By Nicole Christensen and Krista Jacobsen
Trojan Tribune Staff
Photo courtesy of hintv.com
February 26, 2012, marked a day in future history. Trayvon Martin, an African American 17-year-old, was shot by George Zimmerman, an Hispanic 28-year-old, while filling his role as a community watch coordinator in Sanford, Florida. That night, Martin was walking to his father’s girlfriend’s house in a gated community, armed with only an Arizona Tea and Skittles. While following Martin, Zimmerman reported to the Sanford Police Department what he said to be suspicious behavior.
Eventually, there was a confrontation, which resulted in Zimmerman shooting Martin in the chest at close range. When police arrived, Zimmerman told them he shot Martin in self-defense because Martin had attacked him. Zimmerman was bleeding from the nose and had a wound on the back of his head, according to the police. He turned himself in and was taken into custody for second degree murder. West Central senior Melinda Knuth states, “This isn’t a race issue. It’s blown way out of proportion.”
“I don’t know what to think. There is so much to this case,” senior Katie Stahl said. Although there are some things that happened for a fact, there are many controversial parts to this case. In some of the 911 calls, a voice could be heard yelling “help.” Martin’s mother said she recognized the voice as her son’s, but Zimmerman claims he was the one calling for help. There were a couple eyewitness accounts to the incident, but all of them different from one another. One eyewitness, referred to as a female, said she heard an argument between a younger and an older voice. She watched the fight happen on the grass and said the larger man, who
was on top, walked away after the gunshot. Another witness, however, stated that Martin was on top and Zimmerman was yelling for help. The guy, John, said the guy on bottom had on a red sweatshirt and was yelling for help. Mary Cutcher and her roommate, Selma Mora Lamilla, said they heard a young voice whining with no sounds of a fight. Cutcher and Lamilla said they later heard a gunshot and saw Zimmerman on his knees straddling Martin on the ground. Police disputed their account because Cutcher also said after the fatal shooting, the black man was standing over another man, even though Martin was already dead.
Several of Zimmerman’s neighbors have said Zimmerman had bandages on his head and nose the next day, even though police video showed paramedics checked out Zimmerman and he appeared unmarred. The shooting also prompted allegations that Zimmerman shot Martin out of racism. Zimmerman’s father defended his son saying he was raised in a multiracial family, and that his son “would be the last to discriminate for any reason whatsoever.”
Last Friday, the prosecution said Zimmerman should be denied bail entirely or that it should be set at $1 million, but Zimmerman was released on only $150,000. During the trial, Zimmerman stunned the Florida court by apologizing to Martin’s parents. “I am sorry for the loss of your son. I did not know how old he was. I thought he was a little bit younger than I am. I did not know if he was armed or not,” Zimmerman said, addressing Martin’s family directly.
