Justice system 'didn't work for us,' Trayvon Martin's father says
updated 11:40 PM EDT, Thu July 18, 2013
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Verdict came as a "complete shock," Martin's mother says
- She talks about a possible disconnect between jurors and her son
- "Does the system work? It didn't work for us," says Martin's father
- The parents did not say whether they may file a civil lawsuit
(CNN) -- Trayvon Martin's father, Tracy, said Thursday it was difficult to listen to testimony about his son, particularly the negative comments, during George Zimmerman's trial.
"That wasn't the Trayvon that we raised. That wasn't the Trayvon that we knew, and that we love," he said during a Thursday night interview on CNN's "Anderson Cooper 360."
Still, Trayvon Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, said that she felt the need to sit through every day of Zimmerman's trial because her son was "not here to say anything for himself."
She said that she wanted to "show a face" for her son.
Martin's parents spoke out Thursday for the first time since Zimmerman was acquitted in the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
"It came as a complete shock for me," Fulton said about the verdict.
"And the reason I say that is because I just look at people as people, and I thought for sure that the jury looked at Trayvon as an average teenager that was minding his own business, that wasn't committing any crime."
Martin's parents opted not to be in the courtroom when the verdict was read. They thought they would not be able to control their emotions -- whichever way the jury decided.
When they heard, they broke down.
"When I heard the verdict, I kind of understand the disconnect," Fulton said. "Maybe they (jurors) didn't see Trayvon as their son. They didn't see Trayvon as a teenager. They didn't see Trayvon as just a human being that was minding his own business."
'Does the system work? It didn't work for us'
Tracy Martin said he wasn't concerned about the racial makeup of the jury before the start of the trial, which has become a forum for debate about gun laws and race in America. But, like Fulton, he believes jurors never saw the event from the perspective of his son.
The jury had six women -- five white and one an unspecified minority.
Tracy Martin said he believes Juror B37 had her mind made up before the trial began. The juror gave an exclusive interview to CNN's Anderson Cooper this week and said the jury felt like it knew Zimmerman but didn't know enough about Martin.
Martin's mother said that despite that comment, jurors had sufficient information.
"They knew he was a teenager. They knew he was on his way home. They knew he ran," she said. "... How much do you need to know?"
Referring to Juror B37's statement that she did not believe race was a factor in the shooting, Fulton said, "I think that's a joke."
Tracy Martin said that his children had grown up in a diverse community, so he had never felt feel a need to have a conversation about how his sons should deal with race.
Rather, he said he talked with his children about "how we prepare them to become teenagers, to become upstanding citizens, to conduct themselves in public."
But once his unarmed son was shot, he said that changed. "What is it I can tell my child now?" he asked.
In spite of his son's death, Tracy Martin said he has faith in the legal system.
"The state did all they could with what they had" given the poor quality of the investigation, he said.
"Does the system work? It didn't work for us. We remain prayerful that through this injustice, we can close that gap and hopefully the system can start working for everyone equally."
'Hopefully, we can find some positive'
Martin's mother said that she hoped that a foundation started in her son's name would allow for something good to come out of his death.
"The change that we hope to affect is with the law," Fulton said. "We want to make sure any teenager who is walking down the street wont' be killed, that they will make it home safe."
"Hopefully, we can find some positive, some bright side out of all of this," she said.
The parents did not say whether they may file a civil lawsuit.
Benjamin Crump, an attorney for Martin's family who also appeared on "Anderson Cooper 360," said they are hoping for a federal civil rights investigation into the teenager's death.
He said they were pleased by the charges brought against Zimmerman because they felt it got to the heart of the allegations.
But he said he did not believe the police were aggressive with the shooting investigation, appearing to take Zimmerman's word for it.
"Not only did (Zimmerman) profile Trayvon Martin, the police profiled Trayvon Martin," Crump said.
'Forgiveness takes time'
Earlier Thursday, in interviews on the three network TV morning news programs, Martin's parents assailed the verdict and the Zimmerman defense team's argument that the killing was in self-defense during an attack by the unarmed teenager.
Fulton told "CBS This Morning" she was "in a bit of shock" after the verdict. "I thought surely that he would be found guilty of second-degree murder," she said.
On NBC's "Today," Fulton said the case is "sending a terrible message to other little black and brown boys -- that you can't walk fast, you can't walk slow. So what do they do? I mean, how do you get home without people knowing or either assuming that you're doing something wrong? Trayvon wasn't doing anything wrong."
Speaking to ABC's "Good Morning America," Martin added that he and Fulton did not find the verdict fair, "and of course it's devastating."
"Today" asked them whether they may forgive Zimmerman, the 29-year-old neighborhood watch volunteer.
"Forgiveness is like a healing process. Forgiveness takes time," Martin responded. "The Bible says that you have to forgive and forget, but also the healing process is a long process and the forgiving process is a long process."
CNN's Josh Levs, Joe Sterling and Jason Hanna contributed to this report.
Watch Anderson Cooper 360° weeknights 10pm ET. For the latest from AC360° click here.
updated 12:43 AM EDT, Thu July 18, 2013
The woman known as Juror B37 in the George Zimmerman trial released a statement exclusively to CNN pushing for new laws.
updated 11:17 AM EDT, Thu July 18, 2013
They walked into the office, led by Amon Gabriel, 9, and asked to speak to Florida Gov. Rick Scott.
updated 8:50 AM EDT, Wed July 17, 2013
Attorney General Eric Holder now faces the prospect of angering liberal supporters when the Justice Department decides whether to file federal charges in the Trayvon Martin killing.
updated 4:57 PM EDT, Tue July 16, 2013
One of the jurors who acquitted George Zimmerman said she had "no doubt" he feared for his life in the final moments of his struggle with Trayvon Martin.
updated 8:54 AM EDT, Wed July 17, 2013
George Zimmerman "didn't do anything unlawful" and was "justified" in shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, according to one of the jurors who acquitted Zimmerman.
updated 1:04 AM EDT, Wed July 17, 2013
The friend who was on the phone with Trayvon Martin when his fatal confrontation with Zimmerman said she is upset at his acquittal on murder charges.
updated 9:06 AM EDT, Wed July 17, 2013
She might still be figuring out what she wants to study, but her finances just got a lot more clear.
updated 9:32 AM EDT, Wed July 17, 2013
Musician Stevie Wonder has vowed to stay out of Florida until the state repeals its "stand your ground" law.
updated 9:49 AM EDT, Tue July 16, 2013
His trial's over. And now it turns out that George Zimmerman might need the same thing millions of Americans are looking for: a job.
We've collected a sampling of reactions to the verdict in the case of George Zimmerman. See all the reaction together, or choose a group to narrow it down.
updated 11:50 AM EDT, Sun July 14, 2013
George Zimmerman is not guilty of murder in the death of Trayvon Martin, a Florida jury decided late Saturday.
updated 10:16 AM EDT, Mon July 15, 2013
An employee of the Florida State Attorney's Office who testified that prosecutors withheld evidence from George Zimmerman's defense team has been fired.
updated 10:02 AM EDT, Mon July 15, 2013
This might sound like a legal conundrum.
updated 9:03 AM EDT, Mon July 15, 2013
Not guilty. That's the verdict jurors reached this weekend in the trial of George Zimmerman, the Florida man who shot and killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.
updated 9:10 AM EDT, Mon July 15, 2013
Suspected racism in the justice system, deep-seated, secretive and historic, was the crux of the case for millions, writes Tom Foreman.
updated 11:33 AM EDT, Fri March 30, 2012
Just like most any other teenager, Trayvon Martin enjoyed listening to music and going to the movies, friends and family said.
updated 12:03 PM EDT, Thu July 11, 2013
The George Zimmerman investigation was hijacked "in a number of ways" by outside forces, said the former police chief of Sanford, Florida.
updated 3:38 PM EDT, Tue July 2, 2013
With a single phrase, Rachel Jeantel, that friend of Trayvon Martin's, may have lit a fuse in the trial of his accused killer.
75°
HI 88°LO 72°
Atlanta, GAWeather forecast
Home | Video | CNN Trends | U.S. | World | Politics | Justice | Entertainment | Tech | Health | Living | Travel | Opinion | iReport | Money | Sports
Tools & widgets | RSS | Podcasts | Blogs | CNN mobile | My profile | E-mail alerts | CNN shop | Site map | Contact us
© 2013 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| 
No comments:
Post a Comment