With cries of “No Justice, No Peace” and “We are Trayvon Martin,” a 50-minute rally concluded Wednesday calling for the suspension of the weapons permit of George Zimmerman, the self-appointed neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen three weeks ago.
The rally and protest, called to bring attention generally to the fatal shooting of Trayvon Martin, was also aimed at pressuring the state to revoke Zimmerman’s gun permit.
“Mr. Zimmerman should have been arrested, given all the evidence — the 911 tapes and witnesses who have come forward,” said Pastor Wesley T. Leonard, of the Southside Church of Christ. “But since he hasn’t been arrested, we believe he has forfeited his rights to a gun permit.”
Shayan Elaih, a civil rights attorney who is providing legal advice to the Florida Civil Rights Association (FCRA), does believe emergency action could be taken by Florida Commissioner Adam Putnam to suspend Zimmerman’s gun permit. Putnam is passing the buck by suggesting he doesn’t have the authority to do so, Elaih added.
Elaih also said that State Attorney, Norm Wolfinger by referring the Martin case to a Grand Jury, is also passing the buck and not doing his job. He added that Wolfinger has enough evidence to charge Zimmerman.
“Mr. Wolfinger has no duty under the law to hand off the case to the grand jury, said Elaih. “The announcement yesterday that Mr. Wolfinger is sending the case to a grand jury is proof positive that he is trying to control this more publicly, rather than doing his own job which is to make a determination as to the charges.”
Asked whether Wolfinger could bring charges against Zimmerman today, despite a grand jury being convened on April 10, to review the case, Elaih replied in the affirmative.
“I think Mr. Wolfinger has no reason or no justification not to charge Mr. Zimmerman,” he said. “We are asking for Wolfinger to go ahead an charge Mr. Zimmerman, based on the evidence at hand.”
Commenting specifically on Florida’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law and the Sanford police justification for not arresting Zimmerman, Elaih said that that issue should be determined by the courts and not the police department.
The sense of outrage was palpable among the group, many of whom carried signs calling for justice for the Martin family. They will not rest until that happens, they said.
“I am here because I am outraged,” said Michael Johnston, a resident who recently moved to Orlando from D.C. “Obviously this man (George Zimmerman) pursued young Mr. Martin …who was shot simply because of the color of his skin and its racial profiling, its a hate crime and everybody in America has to be outraged.”
Protesters shared the view that the conduct of the investigation by the Sanford Police Department left much to be desired and was “bungled.”
“I am here because this is a terrible injustice that was done,” said Dureya Hill. “Not because it was a young black man…but it was a blatant murder which was overlooked by Sanford law enforcement for whatever reason.”
The FCRA has written to Florida Gov. Rick Scott asking that a Special Prosecutor be appointed to handle the investigation and prosecution of the case.
Hill echoed the sentiment of others, saying he won’t let up until the Martin family receives “some form of justice.”
“This young black boy, walking home from a store, being stalked and hunted and killed like he is an animal is what we are really here about today,” he said.
Other speakers addressing today’s rally included Pastor Danard Barnes, Fiske Boulevard Church of Christ; Pastor Billie LaVine; Vince Taylor and Ester Whitehead, an attorney with over 20 years prosecutorial experience and who is part of the legal team providing advice to the FCRA.
