Sanford Police Department is on the defensive as outrage continues to build over the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teen, by a gun-toting neighborhood watch member, George Zimmerman.
At a press conference Monday, despite their best efforts, the Police Department failed to assuage the growing criticism of its handling of the mindless murder of Trayvon.
Mayor Jeff Triplett opened the press conference and took pains to point out that Martin’s murder was not only a tragedy for his family but also for the City of Sanford.
Triplett, who addressed the media briefly said, while it appeared the investigation is taking a long time, the police department wanted to “make sure it comes out right.”
Trayvon, who was visiting with his father and step-mother, was shot and killed on February 26, in a gated community, as he returned from a nearby convenience store.
Zimmerman, who called 911 to report that a suspicious person was seen at The Retreat at Twin Lakes Townhomes, admitted to fatally shooting Trayvon, but said it was in self-defense.
Earlier, police confirmed at the time of Zimmerman’s call, he was told by a call taker not to follow the person and that a police officer was on the way to the location.
Chief Bill Lee, who next addressed the press conference, appeared to speak from a prepared statement which failed to address the many unanswered questions.
“This indeed has been a tragedy, especially for the Martin family, for the community members that live in that community and also the City of Sanford,” he said. “It is a very emotional time for the community and we appreciate their patience.”
Lee said the police were anticipating the investigation would be completed later today and turned over to the State Attorney’s Office tomorrow, for their consideration.
Asked why Zimmerman chose to ignore the instruction from the call taker to stand down, but instead followed Martin in his vehicle, Lee said the call taker was only making a recommendation and he was not under any legal obligation to follow those instructions.
Lee added that Zimmerman did have a concealed weapons permit and therefore was within his right to carry a firearm.
“The evidence doesn’t establish so far that Mr. Zimmerman did not act in self-defense,” he said, responding to why the shooter had not been arrested. “We don’t have anything to dispute his claim of self-defense at this point, with the evidence and testimony that we have.”
Pressed on how Zimmerman could claim self-defense when he deliberately followed Martin and got out of his vehicle to confront the teen, Lee declined to get into the facts of the case so as “not to compromise the integrity of the investigation,” as he put it.
Lee also declined to discuss the details of the 911 call made by Zimmerman and why he viewed Martin as suspicious. He confirmed through, there were several witnesses to the confrontation between Martin and Zimmerman, although he did concede there was a time lapse between when the shooter made the call and the actual encounter between the two.
Ben Crump, a lawyer for the Martin family said on The Don Miller Show last Friday, a public records lawsuit had been filed to get the 911 calls made on the night of the shooting, released.
Lee tried to explain why police had conveyed to the Martin family that Zimmerman had had a clean record and no prior brushes with law enforcement, which turned out to be false. According to the chief, it was early in the investigation, and Zimmerman had told law enforcement that he had a “squeaky clean” record.
The Orange County Clerk of Court website shows that a George Zimmerman, 28, was charged in 2005, with resisting an offer with violence and battery on a law enforcement officer, both third degree felonies. The charges appeared to have been dropped.
Asked to comment on the perception that the black community sees Sanford Police Department protecting Zimmerman, a white male, while a “little black boy is dead,” Lee said he could certainly understand how those assumptions would be made.
“We are going to complete a fair and thorough investigation and present all the information to the State Attorney’s Office so that justice can be done,” Lee said.
Bizarrely, nearly three weeks after Martin’s fatal shooting, Sanford City Manager, Norton Bonapart said he called his family today to express condolences. He thought it was important to do so, he said.
Shot in his chest by Zimmerman with a 9mm hand gun, Trayvon was found with Skittles and an iced tea in his pocket, purchases he had made from a nearby convenience store.
