The echo of Martin’s last words ring in my head. It rained that night. A drizzle. Not a downpour, just a Memphis, Tennessee drizzle. It seemed like he knew. It seemed like someone had let him know. His words that night would be his last. The mountaintop. Not getting there with us. But, as a people, we would get there. Somehow we would get to the top of that mountain without Martin. He told us that, that night, his last night. And we believed him.

I can’t get the image out of my head of the bag of Skittles and the can of ice tea falling to the ground. It rained that night too. A drizzle. Not a downpour, just a Sanford, Florida drizzle. Damn, I wish he knew. I wish he knew that this would be his last. The game. His last game. Kobe. LeBron. D Wade. Just a quick walk to the store and back. Put the hoodie up ’cause of the drizzle. Pop. One Pop. Young Martin. Silent. I wish he knew 44 years later, we hadn’t made it to the top of the mountain.

Read More

Trayvon Martin’s death is “definitely” a case of murder, Miami Congresswoman Frederica Wilson told The Miami Herald during a sit-down video interview on Tuesday.

Wilson appeared on an online video program hosted by Miami Herald World Editor John Yearwood. In her appearance, Wilson described racial profiling as a pervasive force in this country, and said she fears for the safety of her black son and three black grandsons.

Of the Martin case, Wilson said, “Oh, definitely Mr. Zimmerman murdered Trayvon Martin …you can tell from the 911 tapes, and from the girlfriend’s conversation. You can tell from Mr. Zimmerman’s past.”

“He murdered Trayvon,” Wilson repeated. “He hunted him down like you hunt a rabbit.”

Read More

Bestselling author and forensics expert Patricia Cornwell examined the Trayvon Martin case on “Piers Morgan Tonight” and discussed with Piers Morgan how forensics will be a key component to the case. “What we’re waiting for now is what did the medical examiner really find?” she explained. “What is the trajectory of the bullet? Was it a contact wound? Was it a slightly distant wound?”

Cornwell also mentioned how important the role of DNA evidence in the case will be, especially any DNA found on the gun. “Does it have Trayvon’s DNA on it? Does it have his fingerprints on it, on it or the holster that might indicate he was grabbing for it?”

The forensics expert is interested to know if there was some sort of struggle. “How do we know that [the head wound] wasn’t caused by maybe somebody who was frightened and hit somebody with their phone because it’s all they’ve got in the hand or a bottle. Those should be checked for DNA, for evidence.”

Source

by The Decider for Global Grind Staff

Sen. Chris Smith, D-Fort Lauderdale, announced today that he has formed his own task force to study the impact of the controversial “Stand your ground law.”

As the Trayvon Martin case continues to stir up anger surrounding the law, Smith told reporters: “Florida is in crisis mode.”

Trayvon’s death has many Tallahassee lawmakers taking a closer look at the 2005 legislation, which allows the use of deadly force in “self-defense” situations.

When George Zimmerman shot and killed Trayvon on the night of Feb. 26, he claimed he felt threatened, but lawyers for Trayvon’s family have said that Zimmerman was the aggressor and should be arrested.

Read More