Civil rights groups in the US have expressed dismay after neighbourhood watchman George Zimmerman was found not guilty of murdering black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida last year.
Rights leader Jesse Jackson said he was "stunned" and that the Department of Justice (DoJ) should intervene.
Meanwhile Mr Zimmerman's family and lawyers have said they now fear he could face revenge attacks.
The case sparked a fierce debate in the US about racial profiling.
Prosecutors had argued that Mr Zimmerman opened fired on 26 February 2012 because he assumed that Trayvon Martin, who was African-American and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt as he walked in the rain, was up to no good.
But the defence said he shot Trayvon Martin in self defence after the teenager had punched their client, slammed his head into the pavement and reached for Mr Zimmerman's gun.
Defence 'ecstatic'
Mr Zimmerman was facing possible conviction for second-degree murder or manslaughter, but on Saturday he was cleared of all charges by the six-women jury at Seminole County Criminal Justice Center in Sanford, Florida.
One of his lawyer's, Mark O'Mara, said the defence team were "ecstatic".
"George Zimmerman was never guilty of anything except protecting himself in self defence. I'm glad that the jury saw it that way," he said.
Another defence lawyer, Don West, said the prosecution had been "disgraceful".
"As happy as I am for George Zimmerman, I'm thrilled that this jury kept this tragedy from becoming a travesty," he said.
However, following the verdict, protest marches were staged in US cities including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington and Atlanta.
In Oakland, California, some protesters started small fires and smashed windows.
Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson told CNN on Sunday: "I remain stunned at the decision. The Department of Justice must intervene to take this to another level."
In a Facebook posting, he said "the American legal system has once again failed justice". But he also appealed for calm, saying anyone seeking to "compound our pain with street justice" would do "damage to the innocent blood and legacy of Trayvon Martin".
Right activist Al Sharpton also appealed for calm, but said the verdict was "a slap in the face to the American people".
He compared the case to the beating of African-American man Rodney King by police in 1991, which sparked widespread rioting.
Campaign group the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has launched a petition demanding that the DoJ open a civil rights case against Mr Zimmerman.
Its president, Benjamin Todd Jealous, wrote: "The most fundamental of civil rights - the right to life - was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Martin."
Revenge fears
Daryl Parks, lawyer for the Martin family, told BBC News he hoped the case would be a wake-up call for the US.
"Many will realise that if there is a law that would allow you to kill an unarmed teenager, then that's a law that we probably should look at and change," he said.
Florida police had angered many by not arresting Mr Zimmerman for six weeks after the shooting, citing the state's controversial "stand your ground" law, which allows a citizen to use lethal force if he or she feels in imminent danger.
But Mr Parks said the trial had given the US "a new perspective on black life - when a young black person gets killed, the approach that it takes to investigate, to arrest the person that did it".
Mr Zimmerman's brother, Robert, and his lawyers said they were concerned for his safety.
Meanwhile Mr Zimmerman's family and representatives have said they are afraid he could fall victim to revenge attacks.
His brother, Robert said he had received frequent threats on social media and there was "more reason now than ever to think that people are trying to kill him".
"He's going to be looking over his shoulder the rest of his life," he said.
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Zimmerman verdict: Civil rights groups express dismay
Civil rights groups in the US have expressed dismay after neighbourhood watchman George Zimmerman was found not guilty of murdering black teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida last year.
Rights leader Jesse Jackson said he was "stunned" and that the Department of Justice (DoJ) should intervene.
Meanwhile Mr Zimmerman's family and lawyers have said they now fear he could face revenge attacks.
The case sparked a fierce debate in the US about racial profiling.
Prosecutors had argued that Mr Zimmerman opened fired on 26 February 2012 because he assumed that Trayvon Martin, who was African-American and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt as he walked in the rain, was up to no good.
But the defence said he shot Trayvon Martin in self defence after the teenager had punched their client, slammed his head into the pavement and reached for Mr Zimmerman's gun.
Defence 'ecstatic'
Mr Zimmerman was facing possible conviction for second-degree murder or manslaughter, but on Saturday he was cleared of all charges by the six-women jury at Seminole County Criminal Justice Center in Sanford, Florida.
One of his lawyer's, Mark O'Mara, said the defence team were "ecstatic".
"George Zimmerman was never guilty of anything except protecting himself in self defence. I'm glad that the jury saw it that way," he said.
Another defence lawyer, Don West, said the prosecution had been "disgraceful".
"As happy as I am for George Zimmerman, I'm thrilled that this jury kept this tragedy from becoming a travesty," he said.
However, following the verdict, protest marches were staged in US cities including San Francisco, Philadelphia, Chicago, Washington and Atlanta.
In Oakland, California, some protesters started small fires and smashed windows.
Civil rights leader Jesse Jackson told CNN on Sunday: "I remain stunned at the decision. The Department of Justice must intervene to take this to another level."
In a Facebook posting, he said "the American legal system has once again failed justice". But he also appealed for calm, saying anyone seeking to "compound our pain with street justice" would do "damage to the innocent blood and legacy of Trayvon Martin".
Right activist Al Sharpton also appealed for calm, but said the verdict was "a slap in the face to the American people".
He compared the case to the beating of African-American man Rodney King by police in 1991, which sparked widespread rioting.
Campaign group the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has launched a petition demanding that the DoJ open a civil rights case against Mr Zimmerman.
Its president, Benjamin Todd Jealous, wrote: "The most fundamental of civil rights - the right to life - was violated the night George Zimmerman stalked and then took the life of Trayvon Martin."
Revenge fears
Daryl Parks, lawyer for the Martin family, told BBC News he hoped the case would be a wake-up call for the US.
"Many will realise that if there is a law that would allow you to kill an unarmed teenager, then that's a law that we probably should look at and change," he said.
Florida police had angered many by not arresting Mr Zimmerman for six weeks after the shooting, citing the state's controversial "stand your ground" law, which allows a citizen to use lethal force if he or she feels in imminent danger.
But Mr Parks said the trial had given the US "a new perspective on black life - when a young black person gets killed, the approach that it takes to investigate, to arrest the person that did it".
Mr Zimmerman's brother, Robert, and his lawyers said they were concerned for his safety.
Meanwhile Mr Zimmerman's family and representatives have said they are afraid he could fall victim to revenge attacks.
His brother, Robert said he had received frequent threats on social media and there was "more reason now than ever to think that people are trying to kill him".
"He's going to be looking over his shoulder the rest of his life," he said.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment