AP: Trayvon Martin's mother says killer got away with murder

[webfact]

AP: Trayvon Martin's mother says killer got away with murder
By JENNIFER KAY

MIAMI (AP) — The mother of Trayvon Martin says she's disappointed that federal prosecutors decided not to charge a neighborhood watch volunteer with a hate crime for killing her son three years ago.

Speaking with The Associated Press on Wednesday before the third anniversary of her 17-year-old son's death, Sybrina Fulton says she still believes George Zimmerman got away with murder.

"He took a life, carelessly and recklessly, and he shouldn't deserve to have his entire life walking around on the street free. I just believe that he should be held accountable for what he's done," Fulton said.

Zimmerman claimed he shot the unarmed teenager in self-defense after confronting Martin while volunteering for his neighborhood watch group. A jury acquitted him of second-degree murder the next year.

The case sparked a national conversation about race, bias and crime in part because Zimmerman, who identifies himself as Hispanic, was not immediately arrested after shooting Martin, who is black.

The U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday that it found insufficient evidence to establish that Zimmerman willfully deprived Martin of his civil rights or killed him because of his race.

"The Justice Department is the top of the line here," Fulton said. "But what they found just wasn't enough."

Zimmerman, for his part, is relieved the case is closed, according to his attorney, Don West.

"This cloud he was under has been lifted," West told the AP, adding that he finds it misleading to suggest that charges weren't filed only because the legal standard for federal hate crime is so tough to meet.

"There simply was never any compelling evidence that this was a federal hate crime. Race played no role in it whatsoever," West said.

The February 2012 confrontation began after Zimmerman spotted Martin walking through the neighborhood, returning to his father's home after buying candy and a soft drink at a convenience store.

Zimmerman called 911 to report a suspicious person, and got out of his car to confront Martin despite being warned by the dispatcher to stop. Zimmerman did not testify at his trial, but he told investigators he feared for his life as Martin straddled him and punched him during the ensuing fight.

Wearing a T-shirt bearing a black-and-white image of her son in a hoodie, Fulton said she still longs for Zimmerman to be held responsible.

"I want to see people held accountable for what they're doing. It's just upsetting to know that a person can shoot and kill someone and justify it," Fulton said.

Fulton now channels her grief into work with The Trayvon Martin Foundation, which reaches out to other families who have lost children to violence, awards scholarships and collects school supplies for poor students.

She's also watching to see how the Justice Department handles other high-profile killings of unarmed blacks. Decisions are pending on whether to charge police in New York and Ferguson, Missouri with depriving the victims of their civil rights by using excessive force in the course of duty.

"What we want is accountability, we want somebody to be arrested, we want somebody to go to jail, of course," Fulton said. "But ... we have grand juries and special grand juries; they're making a decision to not even arrest a person."
___

Mike Schneider in Orlando contributed to this report.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-02-26

[NeverSure]

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be hoodlums

Don't let 'em rob stores and wear clothes of the 'hood

Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.

[siampolee]

NeverSure post # 2

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be hoodlums

Don't let 'em rob stores and wear clothes of the 'hood

Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.

No doubt that's how all of your brood have grown up to be then?

Easy to give advice from wildest Isaan to an American mother living in Miami is it not.

So why aren't you in America and giving your fellow citizens the benefit of your wisdom ?

[Scott]

Please restrict your comments to your opinion about the OP. Your opinion about other posters is not as welcome.

[Ulysses G.]

Trayvon's mother might be right about George Zimmerman getting away with murder, but it could not be proven legally. The correct decision was reached in court AND by the U.S. Justice Department. There was no evidence of racism at all.

[Loptr]

Please, not this crap again... One dead thug in the grand scheme of things doesn't warrant this level of media coverage... The leftist media just won't quit... And of course this story comes out one day after the DOJ announces that no Federal charges will be brought against Zimmerman...

[mikiea]

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be hoodlums

Don't let 'em rob stores and wear clothes of the 'hood

Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.

yes, this is true, live a thug life, die a thug death. momma stop it, you are showcaseing your failed momma skills :-)

[JDGRUEN]

Martin and Brown ... cases cleared by the court, cleared by a jury, cleared by the Feds - no case to pursue... and whining victims moan and groan. Enabling liberal news media keeps promoting the fiction ... What a silly situation we Americans have come to. Right is Wrong... Wrong is Right, Victim mongering is more important than the truth.

Young Black Males in American get into trouble and into life and death situations because of the lifestyle they lead. They live in a fantasy of HipHop Rap Idiocy ... shamefully slamming women and promoting violence with vile lyrics, take drugs, conduct petty robberies or break ins, But they are Kool Man.... Dropping of out school at 8th. grade is cool, trolling the streets looking for drug opportunities and ways to get cash to buy their liquor, beer, cigarettes and MJ and much worse to get high - stay high. 'Cool man -- keep it cool man'...

But you see - they are victims of white privilege ... Baawwwwwhhhaaaaaaa ... what Tripe....

There are huge numbers of successful black Americans - and not just in sports... but in business and government. How did they get there? Through hard work, dedication and sacrifice - same as everyone else.

But victims have to whine...

[sdanielmcev]

Why the feds even investigated is beyond me.

[Thaiready]

NeverSure post # 2

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be hoodlums

Don't let 'em rob stores and wear clothes of the 'hood

Make 'em be doctors and lawyers and such.

No doubt that's how all of your brood have grown up to be then?

Easy to give advice from wildest Isaan to an American mother living in Miami is it not.

So why aren't you in America and giving your fellow citizens the benefit of your wisdom ?

His comment was spot-on.

[Thaiready]

Martin and Brown ... cases cleared by the court, cleared by a jury, cleared by the Feds - no case to pursue... and whining victims moan and groan. Enabling liberal news media keeps promoting the fiction ... What a silly situation we Americans have come to. Right is Wrong... Wrong is Right, Victim mongering is more important than the truth.

Young Black Males in American get into trouble and into life and death situations because of the lifestyle they lead. They live in a fantasy of HipHop Rap Idiocy ... shamefully slamming women and promoting violence with vile lyrics, take drugs, conduct petty robberies or break ins, But they are Kool Man.... Dropping of out school at 8th. grade is cool, trolling the streets looking for drug opportunities and ways to get cash to buy their liquor, beer, cigarettes and MJ and much worse to get high - stay high. 'Cool man -- keep it cool man'...

But you see - they are victims of white privilege ... Baawwwwwhhhaaaaaaa ... what Tripe....

There are huge numbers of successful black Americans - and not just in sports... but in business and government. How did they get there? Through hard work, dedication and sacrifice - same as everyone else.

But victims have to whine...

I agree entirely except he wasn't a victim. ....He was Perpetrator that got what was coming to him.

[ToddinChonburi]

I wish the press would just treat things equal like when 2 black men rape and kill a white girl. that seems to be a non story.

Sad reality of the PC world the US has become. Remember ISIS is the JV squad.

[oneday]

"...she's disappointed that federal prosecutors decided not to charge a neighborhood watch volunteer with a hate crime for killing her son three years ago."

Disappointed, wow, I'd use much stronger language than that.

[JDGRUEN]

"...she's disappointed that federal prosecutors decided not to charge a neighborhood watch volunteer with a hate crime for killing her son three years ago."

Disappointed, wow, I'd use much stronger language than that.

The accused was found not guilty by a court of law ... what do you want a lynch mob to go get him?

[tomloughney]

Wait.....a federal talking head just said we can stop the spread of Radical Islam by giving the kids jobs and a bite future.......we should take our model of handling the black neighborhoods of Detroit, Chicago and LA and transport it to Iraq.....that would sure turn things around....

Or Not......

We also want to limit wealth inequality, i.e.....take your money away and give it to me or somebody else.......increase food stamps and SS and Medicare and head start and etc, etc etc etc....

Being responsible brings growth and change. Being held not responsible only supports bad behavior..... follow Thailand.....

[Robby nz]

So it would seem that killing someone is now classed as depriving them of their human rights.

Hmm, as an Americanism it comes a close second to giving lethal aid.

Would giving someone lethal aid also deprive them of their human rights.

Or could it be used as a defense "I was only giving him lethal aid your honor"