The case of Trayvon Martin’s tragic death continue to gain ground as more information is uncovered surrounding the final moments of the teenager’s life. The lawyer for Martin’s family, Benjamin Crump, says Trayvon’s 16-year-old girlfriend has come forward after she confirmed calling him at 7:12pm, just minutes before he was shot dead by a self appointed neighborhood watch volunteer, 28-year old George Zimmerman. The unnamed girlfriend heard much of the confrontation between the black teen and the white Hispanic neighborhood watch volunteer.
Here’s an excerpt courtesy of USA Today of what the young girl says she heard happened. Her name is being withheld because her family fears for her safety.
“I think this dude is following.”
“Baby, be careful, just run home.'”
“I think I lost him” then moments later says, “He is right behind me again. I’m not going to run, I’m going to walk fast.”
She hears another voice, ‘What are you doing around here?’
Trayvon says, ‘Why are you following me?'”
At that point, according to the girl, Travyon is pushed and his voice changes.
“She hears the altercation, suddenly, someone just hit the phone, because that’s the last she hears,” Crump says.
She calls Trayvon’s phone again, but there was no answer.
“This claim that Trayvon Martin was the aggressor is preposterous and cannot be allowed to stand,” Crump says. “That is what Zimmerman wants you to believe so he can justify killing this kid in cold blood.”
“This young lady connects the dots,” said Crump. “Arrest George Zimmerman for the killing of Trayvon Martin in cold blood, today.”
Besides the teen girl’s statements, the released 911 call captures Zimmerman making what sounds like a racial slur, “f***ing coons,” under his breath when he made an emergency call that Trayvon looked “suspicious.” Seconds later he confronted Martin, though he was advised not to, and after a brief scuffle shot him dead.
The well placed outrage is building not only because Zimmerman has not been arrested but because of the possible loophole of the ‘Stand Your Ground’ law. Trayvon Martin’s case has been brought to the attention of the author of the law, former Senator Durell Peaden who told the Miami Herald that Zimmerman is not protected under the law. First let’s find out what is the ‘stand your ground’ law.
According to CBS News, the law passed in Florida in 2005 permits residents to use deadly force if they “reasonably believes it is necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.”
Peaden says because Zimmerman ignored the 911 operators request to discontinue following Martin he lost his self defense plea.
“The guy lost his defense right then. When he said ‘I’m following him,’ he lost his defense.”
Rep. Dennis Baxley, Peaden’s co-sponsor also agreed adding that the law does not license neighborhood watch or anyone who feel “like they have the authority to pursue and confront people. That is aggravating an incident right there.”
The Justice Department and the FBI announced that it has launched an investigation into the slaying of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman as a possible hate crime.
