"US to investigate killing of black teen in Florida; Protesters call for shooter to be charged" by Mike Schneider | Associated Press, March 20, 2012
ORLANDO, Fla. - The United States has opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting death of an unarmed black teen by a white neighborhood watch captain at a gated community in Florida.
The Justice Department’s civil rights division, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the US attorney’s office for the Middle District of Florida are participating in the investigation of the death of Trayvon Martin, 17, according to a department statement.
College students around Florida rallied Monday to demand the arrest of 28-year-old George Zimmerman, who authorities say shot Martin during a confrontation in the gated community in Sanford, though Florida authorities may be hamstrung by a state law that allows people to defend themselves with deadly force.
Zimmerman spotted Martin while patrolling his neighborhood on a rainy evening last month and called 911 to report a suspicious person.
The chickens of fear come home to roost.
Against the advice of the 911 dispatcher, Zimmerman then followed Martin, who was walking home from a convenience store with a bag of Skittles in his pocket.
“This guy looks like he is up to no good. He is on drugs or something,’’ Zimmerman told the dispatcher from his SUV. He added that the black teen had his hand in his waistband and was walking around looking at homes.
Zimmerman said the shooting was in self-defense.
Which is a very interesting position since the U.S. government declares preemption based on such circumstances as a national doctrine and policy.
His father said Zimmerman is Hispanic and is not racist.
“I don’t think a man who exited his vehicle after the 911 dispatcher told him to stay inside the car can claim self-defense,’’ Carl McPhail, a 28-year-old Barry University law school student, said at the Sanford rally.
The 70 protesters at the Sanford rally chanted “What if it was your son?’’ and held posters saying, “This is not a race issue.’’ Many carried Skittles.
I agree 100%. This is about freedom.
Martin’s parents and other advocates have said the shooter would have been arrested had he been black.
“You would think that Sanford is still in the 1800s claiming that this man can call self-defense for shooting an unarmed boy,’’ said restaurant owner Linda Tillman, who also was at the Sanford rally.
The case has garnered national attention, and civil rights activist Al Sharpton and radio host Michael Baisden planned to lead a rally Thursday in Sanford....
Prosecutors may not be able to charge Zimmerman because of changes to state law in 2005. Under the old law, people could use deadly force in self-defense only if they had tried to run away or otherwise avoid the danger.
The changes removed that duty to retreat and gave Floridians, as the law is written, the right “to stand his or her ground and meet force with force, including deadly force,’’ if they felt threatened. The changes also meant people could not be prosecuted in such instances.
Prosecutors can have a hard time making a case if there is no one else around to contradict a person who asserts self-defense, said David Hill, a criminal defense lawyer in Orlando. Thus far, Sanford police have said there is no evidence to contradict Zimmerman’s story.
“If there is nobody around and you pull a gun, you just say, ‘Hey, I reasonably believed I was under imminent attack. Hey, sorry. Too bad. But you can’t prosecute me,’ ’’ Hill said, in irony....
Last week, Martin’s parents called on the FBI to take over the investigation, saying they no longer trusted the Sanford Police Department.
Sanford police Sergeant David Morgenstern said the department stands by its investigation but welcomes help from any outside agency.
Several Sanford residents who spoke about the case Friday said they think there would have been an arrest already if the shooter had been black and the deceased had been white.
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Related: Shooting of Florida teen to go to grand jury
Questions surround man at center of teen slaying
Next Day Update: Police chief steps aside in Fla. shooting
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"Pregnant Medford woman killed by car in Florida; Car pins teacher in cabana" by Akilah Johnson | Globe Staff, March 20, 2012
It was a gift from their church: An all-expenses-paid weekend trip to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to bless and strengthen the young Medford couple’s marriage before the birth of their son.
Friday and Saturday were days of work, with Alanna and Michael DeMella attending a Christian marriage conference, and Sunday was meant to be a day of rest. The couple planned to soak up the sun for one day before flying home.
Less than two hours after the couple checked into a ritzy hotel along Fort Lauderdale’s Las Olas Boulevard, an out-of-control car plowed into a poolside cabana and killed Alanna DeMella, who was seven months pregnant, and her unborn son.
“He’s a mess. He’s a wreck. He’s going through all sorts of emotions of ‘God, how can you allow something like this to happen?’ ’’ said Michael Davis, lead pastor of the Genesis Community, the Woburn church the couple attended. “He flew to Fort Lauderdale for a marriage conference with his wife and unborn son and is flying home alone.’’
At the couple’s home, a room was ready, a baby shower held. “This was a child,’’ Davis said, “they were both really excited about and looking forward to.’’ Now, the pastor said, Davis is “coming home to an empty house.’’
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The cause of the crash, which has garnered international attention, remains under investigation, and charges have yet to be filed....
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