Trayvon Martin shooting was a 2012 incident in which an unarmed Florida teenager was killed by a man claiming self-defense. Trayvon Martin was a 17-year-old African American high school student. On Feb. 26, 2012, in Sanford, Florida, he was shot to death by George Zimmerman. Police did not initially arrest Zimmerman because he claimed he acted in self-defense. The incident soon gained widespread media attention. State authorities eventually arrested Zimmerman on April 11. In 2013, a jury found Zimmerman not guilty of second-degree murder. The charge is made in cases where a killing is determined to be intentional but not premeditated (planned in advance).
The shooting brought attention to self-defense laws and racial profiling in the United States. Racial profiling involves targeting a person for criminal investigation primarily because of racial or ethnic characteristics.
The incident.
On Feb. 26, 2012, Martin was a guest at his father’s fiancée’s townhouse in a gated community in Sanford. Shortly before 7 p.m., he left the home to purchase snacks at a nearby store. There was a light rain falling, and Martin pulled on the hood of his hooded sweatshirt (often called a “hoodie”). At the store, Martin bought a bag of candy and an iced tea.
At the time of the incident, George Zimmerman was a 28-year-old neighborhood watch volunteer. He noticed Martin when the teenager entered the gated community upon his return from the store. Zimmerman, in his sport utility vehicle, followed Martin and called police at about 7:10 p.m. According to police transcripts, Zimmerman said the youth was behaving suspiciously. When Zimmerman exited the car and trailed Martin on foot, the 911 police dispatcher told him he did not need to do that. Martin, who was speaking with his girlfriend on a mobile phone, told her that a man was following him.
Soon after, Zimmerman and Martin had a confrontation. Zimmerman claimed that Martin attacked him while he was returning to his vehicle. Zimmerman, who was carrying a handgun, claimed he shot Martin in self-defense. A medical report indicated that Zimmerman had head and facial injuries consistent with a fistfight. Martin’s girlfriend, however, said that Martin had been fleeing Zimmerman. She believed that Zimmerman cornered the teenager before shooting him. Police officers who arrived at the scene declared Martin dead at 7:30 p.m.
Self-defense and the law.
Much controversy centered around whether Zimmerman was protected by laws concerning self-defense. Such laws vary by state. In many states, a so-called castle doctrine allows a person to use force in self-defense, without retreating, if that person is at home. In 2005, Florida’s legislature passed a statute known as the “stand your ground” law. The law generally allows people to defend themselves with deadly force, regardless of whether they are in their homes. It states that a person “has the right to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he or she reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm. …”
Under the reading of the law by the Sanford Police Department, officers initially believed they had no grounds on which to arrest Zimmerman.
Public outcry.
The shooting received heavy media attention in the weeks that followed. Protesters held rallies to support “Justice for Trayvon” and demand that Zimmerman be arrested. Many protesters wore hooded sweatshirts in support of Martin.
Arrest and trial.
Police arrested Zimmerman on April 11, 2012. Florida prosecutors argued that Zimmerman’s actions were not protected by the “stand your ground” law. The state attorney’s office charged Zimmerman with second-degree murder. Zimmerman pleaded not guilty to the charges. Jury selection for Zimmerman’s trial began in June 2013. In July, a jury found Zimmerman not guilty. Court observers stated that prosecutors had failed to convince the jury that Zimmerman was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
