, had been shot dead by Zimmerman.
    Scroll down for video 
    Trayvon Martin
    George Zimmerman
    Trayvon Martin, 17, left, was killed by George Zimmerman, 28, right, after the neighborhood watch captain pursued him as walked in a gated community   
    Zimmerman had called 911 after spotting the teen walking through the gated community.
    'This guy looks like he is up to no good. He is on drugs or something,' Zimmerman told the dispatcher from his SUV. 
    He added that the black teen had his hand in his waistband and was walking around looking at homes.
     
    'These a-------. They always get away,' Zimmerman said on a 911 call.
    During Zimmerman's initial call, he told the dispatcher he was following Martin and the dispatcher told him, 'You don't need to do that.'
    But Zimmerman sounds as if he continues to pursue the teen saying: 'He ran.'
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    By the time police officers arrived, unarmed Trayvon, who had been carrying Skittles and soda, was dead on the ground from a single gunshot
    By the time police officers arrived, unarmed Trayvon, who had been carrying Skittles and soda, was dead on the ground from a single gunshot
    He then refuses to meet police officers at an agreed location and asks for them to call him on arrival instead so he can tell them where he is.
    Sanford police officials, who have not charged Zimmerman after accepting his claim that his actions were in self defense, finally released eight 911 calls on Friday after mounting pressure. 
    Martin's family had demanded the release of the calls to help better understand how Martin died while walking home from a convenience store last month. 
    'He was yelling for help, and no one could help him. He saw his life being taken away from him,'  the teen's father Tracy Martin said.
    He said they will continue pushing for charges to be filed against Zimmerman.
    'We’re hoping this doesn’t happen again to another family, and that America opens their eyes ... even though this won’t bring Trayvon back,
    we don’t want there to be another Trayvon,'  Mr Martin said.
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    The teenager's parents; mother Sabrina Fulton, right, and father Tracy Martin, left, are said to be devastated after hearing the 911 calls of their son's last moments
    The teenager's parents; mother Sabrina Fulton, right, and father Tracy Martin, left, are said to be devastated after hearing the 911 calls of their son's last moments
    Benjamin Crump, the attorney for Martin's family, said that the 911 calls show that the teenager spent the last few moments of his life terrified and Zimmerman should be charged
    Benjamin Crump, the attorney for Martin's family, said that the 911 calls show that the teenager spent the last few moments of his life terrified and Zimmerman should be charged
    After listening to recordings of 911 calls, Martin's family said they're more convinced than ever that the Zimmerman should be charged with a crime. 
    'You hear a shot, a clear shot, then you hear a 17-year-old boy begging for his life,' said Natalie Jackson, the family attorney. 'Then you hear a second shot.'
    The case has been turned over to the State Attorney's Office which can decide whether to file charges or present evidence to a grand jury.
    Attorney Benjamin Crump, who is also representing the family, told reporters outside Sanford City Hall that Martin's parents both broke down and cried as they listened to the recordings.
    'They are completely devastated, and they are in unbelievable grief,' Crump said. 'The last seconds of his life were in absolute fear.'
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    Martin was visiting his father and stepmother in Sanford where they live at The Retreat at Twin Lakes, pictured, when he popped out to buy snacks for his younger brother
    Martin was visiting his father and stepmother in Sanford where they live at The Retreat at Twin Lakes, pictured, when he popped out to buy snacks for his younger brother
    He added that a third witness has come forward saying it was the boy who was crying for help. 
    Martin's parents, Tracy Martin and Sybrina Fulton, previously sued to have the recordings released. A hearing for the case had been scheduled for Monday.
    Moments after Zimmerman's initial call, dispatchers were bombarded by seven 911 calls from frantic neighbors describing a fight between two men, screaming and then a gunshot.
    'There is somebody screaming outside,' one female caller said, as an unknown male voice can be heard crying in the background. Then a shot is heard.
    A male caller described a physical altercation between Martin and the shooter.
    'I just heard a shot right behind my house,' The caller said. 'They're wrestling right behind my porch. The guy is yelling 'Help.' I'm not going outside.'
    Another woman said a man in a 'white top' was on top Trayvon. 
    Earlier on Friday, Martin's parents called on the FBI to take over the investigation, saying they no longer trusted the Sanford police department.
    Sanford police Sgt. David Morgenstern said the department stands by its investigation but welcomes help from any outside agency. FBI agent David Couvertier said the agency has been in contact with Sanford police and is monitoring the case.
    'We are committed to having somebody review this to see if we made a mistake,' said Sanford Mayor Jeff Triplett. 'If we made missteps and there is something there, we will act accordingly'
    Trayvon's family believe Zimmerman should be charged and brought to justice for shooting their young son
    Trayvon's family believe Zimmerman should be charged and brought to justice for shooting their young son
    Several Sanford residents who spoke to The Associated Press said they think there would have been an arrest already if the shooter had been black and the deceased had been white. 
    They said blacks and whites in this city of 53,000 residents were pretty much in agreement that an injustice had been done with no one arrested, and that there was no racial divide in how the case is being perceived. The city is 57 percent white and 30 percent black. 
    Zimmerman's father delivered a letter to the Orlando Sentinel on Thursday, saying the way his son is being depicted in the media is cruel and misleading. 
    He also says his son has received death threats and moved out of his home. George Zimmerman is Hispanic and grew up in a multiracial family, the statement says.
    Watch video report: 



    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2116323/Trayvon-Martin-shooting-Police-finally-play-George-Zimmermans-911-calls.html#ixzz2Z3AeMh2E
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