Amid the hue and cry about justice for Trayvon Martin who was shot dead by George Zimmerman during an alleged conflict in Sanford, Florida, it would seem best to wait for the facts to come to light before making any outrageous statements. Initially, judging by the earliest reports in the papers, this seemed like an obvious case of manslaughter.
It also seemed that the Sanford PD didn’t do their job, and let a killer go free. But in my experience, after covering the courts and police for many years, police don’t simply let someone go who was involved in a shooting without justification. To think that the Sanford PD might do such a thing in this incident strikes me as odd.
And now, as more information appears to be coming out, it seems the case may be more than the young man with Skittles and Arizona tea being gunned down by a crazed vigilante neighborhood watch commander. I’m not talking about all the other information that has come out that seems to be smearing Trayvon’s character. That has nothing to do with this incident. I am talking about the evidence that is slowly trickling out about the case.
It’s hard for me to believe that any police department would have messed up the investigation of this kind of incident to the extent that they allow a person of interest to go free. Zimmerman didn’t run away; he didn’t deny what he had done; and he provided a full statement to the police regarding the shooting. According to reports, he is very remorseful about the shooting.
That doesn’t help Trayvon and his family, who are seeking justice. But, if Zimmerman’s statements turn out to be true and indicate that Trayvon did initiate the incident, where are we left then? Zimmerman has a broken nose and battered back of his head that seem to substantiate his story. There are witnesses whose statements appear to corroborate his statement. There are also witnesses who seem to corroborate Trayvon’s story. Only a court can untangle that kind of mess.
For argument’s sake, let’s say the Sanford PD acted according to law? Maybe there was no just cause to arrest Zimmerman in this incident? Justice is a two-edged sword, and both victim and perpetrator deserve it. In this case, Trayvon certainly deserves justice, but what if justice also shows that Zimmerman was within his rights to use his gun to protect himself? Where are we then?
This issue may never go away. It’s linked inextricably with racism, even though the case may, in actuality, have nothing to do with color.
It’s always a tragedy when something like this happens; losing a young man for any cause is regrettable. If the facts show that Zimmerman acted wrongly, then I believe the courts should apply the law to the fullest extent. But if he did not act wrongly, it would be as much of an injustice to find him guilty and impose a jail sentence.
That’s not what the US Justice System is about in my mind. To me, it is about being fair, following the law, and begin impartial. I am sure in the end this case will resolve itself. As much as we may feel some injustice transpired, jumping to conclusions one way or the other is a form of injustice in itself. As more of the facts in this case unwind, a better picture of the events of that night will appear. There may never be a satisfactory result for some of the parties in this case, but in the end I believe justice will be served.
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