TRAYVON MARTIN'S MURDER: The Complete Story

When the story of 17 year old Trayvon Martin's murder first broke in February 2012, I hadn't started my blog. As I result, when his murderer was found not guilty for second-degree murder and manslaughter on Saturday, I didn't immediately do the story. However I decided to do a little research on the case, and found that it bothered mainly on the reoccurring issue of racial discrimination. Trayvon was killed by a 28 year old Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer  George Zimmerman, who claimed he shot Martin in the chest out of self defense.

George Zimmerman

Zimmerman called the police saying he saw a teenage black  boy dressed in a 'hoodie' wandering in the neighborhood. According to him, something was 'off' about him.  He claims he lost sight of Martin and  was returning to his SUV when the teen approached him. The two exchanged words, according to Zimmerman, who said Martin then punched him in the nose. Zimmerman said he was repeatedly punched and had his head slammed into the sidewalk. He began yelling, he told police, before shooting in self-defense.
 When Police arrived, no weapon was found of Trayvon. Rather, he had  just a bottle of iced tea and a bag of Skittles which he had just purchased at a neighborhood store on him.

Over a time panning about 16 months, the popularity of the story which has sparked international interest has grown with celebrities lending their voice to support 'Justice for Trayvon' campaign.
Although Zimmerman was found NOT guilty by a 6 man jury made up of 'white; elderly women, the case seems far from over. Many civil right organisations are organizing protests, and investigations are still on as to ways to bring Zimmerman to book. For those who wish to know more about the controversial case, See a dated recap below:

February 26, 2012: Martin is found shot and killed, with several eyewitnesses telling police they heard a fight, then a cry for help and a gunshot. Zimmerman, 28, is seen standing over Martin's body while wielding a handgun and reportedly sporting a bloody nose and a wound on the back of his head.

Martin is pronounced dead at the scene, and police find no weapons on him, just a bottle of iced tea and a bag of Skittles. Zimmerman claims he killed Martin in self-defense and police do not arrest him or administer a drug or alcohol test.

March 16, 2012: Public outrage about the case begins to spread as Martin's family hears the 911 calls made February 26. The Change.org petition from Martin's family asking for Zimmerman to be prosecuted gathers more than 250,000 signatures in its first few days. In total, it gained 2,278,988 signatures.

March 19, 2012: The U.S. Justice Department launches an investigation into the case.

March 21, 2012: Hundreds of people take to the streets of New York calling for justice in the Martin case during a protest dubbed the Million Hoodie March, so named because of Zimmerman's assertion that his victim looked "suspicious" in his hooded sweatshirt.

The protest was attended by Martin's parents in their first public appearance since the shooting.

March 23, 2012: President Obama says during a White House press conference: "If I had a son, he would look like Trayvon. And I think they are right to expect that all of us as Americans are going to take this with the seriousness that it deserves and we're going to get to the bottom of exactly what happened."

March 29, 2012: Though Zimmerman originally told police that Martin knocked him down with a punch to the nose and then slammed his head repeatedly into the ground, a police surveillance tape emerges from the night Martin was shot and shows no blood or bruises on Zimmerman. Later, enhanced videos showed marks on his head.

April 3, 2012: FBI launches its own investigation.

April 11, 2012: Zimmerman goes into police custody and is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting.

June 1, 2012: Zimmerman's $150,000 bond is revoked after police learned he and his wife were speaking in code to hide their assets. He had been asking for donations first on TheRealGeorgeZimmerman.com and then on GZlegalcase.com. He had at least $135,000 in his bank account after receiving donations.

June 3, 2012: Zimmerman is back in jail, this time with a bulletproof vest.

June 12, 2012: Shellie Zimmerman is charged with perjury after lying about her and her husband's finances.

July 5, 2012: Bond is set at $1 million.

July 18, 2012: In his first televised interview, Zimmerman tells Sean Hannity that he did not stalk Martin and apologized to the victim's family.

April 30, 2013: Under Florida's "Stand Your Ground" law, the court will not see the defense's evidence until the trial. Zimmerman had put out video reenactments on GZlegalcase.com in June 2012 of what happened during the shooting.

June 20, 2013: A jury is selected and consists of six Caucasian women and four alternates.

June 24, 2013: Opening statements were heard at the beginning of the second-degree murder trial.

July 13, 2013: After 16 hours of deliberation, Zimmerman is found not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter.

The American jury system might not be the best( as reflected in this case and that of OJ simpson and more), but it is what it is.
Also the sad reality is, the issue of discrimination(is everywhere..even here in Nigeria in form of tribalism) and not going anywhere anytime soon. Here is hoping the truth really prevails in the end and Trayvon gets justice.
Like I said, the case is far from  over. I will keep you guys updated as it unfolds.