Hate Crimes in America; the Trayvon Martin Story
Cynthia Ellerbee
COM/156
May 19, 2012
Laura Babbitt

Abstract

Hate Crimes in America; the Trayvon Martin Story

In 2005, Florida became the first state to expand an ancient rule of law called the castle doctrine. That doctrine says that if strangers enter your house without permission, you can use deadly force to defend yourself. The Florida legislature decided that the old common law should extend not only to the sidewalk outside your house but to "any other place where he or she has a right to be"--any street, any park, any store: anywhere. It is called the Florida Stand Your Ground Law. (Cloud & Altman, 2012)

Trayvon Martin was a lanky 6’3 17 year old African American boy. He attended Carol City Senior High in Miami Gardens, Florida and made A’s and B’s. Trayvon was a boy who did his family and community proud. It wasn't just that he mowed the lawn every weekend with his dad, worked the concession at a football field and helped his neighbors with their groceries. His mother had drilled manners into him, and it showed. "It was always 'Thank you,'" says Johnson, 60, his great-aunt. Each year he put up her Christmas decorations, and come summer he pulled the weeds from her yard. "He didn't mind anything you wanted him to do," she says. At 9, Trayvon helped his dad to safety when a fire broke out in the family kitchen. As he grew older, Trayvon, who had a love for aircraft, longed to go on to college like his brother Jahvaris Fulton, 21. The teen was so close to other family members that he wore them like a badge of honor. On his upper right arm, he'd tattooed the names of his grandma and great-grandma. The tattoo on his right wrist read "Brina," his mom's nickname. Pat Nicholson, a neighbor in Miami Gardens, says, "From the outside looking in, he was the perfect child." (Smolowe, Truesdell, Helling, Kantor, & Morrissey, 2012). He always wore what typical teenagers wear jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, and sneakers. He had a girlfriend and was perceived as a good kid until that unforgettable night of February 26, 2012. He was visiting his dad and his father’s girlfriend in Sanford, Florida when he decided to go to the store. He was unarmed and only carried the money he was going to use with him. He went into the 7-eleven and purchased an Arizona tea and a bag of skittles. Once he headed back to the home where his father and girlfriend shared, his life would change forever. George Zimmerman is a 28 year-old biracial man, whose father is white and his mother is from Peru. He is the neighborhood watchman for the gated community of The Retreat at Twin Lakes that was in Trayvon’s route to go home.
George Zimmerman spotted Trayvon walking home and called 911, told the police dispatcher that “This guy looks like he’s up to no good, or he’s on drugs or something”. Zimmerman was asked what was the man wearing and Zimmerman’s response was “a dark hoodie”. Zimmerman tells the 911 operator. “It’s raining and he’s just walking around looking at houses,” says Zimmerman. There are several different accounts on what happens next and what really happened will always remain a mystery. One witness who was a 13 year-old boy stated that he did not see anything because it was dark but did hear the cries for help. He cannot distinguish who was crying out for help but, the he claims the defense has tried to twist the boy’s statement to make it fit the defense. Brown said she felt like the lead investigator was trying to lead her son during the questioning by nodding yes when asked if her son heard Zimmerman crying out for help. At first it had been reported that it was Zimmerman that was crying out for help but has been later deemed that the cries were actually Martin begging for his life according to two forensic voice identification experts. Tom Owen, of Owen Forensic Services LLC and chair emeritus for the American Board of Recorded Evidence said "The tests concluded that it's not the voice of Mr. Zimmerman". (msnbc.com, 2012) Zimmerman can be heard in the 911 tape describing Martin as “a black man” and "These a--holes, they always get away." That night Zimmerman claimed that Trayvon attacked him by punching him and bashing his head into the ground. Zimmerman then let off a warning shot then shot Trayvon in the chest. According to at least one witness, Zimmerman’s version of Martin assaulting him was confirmed. After the police arrived on the crime scene, Martin was tagged and bagged as a John Doe and brought into the morgue. It was concluded that Trayvon did not have any signs of a struggle on his body at all. Zimmerman claimed self-defense with the police and was not arrested.
In 2005, Florida became the first state to expand an ancient rule of law called the castle doctrine. That doctrine says that if strangers enter your house without permission, you can use deadly force to defend yourself. The Florida legislature decided that the old common law should extend not only to the sidewalk outside your house but to "any other place where he or she has a right to be"--any street, any park, any store: anywhere. It is called the Florida Stand Your Ground Law. (Cloud & Altman, 2012)

References
Cloud, J., & Altman, A. (2012, April 9). THE LAW HEARD ROUND THE WORLD. Trayvon Martin’s death raises the question, Can “Stand your ground” be defended?, 179(14), 36-39.
Smolowe, J., Truesdell, J., Helling, S., Kantor, W., & Morrissey, S. (2012, April 9). How The Chance Meeting Of An Unarmed 17-Year-Old Boy And A Florida Crime-Watch Volunteer Led To Tragedy—And Sparked Outrage Across The Country. A Fatal Encounter, 77(15), 60-64. msnbc.com. (2012, April). Trayvon Martin case 911 call: Screams not George Zimmerman’s, 2 experts say. Retrieved from http://http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/01/10963191-trayvon-martin-case-911-call-screams-not-george-zimmermans-2-experts-say?lite